Synopsis
Spirit World stars Xanthe, a non-binary Chinese hero with the ability to travel in and out of the Spirit World—the realm of the dead, and that of the living. Xanthe possesses the ability to burn items folded from ceremonial joss paper and turn them into real objects that can be used in the physical world.
Their super power is based on the East Asian custom of burning joss paper at gravesites to send resources to ancestors in the spirit world. Their weapon of choice is a large broadsword (because who doesn’t love a big sword when you can choose to use a big sword?!).
The adventure begins as Xanthe forms a reluctant alliance with DC’s bad boy of the mystic arts, John Constantine, to rescue Batgirl Cassandra Cain from a horde of jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampires).Who knows what other spirits they’ll find in the Spirit World—like that skateboarding boy wearing hanfu with some headphones and a gaping hole in his chest?!
From: Penguin Random House
Notes on This Title
The main character of this title, Xanthe Zhou, is Chinese and nonbinary. There are instances of deadnaming, though the name itself is censored in the text.
John Constantine, a white bisexual man, is a major supporting character.
Awards
None.
Reviews
“Magic, mayhem and intrigue.” (Source: AIPT)
Interviews
The Beat: “Exploring the SPIRIT WORLD with Wong, Haining, & Cheng“