[346] I want to help too

So heres the thing. with all the reality rending happening around, is that just the kid's spirit, or is there really a DEAD HUMAN BODY in the storage closet.

Creepy.

You know what? I think he's physically dead but his soul, spirit, whatever hasn't left his body. But he's affecting his appearance and his surroundings somehow.

I think people are already dead when they go to that hospital. it's psychic space not real space.

it's a way station between incarnations and this is why Surma is there for so long and Anne's dad can't visit. she's dead and he's not. Anne may also be dead or have died before this is also why she can see the psycopomps.

the kid is dead, he died at home so he thinks he's still there because he refuses to think he's dead. this is why the space around his is still his room.

I wonder if he would turn into something like zimmy if left in that state for to long?

*yes I joined to post this*

That wouldn't make any sense. She called the hospital remember, and her father was a surgeon there.

All that's going on is she's interrupting the kid's projected reality. It's visible in every fame, around her, not just when she touches him.

I think it's far more likely that Annie and Surma can just see it because they're somehow special. And if it turns out that Annie was dead, I don't think I'll be able to enjoy this comic as much as I do now. I highly doubt that's the case.

Annie touching him confirms my theory that reality is being bent around him. That is obviously not his room. Still doesn't explain why he's in there. He does mention that the guides keep trying to get into "his room". So does this mean that he brings his own little piece of reality wherever he goes so that it's still "his room" ? Denial ?

Hi, everyone. Happy to be joining in the speculation. Great comic today, Tom. Unsettled the heck out of me.

So every Tim Burton character ever gets his arm Quirrell'd by Annie?

This. Is. Awesome.

Vaguely creepy, but still really awesome.

I sincerely doubt that. It seems far more likely that the ability to see ghosts was a trait inherited from her mother.

And yeah, it's clear that reality around Annie is penetrating into the pseudo-reality this ghost is emanating. It's obvious from the start of this scene that the space around his bed is being affected, and made to look different. Clearly whatever is doing this has no affect on a living person, at least not subconsciously.

I'm guessing the whole dispelling illusion thing stems from her having qualities as a medium, inherited from her mother. Probably what the dog meant by "All she got to do is be there".
Additionally, I'm guessing Annie and the boy are the only ones that can even see that part of the room like that.

Huh. I figured something was different. I didn't notice why until you mentioned it.

There's always next update.

Now we know why Annie was so unimpressed when she first met Mort.

To compare the various instances of illusioneering or reality-altering that we've seen so far:

Mort illusions:
*visible to Mediums and Normals alike.
*under Mort's conscious control.
*not affected by Annie's presence.

ghost-lad's illusions:
*seem to be generated unconsciously.
*dispelled by Annie's proximity to the illusions themselves. (Current page: The blue carpet disappears around Annie.)
*visible to Annie and the boy; their visibility to Normals is unknown.

Zimmy's illusions:
*not under Zimmy's conscious control.
*dispelled by Annie's or Gamma's proximity to Zimmy. (P 191: Zimmy sees a cut on Annie's face, and it disappears when Zimmy moves closer to look at it.)
*can become real if left unchecked.
*possibly hallucinations visible only to Zimmy, at least initially.
*possibly reflect some spiritual/supernatural reality and/or Zimmy's memories ("This isn't real! It already happened!").

I agree Mort's and the misfortunate lad's illusions could both be the conscious and subconscious expressions of the same basic ability. Zimmy's power seems to be something else entirely.

My guess would be that any living person walking in would not see the boy's illusion, nor would he see them. Annie can see (and dispel) the illusion because she's a medium.

Well, Mort is projecting illusions to scare, so he can make normal people see it. The Guides can also let themselves be seen if they want to (remember Kertrak).

The boy seems to be in a state of denial which makes him project a spiritual projection of a room, which accounts as to why no one in the hospital would be scared of it (can't see it) and why Annie can see it (medium) and why does the illusion vanishes at her close proximity (her own spirit forces reality around her).

Creepy dead arm.... could be for burns....but it looks some much like a wood arm...didn't anyone get the same feeling?

Also, Annie is really cute in the profile draw on pannel 5

I'm pretty sure "Ghosts" are visible to normal people because they are aware of what they are, and want people to see them.

Spirit guides like Muut and the like are unlikely to be the same as ordinary ghosts. Otherwise, Kat wouldn't have needed Annie's help to see the Insect guide at the start of this chapter.