One iconic hero who debuted in 1966 is on the comeback trail, and wants to dethrone Spider-Man and Batman. Dynamite Entertainment has struck gold with their revival of Space Ghost, which just launched its second volume to critical acclaim and high sales. Space Ghost has a lot of potential in the medium, and his new series lives up to it.
Dynamite’s Space Ghost monthly is written by David Pepose and drawn by Jonathan Lau. The book uses Space Ghost’s proteges, Jan and Jace, to show how they survived a horrific attack.
Classic Space Ghost foes such as Brak and Zorak make appearances as well.
Space Ghost’s Creator Was a Comic Book Legend
Space Ghost’s Appeal Stretches Across Generations
Space Ghost works so well in the comics medium because he was created by a legendary comic book artist: Alex Toth. Toth, who passed away in 2006, had extensive credits with Marvel, DC, Dell and other publishers. He also worked for the Hanna-Barbera animation studio, where he created Space Ghost. The show premiered in 1966.
Space Ghost’s cartoon wrapped up in 1968, but reruns kept the character in the consciousness of children. He would appear in only a handful of comics during this time, published by Gold Key. Like other similar Hanna-Barbera properties, such as Thundarr the Barbarian, Space Ghost seemed to resist the pull of comics.
The modern era of Space Ghost began in 1994 with the premiere of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast on Cartoon Network. Using cels from the original animated series, the show turned Space Ghost into a late-night TV talk-show host, who would ask surreal and funny questions of his celebrity guests.
Space Ghost Finally Came to Comics in the 2000s
Dynamite Entertainment Currently Holds the Space Ghost LIcense
Space Ghost finally made a more proper comics debut in 2005, courtesy of DC Comics. Written by Joe Kelly and drawn by Ariel Olivetti, DC’s five-issue Space Ghost was also a wholly original take on the character. Trading in the gags and the camp for violence and vengeance, the series also gave the character a tragic origin.
After a second run, this one more in line with the classic version of the character, wrapped up in the late 2010s, the rights to Space Ghost went to Dynamite Entertainment. Part of a larger deal that also brought Thundercats, Silverhawks and Jonny Quest to the publisher, the book has been well-received by fans.
David Pepose and Jonathan Lau Have Created an All-Time Vision for Space Ghost
Space Ghost’s Creative Team Has Cracked the Code to Make HIm Work Well in Comics
Pepose and Lau’s vision of Space Ghost pays great respect to Alex Toth. The world Space Ghost fights in is a dark and grim one. His foes, such as Black Widow and Moltar, are violent, ruthless mass murderers. Yet Pepose and Lau’s Space Ghost hold it all in check, keeping the galaxy from descending into lawlessness.
Centering Jan, Jace and their pet monkey Blip as the book’s primary characters was a wise move, as it keeps Space Ghost shrouded in mystery. The book gives hints of Space Ghost’s backstory throughout, but it keeps the focus on the children. Fans do not know much about Space Ghost, nor do they get a look inside his head.
Pepose and Lau have also reworked Space Ghost’s villains for the modern era. While Space Ghost: Coast to Coast depicts Zorak, Brak and Moltar as buffoons, Pepose and Lau do not hold back in showing the atrocities they committed. Zorak was especially heinous, murdering innocents to appease his evil god.
All of this may make Pepose and Lau’s Space Ghost more in line with Joe Kelly and Ariel Olivetti’s violent take, but in fact the book is accessible to all readers. While not skimping on the epic fights, Space Ghost is also about family, be it a biological one or one that is found.
Space Ghost is Taking His Place Next to Spider-Man and Batman
Space Ghost’s World is Ripe With Potential
Now with several critically acclaimed books under his belt, Space Ghost is ready to take his place as a comic book icon, on par with Spider-Man or Batman. David Pepose and Jonathan Lau are making Space Ghost once again relevant to modern audiences, and hopefully the comic book mainstream will notice.
Space Ghost #1 is on sale now from Dynamite Entertainment!
