CAPTAIN PLANET #1, by Dynamite Comics on 5/7/25, begins a new era when Gaia is captured by the nefarious Lucian Plunder, and her only hope lies with a group of newly elected Planeteers.
Credits:
- Writer: David Pepose
- Artist: Eman Casallos
- Colorist: Jorge Sutil
- Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover Artist: Mark Spears (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: May 7, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of CAPTAIN PLANET #1:
Plot Analysis:
Captain Planet #1 begins with a woman on the run on Hope Island. Gaia, the keeper of the five magic rings, evades capture by a group of mercenaries. Desperate, she uses the rings to summon Captain Planet, a superbeing made of elemental energy from Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Heart. Captain Planet appears to have the upper hand in the battle, but he’s brought down by the mercenary leader, Argos Bleak, with a round of gunfire using depleted uranium rounds. Before Gaia is captured, she sends the rings rocketing into orbit to find new wielders.
In Ghana, the Earth Ring finds Kwame in time to save his village from a dam collapse. Union factory worker James receives the Fire ring in time to help workers trapped in a factory explosion. Linka uses the Wind ring to knock out a group of cops interrupting her bans’ pop-up performance in an abandoned mansion (???) In South Korea, Gi uses the power of Water to stop a tidal wave from capsizing her research ship, and Ma-Ti summons a rainforest beast in Brazil to drive off a group of ruthless strip miners.
The new Planeteers each hear the call of Gaia, asking them to come to New York to rescue her from Lucian Plunder, the benefactor behind the mercenaries. What does Plunder want? He wants the power of the rings for himself.
First Impressions:
Everything about Captain Planet #1 works, except for one oddity. David Pepose applies the same winning approach he used on Space Ghost to craft an update to a classic cartoon with a little more maturity and edge. However, some of the Planeteer choices may take some getting used to.
Artwork and Presentation:
The art is great. Eman Casallos worked overtime to ensure the details stand out in the close-ups and the wide shots. When each soon-to-be Planeteer faces some kind of large-scale disaster, the visual representation of the destruction gives you a perfect sense of scale and urgency. Plus, the figure work and facial acting are on point.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
David Pepose appears to have a secret code that makes dated and admittedly corny comics feel fresh, powerful, and edgy without getting overly serious. Captain Planet #1 has a rock-solid structure to introduce readers to the cast of characters quickly, and the cliffhanger is flawless.
The Negatives:
The Planeteers will take some getting used to. In keeping with the eco-friendly activism of the source material, each of the chosen Planeteers comes from diverse backgrounds and is motivated by troubles in their native lands. That said, Pepose adds extra layers of activism for unclear reasons, so the environmental focus gets lost. Why is a Russian band’s lead singer attacking police when she’s the trespasser, and how does that relate to Wind? Why is an auto worker, who is VERY pro-union, the best candidate for Fire? Perhaps we’re being too sensitive to current-day cultural issues, but you definitely notice Pepose pushed the angle a little too hard.
Final Thoughts:
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CAPTAIN PLANET #1 enlists a new group of Planeteers from diverse backgrounds to save Gaia from a ruthless executive. David Pepose’s script repeats the success of Space Ghost by redoing the cast of characters with a modern, mature edge, and the artwork is great. That said, some of the new Planeteers may take some getting used to as anti-establishment activists.
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