SPACE GHOST #5, by Dynamite Comics on 9/11/24, concludes Team Space Ghost’s battle to stop Zorak from unleashing an apocalypse of galactic proportions. They don’t entirely succeed.
Credits:
- Writer: David Pepose
- Artist: Jonathan Lau
- Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Francesco Mattina (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: September 11, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of SPACE GHOST #5:
First Impressions:
Between Space Ghost and Jonny Quest, Dynamite may have the secret sauce to adapting classic adventure properties. Space Ghost #5 is another rip-roaring adventure with drama, thrills, edge-of-your-seat tension, and a satisfying conclusion.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left our titular hero in Space Ghost #4, Zorak escaped from prison to continue his quest to bring forth the god of chaos he worships into our universe. Space Ghost ordered Jan and Jace to stay behind while he tracked the dangerous zealot, but the siblings answered a distress call at a scientific research station, not realizing Zorak laid a trap for Space Ghost’s protégés.
In Space Ghost #5, security forces remain on standby outside the Hadron Collider on Drax-3 commandeered by Zorak and his followers. Suddenly, a streak of fury blows past the security detail to knock out Zorak’s bodyguards and confront the villain in the form of an enraged Space Ghost.
Writer David Pepose leaps straight into the action by sending our hero hurtling into the thick of Zorak’s forces. Thanks to the groundwork laid in previous issues that spell out Space Ghost’s motivations, we know the hero is desperate to protect Jan and Jace as if they were his own family, and you can feel that desperation in Space Ghost’s demeanor and actions.
Zorak threatens to kill Jan and Jace, but he offers a bargain. If Space Ghost directs the full power of his bands at the Hadron Collider, tearing a whole in our dimension, allowing Lokar through, Zorak pledges to not kill Jan and Jace. Cornered and out of options, Space Ghost agrees when Zorak gives him an incentive by activating the vacuum chamber Jan and Jace are trapped in.
David Pepose’s super strong script makes the grade for a tension-filled sequence of scenes, but equal credit belongs to Jonathan Lau on art for the angst and gut-wrenching choice Space Ghost is forced to make.
What neither Zorak nor Space Ghost realize is that Blip managed to escape, knock out the guards to the vacuum chamber with a blaster, and free Jan and Jace. The siblings and the monkey race to find Space Ghost directing the full force of his bands on the collider, causing a rift in reality. The arrival of Lokar is at hand.
What makes this moment so strong is the anguish Space Ghost feels over creating the rift and the shock of realizing that Lokar is indeed real. Pepose and Lau crank up the drama, action, and tension to the max when our hero is faced with a galaxy-consuming threat.
The issue concludes with an all-consuming swarm, a risky ploy, and a heavy price for villains and heroes.
Overall, Space Ghost #5 is a serious, edge-of-your seat thriller that plays the threat to the galaxy and our heroes completely straight. If David Pepose and Dynamite keep this up, Space Ghost will earn our bid for title of the year.
Artwork and Presentation:
Again, Jonathan Lau’s artwork deserves a healthy share (majority?) of the credit for how well this issue turned out. Every page and every panel is jam-packed with drama, wow moments, and visual eye candy of the highest order. This comic looks fantastic, from the character acting to the action.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Historical Context:
Space Ghost aficionados may recognize the name Lokar as a curmudgeonly insect who originally played a rival to Zorak in the Space Ghost cartoon. Here, Lokar is a world-eater of monstrous proportions, so the name is shared, but the characterization is vastly different.
Final Thoughts:
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SPACE GHOST #5 is another winning entry in the series when Space Ghost is forced into an impossible situation. David Pepose’s script hits all the right notes with edge-of-your-seat action, gut-wrenching drama, and a titanic challenge for our heroes to overcome. A large amount of the success of this issue is due to Jonathan Lau’s artwork, which nails the energetic action and deep emotional beats in equal measure.
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