SPACE GHOST #8, by Dynamite Comics on 12/11/24, sends Space Ghost into a rage when he crosses paths with the metallic villains responsible for the death of his family years ago.
Credits:
- Writer: David Pepose
- Artist: Jonathan Lau
- Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Francesco Mattina (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: December 11, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of SPACE GHOST #8:
First Impressions:
Writer David Pepose impressively reminds readers why this modern adaptation of a classic cartoon is one of the best adaptations around in Space Ghost #8. Everything about this issue takes readers on a ride with big action, big (melo)drama, big stakes, and an impossible challenge for our hero. Why can’t Pepose write like this at Marvel and DC?
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the space-faring superhero in Space Ghost #7, Blip took center stage as the hero when Space Ghost and his wards were trapped by the Creature King’s device that made animals smarter and humans dumber. In the end, Blip’s love for his family overcame the Creature King’s plans to build an army of super-intelligent animal slaves.
In Space Ghost #8, the tragedy of Space Ghost’s past returns to the present. We begin with a flashback at Planet Vector, where enterprising scientist Dax and his family live a peaceful life developing new tech to help with space exploration and research. Suddenly, their colony is invaded and overrun by an army of robotic soldiers led by the infamous Iron General, Metallus.
Some readers have already picked up on the notion that this incarnation of the Space Ghost mythos has a lot in common with classic superhero origin stories along the lines of Batman. Well, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Nothing will motivate a hero more than a death in the family, so the opener is a super-powerful way to define Space Ghost’s motivation.
Now, Space Ghost, Jan, and Jace respond to a distress call from a cargo ship under attack. When they arrive, they learn the cargo ship carries several advanced forms of weaponry for delivery, including a devastating neutron bomb. Our heroes launch a coordinated defense to stop the attack drones from securing the cargo ship. Suddenly, one of the destroyed drones issues a statement that reminds Space Ghost of the attack that wiped out his family.
Space Ghost flies into a rage and rockets into the cargo ship to find the man responsible for his grief, Metallus, arranging to take over the cargo ship. Space Ghost attacks, but his strength is no match for Metallus’s impenetrable armor and enhanced strength. Metallus blasts Space Host out into space, but the hero flies back into the hull at the moment Metallus teleports the ship to his secret base, leaving Jan and Jace behind.
Drama is good, but melodrama is better under the right circumstances. David Pepose riles Space Ghost up with over-the-top action and emotion that blinds him to the futility of his actions. Still, what makes a hero a hero is his unwillingness to back down against impossible odds, so you get heroism to the max.
Later, Jan and Jace use the head of one of the destroyed drones to connect to Metallus’s surveillance systems to witness the villain’s plans, Space ghost goes invisible to sneak around the base, but he doesn’t realize Metallus is already aware of the remote snoopers and the nearby vigilante.
The issue concludes with the crushing strength of inevitability and the ruler arriving to claim his kingdom.
Overall, Space Ghost #8 is over-the-top in the very best sense of the phrase with big action, big emotion, big stakes, and a big cliffhanger. David Pepose is on fire with this adaptation, putting similar properties at the Big 2 to shame.
Artwork and Presentation:
A good chunk of the success of Space Ghost #8 belongs to Jonathan Lau’s visceral, powerful artwork. Space Ghost presents as a macho, fearless hero who stands up to any challenge, and Metallus’s modern visual upgrade looks imposing, as he should.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Historical Context:
As with nearly every villain appearing in this series, Metallus is not a new creation. Metallus first appeared in the Space Ghost cartoon in Season 1, Episode 9, titled “Homing Device,” which first aired on October 8, 1966.
Final Thoughts:
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SPACE GHOST #8 is a gritty, dramatic, over-the-top entry in the series that brings an old enemy back to send Space Ghost on a rage-fueled revenge quest. David Pepose’s script practically explodes with power, and Jonathan Lau’s macho art is inspiring.
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