I’m feeling honored to once again be granted the ability to write a preview for this week’s release of Space Ghost #2 by David Pepose.
Call it marking out, but this stuff is exciting. The majority of individuals I speak with will either say “Oh, wasn’t that the animated talk show on Adult Swim?” or I’ll get, wasn’t he some old cartoon from the ’60s?” Yet, majority are not old enough to have watched the original cartoon, even with reruns airing throughout the ’80s and on classic cartoon channels in the 90s and early-2000s. Most don’t know what the “talk show” was about, only that it was on “that trippy Adult Swim channel.” Which, as some know, wasn’t trippy until much later on.
Either way, this Space Ghost is a serious take on the character, and quite frankly creates an origin story which this character does not seem to have a concrete lore. DC Comics attempted this in 2005 with mixed results, only to reappear in DC Comics’ Future Quest alongside a number of other Hannah-Barbera characters such as Johnny Quest (a 2024 FCBD preview!) and the Inhumanoids.
Trying to be as non-spoilery as possible, but at the same feels like this one element I really want to highlight would encourage interest for fans to hit their local brick-and-mortar comic shop to pick up this issue. The kids. Sure, most comic fans anticipate kids involved to be helpless, whiny, or some sort of MacGuffin to que an adventure involving rescue. While this trope is common in comics, it is the setup and execution which stands out, and yes folks, it stands out. Jace and Jan are no slouches, and one in particular most certainly channels some take-no-crap vibes. Sorry, I wanted to use another word but I do try to keep it family-friendly. It stands out the most as this unexpected behavior brings out some unexpected anger and boiling emotion for our cosmic-phasing phenom.
This is only a spoiler if you have not read Issue #1, in which I could safely say you are missing out, as the issue sets up the new origin of Space Ghost and his traveling companions. There was an appearance by a villain once seen in the original cartoon, and this repeats itself again in this upcoming issue where we find Space Ghost at the mercy of another familiar being to old school cartoon fans. The purpose of the issue not only continues the formation of a trusting relationship between S.G. and the rescued children, but also a glimpse into the origin of this version which explains the persona of self-isolation and emotional distance.
There is another reveal, which may surprise fans? All those wiki pages are going to need a serious update after this issue hits store shelves. Gotta go buy the comic to find out!
Once more, I offer high praise to David Pepose on a superb job with dialogue with Jonathan Lau and Andrew Dalhouse with ongoing art, accompanied by dedicated letterer Taylor Esposito. Thanks to this all-star crew, I’m still getting Batman vibes, and I dig it. A lot.
Issue #2 of Space Ghost hits comic store shelves this Wednesday, June 5th!
