Not everyone knows who Space Ghost is, and when considering there’s been different takes in the past, to say which characterization is best depends on who you ask. He was good back when Hanna Barbera broadcasted those classic cartoons and the 90s adult swim parody really diminished who he was. I can’t watch Space Ghost Coast to Coast at all, and when I heard about Dynamite Comics publishing a brand-new reboot, I was eager to dive in!
What’s presented is familiar, and when it involves Jan and Jace a lot more, I’m loving it! I always believed they were the original Wonder Twins (Super Friends) and when considering they both have pet monkeys, I’m sure the carry over was intentional. As the DC Comics inspired series was made to appeal to the kids of the 70s, perhaps the hope was that their parents would say, “Hey, Zan and Jayna are just like those kids, in Space Ghost, a cartoon I saw when I was your age.”
They’re the focus in this wonderful relaunch and here, they’re the children of Jarrod Keplar, a scientist whose orbital research facility gets attacked by pirates. And before other forces like the Robo-Corps come in to demolish the centre, Space Ghost appears and tries to save the crew! I have to love the pain he dishes out because he’s quite the brutal fighter. When compared to the toon of yesteryear, I don’t think this level of violence has been used.
With this comic, I can hear a bit of Kevin Conroy’s scowl blended in with Gary Owen’s voice by the time the titular hero graces the pages. The new character design of Space Ghost by Jonathan Lau emphasises a military background, and honestly, I would not be surprised if later issues connect to DC Comics’ 2005 origin story in small ways. By the second issue, David Pepose offers hints about this character’s origins. All I can gather from that story is that he survived some attack, but with his family gone, he needs a purpose to keep on going.
But with children in the Bat Cave (er, Ghost Planet), life won’t be easy. The drama gets a quick look at; the kids are asking questions concerning where they are, and what they discover on their own hints at a world at large, and Space Ghost has yet to accept them. But after they fight the monster of the week, he likes them as they are–smart and quick on their feet.
Also, this issue’s comic book spreads get better! The way the panels seamlessly move the action is stronger than any live-action stunt filled spectacle, and all the details Lau pencils in show that this hero has emotional scars. Reading these first two issues back to back make more sense than being held in suspense in classic pulp style, where there are little cliffhangers to keep viewers invested.
In the next issue, the team meets Widow and probes into what Robo-Corp has planned. In the preview of this issue, Ghost promises to teach the kids how to survive and find justice following the loss of everything they once knew. If that isn’t very Batman, I don’t know what is. And just like that series, these new recruits are headstrong and will need a lot of railing before they can be considered ready. Call me hooked, as I don’t recall the Hanna Barbera cartoons to be as this exciting!
I tried watching the older material, and they were products of their time; for this modern update, it’s grittier and perhaps far more dangerous as this newly minted group has nobody else but themselves to keep the peace in this galaxy.
5 Stars out of 5
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