Space Ghost #8 - Dynamite Entertainment

SPACE GHOST No. 8, December 2024

For any fans of the “Hanna-Barbera Productions” mid-Sixties “American Saturday-morning superhero animated television series”, David Pepose’s introduction of the mass-murdering Metallus at the start to Issue Eight of “Space Ghost” probably did live up to young Jace’s claim that “this is like every Birthday and Christmas rolled into one.” In fact, the American author manages to cleverly establish an incredibly dark tone to this comic, by initially showing its titular character openly enjoying himself battling a supposedly nameless band of deep-space pirates, only to suddenly discover he is actually facing the former “War Captain of the Galactic Federation” who murdered Dax's entire family on the planet Vector.

This shocking revelation genuinely reverberates throughout the twenty-two page periodical, predominantly by it transforming a slightly overconfident cosmic vigilante into an arguably unthinking, reckless avenger, who just repeatedly hurls himself physically at his arch-nemesis without any plan of action. Such blind anger should really strike home to this book’s audience just how much pain and hurt the costumed crusader still carries for his lost loved ones, as well as making it incredibly clear just how different this ongoing series’ storytelling tone is from the old aforementioned cartoons shown on the CBS network approximately sixty years ago. 

Equally as intriguing as this publication’s plummet into the depth’s of Space Ghost’s rage is its depiction of his adolescent sidekicks - who together also provide a notable lesson in being a tad too self-assured in one’s own abilities. The notion that Robo-Trooper A-X-8’s severed head could still pose a severe threat to the children doesn’t enter the mind of Jace, who even rebukes his sister for suggesting such a thing. However, it soon becomes clear that Metallus is using his damaged droid for his own purposes, and demonstrates that just like Dax, the young wannabe heroes have acquired an unhealthy does of hubris following their recent victories; “Yes -- I’ve been aware of your clumsy intrusions ever since you reactivated my loyal soldier.”

Undoubtedly helping to add even more captivating drama to all these proceedings is penciller Jonathan Lau and colorist Andrew Dalhouse. Together, the creative team genuinely deliver some stand-out moments within this magazine, such as when Space Ghost is startled to hear the Iron General’s machines voicing precisely the same ‘mantra’ as they did when destroying his own planet, and the very evident anguish etched across the central protagonist’s face whenever he sees General Metallus.

Writer: David Pepose, Artist: Jonathan Lau, and Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse