Comic Info
Comic Name: Space Ghost
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Ariel Olivetti
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2005
Space Ghost #4
Reprints Space Ghost #1-6 (January 2005-June 2005). Thaddeus Bach has a dream to be a peacekeeper as a member of Elidolon Elite Officer squad. When he is selected for the special Wraith team, his dreams appear to be coming true until he learns that Quartermaster Temple, his commanding officer, is betraying the code with his team of agents. Thaddeus’ pregnant wife Elua is killed and Thaddeus is left for dead. Nursed back to health, Thaddeus takes the guise of Space Ghost and sets out for revenge. When the planet is invaded by a tyrant named Zorak and his brood, Space Ghost’s quest for revenge might have to wait for the sake of the planet.
Written by Joe Kelly and illustrated by Ariel Olivetti, Space Ghost was a mini-series by DC Comics meant to create an origin for the cartoon character. With cover illustrations by Alex Ross, Space Ghost was well received upon its release.
Space Ghost first appeared in his own cartoon in September 1966 and despite popularity only ran two seasons. The character had no origin and didn’t explain how he ended up travelling with a couple of kids. Here, Kelly is faced with creating an origin, keeping it interesting, and fighting the “modern” Space Ghost view as the bumbling, mouthy host of Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Kelly succeeds for the most part.
Space Ghost #6
The story as an origin story has to cover a lot of ground, but also needs to be a bit action based. The first issue sets of the betrayal and the next couple issues go about getting revenge. When it appears that revenge is reached, another fan favorite (and Space Ghost Coast to Coast star) Zorak appears and Space Ghost’s young sidekicks Jayce and Jan are introduced as orphans.
I like the revenge part of the story far more than the invasion where it gets a bit sidetracked. It is also a very hard sell to have Jan and Jayce tagging along with Space Ghost. They are teenagers in the cartoon series so the story does help explain why Space Ghost allows them to be in danger with him. Plus, try as they might, Space Ghost and Zorak are just TV show hosts to me.
Space Ghost was an interesting read. I kind of wish that a follow-up series had been released. Alex Ross’ cover really helped sell this series and you can tell that all the people involved had a love for the character. Space Ghost can be fun, but it will be hard to make him a serious adventurer again…I would like to see Kelly continue to try.
