SPACE GHOST #6 / Script by DAVID PEPOSE / Art by JONATHAN LAU / Color by ANDREW DALHOUSE / Letters by TAYLOR ESPOSITO / Published by DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

In these days when most monthly comics are written for the trade, it is a rare thing for a superhero book to have a self-contained story, done in one. In those rare instances, it is even rarer for the book to have a continuing narrative. This is understandable, as it is difficult for sequential fiction to be accessible to new readers, while rewarding longtime fans. Somehow, Space Ghost #6 manages it.

Based on the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon, Space Ghost centers around the titular sci-fi superhero. A masked vigilante, armed with amazing technology, he defends the frontiers of space from pirates, slavers, and other ne’er-do-wells. He is assisted in this by two orphans he adopted, Jan and Jace, and a monkey with enhanced intelligence called Blip. At least, they did assist him, until a trauma leaves Jace unwilling to join in the fight anymore.

David Pepose is a literary plate-spinner, managing several things at once with the script for Space Ghost #6. He reintroduces and updates the classic Space Ghost villain Moltar from the original 1960s cartoon. He also sneaks in a nod to the comedic Space Ghost talk show, with this Moltar also being a family man seeking to avenge the family he lost. (His wife’s name is not given, but I presume it is Linda.) In this Moltar is a dark mirror of Space Ghost, whose origins remain a mystery beyond his losing his family as well. Pepose also continues the plot point of Jace working through his pain. All of this, miraculously, is written in such a way that no previous familiarity with the characters or the story so far is needed.

The artwork is of equal quality. Jonathan Lau has refined the classic Alex Toth designs, adding depth but staying true to the retro-future aesthetic. Andrew Dalhouse traps light on the page, making Moltar’s attacks seem to glow. And the letters and word balloons by Taylor Esposito grab the eye and do not let go.

If you haven’t given Space Ghost a try, this is the perfect issue to correct that mistake. If you’ve already been reading it, you can look forward to another fine issue. This is one of the best books on the market, for Space Ghost fans old and new.

Space Ghost #6 arrives in comic shops everywhere on October 9, 2024.