More action than you’ll see inside.
Space Ghost #2
DC Comics (February, 2005)
“Purge”
WRITER: Joe Kelly
ARTIST: Ariel Olivetti
LETTERER: Richard Starkings
EDITOR: Joey Cavalieri
Left for dead on a dead planet, Thad is rescued by one of the natives, who nurses him back to health and even stops him from committing suicide in a clever way. One year passes and the native, Salomon, finally shows him the secret of this “ghost planet”. He created the weapons that led to the war-torn planet to off themselves. Deciding Thad was too good a man to remain he offers him a remaining ship but Thad also sees a pair of power bands that, above Salomon’s pleas, may allow him to hunt the Wrath down and get his revenge. Meanwhile the Wrath find a planet devastated, a dying local blaming “the bugs” (which were mentioned last issue). The others believe the bugs don’t really exists (yes, Space Ghost fans, including the one you’re thinking of) but Temple orders the place burned.
What they got right: The idea that Space Ghost is a betrayed law enforcer who gains the means to bring them to justice I can get behind, as is the path to forming at least a version of his iconic costume.
What they got wrong: What I don’t like, in addition to the brutally murdered pregnant wife, is him seeking to kill the Wrath instead of bringing them to justice. You know, space prison. Also it seems the Power Bands here only have one setting, firing destructive energy blasts, instead of the other gimmick rays they typically have. And does Temple have a reason for hiding the existence of Zorak’s brood? I guess we’ll learn the answer to that one soon enough.
What I think overall: This is ThunderCats: The Return levels of destroying a childhood favorite. There are some good ideas that could work but then it gets way too dark and violent for something based on a Saturday morning favorite. I was not a fan when I first read this miniseries and that is not changing now. Part of me wants to rewrite this story to something closer to the show I love because it’s the execution, not the general plot, that bothers me.
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