The often neglected Hanna-Barbera superhero Space Ghost should make a comic book comeback as the DC Universe’s version of Deadpool. Most known for his Adult Swim talkshow in the 90s’, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, the intergalactic superhero has also had his own title through DC Comics.
In recent years, many iconic Hanna-Barbera characters have entered into the DC Universe, with series such as Scooby Apocalypse, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and several others. In a crossover between many of the titles, Space Ghost appeared in Future Quest. However, he hasn’t shown up much since 2017. Long before the crossover, Coast to Coast had its own comic as an extension of the popular Adult Swim show. In 2005, writer Joe Kelly teamed up with artists Alex Ross and Ariel Olivetti to bring the hero into a grounded miniseries, attempting to reinvent him for modern DC Comics fans. However, Space Ghost didn’t catch on with broader readership.
Since the earnest approach to the character didn't appeal to fans, Space Ghost might be able to make a comeback in the DC Universe by relying on his greatest strength: his humor. Most readers who know of the intergalactic superhero were introduced to him through Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, which provided a framework for the content that Adult Swim would go onto create. Often speaking directly to his talk show’s viewers through the TV, his meta humor qualifies him to be DC’s own Deadpool. Although Ambush Bug might fill this role to some extent, Space Ghost offers something unique with his deadpan approach to comedy.
A return to Space Ghost’s comedic sensibilities could open up many possible directions for writers to explore with his character. Whether Grant Morrison were to humanize him as a delusional talk show host, in a similar way to Animal Man, or Dan Jurgens were to give him a buddy space cop series alongside his sidekick Zorak, Space Ghost is a deep mine of new stories. For the retro superhero to be relegated to an earnest depiction homaging his original animated series on the rare times he appears in comics would be a waste.
Coast to Coast fans could even be rewarded if new stories treated the Adult Swim show as canon. The series somewhat unintentionally humanized the hero by giving him an ego. A comic book continuation could build on Space Ghost’s descent into madness, as he encounters the vast DC multiverse and realizes his heroics don’t compare to Batman or Green Lantern.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3kWPFFg
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment