David Pepose on Space Ghost
Space Ghost was created in 1966 during the Batman-inspired superhero boom. But despite a great look and a killer rogue’s gallery, the character has only been featured in a relative handful of comics over the decades! The latest writer to helm Space Ghost is David Pepose, from Marvel’s Savage Avengers, and the great new mini-series, Cable: Love and Chrome (OCT240823) penning the ongoing series from Dynamite. The first collected edition contains the first six Dynamite issues. Space Ghost Vol 01: WIth Only Ghosts To Comfort Us (SEP240294). Pepose talked to CSN Bullpen Writer Matthew L. Price about the ongoing appeal of the sci-fi superhero.
What attracted you to Space Ghost?
When Dynamite first approached me, the thing that stood out was the sheer potential behind the character. Between Alex Toth’s timeless design, his amazing array of powers and gadgets, his iconic bench of villains, and his trio of engaging sidekicks, Space Ghost always had all the ingredients of an A-lister to me, yet because his universe was originally only explored in five-minute bursts, I think Space Ghost was often overlooked and underestimated as a viable hero. It was like being invited to cook in a five-star kitchen, but nobody’s ever tried this dish for more than a handful of meals. It was a daunting but truly exciting challenge - writing Space Ghost felt like a slam-dunk proposition to me.
Tell me about your collaborators on the series.
I’ve been a huge fan of artist Jonathan Lau since his work on Green Hornet with Kevin Smith. Jonathan gives Space Ghost and his supporting cast so much visual heft — and delivers all these blockbuster action sequences that remind our readers of Space Ghost’s superheroic roots. Colorist Andrew Dalhouse is our secret weapon, and is just the perfect collaborator for Jonathan. He takes the already spectacular pages that Jonathan delivers and just raises the bar, lending our pages a beautiful sense of scale. Meanwhile, letterer Taylor Esposito is the glue that keeps our storytelling together. Working on Space Ghost, I’ve felt very lucky to work with such a creatively stacked team of collaborators!
If someone isn’t familiar with the character, how would you pitch them this first collection?
Equal parts Batman: The Long Halloween and The Mandalorian, Space Ghost follows the story of twin orphans Jan and Jace as they’re rescued by a mysterious cosmic vigilante — and how this unlikely group of widowers and orphans evolves into a crime-fighting found family while they battle the most dangerous pirates, criminals, and corporations in the galaxy.
For me, Space Ghost has always been about the characters, so making sure we could incorporate as many of them as possible while staying true to the original core conceit — Space Ghost acting both as a sci-fi superhero, but also a mentor and father figure to Jan, Jace, and Blip.
