Space Ghost #3: Fun With a Space Viking

Emotional backstory and characterization is largely absent from Space Ghost #3. Those two story elements played heavily into the previous issues. Indeed, they formed the backbone of this run’s first issue. Here they’re reduced to a brief exchange between Doctor Contra, apparently unaware that his grandchildren Jace and Jan are Space Ghost’s partners, inquiring if they are Space Ghost’s children. Space Ghost replies that while they aren’t he tends to think of them that way. It’s a remarkable moment in Space Ghost’s character arc. When he first encountered Jace and Jan at the start of the previous Space Ghost run, the titular character barely tolerated them.

That one brief character development sequence takes place in the final pages of what is otherwise a non-stop action issue. Space Ghost #3 is the first entry in this year’s run that is fully action centric. There’s no in-depth character story, nor does the antagonist have any kind of personal connection to one of the heroes. Indeed, Tarko’s aggression is based largely on a humorous misunderstanding. In a way, Space Ghost #3 is like a too-large dessert.

Tarko the Terrible makes for a fun antagonist. Though powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with Space Ghost, he’s not a real villain as was the case with the strongest antagonists in the last Space Ghost run. Tarko also has a connection to the Time Master, the character Pepose is building up as this run’s big bad, from his original time period. Thus Space Ghost #3 effectively introduces a new and potentially important character while further developing the series’ larger storyline.

Space Ghost is usually the biggest human character depicted in any given issue of his series. That is not the case here as Tarko’s design outclasses Space Ghost in the size department. This creates some humorous moments as the issue goes on when Tarko is placed amidst the everyday humans and aliens in the city that Space Ghost #3 takes place in.

Lau brings a similar level of detail to this large time displaced Viking as he usually does to Space Ghost. In panels with a pulled back view. Dark black patches with gentler shading on the end emphasize Tarko’s musculature in the same way Space Ghost’s is. Tarko’s cape, tattered in his case, is also highly detailed and creates the illusion of an object moving in three dimensions.

Closeups on Tarko features Lau’s comparatively subtle crosshatch shading to build up facial features and express emotions. The technique is especially successful in emphasizing a slightly bulbous nose and thicker lips relative to most characters and especially Space Ghost who has more of a classic, square jawed hero look. But either way, this heightened level of detail helps communicate age and experience.

Dalhouse’s coloring is rather loud from a visual perspective. Like so many issues of Space Ghost, Space Ghost #3 showcases several characters who generate some kind of colorful power–in this case from Space Ghost, Jace and Jan, the Galactic Patrol, and Tarko. In most issues, the assorted colors work together, sometimes taking center stage over the art but never clashing with each other. The coloring doesn’t work as well here, unfortunately. Some panels are messy, and harder to follow as a result of Dalhouse’s choices. It’s an unfortunate hiccup in what is usually high quality work.

The extended fight sequence that takes up most of Space Ghost #3 is a sound effect extravaganza. It’s easily one of the series most sound effect heavy issues to date (both runs included). Esposito goes all out, delivering a wide array of fonts and colors as well as going full transparent at times. Sound effect appearance is consistent with what is generating them throughout the issue (for instance, the sound for the Galactic Patrol’s guns always looks the same while being different from everything else). Sound effects not tied to specific characters or weapons are large and distinct in the issue. Indeed, they sometimes steal the attention from Dalhouse’s coloring and even Lau’s art. But those few instances don’t detract from the issue. Rather, they emphasize the power behind both Space Ghost and Tarko.