Space Ghost Annual #1: A Good End to a Great Story

Space Ghost Annual #1 wraps up the storyline running through the series’ first season. In this way the annual doesn’t feel particularly special. Nor is it a self-contained story that might attract the attention of new readers. Indeed, it could just as easily be numbered Space Ghost #13 since it picks up precisely where Space Ghost #12 left off.

This discussion is mostly a “too inside baseball” issue, though. Space Ghost Annual #1 delivers a high octane resolution, rushing from beginning to end at a high narrative clip. This fast pace has to do a lot of heavy lifting early in the issue, though, because Ultima is one of the least compelling antagonists that Pepose has served up during the series. The assorted dialogue exchanges between the machine villain and Space Ghost’s heroes, whether they be Ultima trying to convince the heroes in the rightness of its goals or threats when the heroes refuse, don’t leap off the page.

The issue finds more success as it moves away from the action and toward a final resolution to the plot. As has been the case with Space Ghost to this point, Pepose’s best work revolves around character interaction, growth, and development. Pepose includes multiple sequences late in the issue, especially for Jace and Jan. These are the resolutions that matter, and they reach all the way back to the first issue. And through these character resolutions, limited though they might be, the plot does reach a satisfying conclusion.

Lau’s skill for action sequences is on display from start to finish in Space Ghost Annual #1. This largely comes via the high degree of shading he employs. The issue isn’t overflowing with splash pages or two page spreads, so Lau isn’t serving up spectacle in that regard. But his style of shading–patches of short thin lines as opposed to full black, add detail and at the same time imply depth. This is most often seen in Space Ghost himself. Lau’s style throughout the series has emphasized the titular character’s physical power and, in many cases by the end of an issue, his domination. In this way the dynamic art isn’t big picture spreads but in closer in looks at detailed, active characters.

This high level of detail isn’t reserved purely for action sequences, though. Lau’s style is similarly well suited for subtle interactions. The late issue character oriented sequence that focuses on Jan utilizes the same shading techniques to draw out emotion. This is key since a major part of the issue’s resolution centers on a conversation between Jan and an older, more expressive character.

Space Ghost Annual #1’s immediately eye popping visual spectacle comes via Dalhouse’s coloring. Lau’s art must not be discounted, but what immediately grabs the attention on most pages is the high contrast colors Dalhouse chooses for the assorted weapons and powers on display. In some ways Dalhouse’s work serves as the advertisement that gets customers into the store that is Lau’s rich artwork.

Dalhouse does not live or die solely by these spectacles, though. Dalhouse’s more subtle work, such as transitions from bright to shadow based on implied light sources, adds depth much as Lau’s style of shading does. 

Dialogue for everyone under Ultima’s control is depicted the same, no doubt specified by Pepose’s script. Esposito’s design isn’t necessarily distinctive among talking machines, but he does do a good job making sure the Ultima dialogue always stands out. The color of the dialogue bubbles are especially effective because it makes them easily identifiable against all of Dalhouse’s coloring choices.