Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Dynamite Entertainment, September 2025
You would be mistaken for thinking from this cover that you had dropped accidentally into Mega-City One and encountered a Judge. But this is Dynamite Comics, not 2000AD. Here is the promotional copy of this latest issue of Space Ghost:
TERROR DEFROSTED!
The ancient barbarian known as Tarko the Terrible was lost in a blood-soaked battle across the icy tundra. Now, millennia later, his frozen form has been discovered in a block of ice — and once he thaws out, he’ll find a whole new galaxy ripe for conquest!
Can Space Ghost and company stop this time-lost warrior from wreaking havoc upon the future? Or will our heroes find themselves on the wrong end of Tarko’s blade?
Find out in the third issue of unfrozen comics creators DAVID PEPOSE and JONATHAN LAU’s celebrated Space Ghost — featuring cryogenically cool covers from FRANCESCO MATTINA, JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG, MICHAEL CHO, and BJORN BARENDS!
In our past reviews, we had good things to say about Dynamite Entertainment’s comic book adaptation/revival of the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon, Space Ghost. However, our praise came with a disclaimer: you needed to be invested in, or at least familiar with, the property in order to fully enjoy the comic. In Space Ghost Vol. 2 #3, that disclaimer is no longer necessary. While familiarity with the franchise (and this far into the series’ run, readers are probably already familiar with Space Ghost) is still an advantage, the comic is an enjoyable read on its own.
The issue opens with a flashback to 10,000 years ago, showing a band of Vikings led by a warrior named Tarko the Terrible attacking a highly advanced warship owned by a villain they called the “Time Master,” all in the middle of what appears to be a savage blizzard. The panels cleverly transition into the present, where Space Ghost and his posse have successfully captured a villain named Feron, who possesses a Cryogenic Cannon that, based on the dialogue, seems capable of freezing entire planets.
Within these first few panels, the issue reads like a run-of-the-mill superhero yarn, with colorfully costumed protagonists using physical force to apprehend villains before handing them over to the authorities.
Where this issue’s tangent begins is when Space Ghost and his crew discover a peculiar item in Feron’s possession: a massive chunk of ice containing the cryogenically preserved body of Tarko the Terrible. It appears the Viking warrior was defeated 10,000 years ago and tragically entombed in the ice. In an act of altruism, Space Ghost decides to bring Tarko’s body to a scientist acquaintance in hopes of reviving him.
From here on, the story begins to take on horror themes rather than the superheroics we have seen thus far in this title. Tarko, unsurprisingly, is not a reasonable individual, and instead of showing gratitude, his first thought is to accuse his rescuers of being the very people who trapped him in the ice. Tarko interprets all the advanced technology around him as sorcery, and the unfortunate scientist who helped thaw him out as an evil sorcerer. What follows plays out with the pacing and atmosphere of a horror film, with Tarko serving as the relentless monster who stalks Space Ghost and the scientist throughout the city, his brute strength and single-minded aggression making him feel less like a rival warrior and more like a force of nature. And there is only one thing he wants to do to evil sorcerers: destroy them.
Space Ghost and his crew are then drawn into a destructive city-wide clash with Tarko, that even Space Ghost’s advanced gadgetry can’t easily contain. This issue is easily one of the most action-packed instalments of the Space Ghost series, with its protagonist battered and forced onto the defensive against an unrelenting foe determined to kill him and his allies for reasons rooted in misunderstanding and misplaced vengeance.
Despite being heavy on action, the issue delivers a surprisingly poignant ending. It is no spoiler to say that Space Ghost ultimately triumphs, successfully trapping Tarko back in the ice. What stands out, however, is the hero’s choice regarding the Viking’s fate. Instead of condemning him, Space Ghost recognizes that Tarko’s hostility is a product of his time, shaped by the brutal world he came from. Judging him by modern standards would be unjust, especially since he never asked to be displaced into the present. Rather than execution or indefinite imprisonment, Space Ghost arranges for Tarko to be revived on a deserted planet at the edge of the galaxy: a world where he can live freely and embrace the life of a conqueror he was destined for. There is a happy place for everyone in the universe, Mr Pepose seems to tell us, even if you are a psychotic Viking warlord.
It is this balance of thrilling action and thoughtful resolution that makes Space Ghost Vol. 2 #3 such a strong entry in the series. Mr Pepose managed to honor the action cartoon roots of the character while layering in moral complexity and empathy, elevating the story beyond a simple brawl. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, this issue proves that Space Ghost isn’t just a nostalgic revival. Rather, it is a series capable of standing proudly on its own.