Writer David Pepose remains composed during his celebrated Space Ghost comic series at Dynamite, and now he is shifting his focus towards revitalizing another beloved animated superhero property into a contemporary comic: Captain Planet, debuting this Spring through Dynamite, the same publisher behind Space Ghost. Frankly, the new Captain Planet, showcased here with his striking beard, is… somewhat attractive?
Captain Planet and the Planeteers was a beloved cartoon from the early ’90s that featured a collective of teenage heroes from various corners of the globe, each possessing elemental abilities. They would summon their champion, Captain Planet, to help them combat pollution, manifested in vividly quirky villains like Verminous Scum, Duke Nukem, and Hoggish Greedly.
Even though Captain Planet is largely regarded as a relic of the ’90s, with his latest animated series having been canceled back in the blissful days of 1992, the character’s environmental message seems particularly relevant in light of current concerns regarding climate change. Just as Pepose did with Space Ghost, he and his collaborator on the series, artist Eman Casallos, intend to propel Captain Planet firmly into the 21st century with a fresh comic series.
This entails a modernized appearance for the titular hero, conceptualized by Casallos, who trims his notorious green mullet into a far more appealing style that makes him resemble Chris Evans rather than Joe Elliott. He is displayed here alongside the new designs for the Planeteers created by series artist Eman Casallos, along with a collection of covers for Captain Planet #1 showcasing his updated look, featuring artwork by Ticket Spears, Christian Ward, and Ben Oliver, as well as the first of six interconnecting covers for the series’ inaugural arc by Jae Lee and June Chung. And to add to the excitement, there are a few interior pages as well:
“Every comic creator has their own personal white whale — that unique property they’ve been eager to leave their mark on — and for over ten years Captain Planet has been mine,” Pepose states in a release.
“Renowned writer David Pepose (Space Ghost, Cable) joins forces with artist Eman Casallos (Vampirella, Pathfinder) for the first comic series featuring Captain Planet in more than thirty years,” reads Dynamite’s official announcement. “They are launching the story with an invigorated, yet respectful update of the franchise, similar to Pepose’s approach with the successful Space Ghost series.”
“Before these aspiring eco-warriors can harness their newly acquired powers for the sake of environmental justice, they first need to