Invader ZIM Vol. 4: Deluxe Edition is now available for humans to enjoy. This comic book hits readers where it counts: right in the squeedlyspooch!
A little while ago, I wrote a review of Invader ZIM: Gir’s Big Day shortly before Oni Press and Lion Forge started publishing Invader Zim Quarterly. Invader Zim Quarterly is a comic book series based on Invader ZIM, the Nickelodeon cartoon that first aired in 2001. Just when I thought the last issue I read was impressive, the deluxe edition of volume 4 came along and blew it out of the water. I can’t tell you how much I laughed while reading it and I’m so grateful that Oni-Lion Forge sent me a copy to review. Thanks, Oni Press and Lion Forge!
Invader Zim Vol. 4: Deluxe Edition bills itself as deluxe for valid reasons. This is no ordinary comic book. For one thing, it’s hardcover, which means it’s super legit. It contains Invader Zim Quarterly issues ranging from 31 to 40. These comics are chock full of delightfully offbeat humor and art, making it an exciting read for anyone who’s into the Invader ZIM fandom. This comic book features original stories and concepts that don’t appear in the cartoon, but it still looks and feels a lot like the cartoon does. The reading experience is unique and nostalgic all at once while introducing enough new elements to make it different from watching the cartoon.
Jhonen Vasquez is the creator of Invader ZIM and the Control Brain behind Invader Zim Quarterly. That’s why it has that offbeat sense of humor he is famous for. However, this comic book is a collaborative effort because different artists and writers create them. I especially like the “Mr. Wiener Face” comic by Sam Logan (writer), Fred C. Stresing (illustration and coloring), and Warren Wucinich (lettering). This comic lampoons institutional and corporate ingenuity/mediocrity in a way that’s classic to the Invader ZIM universe, something I especially enjoy about the cartoon. Also, it’s one of the comics that highlight Gir’s unintentional brilliance to a scary degree.
Speaking of universes, I appreciate the amount of world-building that goes into creating these Invader ZIM comics. After all, the protagonist is an alien invader, so readers are bound to encounter some interesting perspectives and creativity in these comics. My favorite instance of world-building in the deluxe edition of volume 4 is in “The Prisoner of Moo-Ping 10 (Part One)” by Eric Trueheart (writer), Kate Sherron (illustrator), Fred C. Stresing (coloring), and Warren Wucinich (letting). This comic takes place in a space prison that’s controlled by the Gellaxis, which is an extraterrestrial gelatin race that worships right angles. The dimensions you’ll encounter in this comic book are as unique as they are hilarious.
I look forward to Invader Zim Quarterly’s future issue releases. In the meantime, support the Irken empire by buying Invader ZIM Vol. 4: Deluxe Edition from Barnes and Noble, Simon and Schuster, or Amazon.
