Captain Planet #1 is written by David Pepose and published by Dynamite Entertainment. Artwork is by Eman Casallos, colours by Jorge Sutil and letters by Jeff Eckleberry. Main cover art (left) is by Mark Spears.
Captain Planet #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Five special young people have been empowered by Gaia, the embodiment of the Earth’s spirit, with an aspect of our world’s elemental forces: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Heart. When the five powers combine, they summon the world’s greatest champion — Captain Planet!
But before these would-be eco-warriors can combine their newfound abilities in pursuit of environmental justice, they will have to learn to trust each other — and with each member drawn from different (and sometimes mutually antagonistic) corners of the globe, that’s easier said than done.
Unfortunately, time is not on their side. When Gaia is kidnapped, the inexperienced Planeteers are forced to come together — whether they’re ready or not — to face the well-financed might of Lucian Plunder! Even with the five-fold power of Captain Planet on their side, will it be enough to stop the ruthless ingenuity of Earth’s exploiters?
Review
Strap yourselves in 90’s cartoon fans. We’ve got a reboot on our hands which might just steal the crown for 2025’s most anticipated. Almost three decades after he left TV screens Captain Planet and his Planeteers are returning in a brand new series from Dynamite Entertainment and fan-favourite writer David Pepose. After proving himself with the brilliant Space Ghost can lightning strike twice for Pepose as he reinvents the franchise for a new generation?
I will admit to being one of those kids who religiously watched the Captain Planet show. I’m pretty sure I had at least an action figure of the man himself as well. I know I certainly had one of the elemental rings which helps conjure him in to action as well. So when Dynamite first announced that Pepose was working on bringing him back I was anxiously-excited to see what could be done with the IP. Having been a fan of Pepose’s Space Ghost series it certainly seemed like everything was working in its favour. So when the first issue landed in my inbox of course I jumped at the chance to read it right away.
What is immediately striking about this new take is that Pepose is embracing everything about the original cartoon. This isn’t an attempt to make Captain Planet in to a brooding vigilante who stalks rooftops hunting purse snatchers. Its environmentally conscious core is completely intact. It has simply been given a contemporary coat of paint which makes it relevant to a 2025 audience. Yes it’s a little less camp and a little more action-adventure. But it’s certainly still recognisable for the show it once was.
This first issue is perfectly structured to bring readers in to this world. Opening on Hope Island we’re introduced to Gaia and Captain Planet in a high-octane sequence which is dynamically brought to life through Eman Casallos’ artwork and Jorge Sutil’s colours. It’s a bold statement that this new Captain Planet will hit heavier and harder. It’s also Pepose’s way of acknowledging that with an ensemble cast to introduce this was his way of making sure the series debut was devoid of action. So after a huge show of powers including ice shields and lightning rods it’s time to shift focus to introducing the Planeteers.
Pepose chooses to introduce each Planeteer as residing in their homeland, giving much needed context to their backstory and connection to the world around them. It makes perfect sense to build the story up this way rather than instantly bringing them together like Zordon putting together his Power Rangers. It opens up this first issue to really dig in to who Kwame, James, Linka, Gi and Ma-Ti are as people beyond their animated counterparts. It also feels much more authentic that this group aren’t simply best friends in high school together. The ethos of Captain Planet was always to be multicultural and to feel international which this book does from the ground up.
Captain Planet was always written to make each of the Planeteers feel unique in their personality. That was also reflected in their individual powers and backgrounds. That blueprint lends itself to the comic book format perfectly. It also gives Casallos and Suntil a lot to play with in the visual language of the book. Moving from the Earthy Ghana to the fiery Detroit and beyond. Visually it means Suntil can tailor the palette to each Planeteer’s power similarly to how each Power Ranger wears their own colour. It might not be subtle but for new readers it works well in acclimating them to the world.
Any first issue is going to have a lot of ground to cover. I certainly don’t envy any creative team trying to get a new book off the ground. But Pepose and co. have done a great job here. Wrapping things up we’ve certainly covered a lot of that ground by giving the Planeteers their powers. But there are still lingering questions with more than enough intrigue to power the series through its first arc. Not only do we need to get the team together physically but there’s a Gaia to save and a villain who should be very familiar to fans of the cartoon…
Verdict
Captain Planet comes soaring out of the gate with a near-perfect first issue. David Pepose brilliantly resets the playing field, dialling back on some of the original cartoon’s more campy elements and amping up the sense of adventure without compromising on its heartfelt – and ever important – environmental message. This is an exciting start Planeteers and I can’t wait to see where it leads.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
