Dark Horse Comics has just released a hardcover book compiling the four-issue run of "Space Circus," a comic book that legendary cartoonist Sergio Aragonés created with writer Mark Evanier in 2000.
Aragonés, of course is known for his decades-spanning work in Mad magazine, as well other fantastic projects like his own long-running "Groo the Wanderer" comic book series. He's universally revered as a Hall of Fame cartoonist, often specializing in hilarious figures and gags that can be tiny enough to fit into the margins of a Mad page, or to fit into huge, complex mural-like pages with a cast of thousands.
"Space Circus" does not disappoint on that count. It's about an Earth kid who finds himself stranded on a traveling circus spaceship of performing aliens, which is then attacked by space pirates. Aragonés does beautiful artwork on the story, action, jokes, and bizarre creatures, but he really shines on the two-page spreads dense with imagination and humor.
It's a shame that more of Aragonés's work hasn't been collected like this. There are "Groo the Wanderer" paperbacks, but we've not yet seen the series of the Complete Groo that's long been rumored. And it would be wonderful to see his underrated work on his comic book series "Funnies," which included autobiographical stories, compiled in book form.
"Space Circus" is colored by Tom Luth and lettered by Stan Sakai.
