The Show

From 1994-2004 viewers got used to watching a talk show featuring Tad Ghostal, better known as Space Ghost. Together with his co-host and former villain, Zorak, they interviewed celebrities and had a good ol’ time doing it. Yet before Space Ghost was a Letterman-wannabe, he was soaring through the galaxy, fighting off evil in all its forms. Space Ghost & Dino Boy: The Complete Series gives viewers a chance step back in time and see Tad in his prime; a time when villains challenged his strength and kids cheered for him on their Saturday mornings.

Space Ghost is old-school cartooning at its best. There are heroes and villains, nothing in between. Space Ghost, together with the brother/sister team Jayce/Jan and their monkey Blip, travel the galaxy in the Phantom Cruiser looking to stop evil wherever it might show up. Space Ghost has one of those costumes that somehow has about a thousand different uses through only his “power bands” on his wrist. Freeze Ray? Fire Ray? Check. You want some invisibility too? No problem, he just happens to have an invisi-belt. Ah, the good old times when logic wasn’t necessary for a hero’s superpowers. Jayce and Jan, on the other hand, have to settle for jetpacks and some invisibility. I bet they are pretty jealous of Space Ghost’s magic power bands.

Characters now famous from Cartoon Network appear as full-fledged villains, such as Zorak and Brak. The novelty is fun, but I prefer their modern kooky versions. The set ends with a massive six-part story pitting Space Ghost against The Council of Doom, a conglomerate of villains hell-bent on taking Space Ghost out once and for all.

In between Space Ghost episodes you are treated to Dino Boy, a vastly inferior program though still somewhat entertaining in its own right. Todd, aka Dino Boy, accidentally parachutes on a land where prehistoric creatures still exist. He is soon attacked by a saber-toothed tiger only to be rescued by a caveman named Ugh and his dinosaur companion, Bronty. The series is predictable enough, with Dino Boy finding himself in danger from various prehistoric beasts and monsters. If you’ve ever seen another dinosaur-age cartoon or episode of a show then you know the routine.

The two-disc set contains 20 episodes. Disc One has: “The Heat Thing/ The Worm People/ Zorak,” “Creature King/ The Treemen/ The Lizard Slavers,” “The Web/ The Sacrifice/ Homing Device,” “The Drone/ The Moss Men/ The Sandman,” “The Robot Master/ Marooned/ The Energy Monster,” “Hi-Jackers/ Giant Ants/ The Lure,” “The Schemer/ The Rock Pygmies/ The Evil Collector,” “Lokar-King of the Killer Locusts/ Danger River/ Brago,” “The Cyclopeds/ The Fire God/ Space Sargasso,” “The Iceman/ The Vampire Men/ The Time Machine,” “The Space Birds/ The Wolf People/ Attack of the Saucer Crab,” and “Nightmare Planet/ Valley of the Giants/ Space Armada.”

Disc Two has: “Ruler of the Rock Robots/ The Bird Riders/ The Challenge,” “Jungle Planet/ The Marksman/ Revenge of the Spider Woman,” “The Space Ark/ The Terrible Chase/ Glasstor,” “The Space Piranhas/ The Spear Warriors/ The Sorcerer,” “The Ovens of Moltar/ The AntWarriors/ Transor- the Matter Mover,” “The Looters/ The Mighty Snow Creature/ The Gargoyloids,” “The Council of Doom: The Meeting / Clutches of Creature King / The Deadly Trap,” and “The Council of Doom: The Molten Monsters of Moltar / Two Faces of Doom / The Final Encounter.”

The DVD

The video is presented in 1.33:1 Full Frame. Like Birdman & The Galaxy Trio, the series has vibrant colors and clean animation, but the print has been beaten up a bit through the decades. However, since home video didn’t exist when these aired, it’s either this set or nothing.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital Mono with English Closed Captions. The mono track does its job with balanced dialogue and music, but when all is said and done it is still a mono track with all the limitations that brings.

The Extras

There is a single special feature, a 96-minute documentary called “Simplicity: The Life and Art of Alex Toth.” This is an incredible look at one of the most influential animators of the time, covering both his work and the man himself. Interviews with his children and others make for a surprisingly substantial and worthwhile documentary that no animator or animation fan should miss.

Final Thoughts

Space Ghost & Dino Boy is pure nostalgia, nothing more, nothing less. He may not be Superman, but Space Ghost is still able to impress with his heroism—a far cry from his talk show future. – Jeff Ritchie