4 out of 5

Also billed as the 0 issue for the ongoing Zim series that followed, this is really just a miracle thing to exist. Like, I get that Zim has a fanbase that’s made for comics, whether it’s from longtime Jhonen fans waiting for a return to the form, or show fans who were coming of comic-book age after the series ended, but still: sell me on a primarily text issue that is just a collection of random jokes and references – i.e. not actually a comic; not presenting an actual story – that precedes the publication of the #1 issue, and I dunno, I dunno, I dunno. Yes, already-earned fan me is in line, but any newbies you could lure in with pretty pictures? They’re not picking this up. So I’m not sure how this got green lit, but I admire the fact that it did, and that gooses the rating. Otherwise, this is pretty much exactly what it claims to be (inside the Invader Zim branding on the cover, which is otherwise the only outward call to let you know what this is tied to): an “issue” of conspiracy mag “TruthShrieker” magazine, which is page after page of articles / interviews dedicated to crackpot theories like ghost chairs and aliens hiding in malls.

Those familiar with Eric Trueheart’s completely random style of jokes will spot some of his humor here; similarly, Jhonen’s fingerprints – character ownership aside – are all over it. Some nods to background show lore pop up, and this also was setup for the comic, with Dib appearing in one form or another to tell us that Zim has been unseen as of late, but this is primarily scatter shot stuff, landing somewhere between classic comics parody (via the ads for random doodads), National Enquirer-style bombast, and following the thinnest threads of crackpot non-logic, delivered via “editor” UFO Face. It’s funny, but I’d say the joke is the concept, and then the in-the-weeds text – while I respect how dedicated the team was to aiming for 0 filler (every article and ad is a gag) – is more amusing than anything else, since it naturally lacks narrative, and is all pitched at a frantic level of 11, which tires after a bit.

So really, it’s a 3, but I just get tickled thinking about how much fun this probably was to put together, and then have to nod approvingly to the Oni editorial / production team for looking at the final product and giving it the go-ahead.