Oni Press's Invader ZIM comic series, based on the cult hit Nickelodeon show, will come to an end this August with an issue titled The Dookie Loop Horror.
The Dookie Loop Horror will be an oversized, 32-page issue written by original series creator Jhonen Vasquez and Eric Trueheart, with illustrations by Aaron Alexovich, colors by Fred C. Stresing and lettering by Warren Wucinich. Vasquez, Alexovich, Cole Ott and J.R. Goldberg will do variant covers.
"When I heard that we were reaching the final issue of the Invader ZIM comics, I immediately started thinking of ways to end it as stupidly as possible, which is a pretty big challenge considering the levels of stupid the comic had already gone to," said Vasquez. "My only hope is that when people read it, their brains won't work anymore. That's how I’ll know we did our jobs right."
According to Jasmine Amiri, senior editor at Oni-Lion Forge, the extent of Vasquez's involvement was a surprise: "We knew we wanted to do something special for the big finale of the Invader ZIM comics, but when I emailed Jhonen asking if he'd like to illustrate a cover, I wasn't expecting him to one-up us by signing on to co-write the entire thing. From that kick-off through to the end, this issue surpassed expectations. The entire creative team brought their A game, and I can't wait to share this bizarro, extremely ZIM final issue with everyone."
The official summary for the issue is as follows:
In Invader ZIM: Dookie Loop Horror, up in the sky, something...BLUE approaches. And it smells HORRIBLE. It turns out that interdimensional creatures called Chrono-Dumpers eat time and use our dimension as a toilet, creating an infinite time loop. There is no escape from the time poop loop, forcing Dib and ZIM to live the same TERRIBLE day forEVER. They wake, the tuxedoed pig farts, the world ends. And the key to fixing the loop is GIR. We are all DOOMED.
Each of the artists involved made their own comedic comments on the final Invader ZIM issue. Alexovich said, "I came back one last time to make sure Invader ZIM was well and truly DEAD once and for all. If we’ve done our job right, his curse will never infect anyone ever again. The world might finally be free. Also, it was fun to draw a fancy pig."
Truehart remarked, "When Jhonen asked me if I wanted to work with him on The Dookie Loop Horror, I said, 'You had me at Dookie.' And it turns out I really like loops."
Stresing's statement on concluding the series read, "Glad to have been a part of the Invader ZIM comics for so long, and even gladder to see this last issue through with a bang. A disgusting, messy bang. And you won’t believe who is back in this final issue! (Minimoose. It's Minimoose.)"
Wucinich summed things up by saying, "So it all comes down to dookie and a fancy pig. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Invader ZIM premiered 20 years ago on Nickelodeon. It got canceled midway through its second season, but was eventually revived as a monthly comic series in 2015 and as an animated movie, Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus, released on Netflix in 2019. Last year, the comics switched from a monthly release schedule to a quarterly one. The ongoing series will conclude with 55 issues in total.
The Dookie Loop Horror will be available in stores and online via ComiXology on Aug. 4, 2021.
Source: Oni-Lion Forge