In the late 1980s, the TBS channel premiered the cartoon Captain Planet and the Planeteers, and an entire generation was taught about the value of protecting the Earth and being environmentally conscious. Summoned by Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, five young people are given five magic rings that give them the ability to create Captain Planet, the Earth’s greatest protector. Featuring voice talents of everyone from LeVar Burton to Whoopi Goldberg to famous voice actor Frank Welker, the cartoon—in addition to providing captivating entertainment—helped instill a sense of responsibility for our planet into scores of young people. As we were told in every episode, “The power is [ours].” And we believed it. We still do.
This April, Dynamite Comics is summoning the Earth’s protector once again in Captain Planet, a new series from the creative minds of writer David Pepose and artist Eman Cassallos. I spoke with David Pepose recently about his take on Captain Planet and his world, how this book is very much a team series, working with the creative team, and how he hopes the comic will bring a diverse community of readers together.
I was nine-years-old when the original Captain Planet and the Planeteers cartoon debuted and I attribute the show to instill me whatever care and concern I have for the planet. I know I’m not alone. If there is anyone who can take the nearly-40-year-old concept and make it both relevant and exciting to 21st century readers, it’s David Pepose. His excitement for the project is palpable, not just in this interview but in every instance he mentions it on social media. His skill and passion always marry wonderfully, and I have no doubt that Dynamite’s Captain Planet will follow suit.
Captain Planet #1 cover by Mark Spears
FreakSugar: First of all, congratulations on getting to write Captain Planet!
David Pepose: Why thank you! I’m very excited to be writing this book.
FS: You’ve said on social media that this is a dream job. Why is this project so special in a way different from your others?
DP: I’ve wanted to write Captain Planet for literally a decade. I realized a long time ago that this was a series with all the ingredients for greatness, a cartoon that was ahead of its time, but the world has finally caught up. But as far as what draws me specifically to these characters, I think it’s that the Planeteers aren’t superheroes — they’re ordinary people who have been granted extraordinary powers, and now they’ve got to figure out how to use them to survive in a world that’s eager to exploit them to perpetuate the same corrupt systems that have endangered us all in the first place. It’s very X-Men, but without the codenames or costumes — the Planeteers’ inherent humanity makes them so heroic to me.
FS: Like many of us did, I assume you grew up with the cartoon. What is it about the Captain Planet concept that is so attractive to fans and you?
DP: Captain Planet and the Planeteers are truly the heroes that meet today’s moment. They’re inherently diverse and multicultural, comprised of an international team hailing from all walks of life; they’re fighting against the gravest dangers of our time, from environmental disasters to the human greed and corruption that fuels them; and they’ve got such cool opportunities for exciting action, from their elemental-bending abilities to their iconic and eye-catching rogues’ gallery. It’s the kind of book that feels completely aspirational, whose goals are organically baked into the core concept in a way I haven’t seen since Giant-Sized X-Men #1.
FS: Can you hint at your take on the series? The original cartoon feels very of its time but also timeless.
DP: I pitched Captain Planet as X-Men 2 meets Avatar: The Last Airbender — we’re going to be meeting the Planeteers as they encounter the five rings of Gaia for the first time, and they’re struggling to figure out how to control their powers and figure out what they’re meant to be used for, all while trying to escape the forces of Lucian Plunder, who wants to use their rings to consolidate his own wealth and power. While Captain Planet himself is an awesome force to be reckoned with, this is also a team-building story, and watching the Planeteers meet one another — and watching some of the bonds and clashes that come with that — is my favorite part of the entire series.
FS: The beard is new. Sorry, have to comment on it, and I’m digging it. Why the beard?
DP: Whether it’s books like Absolute Batman or Ultimate Spider-Man, or even my own Space Ghost, I’ve found that introducing bold new design choices is the perfect way to get people invested in a character relaunch. But giving Captain Planet a hot dad beard is also one of those great bits of comic book alchemy, in that the idea originally came from series artist Eman Casallos, in that he threw in the beard in one of the multiple character mockups he’d drawn. We were all instantly taken by it — I’d wanted to update Captain Planet’s design away from the ‘80s mullet and crop-top from the jump, but the beard really locked into our take on Cap as this immortal champion of the wilderness. It’s not to say that our Captain Planet is grim or gritty — his mission is deeply rooted in hope, that he holds life so sacred that he doesn’t want to see anybody die — but if anything, it really cements him as the team dad.
FS: We live in a different world than when the first series debuted. We’re in a time when we might see even more removal of environmental protections, especially in the United States. Does that inform how you approach the series? What do you hope readers take away from the series, aside from being entertained?
DP: The way that history and geopolitics have shifted since Captain Planet’s debut in 1989 has absolutely informed our series — the stakes are higher than ever, as climate change is no longer a hypothetical, we’re actively living through it. And with our world being more connected than ever before, we see so many of the different facets that environmentalism has in our world, and we’ll be using each of the Planeteers to explore that. While the rest of the world has become more unsubtle than ever, we’ve been working to bring the Planeteers to our level, firmly planting them in the context of 2025. For me, my goals are to make this book feel as inclusive and diverse as possible, and to remind readers that there is so much power and potential when people work together collectively. Captain Planet is the kind of concept that invites a diverse spectrum of readers to come together — I’ve always been a believer in building a bigger table for this industry, and books like these are exactly the best way to do it.
Captain Planet #1 debuts Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025, from Dynamite.
From the official issue description:
EARTH’S ULTIMATE PROTECTOR RETURNS!
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?
Find out in the all-new Captain Planet #1 from red-hot writer DAVID PEPOSE (Space Ghost) and acclaimed artist EMAN CASSALLOS (Vampirella) – featuring sustainable covers from MARK SPEARS, BEN OLIVER, CHRISTIAN WARD, and a special connecting series of covers for the first six issues from JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG!