I have to yell because GIR is making a smoothie! Bye! — Zim

Invader Zim Issue
Issue 2
Chronology
Previous:	Issue 1
Next:	Issue 3
Information
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	August 19, 2015
Creative
Story by:	Eric Trueheart Jhonen Vasquez
Art by:	Aaron Alexovich Megan Lawton
Color by:	Simon "Hutt" Troussellier

Official Summary

Dib knows ZIM's sudden disappearance from Earth can only mean bad news for the human race. Can Dib stop him before Earth is just another alien-infested spaceside attraction like the universe's biggest doughnut?^[1]

Release

Issue 2 was released August 19, 2015, and continued on from Issue 1.

Variations

Issue #2 has a total of 3 cover variations. 

1. Aaron Alexovich standard retail cover (Prototype and finalized versions)
2. Jhonen Vasquez variant 
3. Chuck BB variant available through Hot Topic  

Characters in Issue #2 (In Order of Appearance)

Synopsis

Recap Kid does their thing and recaps the last issue's plot. They also clear up the confusion on the color of Dib's eyes (they were blue the previous issue, but are actually brown).

Aboard the Massive, a blue-eyed navigator is quite dismayed to receive a transmission from "Invader" Zim, of whom the Tallest seem to not remember. Zim is calling to tell them his brilliant plan (of searching every tourist location for the Xliactian Historian that has gone into hiding to protect the jump codes leading to the Gargantis Array) before hanging up because GIR is making a smoothie. The Tallest are obviously disappointed that Zim isn't dead.

Meanwhile, Dib is lost in space aboard Tak's Ship. He bickers with the ship's Artificial Intelligence (A downloaded copy of Tak's personality), wanting it to track Zim. It reluctantly concedes, insulting Dib all the while. What follows is a "road trip" of sorts, as Dib chases Zim across the Galaxy's tourist attractions, including The Galaxy's Largest Space Donut (filled with Dark Matter), The Smelliest Space in Space, The Infinite Head, The Schmapsiest Doink in Squoop, and The Space Whatever. Dib misses Zim each time.

Dib is frustrated, and he wonders aloud how it is that Zim is always long gone by the time he gets to the latest Spaceside attraction. Tak's ship taunts him, saying that it's because he's dumb. Dib replies "If you're so smart, why don't you catch Zim?" To which it replies,"Okay then." and switches course to catch up with Zim instead of just tracking him.

Dib soon lands at the location at The Universe's Biggest Ball of Shmoop, where everything is on fire (not due to Zim, but to GIR heating up a space burrito in the microwave). We finally meet the Xilactian Historian who went into hiding disguised as a Gift Shop owner. She explains that Zim found her, and she refused to give him the codes unless he bought something.

Which he did. Dib is also forced to buy a bunch of stuff in order to get the codes. Meanwhile, Zim finally reaches the Gargantis Array and basks in his own victory. But he's interrupted by the suddenly arriving Dib, who tries to convince Tak's ship again to help him since it hates Zim so much as well. It's pretty ambivalent since it hates them both so much.

Dib wonders how to fire the lasers on the ship, and Zim very helpfully tells him how. Dib promptly destroys the Irken's ship. Zim narrowly escapes and ducks into the Gargantis Array, with Dib close behind. They then proceed to run around the gigantic Gargantis Array's interior for "two days" until Zim finally finds what he's looking for. When Dib comes across Zim, the alien is laughing maniacally.

Dib tackles him, only to be told it's too late, Dib has failed. He's afraid that Zim is now going to blow up the Earth. The truth is, however, that the Gargantis Array is a transmitter, "built by an ancient race of beings who liked yelling a lot." And Zim is transmitting the entirety of Dib's "Comeback Workout". It's really gross and embarrassing and it's being transmitted to every sentient being in the universe, and they're all laughing at Dib.

Zim's ask for a ride "home" which Dib refuses to give, and the issue ends with Dib lying in bed, curled up in his blankets, eyes bloodshot and the laughter of an entire universe haunting him.

Facts of Doom

• Jhonen's cover for this issue marks the first time we've ever seen Dib in different clothes (aside from the Pilot). These clothes include an orange shirt with a ghost on it and orange boots.
• On a similar note, Dib's normal 'smiley' face on his shirt, changes halfway through the comic to a ghost.
• This issue (as well as confirmation from Jhonen) confirms that Irkens can have blue eyes, something which has been in debate for a while among the show's fan community.
• Tallest Red mentions Invader Jim, who doesn't seem to be a part of Operation Impending Doom II as he is not seen on the list of Irken Invaders, however it may have been a sly reference to the fact that in InvaderCON II: DOOMCON Professor Membrane told Gaz the story of "The Trial" by substituting Zim's name with Jim.
  • This could also be a reference to the fact that in the Japanese version of the show, Zim's name would actually translate into Jim, as Zim would be too difficult to translate into kanji.
  • Jim would also be mentioned in Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.
• Zim makes a comment about the Gargantis Array being "bigger on the inside," a quote originating from and spoken repeatedly on the BBC television show Doctor Who.
• The poodle GIR launched into space in Issue 1 can be seen as Dib begins chasing Zim.
• The prototype version of the standard retail cover features the original Invader Zim logo rather than the updated version seen on the cover of the comics. This was updated in the final draft.
• Along with Issue 1, this issue formed the only multipart storyline in the comics until the Virooz story arc that ran from Issue 22 through Issue 25. Since then, several more multipart stories have occurred periodically.
• Despite the loose continuity of the comics, and the Invader Zim series as a whole, the events of this issue are mentioned by Dib in Issue 9.
• During the montage of Dib tracking Zim through the various tourist traps, the "Have You Seen This Alien?" poster displayed oddly shows Zim wearing his disguise's wig, but not the contacts. Something similar happens in Issue 9.
• Upon catching up with Zim in space outside the Gargantis Array, Dib calls himself "Space-Dib". He would refer to himself as this again in Issue 10 after being accidentally dragged along on Zim's trip to Sylvestra.
• Among the aliens seen laughing at Dib's recording is a Vortian and an alien of the same species as the customer demanding "live plooka" at Shloogorgh's Flavor Monster in "The Frycook What Came from All That Space".

References