Trade Rating: THE DALGODA OMNIBUS revives a forgotten ’80s sci-fi gem

The Dalgoda Omnibus

Writer: Jan Strnad
Artist: Dennis Fujitake
Book Design: Nat Gertler
Letterers: Carrie Spiegel
Some Tones Derived From Colors By: Mark Wheatley and Kathryn Mayer
Publisher: About Comics
Publication Date: February 2025

Not long after New Years, I started to see an intriguing image all over comics Bsky. It’s the one just a bit higher up in this post. Drawn by artist Dennis Fujitake, a dog-man stands in a space suit, holding a two-handed laser rifle, looking stoically into the distance as a sci-fi armada floats behind him. The image, as I say, was intriguing, but moreover, it was being shared by a number of trusted comics curators, singing the praises of the book for which it was the cover — The Dalgoda Omnibus.

I had never heard of Dalgoda nor seen this character before. So, I decided to look into it, and I learned that Dalgoda was a well-regarded comic that had gotten somewhat lost over the years. Written by Jan Strnad with artwork by Fujitake, the first of an eventual eight total issues was published in August 1986 by Fantagraphics Books. The reason I’d started to see that cover image on my Bsky feed, however, was that for the first time ever, Dalgoda was getting collected into a new format — The Dalgoda Omnibus, which arrived this year via About Comics. I saw more and more trusted voices excited about the book, and so when it came out, I snagged a copy. And I’m glad I did.

This new Dalgoda Omnibus delivers 300-plus pages of truly excellent sci-fi comics. The new publication has restored the aging comics art, doing so by replacing what was fully-colored art with grey tones. With much of the original art lost or gone to collectors over the years, this was really a necessity, but the grey tones look fantastic. In fact, the restoration here is done so well that there’s really not a single overtly noticeable point in the book where the art looks aged or damaged at all.

Restoration aside, Fujitake’s linework is outstandingly clean, his designs are imaginative, and he knows how to sell a joke from punchline to punchline. Dalgoda is a very playful comic (more on that in a second), and the artist loads his pages with rich background gags, which Strnad notes in his afterward were entirely Fujitake’s idea. Fujitake also draws squishy people, and it wouldn’t surprise me if his work influenced some of today’s top-tier comics artists, including Frank Quitely and Martin Morazzo. 

But the reason the playfulness in the art works so well is that Strnad’s scripting is just as in on the light tone. Although, I wouldn’t call Dalgoda a frivolous or surreal comic. It’s actually pretty heavily grounded, as odd as that feels to write about a book starring a dog-man. The premise and sci-fi elements are thoughtful to the point of believability. It’s not a hard sci-fi story that gets too mired in things like physics or theory, but it does make a point to create a world that feels familiar, possible and lived, doing so with everything from the way the characters act to the sort of discrepancy that pops up throughout between futuristic and anachronistic designs.

What makes this a fun read is the characterization of Dalgoda. The cover I started this review discussing is sort of misleading. One could be forgiven for looking at it and expecting Dalgoda to be some kind of pack-leading badass, fighting the good fight throughout the galaxy. He is not. Dalgoda is a relatable and normal guy. He’s on a mission of great galactic import that he’s not excited about or, quite frankly, suited for. He doesn’t win big shootouts through feats of great bravery. He runs from threats, doesn’t make a ton of friends, and largely botches most of the very difficult things he’s tasked with.

And the brilliant humor and readability of these comics rise in large part from that contrast. We’re in a thoughtful, detailed sci-fi world where the fate of Dalgoda’s people, as well as the human race, is very much at stake as a terrifying and violent alien force bears down on both of them. And we’re following a guy who has too much in common with us — everyday normal readers — for comfort. It’s not like the hero’s questing, sci-fi power fantasies of its day. It’s something so much more fun and relatable and at times even poignant. 

I really enjoyed my time getting lost in Dalgoda’s adventures. These comics were made in sets of four, with each chapter feeling satisfying and almost stand-alone, as the major plot unfurled behind it. There’s 12 comics collected here, as well as two bonus short stories, the last of which was illustrated by Kevin Nowlan.

Ultimately, it almost feels fitting that like the Dalgoda in the stories, these comics got a bit lost in time — but we sure are lucky they have returned now, bringing with them a number of timeless themes — populist blowhards, people ignoring existential threats because they can’t work together, and more — because both the serious and humorous elements are very welcome.

The Dalgoda Omnibus is available via booksellers now

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