Space Riders: A Cosmic Mind-Trip Worth Every Panel

In my thirty-plus years devouring science fiction comics, few works have utterly hijacked my consciousness quite like Alexis Ziritt and Fabian Rangel Jr.’s psychedelic space opera masterpiece, Space Riders. Black Mask Studios has unleashed upon us unsuspecting readers a comic that doesn’t just push boundaries—it atomizes them with a skull-shaped spaceship’s laser cannons.

The Team Behind the Madness

The origin story behind Space Riders is as gloriously unorthodox as the comic itself. Venezuelan-born visual virtuoso Alexis Ziritt initially conceived the skull spacecraft and characters before hunting down a writing partner via Facebook, where he connected with Fabian Rangel Jr. It’s this reverse-engineered creative process—visuals first, story second—that gives Space Riders its primordial, image-driven power.

What makes this partnership particularly fascinating is how Ziritt manages such mind-melting artistic output despite a punishing schedule: day job from 9-5, family responsibilities, and then marathon drawing sessions from 9PM until 2AM. This kind of artistic commitment speaks volumes about the passion driving this project, and trust me, it bleeds through every panel.

A Narrative that Defies Physics, and Characters that Kick Cosmic Butt

The Crew of the Santa Muerte

Capitán Peligro

The fearless, one-eyed captain of the Skullship Santa Muerte, Capitán Peligro is a grizzled space adventurer with a reputation for toughness and a penchant for violence. He’s driven by a sense of justice and a desire to protect the galaxy from evil, often taking on missions that pit him against cosmic threats and interstellar villains. Peligro’s leadership is marked by both bravado and loyalty to his crew.

Mono

Mono is the ship’s first mate and a genetically engineered baboon/mandrill hybrid. He is a spiritual warrior, combining animalistic strength with a deep sense of honor and mysticism. Mono’s combat skills are matched by his loyalty to Capitán Peligro, and he often serves as the captain’s right hand in battle, providing both muscle and wisdom.

Yara

Yara is the Santa Muerte’s robot/android crew member. She possesses formidable fighting abilities and advanced technological knowledge, making her an invaluable asset during the crew’s dangerous missions. Yara’s personality is marked by a blend of stoicism and subtle wit, and she often serves as the voice of reason among the crew’s more impulsive members.

Together, these three form the heart of the Santa Muerte’s crew, navigating psychedelic dangers and cosmic mysteries as they deliver their own brand of justice across the universe.

The Main Story:

The story follows Captain Peligro, Mono, and Yara as they travel the cosmic byways aboard the Skullship Santa Muerte. Together, they dispense brutal justice across the cosmos while chasing down universal truths that would make your average space opera blush with inadequacy.

The series unfolds across three mind-bending volumes:

1. This Vengeful Universe (5-issue arc)- The initial reality-warping introduction
2. Galaxy of Brutality (4-arc)- A reunion tour of cosmic chaos
3. Vortex of Darkness (2 issues) – Confronting “the mother of all evil gods” (because why aim small?)

Each installment escalates the insanity to levels that would make Grant Morrison need a moment to collect himself.

The Art: Holy $#@%, the Art!

Let me be crystal clear: Ziritt’s artwork in Space Riders is nothing short of a visual revolution. The first time I flipped open an issue, I felt like someone had just injected pure LSD directly into my eyeballs—and I mean that as the highest possible compliment.

His style:

• Kirby-esque cosmic grandeur cranked to eleven
• Day-glo color explosions that practically vibrate off the page
• Thick, confident black linework that anchors the psychedelic chaos
• Deliberately vintage aesthetic with yellowed pages and saturated colors
• A raw, analog feel that honors underground comix traditions while creating something entirely new

What separates Ziritt from mere imitators is how he synthesizes these influences into something unmistakably his own. Each panel feels like it might have been torn from some forbidden cosmic grimoire, revealing truths too strange for conventional artists to capture.

Cultural Synthesis in the Cosmic Void

Space Riders accomplishes something rare in science fiction by creating a universe where American English isn’t the default cosmic language. The Spanish language elements woven throughout acknowledge Ziritt’s Venezuelan roots and Rangel’s heritage, creating a multicultural space opera that feels refreshingly authentic.

The cultural DNA of Space Riders reads like a fever dream mixtape: equal parts Rambo’s brutality, Terminator’s mechanical menace, and Star Wars’ cosmic scale, all filtered through a hallucinogenic lens and set to a punk rock soundtrack that only exists in your mind as you read.

Why You Need This in Your Collection

If you’ve grown weary of formulaic superhero narratives or sanitized sci-fi, Space Riders offers the perfect antidote. This is comics as pure, unfiltered expression—a reminder of what’s possible when creators are given free rein to follow their darkest, strangest impulses.

The series has garnered well-deserved acclaim from across the comics landscape:

• io9 ranked it #1 in their “Top 12 New Science Fiction Comics You Absolutely Need To Be Reading”
• The Village Voice listed it among the “Outstanding Comics of the Year”
• Bloody Disgusting called it “an instant classic”

For fans of brutal, uncompromising comics like East of West, Prophet, or Head Lopper, Space Riders is your next essential purchase. And for science fiction enthusiasts seeking something that defies conventional storytelling approaches, this series delivers cosmic weirdness in spades.

The Final Verdict

Space Riders represents everything I love about independent comics—fearless creativity, distinctive artistic vision, and storytelling unconstrained by corporate mandates. When I close each issue, I feel like I’ve returned from a journey to the strangest corners of the universe, my brain pleasantly reconfigured by the experience.

In an industry that sometimes plays it safe, Space Riders reminds us that comics can still be dangerous, provocative, and utterly, gloriously insane. So strap yourself into the Skullship Santa Muerte and prepare for a cosmic trip unlike anything else on your pull list. Your eyeballs may never forgive you, but your imagination will be eternally grateful.

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