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20px-Cquote1.png A great injustice has been committed today. And one of you is responsible!
Inquisitous the Observer
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Invader Zim Issue
Issue 39
Zim 39 A
Chronology
Previous: Issue 38
Next: Issue 40
Information
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication date: January 30, 2019
Creative
Story by: Sam Logan
Art by: Kate Sherron
Color by: Fred C. Stresing


Official Summary[]

When an alien ship crashes on Earth, its builders demand to know who is responsible for causing the accident. They have four suspects to interrogate: siblings Dib and Gaz Membrane, a green earth-child just named ZIM, and a green earth-dog named GIR. Only one is telling the truth. But which one? And why? And which one? And why?[1]

Release[]

Issue 39 was released on January 30, 2019.

Variations[]

Issue #39 has a total of 2 cover variations. 

  1. Warren Wucinich standard retail cover
  2. Rashad Doucet variant cover

Characters in Issue #39 (In Order of Appearance)[]

Synopsis[]

SPOILER WARNING OF DOOM: This section or article may contain spoilers!

How SON died dib version

Dib tells his version of the story.

Dib, Zim, GIR, and Gaz are being held captive aboard the ship of Inquisitous the Observer, an alien being whose people monitor life on other worlds. Having returned to Earth for the first time in centuries, he dispatched a probe and robot to investigate the planet for updated information, only for both to be destroyed with his technology stolen from the wreckage. Now Inquisitous has abducted the four beings, who were in the area, to interrogate them for answers.

Zim and Dib immediately blame each other for the destruction of the probe. Anticipating this, Inquisitous brings out the Memory Visualizer, a device that interfaces with the user's brain and displays their memories in a tank of goo, and puts it on Dib to see his recollection of events: Zim attacked him in his backyard using an exo suit made of various random objects stuck together (including GIR as a knee), intending to destroy him.

However, they're interrupted by Inquisitous' robot, which arrived at the location where it detected the most advanced technology; Zim assumes it's talking about his suit, only to be told it means Tak's ship, in Dib's garage. Annoyed, Zim attacks the robot, only to be blasted away in self-defense. The robot then begins talking with Dib, whom it assumes is an important figure in human society based on the technology at his disposal.

Dib is happy to act as a representative of human culture, only for the conversation to be interrupted when Zim launches a rocket at the robot's probe ship, causing it to crash on and crush the robot. Zim then tries to loot the wreckage, only for Inquisitous to then abduct the group to his ship.

How SON died zim version

Zim's version is drastically different than Dib's.

Zim accuses Dib of lying, with Dib countering that memories can't be made up. Inquisitous points out that unconscious bias can skew the portrayal of memories, and decides to examine Zim's memories as well, then compare whatever minor differences there are in order to determine the truth.

In Zim's recollection of events, he claims to already know the probe is coming and is ready to greet it in his exo suit (which is portrayed as a more elegant machine, except for having GIR as an elbow); he explains to Dib (who he portrays as a barely-coherent idiot) that he's having the meeting in his backyard because he's demonstrating how little a threat he thinks the human is.

The robot arrives and it discuss with Zim how stupid Dib is, until Dib accidentally triggers the "firework" rocket on the back of his suit, which brings down the probe ship and crushes the robot. Zim then tries to salvage the wreckage, only for the group to be abducted onto Inquisitous' ship.

Seems like escape pods are always circle shaped in sci fi stuff

Everyone escapes before the ship explodes.

Inquisitous is very confused by the vastly different recollections, as that can only be caused by one of the participants being delusional (while seemingly ignoring Dib and Zim's claims that it's each other). To try and get a third sample to compare to, he puts Gaz in the Visualizer, only for it to turn out that she wasn't paying any attention to the situation at all. Now desperate for answers, Inquisitous puts GIR in the Visualizer (ignoring Dib's warning not to), only for all of the nonsensical, meaningless information in his head to overload the system.

Zim, Dib, and Gaz escape from their confinement and flee from the ship on escape pods just before it explodes. At this point, it's revealed that Inquisitous is inside a Visualizer, being interrogated by his leaders about the destruction of his ship. Not believing his account (citing the personal bias rationale), they bring in GIR and put him in their Visualizer despite Inquisitous' warning. It's then implied that GIR destroys their whole planet.

Back on Earth, Zim is in his base, oblivious to GIR's absence.

End of Spoilers: There are no further spoilers for this section or article. You can breathe now.

Facts of Doom []

  • Recap Kid notes all the other times that the characters have been abducted - Zim by other aliens in Issues 17 and 25, Dib also by aliens in Issues 13 and 17, and him and Gaz by Guachquatch in Issue 14.
  • This issue is a parody of the popular Rashomon film which is known for the plot device that involves various characters providing subjective, alternative and contradictory versions of the same incident as that was the case with Zim, Dib, Gaz and GIR as Inquisitous was trying to figure out what actually happened.
  • All things considered, Dib's recounting of events is the most likely to be true.
  • The Inquisitorian Elders' opinion of Inquisitous appears similar to how the Almighty Tallest feel about Zim.
  • While all of the character's eyes glow when connected to the memory reader, the spots on Zim's PAK glow as well when his memories are read.
  • Recap Kid wears a black veiled hat when speaking of GIR's "death" in the previous issue, commonly worn by widows at funerals. This may imply Recap Kid is actually a girl, though it may also have just been a sight gag.

References[]

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