Issue 47

Zims. Zims everywhere. It's like my greatest nightmare. — Dib Membrane

Invader Zim Issue
Issue 47
Chronology
Previous:	Issue 46
Next:	Issue 48
Information
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	September 25, 2019
Creative
Story by:	Sam Logan
Art by:	Maddie C
Color by:	Fred C. Stresing

Official Synopsis

Part two of the Battle Void arc! ZIM and Dib are stranded on the same planet, but while Dib joins up with the local resistance (A.K.A. LOSERS) Zim decides to battle his way up the ranks of the planet's gladiatorial system in hopes of getting to the world's extremely mysterious leader who does extremely mysterious stuff! THAT ZIM IS GONNA FIND OUT ABOUT!!

Releases

Issue 47 was released on September 25, 2019.

Variations

• Maddie C Standard Retail Cover
• Jess Marfisi Variant Cover

1/2

Issue #47 has a total of 2 cover variations.

1. Maddie C Standard Retail Cover
2. Jess Marfisi Variant Cover

Characters in Issue #47 (In Order of Appearance)

• Recap Kid
• Zim
• Zim 501 (debut)
• Dib Membrane
• GIR
• Zim 2000 (debut)
• Zim 2002 (debut)
• Zim 1989 (debut)
• The Elder (debut)
• Zim 100 (debut)

Synopsis

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

The Zimvoid.

Zim's captors, who are all nearly identical to Zim himself except for minor details in all of them, explain the situation. They are all counterparts of Zim from alternate timelines, who like him followed the Irken distress signal into Pandora's Quadrangle and got sucked through the portal to this planet, which they've dubbed the "Zimvoid". Since then, they've established a strict hierarchy amongst themselves, with the latest Zim now stuck at the bottom of it.

Meanwhile, the Zim guards are searching the city for Dib, who is not reacting well to having Zims everywhere. When GIR reveals where he's hiding out of loyalty to the copies of his master, Dib is nearly caught until he's saved by Zim 2000 (aka 2K) and Zim 2002 (aka Palindrome), members of the Zim Resistance, a group of renegade Zims who refuse to follow the hierarchy and are rebelling against it. Surprised to see a Dib and a GIR, the Zims take them to meet their leader, the Elder.

Back in his captivity location, Zim is outraged that he's been forced to work in the city's sewers. But upon learning that Zims can move up the hierarchy by beating higher-ranked Zims in the arena, he heads there and starts fighting his way up the ranks to try and get a better job.

The Zim Resistance.

2K and Palindrome take Dib to their underground headquarters to meet the Elder, one of the first Zims to arrive. He explains that while none of them ever found the source of the distress signal, one of them - the one who became Zim Number 1 aka the "Ultimate Zim" - proved to be more cunning and dangerous with the rest.

He soon organized the Zimvoid's new society, using the Zims' natural competitive natures to pit them against each other in the arena, while he and the rest of the top 100 Zims live in comfort in their tower. For this reason, the Elder formed the Zim Resistance to overthrow Number 1 and free the Zims.

After being told all of this, Dib isn't willing to help versions of his worst enemy, until the Elder points out that he'll be stuck in the Zimvoid forever if he doesn't. Horrified at this, Dib quickly signs up for the Elder's plan, which involves recruiting the arena's gladiators to help them. When he mentions that they just lack the means to sneak into the arena, GIR says he can help with his "special equipment".

Zim 100.

Back at the arena, Zim is growing frustrated at both how easy his opponents are to beat, and how slowly he's moving up the ranks. Finally, he decides to challenge the highest-ranked Zim present, Zim 100, for the right to join Number 1's elite Zims.

Just as Dib and the Resistance break into the arena with GIR's "special equipment" (actually just a shovel), Zim 100 bursts into the arena, revealing himself to be a huge brute with massive muscles.

"To be continued..."

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

Facts of Doom

• This is the sixth multi-part story in the comic series, the previous ones being Issues 1-2, 22-25, 29-30, 34-35, and 42-43.
• When it's mentioned that Zim 1989 never figured out how to reverse his transformation into baloney, Dib nearly explains how (and thus almost finally reveals how he and Zim changed back after that episode's ending) before he's interrupted by the Elder.
• The story arc that this issue is part of is the fourth time that the multiverse is mentioned in Invader Zim, the first being in Issue 5, the second time in Issue 32, and the third time in Issue 40.
• One of the Zims in the Zimvoid resembles the space bee from Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.
• The Elder is the second case of an alternate Zim with a beard, the first being Emperor Zim, who had a goatee. This time, however, Dib questions how he grew one (since he has only been stuck in the Zimvoid for six months), and wonders if Irkens even grow beards.
  • GIR himself says he can grow a beard, a reference to Issue 12.
• The Zims numbered 2000 and 2002 are possibly a reference of the year that Invader Zim first entered production and when it was cancelled, respectively.