Zorak (character)

This article is about the character. For other uses, see Zorak.

Zorak
Excellent!
Species	Alien mantis
Gender	Male
Member of	Council of Doom The Original Way Outs
Affiliation	Space Ghost Moltar Brak
Occupation	Leader of the Zorathian Bandleader
Goals	To rule the galaxy and destroy Space Ghost
Father	Unnamed father in Coast to Coast
Mother	Unnamed mother in Coast to Coast
Marital status	Single
First appearance	SG: "Zorak" (1966)
Played by	Don Messick (1966-68) C. Martin Croker (1994-2012) Gregg Berger (2013) Jim Conroy (2024)
File:C2C Zorak.png Space Ghost Coast to Coast
The Brak Show
Jellystone!

Zorak is an insectoid mantis and an antagonist of the Space Ghost animated franchise. He is the leader of a species from the planet Dokar, and is the sworn arch-nemesis of Space Ghost. His voice was originated by Don Messick.

Character description

Zorak's physical appearance resembles a green anthropomorphic praying mantis with wings, a hunched body and a beak. His wardrobe usually consists of a blue vest, yellow gloves and matching boots with pointed fins.

Appearances

TV series

• Space Ghost
• Space Ghost Coast to Coast
• Cartoon Planet
• The Brak Show
• Jellystone!
  • 1.31 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad Rat Race" (poster)
  • 1.36 "Jailcation" (no lines)
  • 2.14 "Space Con"

Movies

• Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon (talking mask)

Comics

• Space Ghost (Gold Key Comics)
  • Issue #1A: "Zorak's Revenge"
• Cartoon Network Presents
  • Issue #2A: "Rainy Day Fun"
• Space Ghost (DC Comics)
  • Issue #3: "Reprisals"
  • Issue #4: "Eclipse"
  • Issue #5: "Venom"
  • Issue #6: "Mortality"
• Scooby-Doo! Team-Up
  • Issue #20: "Space Cases"
• Green Lantern/Space Ghost Special
  • Issue #1A: "The Wonders of Space" (mentioned)

Biography

Debut Series

In the original Space Ghost series, Zorak is an evil intergalactic ruler who conducted several diabolical schemes to rule the galaxy. However, they were eventually stopped as a result of Space Ghost and his crew's lawful deeds.

In his first appearance, Zorak escaped from prison with the help of his minions in order to get revenge on Space Ghost. He captured Jan and Jace as his hostages and left a message for Space Ghost to come and rescue them on the planet Dokar. As Space Ghost came close to his arrival, Zorak forced Space Ghost to do a series of dangerous tasks. Space Ghost successfully did so, saving his sidekicks and sending a spacecraft straight to destroy Zorak's base of operations. The fate of Zorak and his minions was left undetermined in the remains of the building, although Jace commented that it might have been safer for them to be there than in jail.

Zorak's presumed death would prove to be false, however, as he antagonized Space Ghost again with another plan. After setting up their new operations on a remote planet, Zorak and his crew built a robot named Titanar that could destroy Space Ghost. Zorak issued a challenge to Space Ghost: If Space Ghost proves his victory against Titanar, Zorak would leave and never return. If Zorak's robot wins, Space Ghost must do the same. Space Ghost accepted Zorak's offer, but found himself losing to the machine when he assumed that his power bands were not working. However, when it was later revealed that Zorak had switched Space Ghost's power bands with fake ones, Jan and Jace helped Space Ghost and destroyed Titanar, forcing Zorak to take his defeat and leave.

Coast to Coast

In Space Ghost Coast to Coast, he is the bandleader of The Original Way Outs on Space Ghost's show. Despite being reformed, Zorak is still maniacal and frequently mocks Space Ghost and the guests he interviews.

The Brak Show

In The Brak Show, he is cast as a friend of Brak, and manipulates him into aiding in or committing illegal acts.

Zorak in the Funny Books

In Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #19, Zorak and Moltar team up to build an attack base on the moon as a means of taking over Earth. Their plans are foiled by Space Ghost and Mystery Inc., after which it is revealed that the duo had hypnotized Space Ghost into believing that he had been a talk show host.

Development

Zorak was added to Space Ghost Coast to Coast because the producers saw him as the Joker to Space Ghost's Batman.

Gallery

Main article: Zorak (character)/Gallery

Behind the scenes

• Zorak's species is not properly named throughout his appearances, although his model sheet for the original show referred to them as the "mantis-men."
• Zorak's vest changing its color to red occasionally in Space Ghost Coast to Coast is the result of reused animation for one of his minions.
• In The Brak Show episode "Brakstreet," he claims to be 40 years old, which was exactly C. Martin Croker's age at the time it aired.

In popular culture

• In the Veronica Mars episode "Gods of War," two college stoners watch the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode "Explode" in the middle of the day, with Space Ghost appearing on-screen mentioning Zorak. Both episodes were written by Rob Thomas.