Issue 43

Zim isclearly evil. Why do I even need to explain it? Stop being distracted by his big promises and stupid parades and... andhead ducks and see what's in front of you. The choice should be obvious! —Dib Membrane

Invader ZimIssue
Issue 43
Chronology
Previous:	Issue 42
Next:	Issue 44
Information
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	May 22, 2019
Creative
Story by:	Sam Logan
Art by:	Warren Wucinich
Color by:	Fred C. Stresing

Official Summary[]

WhenDib discovers the contents of a "secret vault" on planet Plim, he jumps into action to preventZim from taking over the planet of vulnerable, naive aliens (who love ducks for some reason). But ZIM's got a huge lead, AND a bunch of ducks! Is it too late for the Plim? (Probably.)^[1]

Release[]

Issue 43 was released on May 22, 2019.

Variations[]

Issue #43 has a total of 2 cover variations. 

1. Warren Wucinich standard retail cover
2. Kyle Smart variant cover

Characters in Issue #43 (In Order of Appearance)[]

Synopsis[]

Zim is continuing to win over support among thePlim to be selected as the prophesied hero, but is complaining about how long it's taken to claim total support, due to some Plim still voting forDib. Dib, meanwhile, is still losing support as his desperate appeals to the Plim about how dangerous Zim is, and how he only wants the contents of their ancient vault, only succeed in turning the Plim off with their negativity.

Eventually deciding that he has to resort to Zim's level to win, Dib hacks intoPlab's brain implant to determine what the Plim like and appeal to that. As such, he dresses in an Irken costume adorned with all the things that the Plim like, and begins winning support.

However, after a Plim baby (later revealed to actually be an elder) innocently asks him if he really can free them from the planetary force field, Dib can't bring himself to lie and admits he doesn't know how; Zim jumps on this chance to lie and claim he does know how, instantly putting himself back in the lead.

When Dib confronts him about the lie, Zim states that he intends to use the superweapons in the vault to destroy theplanet in order to destroy the force field, not caring what happens to the Plim as a result. Realizing he's running out of time, Dib convinces Plab to take him to the Plim's archives, which contain all the information ever recorded by their automated system.

Just as Zim is about to give a final speech to win over the remaining Plim, Dib arrives with the information he found in the archives - that the Plim's ancestors built the force field themselves, and left behind the controls.

Dib then turns off the force field, and the grateful Plim immediately declare him the hero. When Dib begins to give a speech about how the Plim can now begin a new life, anIrken fleet suddenly appears.

As a horrified Dib realizes that the field was meant to hide Plim from the Irkens, the commander of the fleet mistakes him for anInvader and thanks him for his part in conquering Plim, before telling the Plim that they will now be enslaved and the contents of their vault will be taken.

As Dib is preparing to leave onTak's ship, he asks Plab to help him steal the superweapons from the vault before the Irkens get them, only to be surprised to find out that the contents of the vault aren't weapons.

Later, onboard theMassive,Red andPurple are excited to view the legendary Plim vault of the forbidden as they will be the firstTallest to view the contents in centuries - which turn out to be archived movies and TV shows.

Facts of Doom []

• Issue 42 and this issueconstitute the fifth multi-part story in the comic series. The previous such stories were Issues 1-2, 22-25, 29-30, and 34-35.
• Back inIssue 10, GIR complained that while he has bones, they're not his. At one point in this issue, when a Plim comments that their species doesn't have bones, GIR cheerfully throws out some bones he keeps in his chest.
• Dib being mistaken for an Irken by actual Irkens despite his poor disguise is a reversal of his and Zim's usual dynamic. For example, Zim can actually see through Dib's pitiful Irken disguise when no one else can, just like how Dib is one of the only humans who can see through Zim's terrible human disguise.
• In this issue, Dib became the first non-Irken to (accidentally) conquer an alien planet for theIrken Empire duringOperation Impending Doom II.
• This issue and the previous one mark the second time inInvader Zim where politics are involved, the first time being in the episode "The Voting of the Doomed".

References[]