THE Y2K ALIEN ICON
Invader Zim is a Nicktoon created by Jhonen Vasquez that debuted on March 30, 2001 alongside the Fairly OddParents.
The show is about ZIM, an alien invader from the Irken Empire trying to fulfill his mission to conquer Earth, and his rival Dib Membrane, a young paranormal investigator determined to prove the existence of aliens and save his planet from certain DOOM! Further complicating these rivals' goals are, unknown to ZIM, his mission just being a ploy from his leaders to get rid of him, and Dib's strained relationship with his scientist father.
The show was produced until its sudden cancellation in 2002 due to its budget outweighing its ratings, leaving it with 1½ complete seasons and the other half of season 2 unfinished. Still, Invader Zim has gone on to gain a passionate fanbase and a legacy of merchandise at Hot Topic. After years of fans begging for the series to return (spearheaded by Operation Head Pigeons), the series eventually picked back up with more content.
Oni Press published 56 issues of the first Invader Zim comic series from 2015 to 2021. This series featured episodic stories with occasional guest writers and guest artists that made some issues very unique. There were occasional story arcs lasting 2-4 issues, but the overall series had less continuity than the show.
The TV movie Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus was released to Netflix on August 16, 2019. This film starred Dib Membrane saving the world from ZIM's most destructive plan yet, one which opens a hole in reality. Enter the Florpus introduced a new artstyle, redesigns for the charaters, and a story that developed Dib's relationship with his family.
As of 2026, BOOM! Studios has listings for an upcoming Invader Zim comic series set for release in December 2026.
For my personal history and fan creations for Invader Zim, explore the other pages!