“A Town Called Dragon” Issue 1 – Legendary Comics – Story: Judd Winick, Pencils: Geoff Shaw, Colors: Jamie Grant – September 24, 2014
This first issue feels like the opening to an X-Files episode, and that is 100% ok. A small town that serves as a tourist trap/the last gas station before miles of desert has spent years trying to trade on the fact that Leif Erikson died there. What they don’t know is that he died dropping a ticking time bomb underneath their fair city. Dragon, Colorado uses the rumors that Vikings slayed dragons in their town to keep the allure of a failing city as best they can, but really. They’re home of the most dangerous being on earth.
This is not your classic dragon story, and that makes it good.
While this first issue is mainly setting the tone, the story is still enthralling enough to make the 50 pages fly by. Winick allows us to see into the characters just enough to not spoil any future information, but to make them feel like a real functioning part of a city. The design of the dragons and awesome look of the townsfolk, is augmented by the great color palette which makes everything fit together even though you are crossing thousands of years of history in a single page. The unique look at dragon lore in this story makes it much more enjoyable because the angle is definitely fresh. From the way the dragon is delivered to the reverse idea that the babies are scarier than their parents, gives a sense of dread that isn’t normal to many fantasy stories. While the book has a lot of serious tones to it, it does at time feel awkwardly light-hearted, specifically where the baby dragon is concerned. It is the most dangerous thing on earth, and yet, at times it is adorable.
This five-issue run has started with a ton of promise, keep your eyes open for the last four, it doesn’t seem as if you’ll be disappointed.