There is a lot to be said about long-running series needing a jumping on point. One thing I have always appreciated about Savage Dragon is that even if you jump into the middle of a storyline, you can get acclimated very quickly. This issue is actually a mixture of both. This, as the cover says is the aftermath of the “Emperor Dragon” storyline, wherein the title character regains his original personality. A hint: he’s not a nice guy. Last issue, that character is pretty certainly dead. Left to pick up the pieces is Dragon/Kurr’s son, Malcom Dragon, giving us an almost entirely new status quo.
Malcom has pretty much been a main protagonist in the book for a few issues now anyway, what with daddy turning into a mass-murdering psychopath. This issue mainly deals with Malcolm, and to a less extent his sister Angel, dealing with the fallout of such a public figure A. going nuts, and B. subsequently dying. That means the issue is a lot of talking and character development. This is not a bad thing, as Erik Larsen’s characters are rich, with full histories. They are interesting to watch, even so, the book’s bread and butter are the over-the-top action scenes. This issue has a bit of that too, so don’t feel too bad.
As the tail-end of the tale, Malcolm gets to confront the leader of his alien heritage, and the results of this encounter are quite interesting. Also intriguing is the last page setup for the role Malcolm and Angel will be playing in the book. I won’t give it away, but it opens up a multitude of story opportunities for Larsen, and I am eager to see where he goes with it. And, for those of you wondering is Dragon will ever be back, well, in the world of Savage Dragon, dead means dead, but that doesn’t mean there are clever ways around it. You’ll have to pick up the book to get my meaning, though.
Also included in the book is the always experimental Savage Dragon Funnies, this is not usually my cup of tea, and this month is no exception, but that doesn’t mean it is bad by any means. The story is without dialog, but is conveyed very well by writer/artist Pedro Carmago. It’s also a great showcase for creators who would probably not get their work seen by that large of an audience otherwise.
My bottom line is: if you’re a Savage Dragon fan, you’ve already picked this up. If you are not, then this is the perfect time to get on the bandwagon and see what this crazy (in a good way) book is all about.