In 1992, seven prominent pencillers in the field of comics storytelling did something unthinkable. They broke away from the established business model of working either at DC Comics or Marvel Comics and went out on their own, forming Image Comics.
Each creator had their own creation to which they knew in that speculator boom market of the early 90's, that their names attached to a whole new creation would be a sizable hit right out of the gate. It was a fun and exciting time to be a comics reader and collector, as these new titles would pop up to significant fanfare off the sheer audacious nature of seven artists bucking conventional thinking and work to forge their own path of self publishing.
As Rob Liefeld introduced the world of comics to Youngblood, Todd McFarlane excited readers with his modern updating of Faust in Spawn, and Jim Lee introduced his X-Men variants known as the WildC.A.T.S. These were fun books, but, to this reader the best book was yet to come.
Erik Larsen introduced his hero, Dragon, in a four issue miniseries that I still marvel at to this day. I read the back story on how Larsen had created the characters in the miniseries as a child, working on stories during school with friends. I could relate as I spent most of fifth grade trading characters and illustrations with a classmate when we should have been paying closer attention to the reading assignment, we were exchanging comics.
To the uninitiated, the character Dragon is a green skinned amnesiac found in a burning field. With seemingly endless strength and the ability to heal from injury quickly, he's courted by LT Frank Darling to join the Chicago Police Department. The city of Chicago is being overrun by a super powered villainous gang known as the Vicious Circle and they're led by Overlord.
This was all you needed to know. The hook of the story was immediate in the pages therein of the miniseries. For a perceived neophyte writer, Larsen wrote fantastic action sequences and had the ability to juggle multiple plots in keeping the reader engaged. (As a side note, I'm always disappointed when I read that blanket statement that Image Comics early years were all art and no story. These criticisms never seemed to actually read Savage Dragon and seemingly lumped it into the category)
Following Larsen's character from his miniseries to his ongoing series was a treat, and, it only got better when he was began his ongoing series. Vividly on display, page of page of sheer unbridled joy creating wild scenarios, brutal fights, and jaw dropping cliffhangers. As it continued, Larsen was adding characters and taking some out with the same blunt action Robert Kirkman would do in his signature title The Walking Dead. The reader saw Dragon win battles, lose some, relationship problems. Issues in the police station. Stories could be read with no need to pick up previous issues because there would be a nice recap of events to new readers while progressing the story.
As a reader, I've always got this impression in reading Savage Dragon of Erik Larsen just drawing sequential art and then later adding dialogue to the finished product. Whatever was in his head would be put out on paper. In the 20+ years since it's initial publication, the enthusiasm and boundless joy Larsen showed readers has not ceased one iota. He would say in his lettercol that there was no way he would ever give the title to someone else. He couldn't imagine it. This was his dream job and it still shows to this day.
That letter column has been great as well. For a period of time, it would run 6-8 pages of insightful and interesting fan letters from readers and from guys who worked in the business as well. There was a healthy debate in there for a while between Peter David and Larsen himself who debated primarily the formation of Image Comics if memory serves correct. Each creator took fun swipes at each other in their respective books as well.
Over the course of 20 years though, the long time readers have seen Dragon work for the police and later the SOS, leading a crew of super powered heroes into different adventures and never feeling too comfortable about it. At issue 75, Larsen just wiped his present story slate clean and began an alternate timeline. It's gotten so complex and complicated in it's sheer love for comics of old, Savage Dragon has it's own wiki page run by super fan Gavin Higginbotham that keeps all the various plot points and characters in line.
What I've rambled essentially for several paragraphs is this. To anyone wanting a really fun, intricate, unexpected thrill ride that comes out monthly (mostly) you should give Savage Dragon a chance. You really won't be disappointed.
For more information go to www.savagedragon.com, follow @GavHigginbotham, @DragonFanBlog @ErikJLarsen, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savage_Dragon.
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