This week, we’re checking in with two of the longest running titles at Image Comics. How does an “indie” comic series hold up after it’s at - or way past - 100 issues? Let’s find out, shall we? Oh, and a brief look at the Publisher’s newest title, too. Mild spoilers on!
Savage Dragon #178
I’ve been off and on about Savage Dragon for a long time now... I started reading the series on a friend’s recommendation, and after checking out the first few volumes, I “got” it. The story of Dragon - a cop by day, sort of superhero by night - was blissfully old school in its execution and art style. Yes, creator Erik Larsen took the novel approach of letting his characters age pretty much in real time, and didn’t allow himself any easy reset buttons: if a character died, they died... Which would potentially be a problem when you make a bold move like killing the title character.
Reading this issue, I’ll say: this may be the best thing Larsen has ever done in the series. Dragon’s son is a far more appealing lead than his Dad ever was. He’s a superpowered teenager trying to do the right thing, dealing with also being a “regular” kid in high school. He’s funny, nice, and just realizing he’s also an insanely muscled hunk who all the ladies can get with.
I’m not going to lie and say that Larsen has suddenly jumped forward in style or execution: the book is still pretty firmly set in the 1990’s (okay, I’m being a bit glib there, but come on, nobody has those haircuts anymore). But rather than Savage Dragon being an X-treme ‘90s hero, with all the pouches and ridiculous enemies that implies, he’s given us a ‘90s teen book. And what can I say, that’s what I grew up on, so it hits my comic book nostalgia sweet spot in just the right way.
Plus, the cliffhanger in this issue is a doozy, as Dragon faces an impossible threat with no way to win. Knowing Larsen’s track record? He may actually lose, too. I’ll definitely be back in a month for #179... Will you?
Invincible #88
It’s going to be a bit tricky to talk about this issue without giving anything anyway. Suffice to say, it picks up on the cliffhanger from the previous issue, as Invincible is facing off against his friend Allen, and his brother in space as they threaten to release a virus that may kill all of humanity... But for the greater good of the galaxy at large. And it doesn’t end too far off from that point, but with a major twist that may be one of the most shocking in the series’ history.
I do think it’s interesting to talk about Invincible in the same post as Savage Dragon, as writer Robert Kirkman has clearly taken inspiration for the series from both Larsen’s work, and Marvel’s ‘90s comics as a whole. Off and on, its worked: when Invincible is firing on all cylinders, its a great exciting comic book. But when its not? Well... It has the tendency to spin its wheels quite a bit, letting Kirkman back off of plot twists in a way Larsen never would.
That said: this issue presents what could be the major status quo change the book has needed. This comes on the heels of a previous major status quo change just a few issues ago, but given the circumstances, its far more likely this one will stick, at least for the time being. If it does, Kirkman is taking the title into new, and potentially interesting waters. If he can use the twist (yeah, I know, I’m being a real tease here) to realign the series to its origins, rather than the convoluted soap opera its become, we may be in for something special.
THAT said, we probably won’t know whether that’s true until the next issue.
Alpha Girl #1
Where Invincible and Savage Dragon have proven their longevity, on the other end of the spectrum we have their newest title, Alpha Girl, which launches its first issue this week. The zombie tale/social satire is a little shaky in its first outing - it's neither as biting (no pun intended), or as focused as it could be... Particularly as nearly half the first issue is spent away from the main title character.
Contrast that with, say, the first issues of the other two series we’ve looked at here, which neatly established their main character, premise, and conflicts in the first issue. Granted, we’re a full decade or two past those issues, and comics has progressed as a form from there... But there’s still some elements that are necessary to make a good, lasting comic.
That said, the art team of Robert Love, Dana Shukartsi, and Diego Simone nail several of the sequences. One where Alpha Girl (nee Judith) moves from home to home as a little girl, before finding the joys of smoking, is a total delight to read, poignantly illustrated with the requisite amount of humor, as well. If nothing else, I’m curious to see how the team draws some full scale zombie mayhem next issue; though the writers will have to do a bit more to convince me this is worth staying on for the long haul.
Savage Dragon #178, Invincible #88, and Alpha Girl #1 all hit comic book stands from Image Comics on February 1, 2012.
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