Dinosaurs, Rockets, Mad Scientists, and wily kids. What more could you ask for? Maybe a few mojitos, a secluded beach, and Christina Hendricks…hey, hey! This is a all ages book! But, does it please inner child as well as the adult? Take the jump and find out.
Super Dinosaur #1
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art and Colors: Jason Howard
Letters: Rus Wooton
Editor: Sina Grace
Publisher: Image Comics/Skybound Entertainment
Story Pages: 28
Cover Price: $2.99 USD
Previously, in Super Dinosaur: Not a single thing, this is the first brand spanking new issue.
THIS ONE’S FOR THE KIDDIES
Meet Derek Dynamo, his robot assistant Wheels, and of course his 9 foot tall T-Rex sidekick, called Super Dinosaur. As they battle to prevent nefarious fellow dinosaurs from getting their claws on a very helpful, and dangerous mineral called Dynore. All the while Derek has to corral his father, and keep “interlopers” from making his life any more complicated.
Robert Kirkman is a writer of many a story. Whether it be a Zombie Survival tale in the Walking Dead, or a Superhero Epic in the form of Invincible, and now Kirkman tackles All Ages Adventure in Super Dinosaur. I will say this veritable kid friendly book makes my Inner Child very happy, while the adult me is on the fence about the issue.
Super Dinosaur, to my Inner Child, fulfills all that I’d want in a comic, and more so. But the adult is able to step back and place things into context. I see a concept that reminds me of those nostalgic 80’s Marvel Comics designed to be monthly advertisements for a line of toys. Super Dinosaur isn’t a heartless shill of a comic, with the sole purpose to sell toys, it just feels like it’d fit in that vein. I half expected a “Coming Soon” for Toys in the back of the comic.
As far as characters go, Derek is a great one, he’s a strong, and loving son, who knows how to find the best out of life, even if he wants to be left alone with his father, and dinosaur buddy. Super Dinosaur is kind of funny but his dialogue seems kind of forced, and for a talking dinosaur that isn’t so bad, but I think Kirkman could have done better with the dialogue.
When it comes to the relationship between Derek and his father Dexter Dynamo, a great scientist in his own right, is similar to another father son relationship from Kirkman’s past. Back in 2009, Kirkman and Marc Silvestri did a “Pilot Season” comic, “Stealth #1” that had a nearly identical relationship between father and son. I don’t think it’s all a coincidence, and that Kirkman may be going back to his creative past and touching base.
But the relationship between a boy and his dinosaur is the best thing of this comic, since it’s what the book focuses on, within the comic the relationship is able to develop, and breathe.
KRACKA-BOOM! T-REX IN THE ROOM!
The art by Jason Howard is the best thing about this comic. It is over the top, and better than any summer action movie. You get talking dinosaurs in super suits, firing rockets, at other talking “bad” dinosaurs. Where else could you get that?
I have been a fan of Jason’s artwork since The Astounding Wolf-Man, which he was able to deliver quite well there, but here it’s taken up to a higher, action filled level. All of which moves a mile a minute, but rarely falters. One of the few drawbacks was the expressional scale of the characters. Now granted, one of the main characters is a T-Rex, but the rest of the characters are a little stiff, and it seems that visual character development took a back seat to the action. But I guess that’s the price you pay.
THE VERDICT: SOMEBODY MIGHT WANT TO WALK THE DINOSAUR
This comic pulled me into two different directions. One really enjoyed it, and the other part was able to point out the flaws, and things that seemed a little heavy handed. But regardless this was a good comic book, and I didn’t regret buying it. Which is a plus.
The comic is written pretty well, and the artwork looks really nice, but the direction of the comic seems to slant towards children, roughly age 10 or so. But that’s what I was getting out of it. The tone of this comic still reminds me of some advertisement, but it’s completely harmless and kid safe, a rarity in comics.
While this comic is a boon for parents that want to read a comic, and be able for their kids to enjoy it as well, I am still torn on this comic. So me and my inner child have come to a consensus. In closing Super Dinosaur receives 3.5 Stars, out of 5.
1 Comment
I read this about a month ago when it was free on comixology and thought it was great, I then showed and read it to my 5yr old daughter and now she wants a trex partner.