Major Spoilers
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch Discord RSS
    Major Spoilers
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Random Access Memory
      • Retro Review
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Podcasts
      • Critical Hit
        • Critical Hit House Rules
        • Critical Hit World Building
      • Dueling Review
      • Finally Friday
      • Geek History Lesson
      • The Legion Clubhouse
      • Major Spoilers Podcast
        • MSP TPB for 2019
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2013
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2012
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2011
      • Munchkin Land
      • Top Five
      • Wayne’s Comics
      • Zach on Film
    • Features
      • Casual 60
      • Comic Casting Couch
      • Comics Portal
      • Did You Hear?
      • Editorials
      • Features
      • Gamer’s Corner
      • Hero Histories
      • Let’s Get Nerdy
      • Major Spoilers Adventures
      • Random Access Memory
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Movies
      • Did You Hear
      • Movies
      • Television
    • Comic Previews
    • Patreon
      • Patreon
      • Store
    Major Spoilers
    Dynamite Entertainment

    REVIEW: Lord of the Jungle #1

    Stephen SchleicherBy Stephen SchleicherJanuary 16, 2012Updated:January 16, 20122 Comments4 Mins Read

    Once again, it’s time to take a classic work and adapt it into a comic book for fans to read. The biggest difference between Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones, Warlord of Mars, or other books Dynamite Entertainment has adapted and Tarzan is the character is more well known than others. There have been countless movies, books, and television shows featuring the Lord of the Jungle, so how did Dynamite handle this adaptation?

    LORD OF THE JUNGLE #1
    Writer: Arvid Nelson
    Illustrator: Roberto Castro
    Letterer: Simon Bowland
    Colorist: Alex Guimaraes
    Cover Artist: Alex Ross, Ryan Sook, Paul Renaud, Lucio Parrillo
    Based on the stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs
    Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
    Cover Price: $1.00

    ORIGIN STORIES RETOLD

    If you haven’t read the origin of Tarzan, then you missing out on a great tale of a man raised from a baby by a tribe of gorillas to become the lord of the jungle. Dynamite Entertainment takes the origin story and adapts it quite well in this first installment, by showing Lord and Lady Greystoke being stranded in the Belgian Congo, and having to build a home for themselves, and their soon to be born son. Problems arise when an ape attacks Lord Greystoke outside the home, only to be saved by his wife and a rifle. That stress causes Alice to go into labor, and soon their son is born.

    It takes an entire year for the apes to get riled up and attack the Greystokes at home, killing Lord and Lady. Tarzan is adopted by Kala (name not mentioned in this issue), who is grieving over losing her own child who was killed by Kerchak (name also not mentioned in this issue), king of the ape tribe.

    There are a few problems with how the story is presented in this issue. The biggest has to do with how the apes discovered that Lord Greystoke killed one of their own. There are no witnesses to the primate killing, so the attack on the home seems unjustified, unless one marks it up to humans invading their territory. The other is simply a matter of time, as over the course of a year, Lord Greystoke appears to wither to a twig, possibly because he is too busy taking care of his ailing wife and newborn son.

    It’s been far too long since I’ve read the original source material, but racism was always a criticism of the novels. Not knowing exactly what Arvid Nelson has in store for us, one moment in the issue certainly shifts that focus by introducing a group of half man/half ape creatures.

    RENDERING THE JUNGLE ENVIRONMENT

    Roberto Castro does a very good job of bringing the narrative to life in this issue. From the lush jungle environment, to the detailed luxury of treetop living, Castro’s art is well thought out. The landscapes alone are worth the cover price (and then some), as Castro’s pencils and Alex Guimaraes’ colors add depth to the page, something that can be very difficult to do in a jungle environment as other artists I’ve seen simply render the canopy directly behind the character, and shade the rest in dark greens and black.  My only criticism of the art, is that Castro tends to draw faces as though they are stuck to the head in a skewed way; the head may be turned to a three-quarter view, but the facial features are looking right at you.

    BOTTOM LINE: WORTH A DOLLAR FOR SURE

    Dynamite Entertainment has become the adaptation publisher, and they do it incredibly well. Lord of the Jungle #1 continues Dynamite’s adaptation success, and for a dollar, there’s no reason you shouldn’t pick this issue up. Lord of the Jungle #1 is well written, and the art is very good, and earns 4 out of 5 Stars.

    Rating: ★★★★☆

    arvid nelson Dynamite Entertainment edgar rice burroughs Review tarzan
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleProphet sells out before its release
    Next Article SOLICITATIONS: Dynamite Entertainment announces Garth Ennis’ The Shadow
    Stephen Schleicher
    • Website
    • Twitter

    Stephen Schleicher began his career writing for the Digital Media Online community of sites, including Digital Producer and Creative Mac covering all aspects of the digital content creation industry. He then moved on to consumer technology, and began the Coolness Roundup podcast. A writing fool, Stephen has freelanced for Sci-Fi Channel's Technology Blog, and Gizmodo. Still longing for the good ol' days, Stephen launched Major Spoilers in July 2006, because he is a glutton for punishment. You can follow him on Twitter @MajorSpoilers and tell him your darkest secrets...

    Related Posts

    Geek History Lesson – Will Mission Impossible the Final Reckoning be the Final Installment? with DJ Wooldridge

    Read More

    Munchkin Land #722: 7 Wonders Dice

    Read More

    PREVIEW: Space Ghost #12

    Read More

    2 Comments

    1. Ian on January 16, 2012 7:16 pm

      Do they not have the rights to the Tarzan name? It’s odd not to have it on the cover.

      Reply
      • Young on January 17, 2012 7:00 am

        The name might be caught up in someone’s trademark, even if the character is in the public domain.

        Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

    Support this site by making a purchase through our Amazon affiliate links

    Reviews
    6.7
    May 13, 2025

    Absolute Green Lantern #2 Review

    8.0
    May 11, 2025

    Storm #8 Review

    6.3
    May 11, 2025

    Retro Review: Daredevil #131 (March 1976)

    6.0
    May 9, 2025

    Blood and Thunder #1 Review

    7.0
    May 8, 2025

    Captain Planet #1 Review

    Patreon Support
    Major Spoilers Store
    Recent Comments
    • Luis Dantas on Storm #8 Review
    • Michael Kenchington on PREVIEW: Giant-Size Wacky Races #1
    • derrigable on COMICS PORTAL: To (Almost) Everything, There Is a Season!
    • wiley on COMICS PORTAL: ‘Mouse Guard’ Is Back!
    • Elfo_oscuro on So You Want To Read Comics: Alternate History Edition
    Subscribe to the Major Spoilers E-Mail List
    Sponsor

    ComiXology Home Page

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitch
    Major Spoilers Patreon
    • About
      • Major Spoilers Terms of Use
      • Major Spoilers Frequently Asked Questions
      • Major Spoilers Privacy Policy Statement
      • Major Spoilers Podcast Gear
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy (EU)
    Major Spoilers is copyright 2006-2025 by Major Spoilers Entertainment, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT