Savage Dragon 132 in the Diamond solits again

[Schmakt]

Are we gonna definitely get it this time?
80 pages for $6.99? Seems well worth it to me...

Has anyone heard whether or not Erik plans to do art for the issues following 132?

It's been so long since the last issue, that I'm mostly just looking forward to getting started on the World Tour... but I'm gonna go read those back issues this week, so hopefully I'll remember what the hell is going on.

Is She-Dragon still wearing chain-mail? mmm...

[Generic Eric]

I would'nt imagine Larson would get someone else to do the art for savage dragon. Eric Larson does have an online forum where he will answer any questions about this series among other things here.http://imagecomics.com/messageboard/viewforum.php?f=20&sid=0c1b03fbc0b5c2f71bee4fd40d6c8359

[Chubber]

Are we gonna definitely get it this time?
80 pages for $6.99? Seems well worth it to me...

I'll believe it when I see it. When does it say it is coming out?


Has anyone heard whether or not Erik plans to do art for the issues following 132?

That is why there has been such a delay. Eric has said numerous times that the main Dragon title will be drawn/written by him and no one else. Also I read that he has the pencils done for the next 3 issues.

[GRANT!]

Erik said the issue has been done for a while. And issue 133 will be sent to the printers shortly. The next four issues should be monthly. He has said he won't solicit the book until a few issues are penciled.

[Schmakt]

I did think it was odd (as far as art goes), but on the SD page, the summary credits Fosco for the art:

http://www.savagedragon.com/previews.htm

It’s 80 pages of all-out action as Dragon begins to unravel the mystery behind Jennifer’s disappearance, while the spotlight shines on his supporting cast in the all-new "Rock City Diner" written by ERIK LARSEN and drawn by FRANK FOSCO.

[GRANT!]

I did think it was odd (as far as art goes), but on the SD page, the summary credits Fosco for the art:

http://www.savagedragon.com/previews.htm

He's doing a 48 page backup.

[Schmakt]

He's doing a 48 page backup.

ah! Very cool... thanks for the info :)

[Stikman13]

I’ve recently started getting into Savage Dragon. I’ve been buying up all the TPB’s. I noticed issue #131 on the shelf at my comicshop last week, so I figured I’d pick it up even if it risked spoiling things for me. The thing I noticed flipping through it was that the art is far less appealing than the art of the past. I’m up to This Savage World (I forget which number TPB it is). I love the art in all the past issues. Does the quality start to slide at some point for some reason? Issue 131 just looked awful to me. The backgrounds looked almost like a kid drew them. I was really disappointed to see that this is the possible direction the art is going to take. Was issue 131 a departure from the norm?

[Euchre0]

Yes, the quality of art takes a large hit in the 110+ issues. Basically, when Larsen took over publishing duties at Image he became even busier than he already was. Also, he started doing the lettering himself, which I thought was so terrible I nearly dropped the book. I decided to keep going, since he was new at it and I figured I should give him a break. But around that time the art got much worse. I think that he is tinkering with his style, because he seems like the kind of guy who wouldn't intentionally put out a sloppy product if he could help it. I am hoping that since he's had about a year since the last issue, #132 will be more up to par with the Erik Larsen I prefer.

As far as where you are, you should still have a few TPBs before the art quality declines. Personally, I think Savage Dragon was at its pinnacle before the Savage World tangent, but it's still good after that divergence, too.

[Stikman13]

Thanks for the info. I took a look thru issue 132 today and boy oh boy, it's no better. It's really too bad the art went in this direction. At least I have those TPB's to enjoy.

[Schmakt]

well...

So I kind of felt like this giganto issue was just filler lead-in to the real story. I suppose it kind of had to function as such given the long delay, but there was so much continuity craziness crammed in with the setup of the story that I just kind of lost myself... were there three separate Dragons in this issue? It deserves re-reading, but I was kind of underwhelmed after the first read. It left me excited for what happens next, but the problem is that I was more excited about what's to come than I was about the story I was holding in my hands. I did not, however, have any problem with the art in the SD part of the book.

For the Fosco-pencilled section, however...
I thought the story was good, and I like seeing supporting cast memebers get to do their thing and get some character development... Good to see the Viscious Circle, and the Dragon cameo's in the story were fun too. The art, for the most part, was good. There were a few panels were I just kind of stopped reading and thought, "huh. That's not that great," but it was always serviceable and usually good. For me.

The problem with this part of the book was that, holy crap, this issue should have been called Rock City Diner! It's been sooooo long since Dragon was doing anything and a lot of the let down feeling I got from this book was that the majority of this $7 monster felt like a backup story. The Dragon story felt almost crammed into its page count while RCD had all the space it could possibly need.

While I appreciate the huge page counts, I really wanted to see the Dragon story take a bunch of steps forward. While the backup story was good, I just... I dunno... wanted to read about Dragon.

The best part about the book was the note in the letters page from Erik saying that he's trying to get ten (is that right?) issues ahead, so we can get an on-schedule normal-sized Dragon fix for a while. :)

[GRANT!]

Well I'm glad the book is back but I agree the main story was just set up (though Angel becoming Battle Girl and the Sex and Violence flashback were cool). And the art wasn't some of Erik's best (though I enjoy his looser, scratchier style). It was mostly exposition and a fight. The Malcolm and the kids splash was cool (It's always nice to see the occasional Malcolm reminder, I would love Erik Erik to do a three parter of Malcolms adventures in Dimension X).

Rock House Diner was good and I think a lot of us forgot Rock even had a daughter or the fact he used to be black (other the Gavin Higginbottom the expert on all things Savage Dragon). It was a great to see a spotlight on those characters. I always liked Rock and the crew (though I miss the Shrew).

[Schmakt]

(though I miss the Shrew).

damn straight. :)

Erik did a cool Shrew sketch for me at HeroesCon a couple of years ago... I think I've posted it here before, but this is it if you're interested...

http://www.schmakt.com/pictures/Comics/ErikLarsenShrew.jpg

EDIT: Got Mako last year, but my scanner's been broken so no picture... hopefully he'll show up again next year so's I can get... hmm... someone else. :)

[Gavin Higginbotham, BotF]

Rock House Diner was good and I think a lot of us forgot Rock even had a daughter or the fact he used to be black (other the Gavin Higginbottom the expert on all things Savage Dragon). It was a great to see a spotlight on those characters. I always liked Rock and the crew (though I miss the Shrew).

Curse you for getting my name wrong! :)

A couple years ago I wrote my own 48-page story starring Rock and his crew, set back before SD#76 which would fill in the gaps that led to the Underground Freaks' appearance in SD#90.

It had the God Squad, the Vicious Circle, the Sky-Riders, Monster Master, Rakkum, She-Dragon, WarHawk, the Eternal Youths and all of the Underground Freaks... I thought it was pretty cool.

And The Shrew got to kick all kinds of ass in it. The book was never made, obviously, although I did email it to Erik (I don't think he ever had the time to read it... or thought it was shite, heh). I think maybe the whole thing was just an excuse to let me have the Shrew slice up a whole bunch of minor Vicious Circle members. Yay!

[The Scribe]

A couple years ago I wrote my own 48-page story starring Rock and his crew, set back before SD#76 which would fill in the gaps that led to the Underground Freaks' appearance in SD#90.

It had the God Squad, the Vicious Circle, the Sky-Riders, Monster Master, Rakkum, She-Dragon, WarHawk, the Eternal Youths and all of the Underground Freaks... I thought it was pretty cool.


You could find an artist and photocopy it, for a fan fiction comic.

I'd like to see it.

[The Scribe]

Thanks for the info. I took a look thru issue 132 today and boy oh boy, it's no better. It's really too bad the art went in this direction. At least I have those TPB's to enjoy.

I bought it today. I don't see where the art is "off?"

Nice splash pages throughout. Angel aged a bit more than I had expected.
Overall not a bad issue. Make more. :D

[The Scribe]

Brent Sprecher at SilverBulletComics.com didn't write a very nice review.

Email him to death! ;) :D :D

Brent Sprecher's review. (http://www.silverbulletcomics.com/news/story.php?a=6224)


Bart Croonenborghs at Broken Frontier wrote a much better and well written review.

Bart Croonenborghs' review. (http://www.brokenfrontier.com/reviews/details.php?id=1563)

[Gavin Higginbotham, BotF]

You could find an artist and photocopy it, for a fan fiction comic.

I'd like to see it.

I'll email the script to you if you want? The dialogue is a bit weak but the plot and ideas at least are fun.

[The Scribe]

I'll email the script to you if you want? The dialogue is a bit weak but the plot and ideas at least are fun.

That will be fine. ;)

[Gavin Higginbotham, BotF]

What's your email address?