Who else is loving the new direction in Savage Dragon?

[Living Silver]

For those who don't follow the book, there is a new star: the book is now about Dragon's teenage son!!!

So far it has been off to a great start!

Those that have read Dragon before know that this isn't the first time that another character has become the book's protagonist (She-Dragon did it for like 5 issues in the past), but Larsen has assured us that this time he's for reals: Dragon won't be coming back as the book's star ever again.

So who else has been loving it so far? I'm not a fan of the new logo, but as far as the content, it's been a welcomed change.

[Dark-Flux]

Reserving judgement on it for now. Want to read a full arc. Its a bold move to say the least.
Im just kinda feeling that the whole high school teen-superhero schtick is something ive read a thousand times. Hopefully something really unexpected will through me for a loop, this being SD and all.

[WeirdSpace]

I like it. While I do miss Dragon, I have to say that letting Malcolm take over has been entertaining and interesting.

[armlessphelan]

I jumped into the book with the new direction. It's good. Very solid. Not exactly amazing or anything, but it doesn't need to be.

[Dark-Flux]

I jumped into the book with the new direction. It's good. Very solid. Not exactly amazing or anything, but it doesn't need to be.

This is kinda whats irking me. 193 was the big new direction/jump on issue but the books so far playing it very safe.
Theres been so many amazing twists and turns over the books history that its kind of a shame its not living up to that currently when more eyes are on it.
Still, theres time yet...

[Living Silver]

I jumped into the book with the new direction. It's good. Very solid. Not exactly amazing or anything, but it doesn't need to be.

I think Erik needs to establish something before he can pull a twist, or do something off-beat. In the original mini, the story was full of action, but very mundane. It wasn't until the very last three panels that we learned Frank was in Overlord's pocket, and things got interesting.
In these early issues, I'm sure we're just supposed to be getting to know these different characters. At least for me, it has a different, fresh feel to it.

My only criticism of the book recently has been the lack of innovative panel construction. Erik's been relying on the standard 6-panel-per-page layout. It gets old after a while. however, as of last issue he's started to get creative again, so I'm not too worried.

[Dark-Flux]

Yeah im a little tired of the rigid structure too.
Saying that, 194; Dat Splash Page :O

[CliffHanger2]

I like it so far. hopefully Larsen finds some interesting ways for Malcolm to combine his powers and get him his own villains. Not just Dragon's left overs.

[Living Silver]

I like it so far. hopefully Larsen finds some interesting ways for Malcolm to combine his powers and get him his own villains. Not just Dragon's left overs.

Honestly, I'm a little torn on this one: I hope he gets a mix.
For a while now, the bad guys have been terribly bland! Erik was inventing random lame throw-away bad guys instead of having classic villains reappear because he didn't remember which villains were alive or who was available to use. Random lame throw-away bad guys suck: one of the things that was originally so cool about this book was the crazy rouges gallery. It was on par with Spider-man or Batman's! I miss a lot of those old guys. Now that Gavin's the editor, we should be getting more of them back.

However, I'm ready for some new baddies too. For some reason I see Skullface's son as Malcolm's first bad guy (probably because he's Malcolm's generation). I'm ready for more like him.

Yeah im a little tired of the rigid structure too.

I just felt it was lazy, to be honest. Then again, I've never layed out, penciled, and inked a comic book for over 200 issues, so I have no basis to judge.

Saying that, 194; Dat Splash Page :O

I know right!

[CliffHanger2]

Thats one problem i have had with the book over the years. The seemingly random killing off of characters good or bad.

It can add tension and excitement but if irs done too much you just start to detach from the characters.

[Psycho]

Definitely digging it, still one of the very best books on the stands. This is the document on how to do a superhero comic for me, nearly 200 issues and no nonsense, actual story progression and always entertaining.

[DanMad1977]

As a whole, Savage Dragon is the best comic experience ever....

[GatheringComic]

I hadn't read the book since it first came out but some other comic folks knew I had a heavy Image pull and kept going on about Savage Dragon so I picked it back up around 185 and have been really happy with it. As a new reader I didn't feel lost (the writing style and letters page filled in a lot of blanks) and there's an energy and sense of fun that reminds me of the Silver Age super hero books. Loving the series.

[Jim Purcell]

I've been reading Savage Dragon since issue 90, and overall Malcolm's take over has gone over very well for me. It's been largely a natural progression, and Malcolm is a great character (though I actually like Angel more ). My opinion on the new direction is thus, 'kind of a weak opening in 193, but 194 really killed it'. 193 didn't feel like a comic a new reader was going to gel with easily, even though as a long time reader it was still great. Getting new readers is the important thing, and I was disappointed in 193 in that respect. But if they stuck around for 194, that one did it right.


Going to selfplug here a second. Me and my fellow Finheads Craig and Raven do a Savage Dragon Podcast, The Savage FINcast. As you imagine we talk a lot about SD, Erik Larsen, and anything tangentially related.

[Stefan]

Well, I've been reading SD since #1 of the mini and I welcome the change. That being said I feel the book needs to pick up some speed. Wonder what Erik will pull off in the giant-sized #200.