TITLE: The Savage Dragon Issue #225
YEAR: July 2017
COMPANY: Image Comics
Creator/Writer/Artist/Inker: Erik Larsen
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist: Nikos Koutsis
Flats: Mike Toris
Editor: Gavin Hiccmoutham
My previous post about “The Savage Dragon” focused on the first issue on how the Savage Dragon was created as far back when Erik Larsen was a child, how he would feature the Dragon in a fanzine titled “Graphic Fantasy” in 1982 and how the Savage Dragon would appear in “Megaton” issue #3.
And how the first issue in 1992 would be the 20th year anniversary of when Larsen created the character and the 10th year anniversary since it debuted in “Graphic Fantasy”.
Here we are in 2017, 45 years since Larsen created the character as a child and 35 years later after it debuted in “Graphic Fantasy” and so much has changed with the series.
With issue #225, having not read “The Savage Dragon” since I quit reading comic books back in the late ’90s. I noticed that the Savage Dragon has a son named Malcolm, who is much larger than him and of course, is green and has a fin. And surprisingly, the series went through different timelines via multiple multiverses.
I knew that I missed out on the storyline but still, having read the hype surrounding this issue, I had to go find it and buy it.
To my surprise, issue #225 was nearly $10 for 100-pages and while there was a little small part of me that felt it was too expensive, seeing how much one Marvel Comic book costs these days, I figured, it probably was just right and that’s how things are today in the comic industry and those $1.25 days of collecting are long gone. This would be the first Image Comic book that I have purchased probably since 1997.
The storyline begins with everyone bloodied and standing around corpses. Everyone now having many combined memories since Mr. Glum entered the Darklord’s lair and merged all multiverses into one. The multiverse is no longer and he did it for the sake of restoring Angel’s mind.
Knowing that the Darklord can undo all his efforts, he realizes that the Darklord must be stopped.
And now the Darklord has come to Earth on a vengeance. So pissed off because the world that did live was the one that was most dire and bleak. And now he wants to destroy the Earth.
As the heroes try to fight Darklord, Malcolm goes to fight him but he is caught. But Mr. Glum reveals that he is the one that combined the multiverses into one and the Darklord is upset that by doing that, Mr. Glum killed billions of unique individuals.
Seeing that things are looking quite dire, Paul Dragon (the original Savage Dragon) decides to inject Malcolm’s blood into him in order to give him strength and super abilities. But the problem is for one to do that, they can explode and die.
As Paul Dragon goes to fight the Darklord, a battle ensues. But will Paul Dragon survive after injecting himself with Malcolm Dragon’s blood survive the day?
This issue also includes a reprint of the first appearance of The Dragon from “Graphic Fantasy”, multiple stories featuring Malcom, Freak Force, Brenda Funk (with nudity, so don’t buy this for your youngster), Flash Mercury and more.
Overall, as the 225th issue is no doubt a special issue. A finale for some, a new beginning for others. But for the most part, what a way to celebrate the character with this issue but also giving fans a chance to read the original “Graphic Fantasy” from 1982 featuring the debut of “The Dragon”.