Savage Dragon #198 Review

After wrapping up last issue’s arc, Savage Dragon #198 quickly jumps into more action and drama. The pacing may be a little off, but it certainly doesn’t waste time on any dull moments…

The official description from Image:

Malcolm Dragon faces the Uncanny Ant-Menaces! The Ant Queen and her deadly Ant Men invade the surface world and one man stands in their way! A deadly new threat for the son of the Savage Dragon!

This issue opens with a decent enough montage sequence of events – in fact, it’s a great point for new readers. It sets the tone and easily focuses Malcolm Dragon as the central character (Savage hasn’t been seen on-screen, as it were, for quite a few issues now). Move this into a more explosive plot and you have a greater understanding of tone and story than previous issues, although there are still plenty of ‘monster of the week’ moments.

Savage Dragon is still very much Erik Larsen’s baby, so there’s no surprise that the writing hasn’t changed. However, I do feel the balance between teenage/young drama and superhero action is getting more and more finely tuned. That said, the plot has never taken itself too seriously and Larsen includes a few over the top moments throughout the issue. Savage Dragon #198 deals with the regular themes of late – especially regarding relationships – but it seems to comment on itself a little more. The constant dialogue regarding Malcolm joining the police, for instance, raises the very issue of making him distinct from his father.

That said, the artwork does hold up better here than it has in a long time. There are plenty of big panels and splash pages that offer a lot more detail. Color, likewise, extends beyond simple flat shapes. There’s shading and depth that lifts the sketchy pencils – a small difference but a big improvement.

All in all, this seems like a step in the right direction. While we still have a fast moving plot that jumps from point to point, everything is improving slowly.