I've not covered a lot of milestones in comics, so why have I recognized this one? Erik Larsen created his character Savage Dragon when he was a child, and has story telling ability that I find effective. But way beyond that, I think Erik is a kind person, a thoughtful one, and he has shown a determination and effort that few of his peers have ever revealed. Also, he has produced a long run upon a comic, along with ever other work he has been part of, that has never failed to be fun.
He tells stories that are somewhat larger than life, but are rooted in reality. His character Savage Dragon is an alien, but he is/was also a police officer. He has loved a partner, loved others, has fought battles, defended the planet earth, and has traveled in various dimensions. He has a son (named Malcolm) who at a more mature age and in a moment that needs a hero, inherits the mantle of Savage Dragon hero. The more recent years has seen a more mature content in the work, and you should be aware of that if you seek it out.
Deep down, the reason I think it all works for me, is that there is a developed sense of humor, joy and adventure in the stories that reminds me, constantly, of the works of my favorite comics writer/artist, Jack Kirby. The stories of Jack Kirby were big, bold, exciting, and they were not realistic. They were, however, constantly entertaining. Savage Dragon works for me on a number of levels, and, as a 56 year old old fart, I find that it still exhibits the best of the stories that Kirby created, and I still love stories of his sort.
Issue 250 goes on sale Wednesday July 15, 2020. Guest artists Frank Cho, Rob Leifeld, Skottie Young, Walter Simonson as well as Erik Larsen created 8 covers, two blanks for artists to create their versions of the milestone issue.
Congratulations Erik Larsen, you deserve it!
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