Savage Dragon is now the head of a group of superheroes dependent on the state, a special governmental action group called Special Operation Strikeforce (SOS). SOS replaces the missing team Youngblood (Rob Liefeld series launched the creation of Image comics). Nat Hawkins, their liaison, solicits Savage Dragon to accept merchandising contracts to help fund the team. Dragon refuses to compromise his values as well (which disappoints many Barbaric who dreams of having a figurine in his image). The episode 41 is devoted to wedding Ricochet (Rikki Schaefer) and Barbaric (Bernard Runningbear). Subsequently, Darklord (a dictator of a divergent Earth) replaces pieces of American soil in good condition, by their equivalent ravaged Earth from his parallel dimension. Savage Dragon, Spiking (Jennifer Murphy), Rapture (Sharona Jackson) Rock SuperPatriot are transported to this other Earth to stop these forced exchanges.
Already in the previous volume, Erik Larsen displayed an unlimited creativity, with a number of distinct characters than the hundred and a significant renewal of intrigue, without losing the potential empathetic characters. This new volume in the momentum continues. The first episode is an opportunity for feedback to honor a good fifteen independent comics of the time, and his favorite characters Marvel or DC (more discreetly, just an arm or a leg down easily recognizable the costume). The time has had its effect, only older readers will be able to identify the wedding guests: DNAgents (Mark Evanier and Will Meugniot) Femforce, Vampirella, Hellboy (Mike Mignola) Wildcats, E-Man (from Joe Staton) Wildstar (Jerry Ordway), Elton John, the brother of Pitt (Dale Keown), Zot (Scott McCloud), Flaming Carrot (Bob Burden), Destroyer Duck (Steve Gerber & Jack Kirby) Cerebus and Jaka Tavers (Dave Sim & Gerhard), Ka-Boom (Jeff Matsuda), Hulk, Spider-Man, Hibgoblin, Sandman (Flint Mako), Popeye, Marge Simpson, etc.
As an artist, Larsen also continues to pay tribute to his peers. In these episodes, it is possible to detect the massive influence of Jack Kirby and the tribute to New Gods (with Darklord superficially resembling Darkseid and his planet Apokolips) and that of Walt Simonson. The seams of the spacesuit Jennifer Murphy are reminiscent of those drawn by Jim Starlin in the first episode dedicated to Warlock. However, these influences never displace idiosyncratic style Larsen.
Indeed these episodes combine unlimited creativity for the plot, with the development of many subplots débutées from the first episode. Larsen shows the origin of Mace, to derive another Earth, with a time very clever indeed return, foreshadowing great difficulty following (the birth of Damien Farrell, Darklord future). Larsen is using the theme of the parallel Earth to place Savage Dragon face another Debbie Harris for emotional effect more effective, without falling into the basic or predictable melodrama. The reader will discover a great adventure unpredictable spectacle, in which the characters are not forgotten. Larsen develops its subplots about how Chris Claremont. On one side the reader follows the main characters in each episode, the other secondary characters have a page from time to time. Thus we learn incidentally that Rita Medermade Jonson and William have mysteriously disappeared. But they did appear that the time of a page during these 6 episodes. Similarly, Alex Wilde and Chris Robinson are entitled to 2 pages, essential but incomprehensible to a reader who would have the strange idea to start the series by this volume.
Even for a regular reader of the series, some scenes leave thoughtful. Indeed at that time, Erik Larsen oversaw several miniseries (including that of Freak Force with Barbaric, Ricochet, SuperPatriot, Dart, Mighty Man, and Rapture, 18 episodes + 1 miniseries 3 episodes). So, the dialogue between Liberty and Justice in a maternity remains a bit obscure if the reader has not had access to the Freak Force series (especially the occult organization "Covenant"). It's even worse for the character of Jennifer Murphy appeared for the first time in a miniseries 2 episodes "Savage Dragon - Sex & Violence" (1997), reprinted ever written by Larsen, Tom & Mary Bierbaum and drawn by Adam Hughes, Mark Lipka and Rick Mays.
Fortunately, most of the references is accessible for regular drive. There is of course the full page Savage Dragon and Jennifer Murphy are lying naked in a vacant lot in the flames, which refers to the first appearance of Dragon in the first volume. There Frank Darling continuing to seek the origins of Savage Dragon, examining the possibility that it is an alien, evoking both friendship Darling Dragon and titillating the reader with the real origin of Dragon will revealed until years later (in Episode 175 published in 2011, see Invasion). It is easy to recognize the flying saucers "Mars attacks!" direct from the previous volume. In terms of references, Larsen has fun as a little crazy with a sequence featuring Bill Clinton (then President of the United States, but without intern) is done foun SuperPatriot more sarcastic. Larsen plays like a little crazy with its own versions of Hercules and Thor, the latter winning the prize for the adequacy and the largest imbalance that the heavens have given birth. The discovery of a dispenser cans containing "New Coke" (placed on the market April 23, 1985) is a great time of fun.
As usual, Erik Larsen forgets neither humor nor his characters. The most representative case is certainly that of Amy Blecher (She-Dragon). Larsen renews once again the recurring joke about the voices she hears in her head (creating 5 characters from scratch, just time to 2 pages: Lovechild, Big Lug, Cowbloke, Might, Charisma). However, he is not content to ridicule; in fact he rehabilitates admirably and credibly, making it even more touching than it already was, without making neither a victim nor a woodcock.
If Larsen borrows some tics the designers he admires, his representation arrangements remain unchanged. Male characters always impossible middles (excessive width shoulders, thin waist, big fists over the head). The female characters have a morphology also fantasized: wasp waist and huge breasts defying gravity. Larsen continues to titillate the reader with fragile costumes, whose tears reveal the curves of the ladies, the ultimate being reached at a square where the reader sees a portion of the areola nipple Jennifer Murphy, but by the stud . Subject to support these features (or even appreciate as qu'exagérations made knowingly for purposes of parody), the player can only take his hat Larsen who managed to cram dozens of characters in a box that is readable, which invests to make each useful and titanic struggle page.
This proves his ninth Erik Larsen is a tireless creator, never short of ideas, combining the first degree of superhero conventions with a second funny and clever degree for hair-raising adventures and original, with engaging characters. The life of Savage Dragon continues to amaze and entertain the reader End game (episodes 47-52).
