Dart, Ricochet & Barbaric Horridus, Rapture and Mighty Man have left the Chicago police to form an independent group Freak Force (FF, in a nod to the Fantastic Four). Savage Dragon is again the only individual super powers of the police. Episode 7 - Lieutenant Frank Darling and Savage Dragon got an arrest warrant against Overlord. They try to stop it at home. Episode 8 - Savage Dragon is seriously injured and must still defend against and Cutthroat Hellrazor. Episode 9 - The Mace (Burt West) is a new superhero to expeditious methods that deals with the underworld of Chicago in the absence of Savage Dragon. It must repel the brutal attack SuperPatriot (Johnny Quincy Armstrong). Episode 10 - A strange clown Jimbo called the mighty Lobster (with tongs instead of hands) landed in Chicago and attacks Savage Dragon to prove that he is the strongest. Episode 11 - The Fiend took possession of Doug Herman to attack Savage Dragon. The latter sees his dinner alone with Jackson Sharona (Rapture) interrupted by Vanguard and Wally coming recover Lurch.
This third volume is in the direct continuity of previous 2: Erik Larsen continues its series of superheroes at once, Derivative and parody, but also completely literally. To an uninformed reader, the parodic dimension produces an effect of amplifying mere exaggeration the most stupid components superheroes. There is the shoulder width Savage Dragon (and several other male characters) absolutely impossible, exaggerated to the point of being absurd. There the thickness of muscle in his forearm, 5 times larger than those of his thigh. Not to mention the size of his fists relative to that of its head. Erik Larsen takes the female characters representation agreements in superhero comics, and again push to their limits to absurdity (enlarged and hanging breasts as if they were not subject to the law of gravitation ), wasp waist, very revealing costume returning them in the buttocks. This approach also applies to robots or cyborgs like SuperPatriot capable of ejecting a staggering number of sockets per second (but where he ranks all this ammunition?), The superhero dispensing summary justice (Mace broke criminals Weapon sledgehammer), and even supercriminels (Cutthroat ridicule with curved blade of a good meter long instead of the right hand).
Not only this exaggerated approach applies to the visual part, but also the scenario. An episode of Savage Dragon without a bare hand physical combat is simply unthinkable. Dragon has a Herculean strength and when it hits an enemy, this one off the ground and will be embedded in a wall, with moult debris. When Dragon cash, wounds bleed and also takes full figure. The main purpose of episode 10 is the physical confrontation between Savage Dragon and Jimbo (every 2 banging like deaf) to see who is strongest (Jimbo is the character of a player who won a contest to appear in the episode). Looking more closely, the fight between Savage Dragon against Cuttrhoat Hellrazor and occupies more than a third of the episode 8. It's the same for the clash between Dragon and SuperPatriot in episode 9.
In the introduction, Erik Larsen says one of his influences: a Thor episode directed by Walter Simonson solely of full-page drawings. This is the way it illustrates the episode 7. It is also easy to see in Overlord, the influence of Doctor Doom, every 2 being in armor with a cloak and a way of speaking somewhat haughty. Thereafter, the careful reader will detect in episode 11 the influence of Frank Miller, in the use of television news and in the conceptual use of shadows. Erik Larsen enjoys trying narrative or visual spotted among his colleagues, without falling into plagiarism.
However, Savage Dragon never reads like a collage of disparate influences, but has rather an impressive unit. From beginning to end, everything is Erik Larsen which portrays the life of Savage Dragon. It appears that the choice not to give a superhero costume to Savage Dragon proves more effective. Larsen tells fights interspersed with privacy slices more or less interesting. He tells the professional and private life of Savage Dragon is one piece. These stories are as tasty by their parodic aspect for the simple psychology Dragon (do his job his best, dredge Sharona) who believes in the usefulness of its work and the need to enforce the law (profession of faith simple honest). The parodic component intended these stories to a reader familiar superheroes and conventions associated with this genre. A novice player in this area will struggle to exceed the politically incorrect exaggerations Larsen. A customary reader will identify them for what they are, and enjoy them as much teasing to the player who picked anatomical exaggerations and punches to the inordinate power. This type of player will be able to appreciate the richness of the environment in which Savage Dragon (fifteen different characters in every episode), references to other artists or other characters, and dexterity with which Larsen uses the conventions of the genre, exaggerates and draws new variations.
Certainly Savage Dragon is a concentrate of shots with a hero who settles its problems by tapping them until they disappear, and heals any wound, regardless of its severity. But this does not alter the reading pleasure of seeing the tearing down an antenna in his chest to see him fight supercriminels 2 idiots (as he emptied himself of half his blood), etc. Larsen embraces all components of the silliest superhero by treating first degree for a visceral and rich narrative. It also creates truly horrific sequences, such as The Fiend inserting his fingers under the skin of the skull of Savage Dragon, lashing the little flesh (uncomfortable vision, visceral and memorable). Savage Dragon continues to cash in Possessed (episodes 12-16, part of episode 14 of the series "Wildcats").
