Super Dinosaur

Super Dinosaur #17

Super Dinosaur #17Derek and Super Dinosaur continue to try and stop the Civil War on the moon by hunting down the missing children of both families in Paris and explaining what their Romeo & Juliet love affair and unexplained disappearance has wrought.

There’s a good amount of action here, including Super Dinosaur breaking out his new Stealth Jet Armor for the first time. While playing on a Shakespearean story, Robert Kirkman certainly doesn’t go too highbrow to turn off his younger readers (both Derek and SD are amused and disgusted to learn the alien bugs eat poop). It’s a little sophomoric (especially as Kirkman brings up the subject multiple times) but certainly not out of character for our heroes.

The comic’s B-story continues Dr. Dynamo’s search for his wife. The final pages bring Derek in on the truth of his missing mother and set the stage for the comic’s next big arc. Worth a look.

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Super Dinosaur #16

super-dinosaur-16-coverI have four words for you: Super Dinosaur in space! If that isn’t enough to pique your interest than I don’t know what else to say.

When trouble arises on the moon Derek Dynamo and Super Dinosaur are sent to the secret “Inner-Moon” colony of the Kalish who include two races, the Krill and the Sloon, whose differences have led to an all-out civil war inside the heart of the moon.

Finally getting the two sides to stop fighting, Derek uncovers the reason for the recent heating up of the long-dormant feud. The son and daughter of both leaders have vanished, secretly traveling to Earth, sparking the renewal of the hostilities. To keep the delicate temporary truce, Derek and SD will have to return to Earth and find the pair and bring them home.

Fun stuff. I especially like seeing Super Dinosaur in his own space suit. The comic seems to foreshadow a Romeo and Juliet tale between the offspring of the warring tribes, but we’ll have to wait until next month to see if that’s case. Worth a look.

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Super Dinosaur #15

super-dinosaur-15Super Dinosaur #15 concludes the Inner Earth storyline as Derek is able to escape the clutches of The Exile, reconnect with Super Dinosaur and his friends, and make his way home. The action is certainly fast and furious, but Derek’s reunion with his friends does feel a little rushed compared to the amount of time the arc has spent with the other aspects of this story.

Although Derek, Super Dinosaur, and the other children manage to make it back home from Inner Earth safely, writer Robert Kirkman lays down quite a bit of foreshadowing and the events from this arc are likely to have long term consequences for everyone involved.

The Exile is imprisoned but his theory on life on the surface has been proven and he has plenty of time to plot his revenge. We also get SD finally making a connection in Inner Earth when the group is saved thanks to help from another Tyrannosaurus rex, only to have to abandon his new friend to help Derek get safely home. It may be a bit rushed, but Super Dinosaur #15 is a good conclusion to the arc. Next month: Super Dinosaur in space! Worth a look.

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Super Dinosaur #14

The “Inner Earth” story arc continues as Derek and his kidnapper, the Exile, try to stay one-step ahead of the soldiers who want them both dead on orders by the Exile’s brother. After making their escape from the palace Derek meets the rest of the resistance, other Reptiloids that believe life could exist on the face of the planet. With one side wanting him dead (as his very existence is sacrilege) and the other wanting to invade the surface of the planet, Derek is stuck in the middle. Thankfully, for him, he’s a clever kid.

We also get more of Derek’s rescue team (Super Dinosaur, Elliot, Erika and Erin) braving the various dinosaurs and creatures while searching for their missing friend, and Super Dinosaur comes to the sad conclusion that the truth of Inner Earth is far less glamorous than his dreams.

The issue keeps the story moving forward, although with the time split between the groups we don’t get as far down the road as I’d like. Still, there are plenty of action scenes for both Derek and his friends and some humorous moments, such as Derek introducing himself to the non-believers. Worth a look.

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Super Dinosaur #13

super-dinosaur-13-coverKidnapped and taken into Inner Earth by the Exile, Derek learns the truth about his captor in the latest issue. It turns out the Exile isn’t the super-villain Derek believed him to be but a member of the royal family who was banished for his theories of life on the surface of the Earth.

As Derek works on escaping, and even defending the creature that kidnapped him, Super Dinosaur brings his team to the rescue. There’s one big continuity error here with the ease SD and the kids make it into Inner Earth (a place that super-villains and scientists alike have been spending decades trying to discover).

You can’t really overlook such a big plot issue, but there’s enough fun here, including some great action, that you aren’t forced to dwell on it. You probably aren’t reading a title like Super Dinosaur for its logic or consistency. Still, it’s troubling.

The quick shift into the motivations of the Exile and the unexpected complexity of the politics in Inner Earth is a nice touch. I’m hoping the characters get to spend more time exploring the world before reuniting and returning to the surface. For fans.

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