CREDIT: Image Comics
Rating: 4/5 – A Fun Romp Through the Silver Age of Comics
by ComicSpectrum reviewer Adam Alamo.
I picked up Cap’n Dinosaur on a whim this week while scanning the wall of new releases at my local comic shop. Mostly, it was the cool, retro looking cover, but I also liked that it boasted a “complete story,” so I didn’t have to invest anything more than a single reading. Top it off with an Image logo in the upper left-hand corner of the cover and I figure that’s as good a reason as any for taking a chance on a new comic. And whether through some arcane formula (art + one-shot + Image) or just good fortune, I found a comic I really enjoyed!
With Cap’n Dinosaur, writer Kek-W pays homage to the Silver Age of comics by crafting a story that could be taken back in time and seamlessly dropped into a spinner rack in the 1960s. In one corner is our hero, Cap’n Dinosaur, an amalgamation of classic comic characters, whose “dino sense” tingles at the thought of danger and who can be reached via “bone phone.” In the other corner is the Carnevil of Crime, a rouges list of villains based on classic comic advertisements (sea monkeys, monster size monsters, etc.). Together, they form an issue with all the zaniness of an episode of the classic Batman television show. It’s a fun romp through a time long forgotten. Artist Shaky Kane further accentuates this Silver Age tale with illustrations that mirror classic Jack Kirby or, more recently, Mike Allred. It’s a timeless style that never gets old, particularly with source material like this.
If you’re a fan of Silver Age comics, or just comics that are fun, zany, and don’t involve a five-issue story arc, then Cap’n Dinosaur may be for you. It’s a completely original idea and a nice change of pace from the comic norm of today. And while one of its selling points to me was that it was a one-shot, I wouldn’t mind seeing this as a regular title.
Reviewed by: Adam Alamo
(adam@comicspectrum.com)
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