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Skaar: King of the Savage Land #1
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Brian Ching
Cover: Michael Komarck

“King of the Savage Land pt 1”: If there is one of the new Hulk family characters that I like, it’s definitely the Son of Hulk: Skaar! Most of it is due to his origin, which makes him a lot more interesting than the other gamma irradiated monsters that inhabit the Marvel U. This series has him in the Savage Land punching the hell out of dinosaurs while the Lord of the Savage Land, Ka-Zar, is handling the political issues plaguing his home. An ancient evil is also unleashed that apparently is laying claim to the Savage Land and killing people in the process.

Spinning out of the current issues of Incredible Hulks, Williams keeps Skaar in the Savage Land and his presence here couldn’t be more welcome. When the story focuses on Skaar is when the book stands out, only because Williams reminds us that despite his size and strength he’s still a child when he reverts to his more human form. This is why I can dismiss a lot of his rookie mistakes and him just rushing into things that usually don’t end well for him. That, and the fact that he’s a “Hulk.” When the story shifts to Ka-Zar it’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that these arguments he’s hearing from the Tribal Council remind me too much of the same rhetoric T’Challa used to get from his council when he was king of Wakanda. Though I admit this is probably just a “me” issue, because not everyone has read Black Panther for as long as I have. The sequence just wasn’t one that was entertaining enough to hold my interest for too long, though I understand it was important for the set up of the issue.

Now, when you think “Skaar” and “Savage Land,” then you immediately want to see him fighting dinosaurs and any other giant monstrosities the Savage Land has to offer. When these moments take place, Brain Ching gives you great visuals to put the action over the top. Aside from some of the faces during the council meeting sequence looking a bit weird, this is one good looking issue. It was also nice to see that attention was paid to the different shade of green Skaar is as opposed to his father. His mixed heritage gives him a very different look than his father, and I’ve noticed in some books where he’s drawn and colored to resemble Hulk.

Skaar: King of the Savage Land is starting off well paced and delivering on the big action. Four more issues to go and we’ll see if Williams can help elevate Skaar’s status in the Marvel U, because this is just one fun issue! And when I say “fun,” I mean dinosaurs gettin’ punched in the face type fun!

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Infinite Speech
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