TITLE: SAVAGE DRAGON #225
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
WRITER: Erik Larsen, Derek Hunter, Joe Keatinge
ILLUSTRATOR: Erik Larsen, Derek Hunter, Ryan Alexander-Tanner, Nikos Koutsis, Raven Perez, Frank Fosco
COLORS: Nikos Koutsis, Mark Englert
FLATS: Mike Toris
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos, Ferran Delgado
EDITOR: Gavin Higginbotham
REBEL SCUM: Josh Eichhrön
COVER A: Erik Larsen
COVER B: Frank Fosco
COVER C: Erik Larsen
COVER D: Rafael Krás
PRICE: $9.99
RATING: 
WEBSITE: ImageComics.com
SUMMARY: “THE MERGING OF MULTIPLE EARTHS,” Conclusion
Giant-sized 25th anniversary special! Savage Dragon is restored to his former glory as he bulks up to take on Darklord in a final battle! Mr. Glum’s devious plot to merge the multi-verse comes to its cataclysmic conclusion! Savage Dragon and Malcolm Dragon join forces to save Angel Murphy and the very earth itself!
COMMENTS: The main story ties up 25 years of the Image Comics Savage Dragon as Mr. Glum fights for love, and he is willing to destroy the multiverse to get it. As things congeal on the one true Earth everyone is a little confused. If a new reader picks up this copy of Savage Dragon for the cover and is new to the book, he will indeed be just as confused as the characters themselves, this is clearly not the best jumping on point. Paul Dragon finds utopia in the sky as Malcolm Dragon is left to pick up the pieces and start anew.
This is followed by a bloody and violent version of the Dragon by Derek Hunter done in a Ren and Stimpy style.
Next up is Flash Mercury by Joe Keatinge and Ryan Alexander Tanner. This is a classic one-page gag strip and it is fun for what it is.
Next Freak Force returns by Erik Larsen and Nikos Koutis. Kikos art is very fluid and well suited for the Freak Force. As the team joins together the solidify and a very anti-Trump message. Erik’s politics are clear here and with a comic as personal as Savage Dragon, the sentiments are well placed.
This is followed by Erik Larsen and Raven Perez on a Battle Girl story. Battle Girl fights Slag in a tale of jealousy and revenge that involves Battle Girl losing her clothing during the battle. After the battle, Thunder Head and Battle Girl go on a date. It’s a fun date and tells more about the story than the fight did. It also advances the new Universe story from the main story.
This is followed by a second Flash Mercury by Joe Keatinge and Ryan Alexander Tanner. One Flash Mercury was enough and this is a little too much of a good thing. The saving grace of the strip was Ant appeared but it wasn’t enought to make me excited for a second helping of Flash Mercury.
Finally Malcolm Dragon is back in “I face the Monster from the Murky Depths!” in a story by Erick Larsen and Frank Fosco. It’s a classic style Savage Dragon tale with a slight twist. It was nice to get a second helping of the Dragon in this over sized special.
The Dragon was originally printed in a comic called “Graphic Fantasy” I never saw that comic before but apparently it was in black & white and came out 10 years before Image Comics. Erik reproduced that story in color for the first time. It was great. Paul Dragon had a short fin. The color is done in halftone rosette (those little dots are seen in comics prior to computer coloring) This was a wonderful story and the color was perfectly matched to the times in both form and palet. A very welcome addition to the 100 pages super spectacular.
The last story was the third helping of Flash Mercury and I would have been much happier ending on the reprint. I like mundane in comics if it feels realistic this might have worked better in a longer story with a little more emotional connection with Flash Mercury might help. Or maybe if I was a regular reader of Savage Dragon I would have a better enjoyment of Flash Mercury. This was a great comic HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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