Savage Dragon
| Savage Dragon | |
|---|---|
Savage Dragon #1 (July 1992) by Erik Larsen | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Megaton Comics Image Comics |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | Erik Larsen |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Kurr (legal name: Savage Dragon) (Savage Dragon I) Malcolm Dragon (Savage Dragon II) |
| Team affiliations |
|
| Notable aliases | The Dragon, Mr. Dragon, Officer Dragon, Dragon |
| Abilities |
|
The Savage Dragon is the name of two superheroes created by Erik Larsen, published by Image Comics and taking place in the Image Universe. The comic initially follows the adventures of a superheroic police officer named the Dragon. The character first appeared as the Dragon in Graphic Fantasy #1 (June 1982) and first appeared as the "Savage Dragon" in Megaton #3 (February 1986), before starring as the protagonist of the ongoing comic book series The Savage Dragon.
The Dragon is a large, finned, green-skinned humanoid whose powers include super-strength and an advanced healing factor. He is also an amnesiac: his earliest memory is awakening in a burning field in Chicago, Illinois. Thus, for most of the series, the origins of his powers and appearance are a mystery to readers. At the beginning of the series, he becomes a police officer under the legal name "Savage Dragon" and battles the mutant criminal "superfreaks" that terrorize Chicago. Ultimately, the Dragon is revealed to be the amnesiac Kurr, tyrannical emperor of the known universe. After sacrificing himself in the thirty-ninth volume Merging of Multiple Earths, the Dragon is succeeded by his son Malcolm Dragon as the Savage Dragon, who becomes the new protagonist of The Savage Dragon.
Together with Spawn, Savage Dragon is one of two Image Comics titles that debuted during the company's 1992 launch that continues to be published well into the early 2020s, and the only one of the two that all of its run, has been written and drawn entirely by its creator, for which Larsen has been lauded. Savage Dragon is the longest-running full-color comic book to feature a single artist/writer. The character was also adapted into an animated series, which ran for two seasons (26 episodes) on the USA Network beginning in 1995.
The Savage Dragon was listed by Wizard as the 116th-greatest comic book characters of all time. IGN listed the Savage Dragon as the 95th-greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that he has the trappings of a great comic book hero.