Turok #1
Published January 9, 2019
Writer - Ron Marz
Artist - Roberto Castro
Colours - Salvatore Aiala
Letters - A Different World Studios' Troy Peteri
Covers:
A - Bart Sears
B - Butch Guice & Dan Brown (Pictured above)
C - Jeffrey Veregge
D - Roberto Castro & Salvatore Aiala
If you have not read the comic yet be warned that there are spoilers below.
The story starts in Colorado in 1873. I believe this is the first time that the Turok story takes place during the western era. A group of soldiers wearing Union blue have taken a young Native American man prisoner and he is tied and forced to walk behind them while the soldiers are on horseback.
The young man falls and the lead soldier tell him to get up. The young man threatens that his brother will come, which doesn't rattle the soldier as he believes the young man's brother is long gone.
But he's not because the next page the soldiers get ambushed! Turok is taking out the soldiers with relative ease, showing how great Turok is. One of the soldiers refers to him as 'the Devil himself.'
Turok refers his younger brother as Andar and cuts him free and they make their escape on the lead soldier's horse.
We learn that this leader is Captain Connors and he is either going to take Turok and Andar to the reservation in Oklahoma or put them in the ground. The remaining soldiers mount up and give chase.
We then deviate to a mysterious man in black. Is he tracking Turok? Is he a bounty hunter? Is he tracking Connors? This page has no speech and adds a level of mystery to the stranger in black.
As the soldiers are going after Turok and Andar, they are attacked by a dinosaur! Now this would be a surprise if you didn't know anything about Turok, but most people know that Turok is not only the Son of Stone, he is also a Dinosaur Hunter!
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| The first Turok series back in the 50's |
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| Turok: Dinosaur Hunter by Dynamite the same folks releasing this new series |
Turok and Andar's way is blocked by a blue shimmering portal and the soldiers are about to catch up. With no choice, Turok and Andar go through the portal. The soldiers stop, but it looks like Connors is going to go through with a comment about how he said he would 'Follow them to the Gates of Hell'.
The final double splash page is of Turok and Andar overlooking a Hollow Earth/Savage Land/Pellucidar/Skartaris type Lost Lands with lush vegetation, volcanoes and DINOSAURS!
First up, I loved this issue. It's two of my favourite things! Western and Lost Land style pulp action! I'm a huge fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs' work and Ka-Zar, Warlord, Monster Valley. Also love the Hollow Earth Expedition RPG by Exile Game Studios.
Ron does a good job with setting up Turok and Captain Connors on opposite sides and both being very competent (and bad-ass). I am curious if the two will become allies in this new land in order to survive it. I also want to know more about the mysterious stranger. How is he going to fit into all this? The art was nice too and really added to the comic.
I am on board with this series and look forward to issue 2.
