This book is about the Justice League if they were dinosaurs. That’s it.
Recommended if…
- You like peak fiction.
Overall
Why are you still reading this? Go buy the book. 20 copies, at least.
Score: Perfect/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with-
Okay, I’m being told I have to actually talk about this? I thought you guys were smart enough to recognize the only book you should ever buy ever again, but okay. Let’s get into it.
The Perfect Book
The story opens on Batwalker, a brave tyrannosaur that has donned the mantle of the Bat, hunting a predator that seems to be killing for sport on the outskirts of Growltham City. That’s right. Growltham City. Beautiful. He stalks the jungle, following a series of clues until he finds the maniacal Jokerzard. After this, he blows up his hideout and is followed by a small cave orphan that I cannot wait to see be a prehistoric Robin.
Astounding.
If you think that sounds fun, boy do I have good news for you. This whole book is full of whimsical references to DC canon, from watching Batwalker’s parents die, seeing Supersaur’s egg crash in a village of cave people, and Black Mantasaurus’ attack on the surface world, to seeing Wonderdon enter man’s world by flying a pterosaur away from Trimescyra. It’s pure fun.
Juan Gedeon and Daniel Warren Johnson deliver a fantastic retelling of the Justice League’s stories, and you can feel the absolute passion poured into this book. Every single dial is cranked straight up to 11, and it really serves to remind you of what comics can be, especially when they cut loose and just go all in on the dumbest, purest fun concepts you can think of.
Just because this story is incredibly simple and fun doesn’t mean it’s one-note, however. The storm is brewing on the horizon for our historic heroes, and I can’t wait to see the twists and turns that our writing team has in store for us, not to mention the fun Jurassic twist they’ll put on it.
Of course, the change in setting comes with some absolutely incredibly changes in action. The punches and kicks of the modern era are replaced with giant tail slams, vicious bites, and shredding claw attacks. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
I MEAN COME ON
Juan Gedeon and Mike Spicer’s art are absolutely insane this issue. The art is explosive, dynamic, and brutal. The designs are damn near perfect. The colors are bright and dynamic, and make the art leap straight off the page. I have quite literally nothing bad to say about the art in this book. Every page is a feast for the eyes, a visual masterpiece that reminds me exactly why I love comic books.
Not to be outclassed though, Ferran Delgado absolutely CRUSHES it on the lettering. If the earlier panels don’t show that enough for you, let me show you my absolute favorite page in the issue:
The text. The SFX. The word balloon. All of it an absolute masterclass in lettering that I absolutely cannot wait to see more of. There’s so much thought and love put into every single page of this book, I genuinely cannot remember the last time I saw a creative team having this much fun.
All in all, I can’t think of a better word to describe this book. It’s so fun. It feels like I’m 8 years old again, smashing my Superman action figure on top of the T-Rex so they can ride to go fight off the Transformers attacking Metropolis by using the power of Thor’s hammer and a lightsaber I could just barely fit in Superman’s hand.
I love this book.
Recommended if…
- Come on, do I really have to do this section?
- This is the most fun book DC has put out in years.
- You want the issues to match your inevitable Jurassic League action figures.
Overall
I feel like a kid again, and that’s wonderful. I want more stuff like this in the future. Absolutely buy this. I am overwhelmingly pleased to give this book…
Score: 10/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
