Erik Larsen on the Torment and Death in Savage Dragon #194

With the release of today's issue, Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon continued to focus on the shifting sands beneath series star Malcolm Dragon's feet. In a new school and facing new social challenges -- such as groupies who don't understand the danger of trailing after him into action -- Malcolm finds himself up against an unstable villain with an impressive power level. At the same time, readers are reminded that he's not entirely official in the way he and the police interact: Malcolm may be nigh-invulnerable, and an effective crimefighter, but he's still a kid, and that still places very real restrictions on what he can and cannot do, officially, for Captain Stewart. As always, series creator Erik Larsen joined ComicBook.com to discuss the issue. This is a spoiler-filled conversation, though, and since the comic just came out, you should cruise on over to the Image Comics website to get your hands on a digital copy if you haven't read it already, so that you can read it along with us.

ComicBook.com: It's a ton of fun to see all these old supporting characters in the flashback. Will we see any of these guys recurring soon, or is this just to amuse the longtime fans? Erik Larsen: Most are elsewhere now--no longer in the Chicago area. The point is to give these stories some context and establish some characters and the nature of their relationships. I'm trying to do that in as straightforward a way as possible. Most of the guys in the opening sequence are with the SOS now and will be seen again when they're seen. ComicBook.com: Obviously we've got a whole new generation of Mighty Man out there somewhere in the universe, right? Larsen: Sure. And he's/she's still around--though likely not a huge help at this point. Still, as Mighty Man's new host ages we'll see him/her more often. ComicBook.com: Is the flashback framing sequence something you're just doing for Malcolm's first arc, or are you approaching it issue by issue? Larsen: I'm not sure yet. It's in the first few and we'll see where it goes from there. It does chew up pages so I don't want to do it forever. Likely it will last for the first five issues. ComicBook.com: What is it about Malcolm that so far, he's had a fair number of these villains who have dueling personalities/heads? Double Page, Tantrum and now Torment? Larsen: Clearly I'm in a rut--or on a roll, depending on how you look at it. There's been something along those lines since the early days of the book with the Fiend and DoubleHeader. There are plenty of other types too but it is fine to play with conflicted characters like that. Tantrum being the most conflicted of the lot as he's being pulled in different directions.

ComicBook.com: Also, is it a coincidence that "Torment" is a word so associated with McFarlane's Spider-Man? I always kind of read Venom in these villains who talk to themselves and say "we." Larsen: It's a coincidence to some degree. Of course that crossed my mind but I thought it was a good fit and a good word so I went with it. ComicBook.com: How does he connect to the first Torment -- or does he? Larsen: No connection. It's like two guys named "John." ComicBook.com: I may be forgetting something, but is this the first we've heard that Malcolm isn't really legitimately working with Stewart and the cops, per se? Larsen: Not really, no. It was brought up earlier on, I just haven't dwelled on it. He's a bounty hunter and typically bounty hunters aren't on call. He's too young at this point to legitimately be on the force. ComicBook.com: While Malcolm is very different from most teen superheroes, that's one thing that he has in common with most superheroes that his dad didn't. Is that just about changing up your toolbox? Larsen: It's the nature of the beast. Most superheroes don't collect rewards either--Malcolm does collect bounties for those he drags in or takes out. He has no other visible means of support at this time. ComicBook.com: I figured we'd see Lamarr again, but it's pretty soon, and he was pretty...intrusive. Even if things didn't play out this way in #194, can a character like that last very long in Savage Dragon? Larsen: Can anybody? ComicBook.com: Obviously teenagers make bad decisions. The groupies thing, though, is a consistent problem for Malcolm...albeit worse, it seems, at his new school. Is that just because everyone from his old school knew him before he was famous? Larsen: He grew up with those other kids. This move was to get him out of the Darling house and closer to the action. He wanted to be more downtown and this school was the closest one. I imagine there was some of that at the old school as well. We can't see every minute of every day.

ComicBook.com: I love that double-page splash of the building coming down. Obviously it's comic book physics, but it carried off well. Did you have to take more than one shot at that? Because it seems like it could have gone wrong easily. Larsen: It was a lot of working out. This issue was drawn larger than previous ones and that made it more challenging/fun at times. That spread was drawn on a single piece of paper and it's massive. I put down a LOT more pencil than usual working out the perspective and the ins and outs of the building. It would have been a lot easier with a simpler building but I wanted something more visually interesting. ComicBook.com: That last panel...seems like something that could be trouble for a not-officially-deputized vigilante. Is that just establishing that Malcolm operates a little differently than his dad? Larsen: He's his own man. I don't think of the two as being two peas in a pod. Dragon's more impulsive and practical while Malcolm is more emotional and thoughtful. ComicBook.com: Or did you just really like writing "trial of..." stories? Larsen: That last one was a bear, actually. I'd better be careful. ComicBook.com: Exciting to see Funnies back in the book. Is that going to be an ongoing feature? Larsen: I believe so. ComicBook.com: How are you picking whose strips appear there? Larsen: Largely I'm delegating. Chris Eliopoulos is a given, as is Knight Watchman but Adam Pruett has taken on that task of coordinating that. He'll run things past me but he's doing all of the running around, which I appreciate.