Dan Jurgens Talks Bringing Tarzan Into the 2020s

110 years after his creation, Tarzan continues to speak to audiences around the world -- including in a new comic book series from legendary Superman writer Dan Jurgens, which is set to hit stores in November. Lord of the Jungle, which features interior art by Benito Gallego and variant covers from a variety of big-name artists, takes a widescreen approach to Tarzan's history, going beyond the couple of stories and concepts that are familiar to casual fans. Announced at Comic Con International in San Diego this summer, Jurgens's Lord of the Jungle will be one of two major releases from the creator that month.

While Lord of the Jungle kicks off an ongoing series, and gives Jurgens a chance at a pop culture icon he hasn't previously worked with, the writer/artist is also contributing to an oversized Death of Superman 30th anniversary special in November -- the same month the new Tarzan book will hit the stands. Jurgens wrote and drew Superman #75, the chapter with the Man of Steel's actual death, in 1992.

Jurgens joined ComicBook.com for a quick Q&A about the series. Final order cutoff for the first issue is coming up in early October, so reach out to your local comic shop soon if you want to get a copy -- especially if you want one of the variants.

Somebody with a resume like yours often gets the "are there any big characters left?" questions. Does Tarzan even enter your mind when that's asked?

Most people who ask that question probably think of it in terms of Marvel or DC characters. 

However, I've always seen the "big characters list" as extending well beyond comics. My history with characters like that goes all the way back to Flash Gordon, which I wrote and drew for DC back in the 80's.

What was the most important thing to you, in establishing your take on this iconic character?

As with any project, I think it's first necessary to first define the character, motivation and course of progression through the story. 

Beyond that, there's an element of atmosphere and tone that you want to get on the page right away. I think the idea is to tantalize the reader a bit… give them a hint of something a bit different with the character… something intriguing that they might not have seen before. 

I know you've been itching to get back behind the drawing board. Are you going to be able to draw any of this book, or are you too busy with that Crisis thing over at DC?

I just finished drawing a 41-page story for the Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special, which was rather complicated, so I'm still on the bounce back from that.

Plus, Benito Gallego is doing wonderful work on this book! I don't know that I'm needed—though it's fair to say that I'd like to squeeze in a cover or two!

You've done Tomb Raider and Kamandi, and in Time Masters: Vanishing Point, you had a lot of fun in the jungles. How is Tarzan the same, and different, to other characters who have adventures in that setting?

In those instances, it was typically a story about characters ending up in a an unusual environment… something different and foreign for them.

This is just the opposite— it's Tarzan in his own backyard. For him, this is HOME.

It sounds like you're taking a very widescreen view of Tarzan's life in this series. Is the idea to make it a fairly stand-alone story? Or are you just assuming you're in it for a long enough haul that you'll be able to say what you want to say?

Yes, we are taking a widescreen view here and I'm doing so to expand Tarzan's world. 

I feel that most people think of him as the guy with a knife who fights lions and apes. I want to go well beyond that and touch on his life as a whole, rather than just his time as a young man in the jungle. 

Obviously you have been at DC for a lot of years now. With some recent Marvel work and now a title like Tarzan, is it exciting to stretch some new muscles you haven't had a chance to in a while?

Definitely. One of the advantages of moving around like that is that it allows you to think and work in different ways and try some different tricks—though I have a new project at DC that will be a very different type of project. 

I have always felt that part of retaining some level of vitality in comics is to challenge yourself— both as writer and artist—with different types of projects that require you to approach them in different ways.

LORD OF THE JUNGLE #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors' September 2022 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in November 2022. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the issue with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more!