With Comic Con International in full swing in San Diego, Dynamite announced that a new Tarzan series will be swinging into comic shops from writer Dan Jurgens. The superstar writer-artist who created Booster Gold will latch onto Edgar Rice Burroughs’s iconic lord of the jungle starting in November. He will team with a number of high profile artists for interior art as well as variant covers. Created Burroughs and introduced in the October 1912 issue of The All-Story Magazine, Tarzan quickly became a cultural icon. Jurgens comes on to help commemorate the 110th Anniversary of this iconic character, with timing that lines up with the best-selling comic Jurgens ever wrote (and drew): November 1992’s Superman #75 (“The Death of Superman”).
Jurgens, the creator of Booster Gold, has written and/or drawn best-selling titles including Teen Titans, Justice League America, Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, Green Arrow, Nightwing, andTomb Raider over the years. It’s an impressive resume, and adding a character like Tarzan to it seems like a perfect fit.
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“There are a handful of fictional characters who are instantly recognizable in a wide array of countries, to people of all ages. Tarzan is one of those characters, and it’s an honor to be writing his latest stories,” Jurgens said in a statement. “Tarzan’s creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs created one of the all time greats and gave those of us who came later a deep and rich legacy from which to work. We look forward to exploring of Tarzan’s hidden past that might put him in something of a new light. We hope you’ll join us for the ride and have as much fun as we are.”
Alongside artist Benito Gallego, Jurgens will re-establish Tarzan for longtime fans and ew readers alike. Across the series, the prototypical jungle action hero’s entire life will be traced, from birth to adulthood. A framing device secondary tale weaves between the core story, as an older Tarzan reflects on his life and the changing world around him, reflecting contemporary concerns that continue to this day.
Get to know the legacy of Tarzan, from his aristocratic background and eventual flirtations back with that lifestyle, to his early days raised by the apes, and his fearsome rivalries with man and beast alike. What will become of this man in his savage world?
The series features an all-star cast of cover artist friends and colleagues of Jurgens, including Gary Frank, Lee Weeks, Dan Panosian, and Josh Burns.
“I’ve known Dan for 30 years, and worked with him on many levels. I’ve wanted to work with him at Dynamite as a writer for years, but he has had a full workload, and in the last year he’s been working to make time for The Lord of The Jungle, and we’re so excited to have him on board!,” said Nick Barrucci, Dynamite CEO and Publisher. “While Dan may be best known for his work on Superman, Captain America, Booster Gold and others, he’s tackled far more characters in his illustrious career. When Dan launched Tomb Raider for Top Cow, it was the #1 book of the year – let me repeat that, Tomb Raider #1 was the top title of the year, and Dan was a driving force. His storytelling ability is one of the strongest in the industry, and when working with other artists, Dan has brought out the best in those artists he’s worked with, from his great run on Thor with John Romita Jr., Andy Kubert, Stuart Immonen, to name just one example. Dan is bringing his A-game, since he knows no other game to bring, and will be bringing the best of Benito Gallego’s art to the page. And let’s talk about Benito for a second, a fantastic artist who is influenced by John Buscema, we could not have picked a better artist for the series! The icing on the cake are covers by Gary Frank, Lee Weeks, Dan Panosian and Josh Burns!”
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!
