What if the Justice League were composed of dinosaurs? It’s a ludicrous premise – one that tests even the already patently silly boundaries of the superhero genre. That’s exactly why exploring it in the pages of The Jurassic League #1 is such a delight. Rather than attempting to disguise that absurdity in too many winking jokes or an abundance of expository excuses, this comic embraces its cartoonish nature in style and substance, and thrives. As a result this introduction to a range of different superhero-themed dinosaurs stalking a world filled with both early Homo sapiens and scaly megafauna is an absolute joy to read, whether it’s delivering bloody action, colorful humor, or superhero themes that resonate regardless of the era in which they are placed.
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The first installment in a six-issue miniseries focuses on introducing readers to the saurian adaptations of familiar DC Comics superheroes, with introductory scenes for Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Superman analogs and their modified, dinosaur-themed aliases. Each occupies a space in a past where early man and dinosaurs cohabitated the planet; these superheroes are exceptions amongst their species which largely resemble standard dinosaurs in appearance and behavior. They conduct themselves as superheroes though: Batman stalks terrible predators; Superman protects the innocent; Aquaman battles dangers of the deep. It is Wonder Woman who serves as a force prepared to join them in this issue as she dreams of other empowered dinosaurs from an island paradise filled with Triceratops, while Batman discovers hints at a dark conspiracy.
While the threads of a greater plot are enticing, they are not the focus of this issue or the reason to take a chance on The Jurassic League. The issue justifies its existence with ease simply by focusing on how much its core conceit is. Even as a cynical comics critic, it’s impossible for me to deny the inherent cool factor of both dinosaurs and iconic DC superheroes; they multiply one another in logarithmic fashion.
This is most apparent in the action sequences as Juan Gedeon’s figures move in sweeping arcs with linework that communicates power in an impressive array of styles. Aquaman and Black Manta move across wide panels like titans. Batman and (especially) Joker slice the page with speed lines and sharp edges. The sense of movement and impact is truly impressive, and creates a real sense of terror early in a story with no bearing on any element of DC Comics besides itself. With colors designed to enhance the mood and movement on each page, it’s easy to read this issue multiple times in a single sitting as each review reveals greater depth.
The individual character designs each manage to astound with clever variations on how dinosaurs are reimagined. Superman is cloaked simply in his own colors—a bold and powerful form requiring no additional garb to act—while Batman is covered in primitively-formed armor and weapons that transform his Tyrannosaur form into something sharper and darker. These designs play upon core character elements and introduce as much information as conservative use of dialogue and captions often containing their own visual elements to further characterize this story.
What impresses me most is how these outstanding designs and sequences support a story that clearly loves its underlying material. There is an acknowledgement of the simple fact: Dinosaurs are very cool. The issue showcases a wide array of dinosaur species and their familiar settings. It also embraces the core characterizations that have made each member of the Justice League a pop culture icon. Superman and Batman are instantly themselves on the page; heroic in distinct fashions. Superman’s casual play with and love for humanity make him endearing as Batman’s dedicated grimacing about caring for others is every bit as compelling. This is a celebration of the figures that improve every childhood in a story set to thrill readers of every age. It would be hard to ask for much more from any DC comic book than The Jurassic Age is set to deliver.
Published by DC Comics
On May 10, 2022
Written by Juan Gedeon and Daniel Warren Johnson
Art by Juan Gedeon
Colors by Mike Spicer
Letters by Ferran Delgado
Cover by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer
