Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1
After making his debut back in 1954, the character of Turok has been an unsung hero of the comic world. With a legacy filled with hits and misses, it has been awhile since the Gold Key legend has been shown some love. With Dynamite Comics taking control of the Gold Key characters, which includes not only Turok, but Solar: Man of the Atom and Doctor Spektor, Dynamite is looking to continue its streak of revitalised pulp hero hits. Luckily for fans and newcomers this new Turok is filled with plenty to write home about thanks in part to its strong creative team.
The story itself is a reboot through and through. Writer Greg Pak hits the reset button on Turok’s convoluted history and approaches the material with the same vigor that can been seen in his current Action Comics run. Turok has been living in seclusion since the horrible death of his family. Ostracized by his tribe, Turok lives off the land and seeks peace within himself. All is well until a fateful run in with his tribe leaves his home destroyed and peace shattered. Unfortunately, his tribe is the least of his problems.
Those expecting Pak’s mastery of epicism will not be disappointed. In just a few short pages, Pak manages to take all of our preconceived notions of who Turok is and turns them on its head. Instead of a gun-toting Rambo, this new Turok is a pensive loner, who spends his time talking to lizards. This doesn’t mean he isn’t a bad-ass, au contraire, this Turok is more akin to a samurai, one who only responds to conflict as a means to an end.
Pak also shows a great respect toward aboriginal culture. The strength of the tribe and the power of belief are dominant themes that run throughout the book. The aboriginal influence is exciting to the medium as a whole, since it is a grossly underrepresented part of North American heritage.
Carrying over that same respect is Mirko Colak’s excellent visuals. He nails the authenticity of aboriginal culture while at the same time, delivering gut wrenching violence and, of course, cool dinosaurs. While some panels may come across as bland, Colak’s work manages to get the job done. Combined with Lauren Affe’s lush and earthy colour palette, It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Turok look so good.
Thanks to it’s outstanding creative team, and a fresh approach, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 is more than just a reboot, it’s a victory lap for everyone involved!
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1
Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Mirko Colak
Colours: Lauren Affe
Letters: Marshal Dillon
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Purchase: http://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513021358701011
The story itself is a reboot through and through. Writer Greg Pak hits the reset button on Turok’s convoluted history and approaches the material with the same vigor that can been seen in his current Action Comics run. Turok has been living in seclusion since the horrible death of his family. Ostracized by his tribe, Turok lives off the land and seeks peace within himself. All is well until a fateful run in with his tribe leaves his home destroyed and peace shattered. Unfortunately, his tribe is the least of his problems.
Those expecting Pak’s mastery of epicism will not be disappointed. In just a few short pages, Pak manages to take all of our preconceived notions of who Turok is and turns them on its head. Instead of a gun-toting Rambo, this new Turok is a pensive loner, who spends his time talking to lizards. This doesn’t mean he isn’t a bad-ass, au contraire, this Turok is more akin to a samurai, one who only responds to conflict as a means to an end.
Pak also shows a great respect toward aboriginal culture. The strength of the tribe and the power of belief are dominant themes that run throughout the book. The aboriginal influence is exciting to the medium as a whole, since it is a grossly underrepresented part of North American heritage.
Carrying over that same respect is Mirko Colak’s excellent visuals. He nails the authenticity of aboriginal culture while at the same time, delivering gut wrenching violence and, of course, cool dinosaurs. While some panels may come across as bland, Colak’s work manages to get the job done. Combined with Lauren Affe’s lush and earthy colour palette, It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Turok look so good.
Thanks to it’s outstanding creative team, and a fresh approach, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 is more than just a reboot, it’s a victory lap for everyone involved!
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1
Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Mirko Colak
Colours: Lauren Affe
Letters: Marshal Dillon
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Purchase: http://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513021358701011
A Look Inside
