New clues surface as the cast expands.
Creative Staff:
Story: Ron Marz
Art: Roberto Castro
Colors: Salvatore Aiala
Letterer: A Different World Studios’ Troy Peteri
What They Say:
Turok and Andar are on the verge of solving the secrets of the Lost Valley, if they can just avoid becoming dinner for hungry dinosaurs! Meanwhile, the cavalry soldiers might betray the brothers in order to find a way home, the mysterious bounty hunter reveals his true (and shocking!) nature, and Turok comes face to face with a woman who could become his greatest ally … or his worst enemy! Classic adventure for a classic creative team!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Turok’s had a couple of solid opening installments that got our title character and his brother Andor into the Lost Valley along with a group of soldiers. I’ve enjoyed what Ron Marz has presented so far but part of me really wishes there was a lot more of it because I want to get into the story past the setup. But Marz has given us a pretty nicely detailed setup and one that has allowed Roberto Castro to illustrate some fantastic sequences with great detail when it comes to outfits and dinosaurs. I love the look of the book and especially the very “hot” feeling color design from Salvatore Aiala that makes you feel the heat and parched nature of it all. It’s a solid book that’s distinctive but has all the right familiar elements.
It’s been engaging watching how the captain has managed to align things with Turok and Andor out of a need for survival instead of doing something stupid. Granted, those under his command are not as smart and just want to kill them but they’re not handling this whole situation well. The arrival of the mystery woman adds something fun to it all, however, as she saves the day in the short term and provides them a place to catch their breath. Sarah, as it turns out, is from 2019 and was in the area investigating raptor bones – not fossils – and ended up going through the portal. It’s a nice tie to the raptor that Samuels shot in 1873 when it came through the portal, being something that ties them together. Everyone kind of handles the idea of the time aspect as best as they can, though it’s unclear how much those from the past really understand it.
There’s a fair bit of exposition here but it works well as she explains the year that she’s been here, the tie to 1873, and a nod toward a seeming crystal pyramid some distance away that she hasn’t been able to get to alone that feels very out of place. It’s easy to figure out the basics of the Lost Valley – especially if you’ve read any Turok before – but it works really well to see this odd team work together to traverse it and get to the pyramid. Things go wonky here that make you want to see the next issue as it asks more questions than answers anything, but the journey is what excites me here since the ending doesn’t give me anything to grab onto that means anything to me. But it does set a pretty good stage for what’s to come after seeing a Man in Black type prowling the valley before with a laser gun style six-shooter.
In Summary:
I’m really enjoying Turok and it’s working in a strong way where it’s not a decompressed story nor is it stuffing in way too much. It’s a good sign that it makes me wish there were another dozen issues out already so that I could just burn through reading a lot of it and enjoying all of it instead of sitting here waiting for more. Ron Marz has long been a writer that I’ve enjoyed and I’m not surprised that I’m enjoying what he’s putting together here. Similarly, Roberto Castro is working a really great design for it with engaging looking characters with all their detail and a setting that’s compelling and that you really feel through the color design. I can’t wait for more.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: April 24th, 2019
MSRP: $3.99
