By Harrison Stewart — If you hate the puny title, this book is not for you. If you don’t particularly care for the zaniness of Comics’ Silver Age, this book is not for you. If you only read comics for intense, adult-oriented storytelling with tragically flawed characters and endless moral quandaries…you get the idea. If, however, you love big, unabashedly weird romps with more action and wordplay than you can shake a velociraptor bone at, The Jurassic League #1 is very much the book for you. 

As with any so-weird-it-works idea, this comic has attracted a decent amount of trite cynicism. Most of these sight unseen judgements revolve around the property’s undeniable toyetic qualities, which detractors see as a clear sign of artistic hackery. If having outstanding design is a crime, this book is absolutely guilty. From costumes to the exact species of each hero, all of the adorably dino-themed redesigns are pitch perfect. But such premature pronouncements on creative intent are not only wildly unfair to creators Daniel Warren Johnson (story) and Juan Gedeon (story + art), they prove decidedly untrue. 

The Jurassic League #1 is manifestly a labor of love, exuding a good-natured charm that’s difficult to resist. I make no apologies for my newfound adoration of Supersaur. The creators took everything wholesome and good about Superman and made him a gentle giant. Fawning citizens beg to slide down his back and swing from his tail. And of course, our mild-mannered hero always obliges. Moments like these highlight the boundless imagination that went into each design, delicately balancing the absurd with the heartfelt. 

Then there’s the action. Did I know I needed to see giant dinosaurs in tights go at it WWE-style? Sure didn’t. But Juan Gedeon did and bless him for it. Page after page, Gedeon serves up a visual feast that will keep you fist pumping throughout. There’s enormous momentum to these pages, with each dynamic set piece dead set on topping the one that came before. You can almost hear the wail of an electric guitar as T. Rexes and raptors slug it out.

As someone who largely learned to read through comics, I’ve always held a special place for books that stir childlike wonder. Reading this made me feel like a kid again, and I mean that in the best sense. The sheer passion brought by the creative team gives you full license to sit back and enjoy the ride, regardless of how wacky things get. Those who are damned and determined to have a bad time inevitably will. I pity them. For my money, The Jurassic League #1 is a perfect comic. 

Overall: The Jurassic League #1 is exactly as rad as you hoped. 10/10

REVIEW: The Jurassic League #1

The Jurassic League #1
Writers: Daniel Warren Johnson and Juan Gedeon
Artist: Juan Gedeon
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Publisher: DC Comics
You know the story: an infant escapes the destruction of its home planet and is deposited on Earth to be raised by human parents. A goddess from a lost city defends truth. A Tyrannosaurus rex dons the visage of a bat to strike fear into evildoers' hearts. This heroic trinity, alongside a league of other super-powered dinosaurs, join forces to save a prehistoric Earth from the sinister machinations of Darkseid. Wait...what? Okay, maybe you don't know the story. So join us and bear witness to a brand-new-yet older than time-adventure and experience the Justice League as you have never seen them before!
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital

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Harrison manages a comic shop by day and writes comics by night. You can find more of his writing at @stewart_bros