Cover Savage Dragon Vol.2 #200

Savage Dragon #200

December 2014
20 Pages

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story & Art
Chris Eliopoulos: Letters
Nikos Koutsis: Colors
Mike Toris: Flats
Gavin Higginbotham: Editor
Josh Eicchorn: never let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games

Heroes

Malcolm Dragon
Battle Girl
Dragon

Supporting Characters

Chicago Police Department
Captain Jack Stewart
Officer Jordan Gordon
Daryl (First Appearance)
Mr. Peabody (First Appearance)
Ryan Whitehead (First Appearance)
Maxine Jung Lai
Virgil Dundorf

Villains

The Vicious Circle
Dart II
Brawn
Chomper (First Appearance)
Demonhead (First Appearance)
The Executioner (First Appearance)
Iron Jaw
Pucker
Razor-Face (First Appearance)
Roughneck
Savage Andy (First Appearance)
Worm-Lock (First Appearance)

Unofficial Guest Stars

Marvel:
The Punisher

Summary

Malcolm Dragon leaps across the city with Maxine in his arms until they reach his apartment to discuss what is going to happen next. All of Maxine’s stuff has been moved in and they face the reality that their relationship has moved on to them living together. Malcolm figures that there will be pretty much non-stop sex from now on and is somewhat surprised when Maxine agrees with him. They have both soon stripped off and shower together where they begin to have sex.

Meanwhile, Dragon is rendered unconscious by an explosion as members of the Vicious Circle storm the prison where he is incarcerated and take him hostage. A similarly locked up Dart is mocked by a trio of administrators at Stronghold Penitentiary. They point out that without her God Sword or any of her other weapons that she is helpless and that there is no chance of escape

As Malcolm and Maxine continue to spend all of their spare time having sex, their latest session is interrupted by a knock at the door. Battle Girl has returned to Chicago after having been informed by the government that Dragon has been abducted. Angel is shocked to discover numerous discarded condom wrappers and other evidence that shows that her friends are now sleeping together. She had come to inform Malcolm about Dragon but the awkwardness of the situation overwhelms them all. Maxine eases the situation by suggesting that Angel join her and Malcolm in having a threesome.

Dragon finds himself guarded by three veteran members of the Vicious Circle who hope to use him to trade for the incarcerated Dart. Dragon points out that the government will be unwilling to exchange him for anyone considering that he has been convicted of mass murder and is himself awaiting his death sentence to be carried out. Roughneck suggests that Dragon not attempt to escape as he is now way out of his league against them,

It is not long before Malcolm and Angel are on the streets in search of Dragon, using a tracking device implanted into him by the authorities. They proceed to banter about the recent threesome as they fight through numerous Vicious Circle goons. Brawn emerges to challenge the duo but he is soon overpowered by the powerful young duo. The heroes soon discover that Dragon has gone missing and his three captors have all been left unconscious on the ground.

Malcolm and Angel soon catch up to Dragon who is sat in a nearby bar where he is enjoying his first beer in quite some time. He informs them that he has already called the authorities with his location and that they are on their way. The reunited family get to share a brief moment before a horde of Vicious Circle super-freaks arrive to attack. The trio defeat the villains soon enough and await the Chicago Police Department. The cops finally come to pick up Dragon and Captain Stewart passes on the bad news that Dart has somehow escaped from prison…

Backup Story

DRAGON & MALCOLM DRAGON

Out of Time
8 Pages

NOTE: This story takes place sometime after SAVAGE DRAGON #143

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story & Inks
Herb Trimpe: Pencils
Bill Crabtree: Colors
Ferran Delgado: Letters

Heroes

Dragon
Malcolm Dragon
Rex Dexter

Summary

Dragon and Malcolm arrive in the middle of World War II where they are instantly caught up in a fight with the Nazis. They have gone back in time to retrieve an Empyrean Domination Caduceus that has somehow gone to the past and is in the Nazis’ hands. Rex Dexter has dispatched the heroes to bring back the powerful energy source before the Nazis can use it to overwhelm the Allied Forces and change the course of human history.

The father and son team fight through whole battalions of Nazis where even Malcolm is employing lethal force on their opponents, much to the startled response of his father. It is not long before they have breached through a tank battalion and reached their goal, retrieving the Empyrean Domination Caduceus and defeating the Nazis that are holding on to it. With their mission complete, Dragon and Malcolm return to the present.

Rex is disappointed that the time-machine that he had cobbled together from DarkLord’s machinery is damaged beyond repair during the return trip. Dragon hopes that the Empyrean Domination Caduceus will enable Rex to repair his portal to Dimension-X so that he can bring home Angel Dragon from the clutches of Mister Glum. In the meantime, Dragon takes his son out for some ice cream to celebrate their victory.

Backup Story

MISTER GLUM AND ANGEL

Conquering Heroes!
8 Pages

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story
Chris Burnham: Art
Dylan McCrae: Colors
Ferran Delgado: Letters

Main Characters

Mister Glum
Angel Dragon

Summary

During their latest attempts to conquer a planet, Angel Dragon is defeated by the monstrous denizens of the planet which enrages Mister Glum. He blasts away at several of the creatures but is shocked when they manage to destroy his armor. Glum attempts to flee in the remains of his weapon but he is soon overwhelmed and captured, taken to a nearby dungeon where he is thrown into a cell.

Glum is pleased to be reunited with Angel who is already in the cell and tries to comfort her as she is terrified that they will die. The pair lament that they never made any friends during their stay in Dimension-X as conquering the realm has been their priority. They already have 32 planets in their empire and they are confident that they can add the whole of Dimension-X to this list of conquests before long.

A backup armor hones in on the location of Glum and breaks him and Angel out, allowing the couple to resume their war against the natives of this world. Glum ultimately decides that this is far too much work and opts instead to simply blow up the entire world. He takes Angel in his arms and takes off, triggering a cataclysmic explosion that consumes the entire world. Glum and Angel then head for home to rest up before they return to world-conquering.

Backup Story

MALCOLM PLAYS FOOTBALL

End Zone!
8 Pages
NOTE: This story takes place directly after this issue’s lead story

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story
Travis Sengaus: Art
Bill Crabree: Colors
Ferran Delgado: Letters

Heroes

Malcolm Dragon

Supporting Characters

Coach Franklin (First Appearance)

Villains

Critical Mass (First Appearance)

Summary

Malcolm Dragon is approached by his new school’s football coach who requests that he try out for the team. This offer does not seem fair to Malcolm as his super-powers would give him far too big an advantage over his opponents. Coach Franklin points out that he would only be using the abilities he was given at birth which is no different from a larger boy gaining an advantage over a smaller one in making the team.

It is not long before Malcolm has suited up, wearing protective padding for the sake of his opponents rather than himself. His presence enables the team to easily win their next game which creates a lot of positivity in the school, especially toward Malcolm. He revels in his newfound fame but things do not go so smoothly at the next game where the rival team seems to have a super-freak of their own.

The deadly Critical Mass introduces himself to Malcolm and explains that he hopes to kill the hero to gain respect from the Vicious Circle so that he may join their ranks. He threatens to detonate his unstable body to kill thousands of innocents but Malcolm is able to kick him away, harmlessly blowing up miles from anyone. Malcolm decides that it may be for the best if he retires from football and quits the team before anyone else gets hurt.

Backup Story

THE SOS

Taken
8 Pages

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story
Nikos Koutsis: Pencils & Colors
Mike Toris: Flats & Inks
Ferran Delgado: Letters

Heroes

The Special Operations Strikeforce
– SuperPatriot
Barbaric
Battle Girl
Battle Tank
Captain Freedom
Daredevil
Horridus
Phantom Lady
Ricochet
Rock
Samson (Joins)
Shock Gibson
Silver Streak
Thor the Mighty (Joins)
Uncle Sam (Joins)
Widow
Wonder Man (Joins)

Villains

The Trolls (Some Die)

Summary

A band of marauding Trolls tears through a town, raping and pillaging as they go. The Special Operations Strikeforce is dispatched to deal with the threat and immediately assault the subterranean invaders. Samson in particular relishes the battle as it reminds him of the numerous fights against monsters that he enjoyed back in the past. The heroes begin to turn the tide but several amongst them are injured, such as Phantom Lady who is nearly the next to be raped until she is saved by SuperPatriot.

Battle Girl and Daredevil fight alongside one another but they are soon both captured and taken underground to the lair of the Trolls. They are to be sacrificed as part of a blood ritual and are bound next to each other before they are to be decapitated. The couple are finally saved when Battle Tank arrives in time, blasting the executioner. He then leads his young allies back to the conflict to help them defeat the last remaining Trolls.

Backup Story

MISTER GLUM VS. DRAGON

Out of Time
8 Pages
NOTE: This story takes place directly after this issue’s lead story

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story & Pencils
Herb Trimpe: Inks
Nikos Koutsis: Colors
Mike Toris: Flats
Ferran Delgado: Letters

Heroes

Dragon
Malcolm Dragon

Villains

Mister Glum
Angel Dragon

Summary

Malcolm Dragon goes with his father to his prison cell before bidding Dragon farewell as he heads back to resume his life, unable to stay there any longer due to the authorities’ wishes. Dragon is left to contemplate his fate on death row, especially as he is now placed in solitary confinement, the prison worried that he may

have had a part in his recent breakout. These events are unknowingly being monitored in Dimension-X by Mister Glum.

Angel Dragon queries why Glum is so obsessed with defeating Dragon. It makes no sense to want to keep a promise to his people to beat Dragon as they were all killed many years ago now. Glum laments that he could never fight Dragon one-on-one as he would have been killed without his armor. The fact that Dragon is no longer super-powered suddenly causes a realization that this kind of fight can finally take place and so Glum departs.

A quick teleportation later and Glum appears in the cell of his nemesis and immediately attacks Dragon. They are now nearer in terms of power levels but the duel does not go as Glum envisioned when Dragon begins to win. Glum makes one last gasp effort of victory but ultimately is unable to prevent his intended victim from repeatedly punching him, Dragon vowing to finally kill him for running his life and that of his wife and daughter’s. Angel manages to teleport Glum back home just in time and proceeds to nurse him back to health.

Backup Story

LIGHTNING BUG

Bad Hair Day
6 Pages

Credits

Gavin Higginbotham: Story
Ron Frenz: Layouts
Scott James: Art & Colors
Mike Toris: Flats
Adam O. Pruett: Letters

Heroes

Lightning Bug

Supporting Characters

Chicago Police Department
Officer Amy Belcher
Officer Jordan Gordon

Villains

WildHair

Summary

The villainess WildHair robs a bank truck and is attempting to make off with the cash inside when she is confronted by Lightning Bug. The two women discuss their former alliances together in the Vicious Circle and the fact that the Creator is responsible for giving them both their powers. Lightning Bug is hesitant to allow her old friend to make off with the stolen money as she feels that life as a costumed criminal has got her nowhere and she is considering becoming a hero.

WildHair attempts to recruit her potential foe by stating that now that Dart is  running the Vicious Circle that females have never had a better chance to make a success of being in the group. The money they can steal here is enough to see them elevate up the ranks in quick order. Lightning Bug ultimately rejects the offer which leads to a fight between the two.

After burning off some of WildHair’s hair, Lightning Bug looks to have gone too far and is overpowered. As she is about to be dismembered by her opponent, gunshots hit WildHair and put her down. Lightning Bug is relieved to see her old friend Amy Belcher, the former She-Dragon and now an officer of the Chicago Police Department. She offers to help Lightning Bug start a new life and although she is not keen on joining the cops, the thought of joining the S.O.S. holds a certain appeal…

Backup Story

DAREDEVIL

8 Pages
NOTE: This story was originally published in NEXT ISSUE PROJECT: SILVER STREAK COMICS #24
NOTE: This story takes place in the 1940s

Credits

Erik Larsen: Story & Art

Heroes

Daredevil

Supporting Characters

The Little Wise Guys
Curly
Jock
Pee Wee
Scarecrow

Villains

Griselda Flummox (First Appearance) (Death Issue)

Summary

Daredevil is summoned urgently by his young allies the Little Wise Guys to a horrifying scene. A group of men are attempting to burn a woman at the stake, having bound and gagged the doomed woman. The hero leaps into action and scatters the would-be killers, using them to disturb the fire that has grown too hot for his companions to put out. He then knocks down a nearby water tower that fully extinguishes the flames.

With the threat over and the men fled, Daredevil releases their intended victim and checks on her condition. He is shocked when the woman reveals herself to be a witch who desires that all men are killed. She unleashes snakes from her body that she wishes to slay Daredevil and the Little Wise Guys but she is too slow. Daredevil manages to avoid the attacks and then throws his razor sharp boomerang at their assailant, decapitating her in one move.

Backup Story

VANGUARD

Weird Science
13 Pages

Credits

Gary Carlson: Story
Frank Fosco: Art
David Branstetter & Courtland Brugger Colors
David Seltzer: Cover Colors
Adam O. Pruett: Letters & Cover Flats

Heroes

Vanguard

Supporting Characters

The Krylans (Corpses Only)
Roxanne Wells
Wally

Guest Supporting Characters

Amok
General Thakka (Corpse Only)
The Kalyptans (Corpses Only)
Lurch
Modem
The Morphlings (Death Issue) (Corpses Only)
Mya (Disguise Only)

Guest Villains

DeathWatch

Villains

The Mekka-Drones
The Tyrrus Combine (Corpses Only)

Summary

Vanguard bursts into a laboratory that he is horrified to discover is filled with tubes containing the remains of various alien races. Amongst the corpses are Kalyptans, Krylans and Tyrraneans along with several other species that were former allies of his own people. He wonders why the Mekka-Drones would kill and experiment on so many species. Amok finds the remains of numerous Morphlings, all of whom had been transformed into the form of his sister. He reacts angrily and knocks Vanguard flying, somewhat blaming him for the actions of his people. Vanguard collides with a number of tubes, one of which contains the unconscious Roxanne.

The cybernetic-enhanced serial killer DeathWatch reveals himself to be the one truly responsible and explains how he was welcomed in by the Mekka-Drones three years ago who were curious about the information his implants contained. He showed them that they could be free and did not have to serve the Kalyptans, putting into motion the series of events that led to Kalyptus getting conquered by the Tyrrus Combine and the numerous genocides that took place there afterwards. All of the Mekka-Drones have now retreated into cyberspace and have left DeathWatch to do as he pleases with the technological wonders that he has encountered.

Vanguard resumes his fight with his old enemy but is overpowered, only to be spared a certain death by Roxanne using a handgun to sho

ot DeathWatch, the primitive human weapon being impossible for the villain to have developed a counter measure for. Meanwhile, Wally’s mind is within cyberspace where the Mekka-Drones inform him that they will download his consciousness to assimilate his knowledge before erasing the rest. Modem arrives to help her lover and they show the Mekka-Drones the true horrors that DeathWatch is responsible for, forcing them to change their minds about what they are doing. Lurch comes into contact with the fallen DeathWatch and takes on the form of the villain…

Backup Story

FLASH MERCURY

3 Pages

Credits

Joe Keatinge: Story
Ryan Alexander-Tanner: Art

Heroes

Flash Mercury
Ricochet
Past:-
Dragon

Supporting Characters

Guy & Duder

Villains

Past:-
The Vicious Circle
OverLord III (Flash Mercury)
Big-Fish
Brutalizer
Dung
Fever
PowerHouse

Summary

Flash Mercury laments the turns his life has taken him, from the time he was near paralyzed during a car crash to him gaining powers as the “Spectacular Dragon”. He wasted his life until he became the last OverLord and led the Vicious Circle for a while. Flash was eventually defeated by Dragon and now he faces an uncertain future. He settles down for a drink in a bar before being challenged to a game of ping pong by Ricochet.

The game does not go well for Flash against the supremely agile Ricochet who talks to him about what he really wants to do with his life. This motivates Flash to move onto something he really enjoys, playing a pinball game starring Guy & Duder! When he loses, his temper causes him to accidentally break the machine. Flash is left even more upset than he was before.

NOTE: This issue features SAVAGE DRAGONBERT by Karl H.
NOTE: This issue features DESPERATE TIMES by Chris Eliopoulos

Pin-Ups

Dragon by Mike Perkins
Image United by Michel Fiffe

Funnies

Microwave Dinner Man by Elio
Knight Watchman by Roger McKenzie, Chris Ecker, Matthew Hansel, Gary Carlson & Nick Rodgers
Moonbeard by James Squires
Milo & Ulti-Mutt byBailey, Esposito & Akkerman