Dinosaur Week Presents: Super Dinosaur!

To use the most oft-spoken word in the series, this comic is pretty awesome.

Super Dinosaur is a new all-ages series from Invincible's Robert Kirkman and artist and colorist Jason Howard. The high-concept set-up features an "inner Earth" where dinosaurs still exist that's become a fighting ground for people who want to get there hands on a new energy source known as dynore. Our heroes are Super Dinosaur, a kind-hearted sentient T-Rex with exoskeleton arms, and our narrator and the comic's actual protagonist, 11-year-old genius Derek Dynamo. Derek and SD are having fun kicking the asses of evil(?) Dino-Men created by dark-hearted scientist Max Maximus, when their lives are disrupted by a new family moves into their top secret, Inner Earth-defending compound. Derek's father hasn't been able to focus since he was injured in a fight with Maximus, so the government has sent the Kingstons - engineers Bruce and Sarah, and teenage daughters Erin and Erica - to help out.

Three issues in (counting the Free Comic Book Day Origin Special, which fits between #1 and #2), the story has already advanced quite a lot, introducing a new and mysterious villain in addition to the ones from the initial set-up, as well as serving up character-driven family scenes that create strong young audience identifiers. This is the kind of comic that you can read with your kids. They'll likely identify with Derek, a kind if overconfident boy genius who thinks nothing of fighting dinosaur men (and ladies) without the help of his dino pal, though the two teenage girls have opposite personalities that might also be latched onto. The parents are universally benevolent, and of course, there's a cool dinosaur that plays video games and basketball in the mix. The violence is big on explosions, but bloodless and this side of cartoony, though it is shown to have consequences. Super Dinosaur has had a number of looks already, including issue 3's snowsuit, which should appeal to those who love toys (in fact, you'll wish you had a Super Dinosaur action figure and accessories to complete the experience).

Now, I know for a fact Kirkman can write characters from reading Invincible, so I'll be interested to see if Derek gets his bubble burst. The kid thinks his life is quite awesome, and he thinks HE'S awesome. It is and he is, but only at the end of the first issue does he admit to a limit to his innate awesomeness (in curing his dad of this mental problem). . His gee-whiz narration could be read as arrogant at times, but is he heading for a fall? Unlike Kirkman's more famous character, he ISN'T invincible. Or might he mellow due to the influence of the Kingstons? Right now, the girls are cramping his style, but will he be allowed to get older and finally notice one (or both) of them? As for Super Dinosaur, though his function is largely that of a missile-throwing cybernetic dinosaur, he does have a character. Despite Derek being his best friend, he still confides in him that he feels lonely. Is he the only "good" dinosaur? So beyond the basic superheroic plot, there's potential for character development. In that way, it rises above its crazy premise to show it may yet have that thing we call "heart".

Here's hoping Super Dinosaur gets into the hands of kids and parents alike. I wish it a lot of success.