Dynamite Entertainment is bringing back some of the old school Gold Key characters. First up, Turok The Dinosaur Hunter, who has seen a few reincarnations since his creation in 1954. This time around the exceptional Greg Pak is stepping up to script Turok, with Mirko Colak handling art duties. Having been through multiple adventures, including a stint in a post-apocalyptic earth, how do Pak and Colak refresh the series? They strip away most of what you know.
In this world, Turok is a lone teenager, living deep in the forest where he was raised after his parents died. His people refer to him as “witch boy” and hold him responsible for the supposed treacherous actions of Turok’s parents. Andar is here, only he’s not Turok’s buddy but an Indian from the village who constantly gives Turok a hard time. It’s tough going for our hero, who maintains that being alone is better.
Turok opens with a flashback to his parent’s death. Pak is obviously keeping these details in the shadows, so the flashback really raises more questions than it answers. Holding on to his love of solitude and the memory of his parents, Turok attempts to live a quiet life. Sadly, it’s not to be, as Andar and his cronies pick a fight with Turok, even attempting to steal his food. Overcome by numbers, Turok is knocked out and brought before the elders of the town.
Pak is taking some really great chances here and, while this is only the first issue, they seem to be paying off. First, Turok is a deeper character, haunted by bad memories and fighting of inner demons. The mystery surrounding his parents’ death is also a welcome element. Perhaps the most glaring difference is the entrance of the dinosaurs, who are given a much more interesting origin. Pak is tying together fantasy and history and using it to reinvent Turok without losing the foundations of who the character is.
Mirko Colak’s artwork is unstoppable here. Vibrant, explosively colored by Lauren Affe, and brimming with movement. Colak has a unique style, one that blends a modern flair with an old school, pulp magazine style. Each panel is a small work of art, one that pushes the storyline in such a way that it becomes more cinematic than just sequential art.
(4.5 Art, 4.5 Story)
