DISNEY VILLAINS: SCAR #1, from Dynamite Comics on 4/5/23, tells a tale of woe as Scar, Mufasa’s brother, laments his lot in life as a prince who will never become king.
The Details
- Written by: Chuck Brown
- Art by: Trevor Fraley
- Colors by: Chiara Di Francia
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Jahnoy Lindsay (cover A)
- Comic Rating: All Ages
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: April 5, 2023,
Is It Good?
DISNEY VILLAINS: SCAR #1 is Dynamite’s latest foray into adapting recognizable Disney characters for comics with original stories. This time, Chuck Brown takes on the unenviable task of spotlighting Scar from The Lion King for your reading pleasure, and frankly, it’s unexpectedly good.
If you’ve watched The Lion King, you know Scar’s story comes to a very definitive conclusion. Here, Scar’s story is told between the time of Simba’s birth and before Mufasa’s death.
Brown does an admirable job of capturing Scar’s simmering anger and bitterness over losing kingship to tradition. He’s a schemer from start to finish and not above taking out his anger on the “peasants” of Pride Rock to soothe his wounded ego. To Brown’s credit, he makes Scar a relatable villain with understandable motivations, but Scar isn’t painted as misunderstood or justified in any way. Brown’s version of Scar remains one of the most memorable Disney villains.
This is the first time we’ve encountered Trevo Fraley’s art, and it’s excellent work. Scar looks like Scar, and Rafiki looks like Rafiki. And the overall Disney aesthetic is captured beautifully. Yes, Disney has a style guide that requires artists not to stray too far from the source material, but the little nuances from Fraley keep Scar looking familiar but fresh.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a herd of wildebeest enjoying a graze at midday when one of the calves playfully runs off to chase a bird. Suddenly, Scar leaps from the tall grass after the calf before his mother interrupts the hunt. Scar explains he’s had a bad day and intends to soothe his annoyance with a casual meal.
The wildebeest mother sounds an alarm, causing the herd to stampede in her direction for a rescue. Scar is half-trampled and cornered on a cliff’s edge. The wildebeest mother stays behind after the herd passes to ensure Scar gets the fall from grace he deserves.
We conclude the issue with a vision, a little tough love from a wise mandrill, and a deadly offer.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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DISNEY VILLAINS: SCAR #1 is a treat for Dieny fans who want to know more about The Lion King’s villain through his own side story. Chuck Brown’s script captures Scar’s voice perfectly, and the art looks fresh but familiar.
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