LORD OF THE JUNGLE #2, from Dynamite Comics on December 14th, 2022, returns to Tarzan’s origins as a teenager when he first encounters humans for the first time; humans who hunt.
The Details
- Written by: Dan Jurgens
- Art by: Benito Gallego
- Colors by: Francesco Segala, Agnes Pozza
- Letters by: Carlos M. Mangual
- Cover art by: Philip Tan (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: December 14, 2022
Is It Good?
Oy! Why isn’t Dan Jurgens getting more work in the comic industry when he can produce stellar writing output like LORD OF THE JUNGLE #2? This issue is everything you want in a Tarzan comic. There’s no deconstruction of the hero or updates for a “modern audience.” Jurgens delivers a classic mix of adventure and drama with heavy doses of world- and character-building to turn first-time readers into Tarzan devotees in no time.
Issue #1 focused heavily on retelling a faithful version of Tarzan’s origin story while seeding the plot for a new adventure starring Old Man Tarzan. Now the disparate timelines slowly but clearly start to converge as we see how Tarzan’s first interactions with European humans lead to a tragedy that will ripple through Tarzan’s life for years to come.
Jurgens’s understanding of Tarzan’s voice is superb. The plot flows beautifully, the dialog is excellent, and the pacing is outstanding.
The art, however, is another matter. It’s brilliant.
Gallego is channeling an interesting hybrid of classic Kubert and Buscema art styles for a book that looks old-school familiar but reads as brand new. The heavy lines and dramatic shadows are exquisite, and the coloring from Segala and Pozza is perfect.
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]
Check out our LORD OF THE JUNGLE #1 review to find out how Tarzan’s fateful life got its start.
We begin with Old Man Tarzan walking along the darkened streets of a harbor town in Africa with his old friend Bouanga. Tarzan can see the dark alleys teem with thugs and criminals as the town has fallen on tough times, but Tarzan is here for a different concern. He’s here for revenge.
We flashback to Tarzan’s early years growing up in the jungle. Now a young man who can hold his own against his fellow apes, Tarzan soon encounters his first brush with European hunters. When the hunters try to bring down a rhino, Tarzan intervenes and makes an enemy of the new visitors.
The hunters realize an Ape-Man would be a sweeter prize than any jungle animal, so they concoct a plan to draw Tarzan out for capture. We conclude the issue with a deadly trap, a heartbreaking loss, and vengeance.
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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LORD OF THE JUNGLE #2 is everything you want in a comic starring one of the world’s greatest pulp action heroes. The writing captures the spirit of the source material beautifully, and the art is perfect.
Related Information
How old is Jane in Tarzán 1999?
Jane’s age is never explicitly stated but according to the years of upbringing mentioned, Jane is in her early 20s.
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