LORD OF THE JUNGLE #4, from Dynamite Comics on March 22nd, 2023, finds an aging Tarzan on the final leg of his mission to set an old wrong right after Tarzan was forced to become a thief to save lives.
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)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: March 22, 2023
Is It Good?
LORD OF THE JUNGLE #4 is a fantastic penultimate issue in a series that’s delivered a classic pulp action adventure since the first page. Dan Jurgens can do no wrong in this thrilling next chapter, where the truth behind Taarzan’s late-night theft demonstrates that, even in his senior years, Tarzan is a force for good.
Everything about LORD OF THE JUNGLE #4 works. Dan Jurgens’s plot about Tarzan fighting to undo a past wrong, intermixed with the details of that original event, flows as smoothly as water on glass. The transition points between the present conflict and the past flashbacks are perfectly placed, the narration nails that pulpy Edgar Rice Burroughs tone, and the dramatic moments land with a forceful impact.
Much has been said about Tarzan as an outdated and outmoded character who couldn’t work in comics today. This issue proves that opinion is false. You CAN tell a good Tarzan story without feeling outdated or problematic if you stick to the basic themes – action, a hero striving to do right, good vs. evil, etc.
On top of Jurgens’s stellar script is Gallego’s equally stellar art. Homaging the best of Silver Age styles, Gallego draws Tarzan with an athletic physique, a strong, angled jaw, and grim determination. Tarzan’s masculine, expressive eyes convey mountains of intent, and the fight scenes are grounded but still exciting.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our LORD OF THE JUNGLE #3 review to find out how Tarzan was forced to make an impossible choice to save his ape family.
We begin with a senior Tarzan leaping across moonlit rooftops after stealing precious jewels from an African museum. Tarzan’s age catches up with him, and he stumbles briefly and falls to the ground below, where the police are waiting for him.
We flashback to Tarzan’s early days when he confronted Captain Shaw for attempting to poach apes to take back to Europe. When Tarzan brings the full force of the jungle against Shaw, the poacher takes a young Bouanga hostage and threatens to kill him if Tarzan doesn’t seek out the lost jewels.
We conclude the issue with a desperate search, a fabled lost colony, and one man fighting against impossible odds in two time periods.
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Final Thoughts
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LORD OF THE JUNGLE #4 is another great issue in an already great series filled with action, adventure, and excitement. Dan Jurgens’s spot-on pulp writing is matched only by Bennite Gallego’s near-perfect Silver Age style.
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