Posted in: Comics, Dynamite | Tagged: dan jurgens, dynamite, tarzan

Dan Jurgens & Benito Gallego Launches Tarzan Lord Of The Jungle Comic

Published Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:59:10 -0500

Dan Jurgens and Benito Gallego will be launching a new Tarzan comic book from Dynamite, only they can't call it that because of trademark issues, so Lord Of The Jungle #1 it is, for November. Nick Barucci of Dynamite recalls "when Top Cow was launching Tomb Raider for the first time, they had talked to numerous writers, and in speaking with Matt Hawkins I had suggested Dan. Matt had a conversation with Dan, hired him, and then it was the #1 book of the year! I've spoken with Dan for years about working together, but he was mostly exclusive to DC, and wasn't able to. When his last exclusive finished, Marvel reached out and he has been doing a lot with Dan from covers to interiors, and his plate has been full. After speaking for a year, he was finally able to fit this into his schedule, and thankfully this is our grand finale announcement for SDCC! And the fact that we're launching in time for the 110th Anniversary of Tarzan, and it coincides with the 30th Anniversary of Death of Superman, the stars aligned!"

The mighty Lord of the Jungle returns to roar! Dynamite invites fans to swing through the vines and beat their chests in anticipation of a visceral new series starring the one and only Tarzan, written by industry superstar Dan Jurgens!

Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and introduced in the October 1912 issue of The All-Story Magazine, Tarzan quickly became a cultural icon! Jurgens comes on to help commemorate the 110th Anniversary of this iconic character! But that is not the only anniversary that this first issue will be commemorating.

The November debuting title lines up almost perfectly with the big 30th anniversary of the Death of Superman, one of the crowning achievements of writer Dan Jurgens and the industry at large. Since then, he has tackled so many of the hallmark characters of the medium and wider genre of superheroes, pulp heroes, and adventurers. His stacked bibliography beyond his prolific contributions to Superman includes the likes of Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Nightwing, Tomb Raider, and of course his own creation Booster Gold. Now it's time to add another legend to that list – the Lord of the Jungle!

"There are a handful of fictional characters who are instantly recognizable in a wide array of countries, to people of all ages. Tarzan is one of those characters, and it's an honor to be writing his latest stories," said writer Dan Jurgens. "Tarzan's creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs created one of the all time greats and gave those of us who came later a deep and rich legacy from which to work. We look forward to exploring of Tarzan's hidden past that might put him in something of a new light. We hope you'll join us for the ride and have as much fun as we are."

Alongside artist Benito Gallego, Jurgens will reestablish Tarzan in the eyes of longtime fans and show how badass and entertaining he is to new readers alike. Across the series, the prototypical jungle action hero's entire life will be traced, from birth to adulthood. A framing device secondary tale weaves between the core story, as an older Tarzan reflects on his life and the changing world around him, reflecting contemporary concerns that continue to this day.

Get to know the legacy of Tarzan, from his aristocratic background and eventual flirtations back with that lifestyle, to his early days raised by the apes, and his fearsome rivalries with man and beast alike. What will become of this man in his savage world?

Dan Jurgens invites readers to meet the legend for the first time or like they've never seen him before. As he follows in the footsteps of comics luminaries Hal Foster, Burne Hogarth, Gaylord Du Bois, Jesse Marsh, Russ Manning, Gray Morrow, Joe Kubert, John Buscema, and many more. The series features an all-star cast of cover artist friends and colleagues of Jurgens, including Gary Frank, Lee Weeks, Dan Panosian, and Josh Burns.

"I've known Dan for 30 years, and worked with him on many levels. I've wanted to work with him at Dynamite as a writer for years, but he has had a full workload, and in the last year he's been working to make time for The Lord of The Jungle, and we're so excited to have him on board!," said Nick Barrucci, Dynamite CEO and Publisher. "While Dan may be best known for his work on Superman, Captain America, Booster Gold and others, he's tackled far more characters in his illustrious career. When Dan launched Tomb Raider for Top Cow, it was the #1 book of the year – let me repeat that, Tomb Raider #1 was the top title of the year, and Dan was a driving force. His storytelling ability is one of the strongest in the industry, and when working with other artists, Dan has brought out the best in those artists he's worked with, from his great run on Thor with John Romita Jr., Andy Kubert, Stuart Immonen, to name just one example. Dan is bringing his A-game, since he knows no other game to bring, and will be bringing the best of Benito Gallego's art to the page. And let's talk about Benito for a second, a fantastic artist who is influenced by John Buscema, we could not have picked a better artist for the series! The icing on the cake are covers by Gary Frank, Lee Weeks, Dan Panosian and Josh Burns!"

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