The History of Savage Dragon: The Cartoon, The Comic, The Toys & USA Cartoon Express
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- The Savage Dragon is a half-hour American animated television series aired as part of USA Cartoon Express.
It ran for 26 episodes from 1995 to 1996 and featured numerous supporting characters from the comic book series, including She-Dragon, Horde, Barbaric, Mako and Overlord.
But he started as the lead character in one of the original Image Comics launch titles, Savage Dragon and eventually got a short lived line of toys from Playmates.
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One of my favorite Comic Book moments happened in Savage Dragon #3. Dragon faces of against Liefield's "Bedrock" as he is attacked by the Superhero from out of nowhere. After pages of amazing action art. Bedrock tells Dragon: Ok, ok enough. You're good enough to join the team. Dragon responds: You mean you picked a fight with me, caused millions in damages just to see if I was good enough to join your spandex club? Bedrock says: It happens in Marvel Comics all the time. Can we go now? Dragon hits him and yells: Hell NO! You're under arrest! I was laughing in tears first time I read that.
That's so meta and relevant
I still have that one.
I just read Wildstar Sky Zero 3 guest starring the Savage Dragon.
That's what I always respected about Larsen: he's the guy who just loves comics, loves making them, is happy to quietly keep plugging away at them, and to offer advice and feedback to anyone who asks. True story, the guy took time out of his day to help me design a logo.
I used to love Savage Dragon when I was a kid, I even still have one of those action figures somewhere. It hit right when I was in that preteen sweet spot where I was old enough to want my comics and cartoons to be more "mature," but still young enough to think comic books full of cursing and gore were the coolest and most mature thing ever.
Still love the line with
She Dragon:
"You see a badge on these puppies?!"
Me as a kid O_O'
It was just a little reminder this was on cable not network.
🤣🤣
I had the same reaction and I was watching it as a junior in college
@@JohnDoe-wq5eu That doesn't always mean anything. As an avid animation fan, I've noted over the years that a LOT of none-cable themed cartoons had their share of adult trappings and sexual innuendoes added to their episodes.
And while I could touch on several here, I'll just limit my selection to 2 specific cartoons: Inspector Gadget and The Spectacular Spider-Man!
For Gadget, in the episode "Movie Set", Gadget was go-go-ga-ga for a movie starlet/secret M.A.D. Agent by the name of Lana LaMour; and there's a very funny/highly suggestive scene in where a gone Gadget was eyeing Lana through his Gadget binoculars; first looking at her eyes, then her lips, to finally down to her breasts -- prompting Gadget to excitedly exclaim... "WOWSERS!" Remember that scene all the way from my childhood through adulthood!
As for The Spectacular Spider-Man; though I can't quite recall the exact line purrfectly, (or which episode it was), when Spidey realized that Black Cat was the real Black Cat; prompting her to come back in her signature sensual voice -- paraphrasing: 'What gave it away? Was it my hair? My voice? Or the way I make you feel." Naturally, I've ALWAYS been a cat person!
And don't get me started with the delicious design of one April O'Neil from the retro (and absolute best) TMNT series back in the 80's!!! Talk about some perky (not-so-little) puppies! WOOF!!!
@@rickeyboyer4726
Yeah it's kind of weird they were mostly focused on violence and or blood and things I guess (just go look up the kind of hoops they had to jump through with 90's Spider-Man)
But the suggestive stuff would mostly be lost or missed if it wasn't super obvious. Which makes me think of Minerva mink in animaniacs, way too obvious. (way way too obvious)
When you say, "USA Cartoon Express", you must say "CarTOOOOOOOOOOOOOON Express".
Now you reminded me of USA: up all night.
Oh those pre internet days
@@patrickmike2524 any port in a storm
I loved the comics. I didn't even know there was a television series.
I seem to recall it coming on at extremely weird times. It is incredibly strange that WildCATS and Savage dragon Could both have shows that were so unmemorable considering how popular the comics were.
@@JazGalaxy both shows we're good fun too.
Word my teacher took my savage dragon vs tmnt
It was on usa and with darkstalkers and wild cats
@@DjEDGain
I hated that dark stalker's cartoon.
Oh what they did to my poor Felicia.
Wow those AXT bump clips dredged up some powerful memories i didn't know i had.
I remember the warrior crossover but the schedule line was so crazy that the warrior story didn't make sense lol
And the MK episode didn't even have that Warrior guy show up until the last second XDXDXDXD
Toy Galaxy, you found the best part of a childhood I could only ever dreamed of as a kid born in '81 and made this awesome channel. Thank You Good Sirs 👏👏👏
Honestly hearing “USA cartoon express” made me feel that old
Ah yes the good old days when USA was kind of a legit Network and not just the channel that shows endless reruns of various iterations of law & order.
Really? It wasn't your "Scrubs" profile picture? lol
Actually, USA Network use to air just repeats of network shows with some syndicated programming. USA Cartoon Express was the first show to introduce the Hanna Barbara shows from the early 70s to those of us born when they were on broadcast TV originally.
@@jonathancook1096
It's funny except for Savage dragon every other show they showed looked like it was something either syndicated or really really old.
So USA network has always been the home of old stuff they would just marathon. And here was thinking it was just the law and order franchise.
I remember watching something on TV when this show was still on the air. In which Larsen was doing a brief interview with a teen while drawing at his table and was asked about the show. Erik admitted he hadn't watched a single episode. I always felt he was type of artist who was content just doing his comic.
Was glad to see you guys tackle this one. Those Dragon books have staggeringly low print runs, and we should have endless respect for Larsen's ability to continue with this book as he has. It's the last legit, old-school style superhero book left. If Dragon ever pops across wider culture, almost every book in the Dragon run is going to cost a fortune because it's such a low print run series. Imagine how Spawn reacts to the back issue market but magnify that by several factors.
Savage Dragon was always my favorite Image book. Larson was also really the only Image creator who stuck to the original premise of creator driven books.
For a brief period during my childhood, I had cable. And I was front and center for EXO Squad, Savage Dragon, Wild Cats, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. Nothing but joy in my heart right now.
That “biggest hits” part had me dying.
The Savage Dragon comics was at some point the only american comic I was excited about with every single new issue.
The series had great voice casting.
Shout out to Greg MP on those 80's themed intros... That shit is just straight up badass. Keep up that great work, brother.
I loved the Savage Dragon comic. It was nuts. Anything could happen in a Savage Dragon comic.
The animated series is the reason I got into savage dragon comics and the few toys that's been released. Wish he was more mainstream
I love Savage Dragon. I have the comics where he crossover with Hellboy.
Yesss!!!!
I don't know if it's been retconned, but Larsen once said in an interview that as far as he was concerned Dragon lived on an Earth where all comic book superheroes existed. That way he didn't have to come up with some convoluted explanation how Dragon can team up with Spider-man, Superman and Spawn.
Loved the cartoon. Was a little too young for the comics then, & had already found manga & anime by the time I would've been interested. It is heartening to know dude is still at it with his childhood creation all these years later though. That's pretty darn cool.
I've been a fan of the comic since the beginning and I still pick it up to this day! It's a wild, but very fun ride!
Same here✌️
First issue of the mini series was the only comic I ever bought based solely on the cover art alone. (Never even looked inside) I was 12 I think. I was also not disappointed.
I’ve been reading Savage Dragon since it debuted. I have fond memories of the cartoon but even then I knew it was really that good.
All those early Image titles were great! Thanks for another great video, Dan!
The savage dragon was, Innoway, The Walking Dead before The Walking Dead. It’s main appeal as a comic was the fact that it “went places”. There wasn’t really any such thing as a status quo.
Especially with it's racism bad and police corruption angles.
Dont think it meant content, though.
Just that it was a long running independent book.
Sad that now the comic is pretty much just Dragon's son Malcolm launching his wife around with giant cum blasts, Larsen either doesn't give a shit or has lost his damn mind
@@gcell10 The comic is much more than that :P
gcell10, agreed .I had loved the comic when it first came out. Its premise was cool an alien being a cop , but now the comic is trash and its played for laughs .I think Erik gave up on the comic.
I was totally in the tank for Image comics as a kid, comics, toys, cards cartoons I was all over it, Savage Dragon's intro was the best part of the cartoons
The Battle Damaged Savage Dragon is still one of my favorite action figures ever.
I wanted those TMNT crossover figures so badly at the time, but I was "too old" for figures and wasn't allowed to get them. I also found it incredibly weird that Leonardo never got a figure, though someone did a custom job, complete with packaging, several years back.
I remember this cartoon, I had a toy and I really liked it. I called him hulk cop because I though he was hulk.
One of the things that Savage Dragon and Spawn had going for it was that their creators could actually hit a monthly deadline consistently. Larsen and McFarlane were both experienced in the comic publication steps after the pencil-work: inking, coloring, lettering, etc. If they couldn't find a regular freelancer, they could just do the work themselves when they absolutely had to.
Hell yeah, Savage Dragon is dope
You kind of left out the part where Dragon has been dead for years and the title and mantle of "Savage Dragon" has been taken over by his son, Malcolm Dragon. Also, one of the most unique aspects of the Savage Dragon comic is that it takes place in real time, unlike almost every other comic ever made.
In other words, his son Malcom, who is now in his 20s was actually born as a baby in the comic and grew up, went to school and became an adult.
There's also a whole reveal of Dragon's true origin where he eventually got his memory back. Turns out he wasn't so nice a guy, but I encourage you to read the book as best you can and won't spoil it for you.
The thing I love about this channel is that I re-live my childhood every time I remember something again
Great, now I'm going to have nightmares of ghost-form Vanilla Ice dancing behind me quickly.
It was part of The USA Action Hour with ExoSquad, Mortal Kombat, Wing Commander, Wild C.A.T.S and Street Fighter.
One of the greatest comics in history.
The Savage Dragon/Mars Attacks crossover comic was epic
Also don't forget he had a cameo in a Sonic the Hedgehog comic
The comic was one of my favorites. I left around issue 30. Enjoyed the the cartoon show. Talk with erik Larsen a few times. Really cool guy.
I really miss the cartoon series, I really liked it.
jesus mad props to a guy who can just work on one project and make it financially viable to be able to live off.
You forgot to mention the marvel legend in the Pitt wave
I don’t think the cartoon aired on cable here in Canada 🇨🇦 back then & if it did, then I don’t remember ever seeing the series on TV up here. We didn’t get the USA channel. I still have my Savage Dragon #1 from 1992 signed by Erik Larson. Erik is one of the friendliest comic creators I have ever met. Another Great quality video guys!
I participated in the market research that came up with the name, “Action Extreme Team.” The kid next to me combined 2 different name choices for the block, and it was unanimously liked by the rest of the group.
I honestly remember watching several episodes of this as well as WildCATS and USA's Mortal Kombat series. I'm sure I liked them at the time, doubt I would now
"At whatever the name of the place is where Wing Commander Academy takes place" - that ship would be the TCS Tiger's Claw
Erik Larsen always said Bruce Willis was the voice he wanted for the savage dragon...it never happened ...I loved the comic’s the show was really watered down
WOW, I completely forgot about Savage Dragon until today. What a nostalgia trip, thank you, Toy Galaxy!
Issue 253 came out last week! Never too late to pick up an issue!
The cartoon's airing on Teletoon in Canada is what made me discover the comic. And seeing the toys in the blisters, I now understand why Barbaric was pissed about his licensing deal when he was with SOS.
Dan and crew - I love your channel so much. This one brought me back to 1994 when I was a comic shop owner. What a time! Thanks so much!
You're very welcome!
Ahhh I remember watching this on Teletoon (here in Canada) in the late 90’s
I remember my dad bought me 2 or 3 random comics of this and they were great from my recollection. Thanks for reminding me of him, I think I'll buy the series and revisit it.
He always wanted to draw every issue of Savage Dragon. Larsen went back and penciled a issue after a artist swap Image event. 💯
Yep, that was THE SAVAGE DRAGON #13. Jim Lee did the "swapped" issue of THE SAVAGE DRAGON #13 with a self contained story, but Erik Larsen was in the middle of an arc at the time so he needed to "redo" #13 to make sense with the story in THE SAVAGE DRAGON #14.✌️
I loved this comic so much and now that I know toys existed, I need them.
These 90s shows episodes gives me hope that my holy grail of favorite cartoons appears soon. Let’s just say it rhymes with “Schmaptain Shmimian” 🤞🙏
Had the comics when they first came out but stopped collecting before the show released. Only found out about it years later.
Savage Dragon was great. I enjoyed it as a lot as a kid. When the series ended, I was glad it was done in a way that you could be happy with it.
I'm in the middle of rereading the whole series I'm into the '90s at this moment. Maybe I'll get to 250 before the years over
Awesome. Can you do the WildC.A.Ts cartoon next?
Love this show/ franchise. Also dude.... You nerdwire and syfy wire all posted videos today! Good stuff for nostalgia trips!!
i knew of all three, but never had the chance to read the comics
I religiously watched and taped this show growing up! Thanks for making this, Dan!
The only comic i owned of Savage Dragon was the crossover with TMNT :D
I am one of the comic readers who was a Savage Dragon comic fan at the time but had no idea that this cartoon existed until like 5yrs ago. I saw a couple eps on youtube, and I wasn't sorry that I had missed out on its existence.
The animation and music for the 2nd season of Savage Dragon was so good. Made me want an anime for it so bad
Love that fin headed m-F-er. I started collecting Savage Dragon when Image first launched and haven't looked back. Besides Spawn it's the only series I still buy in floppy form and from the same comic shop I bought the first issues in the 90s
This was my favorite comic when image launched. I had no idea this was made into a series! The ToyBiz Savage Dragon figures were the best.
You forgot the Maxx when you were listing Image comics that went to the small screen.
Specifically said launch titles. The Maxx wasn't a launch title.
I’d settle for a Netflix series at this point 🤔 hell! Even a dvd animated movie would do it 😃
Great video Mr Larson, Producer Greg MP 👍🏽✌🏽
Dan is looking awesome. This style suits him
I’m old enough to remember the series. It was dope
It came out during golden era for image. I had the first 6 or 7 issues. The artwork and cover art was pretty cool for the era.
Should we add Savage Dragon comics have gone on to feature full frontal nudity and explicit sex scenes....so yeah I don't think we'll see it airing after SpongeBob anytime soon.
I new of and watched this and all the other usa cartoons only reason was my family was one of two families in my school that had us satelite satellite subscriptions prior to the selling of them being made illegal by new television laws requiring local country programming. Those who already had subscriptions could keep them but that was basically the only loop whole. Ah the 90s "Oh wont you think of the children!" still the 80s were the best
I used to read the comics way back but I had no idea that this cartoon existed.
Yep, I remember this. I only remember a few episodes; one involving drugs, another about a Mutant who could 'cure' other mutants, a movies star bull-man mutant and crook who dated Dragon's partner for a brief moment, and one involving a cop ball with above mentioned mutant showing up again after he 'served' his time.
I love savage dragon, started reading it ~a year or so ago when I heard about some of the more experimental stuff Eric had been doing and then went back to read the older issues. I tried watching the show but I couldn't get through it
I remember seeing ads for the cartoon on the back of comics at the time. Never saw it here in the UK though. Nor knew of the toyline. I vaguely recall the comics were often on the "indie" rack, by the door. Next to a giant poster of Onslaught in the window.
One of the best opening sequences ever
3:28 - 4:30 is what I came for. You elaborated on the measly sentence about the crossover in the MK: DotR Wiki page. Thank you!
As someone still picking up Savage Dragon, every month I gotta say that I have to respect Larsen for doing it his way. Are we looking at WILDCATS next?
Best use of the 0.25 playback speed this year. The lamp designer!
07:08
So good.
Plus Wetworks.
I remember my bro had the #1 of this comic, loved the art on the cover
I'm so glad this wasn't a fever dream I had as a kid.
I loved the Savage Dragon comic and toys. Never knew they made a cartoon.
Totally loved USA Action Extreme Team! It was totally my demographic, which were preteen boys obsessed with video games, comics, and action. 11 year old mind was totally blown when had that Warrior King crossover! Savage Dragon known as a comic, but thought it was cool as a series. Dialogue was pretty sharp. Dragon was laid back but a little gruff. And there were some deep themes like discrimination in there. Fond memories!
I was 13 when i discovered image comics.....instantly Spawn... Savage Dragon.... And WILDC.A.T.S became my favorites....took a bit longer to get Youngblood and Cyberforce in my area. All deserve a serious animated reboot.
omg, you said it three times!!
Learned about Savage Dragon first from the ShadowHawk comics (damn those were good in the beginning) and then saw the show. Loved the show. That all star cast SHINES. Even with it being WAYYYY toned down from the comics, it was still lots of fun.
Don't forget the two versions of Savage Dragon which were part of the awesome P.I.T.T. BAF wave back in the day! 😊
How does this amazing channel not have over 1 million subscribers yet?!?!!
I remember an Incredible Hulk comic from the early '90s, written by Peter David that lampooned Savage Dragon. At the time, Hulk was huge, green, and with the mind of Banner, due to work by Doc Sampson.
Betty was trying to find a good Halloween costume for him, and he kept rejecting her suggestions. Then she pulled out a green skull cap with a lizard fin on it and a short-sleeved, light-blue police shirt. Hulk replied, "Oh, please. Like any idiot wouldn't take one look at that and say, 'It's the Hulk with a fin on his head.'" LOL!
Pretty much the only thing I remember about the Dragon cartoon was the episode that introduced Star, a Spider-Man homage. He was making wisecracks with a good delivery and dodging bad guys with pretty decent animation, and it made me wish the 90s Spider-Man cartoon (with its sluggish reused animation and ponderous, slow-talking voices) was more like this.
I have 9 volumes of Savage Dragon archives.
Great art great story great price.
SWEET! My favorite Image Comics character.
i remember finding Savage Dragon on an old Comic E-reader website at school, I remember thinking he was really cool.
Damn a movie would be great! Dragon is one of my favorites. Imagine just the first 12 issues in movie form. Great stuff.
Looking forward to invincible too
So now that the first season is complete, damn that was actually MORE gory and brutal than the comics didn't smell that coming.
"The first green crime fighting machine"? Who wrote that advertisement? Liefeld?
Oh, so wrong, on so many levels, Mr. Liefeld! Someone educate this man with a certain quartet of green teens that goes by the certain initials of: TMNT! And the HULK, for that matter!
@@rickeyboyer4726 The one thing that I've ever agreed with liefeld on is support for Levi 501's. But, I think that his commercial for the jeans model was more his agent's taste than his.