Dragon’s Claws

Dragon's Claws
Dragon's Claws

By Simon Furman, Geoff Senior, Bryan Hitch & David Hine (Marvel/Panini UK)
ISBN13: 978-1-905239-99-3

In the late 1980s Marvel UK, primarily a reprint arm for the American parent company, was starting to stretch itself. There had been some new material generated in comics such as Hulk Weekly, Dr Who Weekly/Monthly, and the licensed titles, but now the lads were ready to produce US style full comic books.

Yet rather than dive in with full-blown costumed cut-ups like the abortive Captain Britain, they wisely looked for a premise that would also resonate with established comics tastes. Thus was born The Dragon’s Teeth, which due to an unforgiving Rights clash became Dragon’s Claws.

The premise is simple: in the doomed and weary world of Earth AD8162, a dystopian society is gradually falling into chaos and anarchy, just as the planet itself is slowly falling into the sun. Lawlessness is rife and the populace is pacified by watching brutal gladiatorial combats known as The Game, devised by the World Development Council.

The greatest team to play the Game was Dragon’s Claws: Mercy, Digit, Scavenger and Steel, led by the ultimate warrior and tactician… Dragon. Now as anarchy increases the disillusioned sports star is asked to reform his team and become a more pure and traditional hero… a savior.

Collecting issues #1-10 of their own series, plus a crossover from Death’s Head #2 and featuring a rare single page adventure from a recent charity publication, plus copious data pages, these are raw and energetic tales of sci-fi action, uncomplicated and comfortingly satisfying, produced by Simon Furman, Geoff Senior, Bryan Hitch and David Hine during their fresh formative years, and provide rousing straightforward thrills and spills for 10 year olds of all ages.

 
© 1988, 1989, 2008 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (A BRITISH EDITION RELEASED BY PANINI UK LTD).