Last of the Dragons is the six- part comic series created by Carl Potts along with other known figures in the comic book industry. It was originally published in Epic Illustrated magazine in 1982-1983 and Dover Comics and Graphic Novels have now released it in a collected graphic novel.
The novel centres on dragons, that are known as noble and peace making species throughout the land. However, a group of monks intend to train the creatures to initiate violent attacks. The monks take the dragons to North California, where they intend to use the dragons for their own gain. The story focuses on various characters on the epic journey. Most notable is Masanobu, who is an aged samurai. Masanobu is crucial to the journey, and is potentially the only one who can stop the bloodshed. Takashi also follows the trail of the monks as he seeks revenge.
The plot is very basic, and without giving too much away, there are plenty of battles, as well as deaths, as we follow the journeys of the various characters. The artwork is well done, with plenty of detail to ensure that this is a read suggested only for mature readers. At only 8 pages per issue, the collection is rather short, but the fact that it is a paperback version makes it an affordable and worthy purchase.
Fans of the series will be particularly pleased to hear that the collection contains a new afterword by Carl Potts. He discusses the difficulties faced when originally creating the comic, as well as the extra page in the last issue. He finishes with a short statement giving hope to a possible sequel. This is a well-written comic book series that will leave you waiting for a sequel.
LAST OF THE DRAGONS / AUTHOR: CARL POTTS, DENNIS O’NEIL / ARTIST: TERRY AUSTIN, MARIE SEVERIN / PUBLISHER: DOVER PUBLICATIONS / RELEASE DATE: 29TH JANUARY 2016
