The Savage Dragon based on one of many Comics from the then upstart Image Comics that took very heavy influence from X-Men. Much like contemporary Image titles like Cyberforce, Newmen, WildC.A.T.s, or Gen13, The Savage Dragon tries to utilize its superhero format as a way of exploring prejudice. It's not always successful as it'll sometimes feel like it's working against its own format with the over muscled character designs and overly colorful and busy costuming designs. Despite its very well worn premise, it does try to do a few things differently than other similar shows of the era. The fact that Dragon himself is a police officer and works against his own kind is certainly a unique premise with plenty of opportunity for exploration and for the most part it does its best to address them. Jim Cummings voices the titular dragon, and amnesiac Freak(this world's colloquial term for mutants of nebulous and ill defined origin) who somehow becomes a police officer after being found naked in a burning field by his mentor/police captain(just roll with it), and he does a good job of making the character enjoyable with his sardonic attitude and sense of humor. Other elements however don't work nearly as well as most of the villains Dragon fights often feel generic and more akin to cannon fodder than developed characters. When compared against other USA Action Extreme Team cartoons from around the same time Savage Dragon is perfectly serviceable. It's not as good as Exo Squad, but it's also not as bad as Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat:Defenders of the Realm.
Review of The Savage Dragon
The Savage Dragon
(1995–1996)
In the same vein as X-Men and Batman, but not nearly as well executed
7 August 2020