History ComicBook / SavageDragon

A series for Creator/ImageComics by Erik Larsen. The title character first appeared in ''Graphic Fantasy'' #1 (June, 1982). The character continued appearing through TheEighties in either self-published works or works by minor publishers. When Image was launched, Larsen had the opportunity to launch a regular series based on the character. An initial 3-issue miniseries (July-December, 1992) sold decently, leading to an ongoing title. It was launched in June 1993 and (as of 2019) is still ongoing, albeit on a scattershot schedule. It is the longest-running American full-color comic by a single creator/creative team.

* SuperpowerfulGenetics: This series has been running in real time for nearly twenty years, and by now, there are plenty of second-generation superhumans running around.

* CaptainErsatz: Many, but one of the most notable is Mighty Man, who at the beginning appears to be an obvious nod to Fawcett/DC's [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] (the one who, [[ComicBook/New52 until recently]], [[IAmNotShazam was not Shazam]]). However, Larsen tweaked the idea to make the superhero form an actual, separate entity that resides within a host body, rather than the OlderAlterEgo that Captain Marvel usually appears as. Thus, when the dying host of Mighty Man transfers his powers to his attending nurse (believing her, in his dying stupor, to be his grandson), her SuperpoweredAlterEgo is the same blond-haired, alpha male Mighty Man, but with her mind in the driver's seat. Another twist is that, wherever the host body "goes" when the Mighty Man form is summoned, time still passes for that body; thus, if the host spends all of his or her time as Mighty Man, their own body will waste away from starvation, dehydtration and muscle atrophy, to the point where their effectiveness as Mighty Man will decline (as the effects on the body also affect the host's mental state) and, in a severe case, their own body will be so weakened that they will expire near-instantly when they change back. Ironically, in trying to make Mighty Man ''less'' like the modern DCU Captain Marvel, he ended up becoming ''more'' like the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks original version]] of the character.

* ReverseCerebusSyndrome: The title started off being dark and edgy since it was first published in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks. As the series came into its own, it became much lighter.

* PublicDomainCharacter: [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] Daredevil and the Little Wise Guys, along with a few others.

* {{Crossover}}: There have been several that have happened in the pages of this series: ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Madman}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Bone}}'', ''ComicBook/MegatonMan'', ''ComicBook/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|Mirage}}'', ''Film/MarsAttacks'', ''ComicBook/DestroyerDuck'', ''ComicBook/TheMaxx'', ''Wildstar'', ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}'' and more.

** Issue 3 of the original miniseries has [[ComicBook/{{Youngblood}} Bedrock/Badrock]] show up and start fighting dragon for seemingly no reason. The two brawl for a while before Bedrock stops and reveal it was just a test to see if he was Youngblood material and offers him to join them. At which point Dragon arrests him for for assaulting a police officer and all the property damage caused during their fight, all while also berating Bedrock and youngblood for being a bunch of fame obsessed idiots.

** The LawyerFriendlyCameo of ComicBook/TheSandman... who Dragon promptly punches in the faced, calling him a "hair-teased Creator/TimBurton reject" and saying that "any boob can come up with a cheap knock-off like you."

** The LawyerFriendlyCameo of ComicBook/TheSandman... who Dragon promptly punches in the faced, calling him a "hair-teased Creator/TimBurton reject" and saying that there is "any boob can come up with a cheap knock-off like you."

This series has LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters so it naturally has [[Characters/SavageDragon its own]] CharacterSheet.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Despite the title focusing on a single character, there have been literally hundreds of supporting characters, side characters, and villains throughout the years.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Dart 2 is an [[BadassNormal incredibly skilled martial expert]], to the point that she poses a challenge to Dragon, and sometimes is even the one who walks away from their fights. Normal humans don't have chance against her in melee, and she's shown multiple times to slaughter her ways through hordes of police officers. She eventually meets her demise [[spoiler:when an police sniper puts a bullet in her head from a long distance away]].

* IncestIsRelative: It is very strongly hinted at several points that Angel and Malcolm Dragon being attracted to each other, as they are not blood related. This comes to a head in issue 200 where [[spoiler:both participate in a threesome with Malcolm's girlfriend Maxine.]]

* PowersAsPrograms: Billy Berman uses a Dr. Nirvana-constructed-device to steal Ann's Mighty Man powers.

* WhamEpisode: Issue 76, the comic's setting suddenly changes to '''The Savage World''', the page layout changes, the sex and profanity is gone (for a little while, at least), there are a lot more thought bubbles, and the comic acquires a new third-person {{Narrator}}.