Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1

By Greg Pak, Mirko Colak & Lauren Affe

Anybody who owned a Nintendo 64 should remember Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Released way back in 1997, it was one of the best games at the time and, arguably, in the entire life span of the N64 system. So for those with love for that game, even if you didn’t read the original Acclaim comic series back then, the announcement of a new Turok comic series was exciting. There are so many possibilities for this new Turok series and in the hands of guys like Greg Pak and Mirko Colak this first issue had high expectations to live up to.

Do they meet those expectations? Well, the easy answer is a simple no. But in the same breath, this is just a first issue. Greg Pak has to establish this world and introduce, or re-introduce, Turok to the comic masses. So right off the bat we really don’t get crazy Dinosaur battles or really get to see Turok let loose. Instead, we get an introduction to Turok as a character and the life he leads and why he lives alone and separate from the rest of his tribe.

There also seemed to be a lot of people getting cracked in the head from “off camera”, which by the third or fourth time became a bit frustrating and confusing. As far as the story went, these weren’t the only confusing points. Maybe it merits a re-read already, but for some reason it felt like the story bounced around and stuff just happened without much explanation. One minute, some guys want to kick Turok’s ass, the next somebody is cracked in the head and they’re running around and there’s Dinosaurs. It just felt disjointed.

Mirko Colak does a good job on art, even if the updated design and look of Turok might be just a little too far from his look in the late 90s. Personal preference, maybe, and you can’t please everybody. Other than the design of Turok, the world he and Pak are building looks well planned and well designed. The characters are consistent, even if the story might jump a bit, and everything is as it should be. His Dinosaur work, for what we saw, looks promising and Lauren Affe’s colors really add an extra exciting layer to them with her bright color choices. Even the flash back scenes where Turok is imagining his parents have a really unique color style to them and it definitely makes those scenes stand out from the rest.

While this first issue was not bad, it also wasn’t particularly great. It was just above the average mark—which for those playing at home, on our scale is two stars—but it leaves a lot to be desired. First issues are always hard to really sit down and look at because it’s generally the first time we’re seeing the characters and getting a feel for the story to come. Greg Pak is a fantastic writer, so there’s little doubt he has a plan and this will get better. At the end of the day, it’s worth sticking with it for a couple more issues just for that old Turok nostalgia.