Dinosaurs have such a hold on our imaginations that even now, millions of years after their disappearance, we still write books about them, make movies about them, study them, look for clues to their lives and their deaths. As any librarian can tell you, books about dinosaurs are some of the more well-circulated books in both school and public libraries. Which is why it is so exciting that Ricardo Delgado’s Age of Reptiles is now being re-released in an omnibus edition.
What will strike you first about Age of Reptiles, if you have not read the series previously, is that there are no words. None. Not a text bubble, not a voice over, not a sound effect, nothing. Delgado also does not include information about the dinosaurs he draws, which to me is part of the appeal of the book. With included information, this would become an “educational” book and much of the fun would be lost. Instead, Delgado takes the idea of dinosaurs, adds brilliant (though probably assumed) colors, adds just the right bits of anthropomorphism (maternal and paternal love, the impulses for revenge and hate), and ends up with a novel told completely through pictures.
The reason why such a venture is successful is that Delgado is an amazing draftsman. His pictures have the weight of reality, even during the moments that could never have happened, such as revenge sequences. He uses thin lines to draw highly detailed scenes, bringing to life a world that has not been seen for millions of years….
This review was originally posted at Good Comics for Kids. Please visit the original post to see the rest of the review.
Age of Reptiles Omnibus, vol. 1
Art by Ricardo Delgado; Colors by James Sinclair and Jim Campell
ISBN 978-1-59582-683-1
Dark Horse Comics, 2011
