This month’s We Want Comics is looking at a franchise that has already been turned into a comic book, Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, or, as it’s been rebranded for the big screen lately, Jurassic World. Topps Comics put out various series back in the ’90s, and IDW Publishing put out three miniseries earlier this decade, “Jurassic Park: Redemption,” John Byrne’s “Devils in the Desert,” and “Dangerous Games,” but there haven’t been any tie-in books for Jurassic World or its upcoming sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. An IDW series was rumored for last year but nothing transpired, and IDW would only respond to our request for comment that “it’s an ongoing discussion.”
Rest assured, that while Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has been released in various countries, this article will be spoiler-free: you’ll probably guess which backstory reveals would merit their own comic book once you’ve seen it.
In any case, let’s take a look at the lore that Universal Studios have offered lately through its viral marketing website, the Dinosaur Protection Group. The Dinosaur Protection Group are an organization, set to feature in the second film, founded by Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) that campaigns for the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar to be recognized as an endangered species, subject to the same rights and protections as other extant animals. Their website contains reports that clarify much of the films’ backstory, and provide a lot of hints for intriguing new potential stories that writers could sink their teeth into.
For example, this report on the Gene Guard Act reveals how Masrani Global were able to undo the agreement to keep Isla Sorna a sanctuary for the dinosaurs — from the end of The Lost World: Jurassic Park — and build a new park, namely by bribing officials. It also confirms Dr. Grant’s suspicions in Jurassic Park III, that InGen, which had been bought out by Masrani by this stage, were already creating new animals, therefore explaining why the Spinosaurus was not in the previous film.
Meanwhile, this report on Masrani Global explains how the introduction of an apex predator like the Spinosaurus upset the ecosystem on Isla Sorna, causing many of the dinosaurs to die out, and thereby gave Masrani the excuse to (once again) capture and ship the remaining ones off to the new facility on Isla Nublar. It also sheds light on Vic Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio)’s security company, revealing they were acquired out by Masrani as they had captured the Pteranodons that flew away at the end of Jurassic Park III (that’d make for an exciting issue to say the least).
There’s plenty, more specific, backstories to explore, like how Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) became the Velociraptor pack’s alpha male, or Claire’s clear change in demeanor in-between both Jurassic World films. The most intriguing character who could be spotlighted would be Henry Wu (B.D. Wong), the lead geneticist who worked at both Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. In the first film, Wu was quite a nondescript scientist, but in the revival, he came across as arrogant, greedy, and filled with a callous disregard for the victims of his experiments.
Was Wu always an amoral sociopath with a God complex? It’s a question that a comic could always go into with more depth than a movie, especially as it can spend all of its time on Wu’s life through the decades, and his interactions with characters like John Hammond, Robert Muldoon or Simon Masrani.
Point is, there’s still a lot you can do with the “Jurassic” saga on the printed page: you could even retell some of the film’s events from the perspective of the dinosaurs, which is the surreal, unconventional storytelling that comic books can offer and the films cannot. Then there’s the opportunity to adapt both of Crichton’s darker, more violent novels themselves: it would be well worth the additional negotiating price.
Enough about potential plots, let’s idealize a creative team: whether’s in “Gotham Central” or “Queen and Country,” Greg Rucka is adept at making politics, corporate or otherwise, engaging. He has a way of reminding us characters still have a life outside the office, and there’s also his “Star Wars” work. It’d be great to see Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman write a “Jurassic” comic as well, given their superb work on the BOOM! Studios series “Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes,” “Exile on the Planet of the Apes,” and “Planet of the Apes: Cataclysm.”
Continued belowTo be frank, there are lot of twenty-something writers who saw Jurassic Park as kids and would love to explore that world. A good artist is probably more important to find, as no one wants to buy a comic with lame looking dinosaurs, which is likely why IDW’s initial line didn’t catch on. It would be interesting to see Jorge Jiménez, who pencilled “Dangerous Games,” back on a “Jurassic” comic, as his artwork has greatly improved in the years since, especially when paired with colorist Alejandro Sanchez. It would be also be great to see Jeff Zornow, who drew some excellent covers for “Dangerous Games,” on interiors instead.
Our top choice would be “Aliens: Defiance” penciller Tristan Jones, who can draw Xenomorphs without making them look overly mushy, and could do the same with the dinosaurs of Jurassic World. Jones has expresed interest in doing a whole sketchbook of dinosaurs (and presumably other prehistoric fauna), so he’d be perfect. Patric Reynolds (“Aliens: Fire and Stone”) can similarly draw iconic movie monsters without being clumsy and making them look weird.
Other artists who are capable of rendering cool dinosaurs:
We really hope it turns out IDW have something special planned for fans of the series, even if solicitations indicate they have missed the opportunity to have something coincide with the release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in June (not to mention the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park itself). Let’s hope, that like the prehistoric beauties that InGen brought back from the dead, that they ultimately find their way.
Special thanks to YouTuber Klayton Fioriti, whose videos on all aspects of the Jurassic franchise inspired this post.
