Devil Dinosaur: Needless Character Analysis
This week, we feature Devil Dinosaur. Fresh off the announcement of a new Devil Dinosaur series this fall, my excitement for this character is high. She was created by Jack Kirby in the late 1970s in response to a rumored Kamandi animated series. Her series ended with Kirby’s departure from Marvel Comics, and the character floated around, guest starring in several comics. However, being a big red dinosaur, Devil Dinosaur remains a favorite of fans to this day, which probably makes her new series nowhere near as surprising.
Devil Dinosaur comes from a alternate Earth referred to as “Dinosaur World.” There, dinosaurs existed side by side with early humans and proto-humans. One tribe of people attempted to kill a young Devil Dinosaur by throwing her into a volcano. The dinosaur was rescued by a proto-human named Moon Boy, but not before the ordeal turned her skin bright red, possibly due to a latent mutation triggered by the heat. Devil possessed superior strength to other dinosaurs of her kind. She and Moon Boy were inseparable, and had many adventures even finding themselves transported to modern day earth on occasion.
They found themselves recruited into a mutant team known as the Fallen Angels, but when that group disbands, Devil and Moon-Boy return to Dinosaur World, although they eventually find themselves transported back to the modern day Marvel Universe by Jennifer Kale. They settle in the Savage Land and Devil lays eggs and Moon Boy is captured and detained by S.H.I.E.L.D., throwing Devil Dinosaur into a deep depression. Eventually, they are reunited and one of Devil’s eggs hatch, birthing another red Tyrannosaur.
There is just something fun about the adventures of a red T-Rex, and Devil often gets played for humor as much as she is as a serious character. In Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E., Devil is even revealed to be the head of two terrorist organizations in an effort to kill humans. While uncharacteristic, the series has been relegated to outside of continuity, so while a great use of the character.
I have referred to Devil as female due to the laying of eggs, but traditionally Devil Dinosaur was always referred to as male. I would need to go back and re-read some old issues, but given that Devil Dinosaur doesn’t talk, this could simply be mistake made by Moon-Boy.
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