The Good
This is one great start to a new book. About 1000 years ago, Norwegians slayed the last dragon, and it was epic. However, that dragon had laid an egg. This egg was indestructible, so they took the egg with them to what would eventually become North America and hid it. 1000 years later, a little town called Dragon, Colorado has a secret. Hidden away in the peak near the town is the dragon egg, and it's ready to hatch.
A TOWN CALLED DRAGON really surprised me. I knew it involved dragons, obviously, but I wasn't expecting the epicness that was the opening of this series. The battle between the Norwegians and the last dragon is pure awesome. Penciler Geoff Shaw and colorist Jamie Grant create a beautiful looking battle that really moves the opening of this book along well and establishes the fact that dragons are pretty dang hard to kill.
Because it's the first issue of a brand new world, the whole issue is about setting up and establishing the world this series takes place in. Writer Judd Winick knows how to keep the reader invested in this world, while introducing them to the world. This issue is insanely engaging. I'm really impressed with how well this works as an overall issue, especially when I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy. The dialogue is very well done and feels natural as well.
This book costs $3.99 and you get over 50 pages of story.
The Bad
There are a few moments that seem out of place and a bit over-the-top. This book never really presents itself as anything other than serious, but there's one moment where a car is driving away from a gas station where the car is in the air and it almost looks like a cartoon car fleeing a scene. Aside from that, there are a couple of moments where characters look way over the top dramatic and it feels a bit off.
The Verdict
This is a great start for A TOWN CALLED DRAGON. Aside from the fact that you're getting more than 50 pages of story for the price $3.99, the art is wonderful and the story is fantastic. Do you like dragons? Then you should read this. Even if you're not a fan, Winick does an awesome job at setting this all up. Overall, I really enjoyed this issue and so will you.