Savage Dragon #132
Savage Dragon #132 is the narrative pivot at which Angel Murphy — daughter of Jennifer Dragon and long-running supporting character — activates her dormant superhuman abilities and claims the codename Battle Girl, cementing her as a superhero in her own right within the Image Universe. The issue simultaneously kicks off a prolonged story thread: Dragon's search for his missing wife Jennifer, a mystery whose tragic resolution (Angel herself murdered Jennifer while under Mister Glum's mind control) would not be revealed for years, giving the series one of its most emotionally charged long-form plots. At eighty pages it also showcases Erik Larsen's ongoing commitment to the anthology-within-a-series format, launching the Rock House Diner backup feature that deepened the bench of supporting characters. The cameo appearances of Invincible's Mark Grayson and the Kents reflect the casual, continuity-rich crossover culture of early Image Comics.
"Battle Girl" kicks off in Savage Dragon #132, a 2007 Image Comics issue spotlighting a standout story in the series' long run. The issue features artwork by various contributors and a cover by Erik Larsen, who also handles the inks, setting the tone for a dynamic, action-packed entry. With no direct plot details revealed, the story promises a bold, high-energy chapter in the Dragon’s ongoing saga.
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The issue was written and drawn by Erik Larsen, the character's creator and one of the seven co-founders of Image Comics in 1992, with the Rock House Diner backup segment drawn by Frank Fosco, a longtime Savage Dragon contributor also known for his work on the Image-era Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Larsen openly acknowledged in the issue's credits that the opening flashback sequence was deliberately 'swiped' from Savage Dragon: Sex and Violence #1 (1997), the mini-series in which Jennifer Murphy and Angel made their debut — a self-referential storytelling choice that grounded the new arc in the series' own history.
Trivia · 7 facts
- Angel Murphy (a.k.a. Angel Darling, formerly Angel Murphy) first adopts the superhero codename Battle Girl in this issue after her dormant superhuman strength and invulnerability activate during a confrontation involving Dark Dragon.
- Dragon begins his search for the missing Jennifer Dragon (Jennifer Murphy), a mystery whose resolution — Angel's brainwashed murder of her own mother — would unfold across subsequent years of the series.
- The issue contains two distinct story segments: the lead 'Battle Girl' feature written and drawn by Erik Larsen, and the new 'Rock House Diner' backup written by Larsen and drawn by longtime Savage Dragon artist Frank Fosco.
- Multiple Vicious Circle members receive their introduction in this issue, including Chrome Dome, Gem-Head, Horn-Head, Mane Man, Megamaniac, Myotis, and Roy Robot, as well as Helen Black and Gina Manning (whose origin is revealed in the backup).
- Invincible (Mark Grayson) as well as Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in cameo roles within the Rock House Diner backup, illustrating the inter-title connectivity of the early Image Universe.
- Larsen credited the opening flashback sequence as a deliberate 'swipe' from Savage Dragon: Sex and Violence #1 (1997) — the mini-series that first introduced Jennifer Murphy and Angel Murphy to the series.
- The Dark Dragon (first appearance: Savage Dragon #99) and DarkLord, Mother Mayhem, and Universo appear, with the latter three in flashback, within a prelude segment set prior to the events of Savage Dragon #99.
Cast · 40 characters
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Reprinted in G-Man #1 (2009)
Key issues in Savage Dragon
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