Turok, Son of Stone # 22 (Dell Comics)

The original Turok, Son of Stone is one of the most magnificent accomplishments of Western Civilization. Two Pre-Columbian Indians are lost in a huge valley filled with cavemen and dinosaurs. They search unendingly for a way out, using poison-tipped arrows to give them a fighting chance against hungry dinosaurs.

One of the strengths of the series was that the stories forced Turok and his young companion Andar to use their brains as well as their bows. They constantly had to THINK their way out of dangerous situations.

Turok #22 (writer unknown, art by Rex Maxon) gives us great examples of this. The first of two stories in this issue is “The Outsiders.” Turok and Andar first have to escape a forest fire caused by lightning, then later encounters a hostile tribe. The leader of that tribe develops an interest in bows and in Turok’s ability to make fire. So he has a pretty girl lure Andar away from Turok, where he’s captured to force the information about making bows and making fire out of him.

Turok, outnumbered and with Andar dangled over a pit of huge crocodiles, uses a combination of arrows and fire to rescue his friend.

The second story is “The Stone Builders.” Here, Turok and Andar are captured by a tribe using slaves to build a giant monument to their gods.

Turok tries to inspire a slave revolt, but someone rats him out. Turok and Andar are tossed into a pit containing a hungry allosaurus. The two are armed only with two flint knives. They seem doomed, but Turok comes up with a clever tactic for defeating the allosaur.

He and Andar then start a prairie fire to start a stampede of triceratops. The rampaging dinosaurs destroy the monument and give the other slaves a chance to escape.

Both stories, of course, feature dinosaurs and it is a truism that Dinosaurs Make Everything Better. But it also features clever storytelling and strong art. As the series progressed, it would enter its best years when written by the prolific Paul S. Newman and would be drawn by Alberto Giolitti. But even these early issues are more fun than a barrel of compsognathus.