The Savage Dragon # 1 1993 NM-

The Savage Dragon #1, published by Image Comics in June 1993, is the first issue of the long-running ongoing series. It was created, written, and drawn by Erik Larsen, and details the Dragon's struggles as an amnesiac hero working for the Chicago Police Department. 

Story Synopsis: "The Savage Dragon!"

The issue focuses on the Dragon's challenges as a super-powered police officer in a city overrun by super-villains known as "superfreaks". 

• The Amnesiac Cop: Found in a burning field with no memory of his past, the green-skinned, fin-headed protagonist (nicknamed "Dragon") is convinced by Lieutenant Frank Darling to join the Chicago P.D..
• The Vicious Circle: The main antagonists are a powerful, bulletproof criminal organization called the Vicious Circle, which the police are unable to handle with conventional means.
• The Shrew: Under emotional stress from personal losses, the Dragon confronts a homicidal villain called the Shrew. He engages in a brutal battle, nearly killing his opponent, which highlights his own capacity for violence and moral conflict.
• New Allies: While investigating an underground area of the city, Dragon gets into a fight with the super-strong Barbaric but is stopped by Barbaric's partner, Ricochet, marking their first appearances and the beginning of a complex alliance.
• Betrayal: The issue also reveals that Lieutenant Darling is being blackmailed by the Vicious Circle, adding a layer of internal conflict and mistrust to the police force. 

Creative Team & Legacy

• Writer/Artist: Erik Larsen.
• Inkers/Colorists: The art team included Steve Oliff and Reuben Rude. 

The Savage Dragon is notable for being one of the first titles launched by Image Comics and, alongside Spawn, is one of the only original Image titles to still be published, with Erik Larsen maintaining one of the longest tenures of any single writer/artist in American comics history.