Devil Dinosaur is a Marvel Comics character who resembles a red Tyrannosaurus Rex. He first appeared in Devil Dinosaur #1 (April 1978). Devil Dinosaur and his inseparable ape-like friend, Moon-Boy, are natives of "Dinosaur World", a version of Earth in a parallel universe where dinosaurs co-exist with tribes of primitive humanoid beings.
Publication history
Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy are the creations of artist Jack Kirby who scripted and penciled all nine issues of the first series. Devil Dinosaur was created during Kirby's third stint at Marvel (1975â€"1978). Having heard that DC Comics was working on an animated series featuring Kirby's Kamandi, Marvel attempted to one-up their competitor by instructing Kirby to create a series similar to Kamandi, but incorporating a dinosaur co-star, since dinosaurs were hugely popular with young audiences of the time. The resulting Devil Dinosaur series was short lived, lasting only nine months (April â€" December 1978), and the proposed animated series never entered development. The original Devil Dinosaur series chronicled Devil and Moon-Boy's adventures in their home, "Dinosaur World". After the cancellation of Devil Dinosaur, the character’s appearances were relegated to one-shot comics, cameos, and supporting roles in other series.
In Devil Dinosaur #1, Kirby states in the "Dinosaur Dispatches" letters column that the original intent was for Moon-Boy and Devil to be an early human and dinosaur from Earth's past. Kirby writes: "After all, just where the Dinosaur met his end, and when Man first stood reasonably erect, is still shrouded in mystery." Writers subsequent to Kirby have approached the character’s origin in various ways. Some have followed Kirby’s lead and portrayed the character as being from the prehistoric past of the main Marvel continuity (sometimes referred to as “Earth-616â€), while others have depicted Devil as hailing from either an alien planet or an alternate reality Earth. Marvel’s most recent publications list Devil’s home of origin as "Dinosaur World (Earth-78411)", a primitive version of Earth existing in one of the many alternate universes contained within the Marvel Multiverse.
The first appearance of Devil Dinosaur after the cancellation of the original series was in Marvel's Godzilla comic book series of 1979. The character was not to be referenced again in a Marvel comic until 1986 when the Thing of the Fantastic Four travels to a Pacific island where "Devil Dinosaur: The Movie" is being produced. During the Thing's visit, Godzilla appears. After battling and destroying a robot Devil Dinosaur used in the film, Godzilla disappears once again into the ocean. Devil Dinosaur himself does not actually appear in the 1986 story, but beginning with the Fallen Angels limited series of 1987, the character has continued to make sporadic appearances in Marvel publications.
Fictional character biography
Early years on Dinosaur World
The young Devil Dinosaur was nearly burned to death by a tribe of Killer-Folk, hostile beings native to his planet, but was rescued by Moon-Boy, a young member of a rival tribe, the Small-Folk. Exposure to the Killer-Folk's fire activated a mutation in the dinosaur which gave him powers greater than others of his species and turned his skin from olive green to flame red. Devil's early adventures on his home world include encounters with extraterrestrials and a brief teleportation to modern day Earth.
Later, Godzilla rampages through the Marvel Universe (Earth-616). In an attempt to stop the monster, S.H.I.E.L.D. shrinks Godzilla with Pym Particles and attempts to teleport him via a time machine to the prehistoric past. However, Godzilla's radiation apparently distorts the time machine so that he is transported to the alternate universe of Dinosaur World instead. While there, he briefly unites with Moon-Boy and Devil against a common foe before being pulled back to the main Marvel continuity.
Member of the Fallen Angels
After Ariel, an extraterrestrial mutant with teleportation powers, teleports the Fallen Angels to Dinosaur World, the group convinces Devil and Moon-Boy to join their team and return with them to Earth-616. During his time with the Fallen Angels, Devil Dinosaur kills "Don", the super-intelligent mutant lobster on the team by accidentally stepping on him. Devil and Moon-Boy return to their own universe when the Fallen Angels eventually disband.
Dinosaur World again
After their stint with the Fallen Angels, the duo's life back on Dinosaur World is interrupted numerous times by events occurring in the main Marvel continuity:
- During a conflict between Slapstick and his time manipulating foe, Doctor Yesterday, Devil and Moon-Boy are briefly teleported to Earth-616.
- In the midst of a tussle between the Technet and Lockheed inside Excalibur's lighthouse, Devil is once again briefly transported to Earth-616.
- Young Celestials transport the Hulk back in time to combat Devil.
- A renegade Skrull flees to Devil's planet and uses his shape shifting abilities to impersonate the late leader of the Killer-Folk, Seven Scars.
- Due to the manipulations of the interdimensional traveler Access, Devil Dinosaur's world briefly merges with the DC Comics Universe where he encounters Anthro, a Cro-Magnon man.
- In the midst of a battle with a Kraken, Hulkpool and his unwitting companions accidentally time travel to Dinosaur World where Devil Dinosaur, Moon-Boy and the Small-Folk help destroy the kraken. During Hulkpool’s effort to return to his own time, Devil and Moon-Boy are briefly teleported to the American Old West in the year 1873. While there, Devil attempts to eat a cowboy’s horse.
Stranded on Earth 616 in modern times
New York City
Some time later, the sorceress Jennifer Kale, in an attempt to return Howard the Duck to his homeworld, inadvertently teleports Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy into her New York apartment. The disoriented dinosaur rampages through the city before being subdued by Ghost Rider. Stranded in modern day Earth-616 after their teleportation there by Kale, the pair is hypnotized into joining the Circus of Crime. After being rescued by Spider-Man, Devil and Moon-Boy are relocated to the Savage Land.
The Savage Land
The Heroes for Hire mercenaries go on a mission to retrieve Moon-Boy from the Savage Land and encounter Devil Dinosaur in the process. Devil is found fiercely guarding a nest containing a clutch of eggs that apparently he himself has laid and the dinosaur abandons Moon-Boy to ensure their safety. The discrepancy between this development and his previously presumed male sex is noted by the mercenaries, who can only speculate as to the cause of the change. After returning to the U.S. the Heroes for Hire disband and group member Paladin leaves alone with Moon-Boy to collect the reward from the S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists who hired the mercenaries.
Devil and Moon-Boy Separated
Moon-Boy would remain under the custody of S.H.I.E.L.D. for some time, which drove Devil Dinosaur into a sort of saurian depression. Refusing to eat, or defend himself, he was in danger of dying. However, Stegron, the dinosaur man, became worried about the survival of the Devil-Beast due to it being the last known of its species. Leaving the Savage Land without the permission of Ka-Zar and building an army of reanimated dinosaurs, Stegron marched across the U.S. attacking S.H.I.E.L.D. base after base, until he was eventually stopped by the Fifty State Initiative. However, the group discovered the motive behind Stegron's plan, and though he was arrested all the same, the Initiative recruit Reptil, smuggled Moon-Boy back to the Savage Land, where he was reunited with his companion.
Reunited in the Savage Land
Reunited in the Savage Land, the companions' adventures continued:
- When the Roxxon Energy Corporation attempts to extract vibranium from the Savage Land, the inhabitants of the Savage Land including Ka-Zar, Devil Dinosaur and Moon-Boy enter into battle to save their home. Roxxon's forces are soon subdued.
- Devil Dinosaur meets the Pet Avengers when they are accidentally transported to the Savage Land. Out of shock and anger, Devil attacks the group. Eventually, the group of animalian avengers manage to return to their own world.
- The Savage Land Mutate, Brainchild, creates an army of cybernetic dinosaurs and steals Devil Dinosaur’s eggs in order to experiment on them. Spider-Man arrives and helps Devil and Moon-Boy defeat the cybernetic dinosaurs and rescue the eggs. At the end of the adventure, one of the eggs hatches revealing a red baby Tyrannosaurus.
Powers and abilities
Devil Dinosaur is a gigantic reptile, with the instinctive savagery of a carnivore, and possesses superhuman strength and durability. He possesses above normal intelligence, on a par with humans.
Other versions
Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine
Wolverine and Spider-Man are transported to an alternate reality in chaos. This bizarre world is ruled by a race of small ape-like creatures who are menaced by numerous enemies. Among these enemies is a cybernetic Devil Dinosaur ridden by a warrior-like being.
Avengers: United We Stand
The Avengers of Earth-730834 battle Devil and Moon-Boy.
Deadpool Kills Deadpool
The mercenary Deadpool encounters dozens of versions of himself from alternate realities. One version he meets is "Deadpool Dinosaur", an amalgam of Deadpool and Devil Dinosaur.
Earth-X
In the alternate universe of Earth X (Earth-9997), the skeletal remains of Devil and Moon-Boy are at the Blue Area of the Moon. In Paradise X, the sequel to Earth X, it is revealed Moon-Boy's people are the ancestors of Wolverine.
Mutant X
In the Mutant X alternate universe, a version of Devil Dinosaur who bears Daimon Hellstrom's trident and "Moon Knight Boy" are members of Earth-1298's version of the Lethal Legion.
Nextwave
In the Nextwave series, Devil Dinosaur is revealed to be the head of two organizations with ties to terrorism, the Beyond Corporation© and S.I.L.E.N.T., both of which he created due to his growing hatred of "monkeys". Devil is depicted as having the power of speech and states: "Moon-Boy hated me. Moon-Boy had to die. Moon-Boy tasted bad and gave me considerable rectal distress." Devil's uncharacteristic behavior in the Nextwave series and also the fact that Moon-Boy, who is said to be dead but shows up later on friendly terms with a non-speaking Devil Dinosaur in Heroes for Hire, has given rise to speculation about whether the Nextwave stories should be seen as occurring in the main Marvel continuity or not. A more recent Marvel publication, the Marvel Pets Handbook, states that the Devil Dinosaur in Nextwave was a clone.
What If?
In Marvel's What If? series, the alternate reality of Earth-34882 is presented in which Devil is part of a team of super animals assembled by Howard the Duck.
In other media
Television
- Devil Dinosaur appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "The Devil Dinosaur You Say!", voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. In the episode, Devil teams up with Wolverine to save Moon-Boy's tribe from the High Evolutionary who wants to sell them as pets.
- Devil Dinosaur appears in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "Savage Land", voiced by Steven Blum. After being knocked off their jump jet, A-Bomb and Red Hulk encounter Devil Dinosaur under the control of Sauron who orders it to attack. Upon being alerted of She-Hulk and Skaar attacking his drill at the super-volcano, Sauron controls Devil Dinosaur into finishing the attack. Devil Dinosaur ends up swallowing A-Bomb as he then charges towards Hulk. Hulk and Red Hulk then fight Devil Dinosaur to get A-Bomb out of him. Upon being freed from Sauron's mind-control, Devil Dinosaur regurgitated A-Bomb as Devil Dinosaur becomes friends with A-Bomb. Devil Dinosaur helps to fight Sauron's forces and destroy the drill. Devil Dinosaur is brought back with the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. as their "pet." In the episode "Red Rover," Devil Dinosaur's antics start to annoy Red Hulk causing him to find someplace to relocate Devil Dinosaur. First, Red Hulk tries a petting zoo. Devil Dinosaur ended up "turning it into an all you can eat buffet." Then Red Hulk tried a museum where Devil Dinosaur ended up wrecking the dinosaur skeletons. In his latest attempt, Red Hulk placed Devil Dinosaur in the mountains of what he thought was Transia when it was actually Latveria. After Red Hulk was captured by Doctor Doom so that he can siphon his gamma energy for his larger armor, Devil Dinosaur ended up rescuing him as they escape from Latveria. Red Hulk and Devil Dinosaur managed to make their way back to Vista Verde. When Doctor Doom caught up to Red Hulk and Devil Dinosaur, the rest of the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. joined the battle. With Devil Dinosaur's help, the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. were able to fend off Doctor Doom. Afterwards, Red Hulk and Devil Dinosaur had an understanding for each other, at least until Devil Dinosaur ended up burying Red Hulk in the ground again.
- Devil Dinosaur has a cameo appearance in Avengers Assemble episode "Hulk's Day Out." He appears as a friend of the Hulk.
Games
- Devil Dinosaur appears in Marvel Puzzle Quest: Dark Reign as Nick Fury's pet.
Books
Devil Dinosaur Omnibus (reprints #1-9)
References
External links
- Toonpedia.com
- www.comicbookresources.com
- Gorilla Daze
