Although it’s sadly been flying under the radar for a large portion of the fandom, Marvel is debuting a brand-new series this weekend, one that’s already achieving critical acclaim. Don’t believe us? Just check out its flawless 100 percent opening score on Rotten Tomatoes.The series in question is Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, an eye-popping and inventive animated show that comes to us from executive producer and secret Marvel icon Laurence Fishburne.
To mark Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur‘s premiere on Disney Channel this Feb. 10, it’s time to take a gander through the heroes that time forgot and celebrate the dynamic dinosaurs that hail from both the Marvel universe and that of the distinguished competition over at DC. From caped crusading creatures to the one and only Godzilla himself, these are the best dinosaurs to stomp their way into the pages of Marvel and DC comics.
Devil Dinosaur
Originally paired with Moon Boy, one of the most underrated creations of Marvel maestro Jack Kirby, Devil Dinosaur got a whole new leash of popularity once he gained a new partner in crime-fighting in the form of child genius Lunella Lafayette. Although he lived in the Savage Land (more on that in a moment) before relocating to NYC in the comics, the TV series simplifies matters by having Lunella accidentally open a portal to prehistoric times.
The denizens of Dinosaur Island
The explorers that discovered this place were real creative sorts, right? Yes, Dinosaur Island, one of the many lost lands in comic book-dom, does right what it says on the tin as this uncharted island in the South Pacific is the habitat of a population of prehistoric creatures that somehow survived the rest of their kind’s extinction. The place is also home to a rare source of silver kryptonite, as discovered by Batman during one dangerous excursion to the island.
The prehistoric populace of the Savage Land
Dinosaur Island’s mirror image in the Marvel universe is the much more famous Savage Land, Stan Lee and co’s answer to both The Lost World and Tarzan-type stories. Hidden away in the Antarctic, this impossible jungle paradise is most known as the home of wild man hero Ka-Zar. That said, many of Marvel’s best and brightest have hung out in the Savage Land over the years, including Spider-Man and the X-Men.
The Batcave’s robot T-Rex
The robot dinosaur in the Batcave is just one of the many eye-catching trophies from past adventures that the Dark Knight has on display in his HQ, including the giant penny and oversized Joker card. It’s been a fixture for so long that few people remember its origins: in 1946’s Batman #35, Batsy and Robin were lured to Dinosaur Island (confusingly, an amusement park, not the real one) where they fought off the animatronic beasties. Bruce kept one as a memento. As you do.
Jokerzard
We’ll talk more about Batsaur and the Jurassic League in a minute, but first let’s showcase one of their most fearsome enemies, because he’s such a wacky creation that he deserves his own spot on this list. What would any variant of Batman be without a Joker for a nemesis, and that’s still true even when the Bat in question happens to be a dinosaur. Honestly, the idea might sound goofy but actually this psychopathic Dilophosaurus gives us the creeps.
Starbrand
One of the most entertaining new Marvel superhero teams introduced in recent times is Avengers 1,000000 BC, Earth’s earliest mightiest heroes. Part of the reason they’re so cool is because the have a friggin’ superhero dinosaur among their number. Long before any humans bonded with the cosmic Starbrand force, one T-Rex received its power when it traveled to Earth via the asteroid that wiped out the rest of its kind.
Sauron
No, Marvel’s Sauron has nothing to do with The Lord of the Rings villain but is actually a human scientist who genetically transformed himself into a human/Pterodactyl hybrid. Real name Dr. Karl Lykos, Sauron is famed for his cuckoo obsession with transforming people into dinosaurs, as hilariously immortalized in the iconic moment when Spider-Man once questioned his motives, which has become a ubiquitous internet meme.
Godzilla
That’s right, the King of Monsters himself, one of pop culture’s most famous dinosaurs, exists in the Marvel universe. Back in the 1970s, the House of Ideas temporarily had the rights to publish comics featuring the Toho icon and his kaiju allies and enemies, which memorably allowed for a dream battle between the Avengers and Godzilla when the big beastie emerged from the ocean to stomp his way through New York.
Old Lace
Apparently the Marvel universe is big enough to include two teen heroines and their beloved dino sidekicks, as in addition to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, the franchise also has Arsenic (Gert Yorkes) and Old Lace, who count among the members of the Runaways. Recognizable for his distinctive nose-ring, this temporally displaced Deinonychus also shares a telepathic link with Gert that gives them a deep emotional connection.
Batsaur, Supersaur and the Jurassic League
What is the one way to make the Justice League even better? Turn them into dinosaurs, that’s what. 2022’s Jurassic League series introduced the heroes of Earth-27, a world home to anthropomorphic dinosaurs. This League consists of the likes of Flashraptor, Wonderdon, and Green Torch, although the stars of the show are definitely Supersaur — an alien Brachiosaurus sent to a prehistoric Earth — and Batsaur — an orphan Allosaurus who… dresses as a bat to scare criminals. Are dinosaurs afraid of bats? Whatever, he’s a Dinosaur Batman. That should be enough for you people!
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur premieres on Disney Plus on Feb. 15, with new episodes following weekly.