Warning: Potential Spoilers Ahead
Savager is one of four titles from Panick Entertainment, a new publisher that came on to the scene back in 2024 with a focus on Horror and dark Sci-Fi themes. Black Diamond, T.A.M.A., and The Accessories are the other 3 offerings and ones I hope to check out when I have the chance too. And to be perfectly honest with you guys, I more than likely wouldn’t have even known about Savager and PE if it wasn’t for my local comic shop having the first two issues of Savager. Yay for Grim’s Fiction! Savager is the story of Riley Phillips, a Government employee and all around decent guy you wouldn’t mind being friends with. Only, Riley’s stuck in a living (dying) nightmare of a world thanks in part to a bunch of parasitic beings that love them some Protein. Mm-mmm good! And that’s not the only problem our boy has, as he himself is stuck sharing his body with one of the parasites and because of that, is basically immortal.
Their relationship is… Strained, to put it lightly but they don’t let that stop them from traveling the land and kicking ass. Tho whether or not the grotesque forms of Humans and Animals now over taken by the Parasites even have asses is another thing entirely and probably not something to spend time thinking about. Especially at close to 6 in the morning and you’re likely better off wondering why Riley hasn’t put himself and his ‘passenger’ out of their misery after a century of living. More so because of the fact it seems like our boy is the last of Humanity and all he’s got to look forward too is putting a hurting on the Parasites.
But before I go on more about all that, I just want to say that the Baals do a fantastic job in their respective duties for this book and I would more than happily check out more of their work in other titles. Dirk Blackman and Shannon Eric Denton did good when they chose the Baals to cover the art and colors as some of the Parasitic beings in this book are ones you definitely don’t want to meet in a dark alley. Even if you do have some heavy fire power! Blackman and Denton also keep you well and truly hooked once you get started on reading Savager as you really don’t want to put the book down until you’re finished. And it helps that we only get little bits and pieces of past events that lead to the current time period instead of solely focusing on the origin.
Nicely building the mystery of everything and if we get to see where exactly the Parasites came from prior to invading Earth is a mystery in and of itself. But even if that’s not explored, that’s okay by me as Blackman and Denton give us plenty to chew (no pun intended there) on as it is! And as we readers, along with Riley, find out, Riley isn’t the only one out there as previously thought. Tho an offhand remark that gets made makes me wonder how human they are and I’m also rather curious as to why the Parasites consider Riley’s unwanted guest to be a traitor.
I’m assuming perhaps because he’s willingly working with what they would consider prey instead of taking over? Something we very well could get an answer too in the third issue as that one looks to be heating up thanks to a little kidnapping!
Which will be out Jan 2026! But in the mean time, head here to read you some Savager!
Savager #2
Panick Entertainment
Writers: Dirk Blackman and Shannon Eric Denton
Artist: Kewber Baal
Colorist: Schimerys Baal
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Reviewer: Rob Wrecks
Summary: Fifty years post invasion–Earth is a dead world–all organic life consumed by tentacle-clad cosmic parasites. Inhabiting barely recognisable husks of Earth’s former lifeforms, these remnants fight for dominance in a horrific post-apocalypse. Riley Phillips is the Savager–once a human warrior, now an infected shell–at war with the parasite within him, hopelessly wandering the lifeless planet, violently seeking revenge for the death of his world. When Savager discovers the last living humans, he must battle his personal monster and face the harrows of his past if he’s to save the future from the deadly creatures on their trail–protecting the last of a “presumed extinct” humanity from a new and permanent extinction!
