Velociraptor Mongolensis (from Age of Reptiles) by Ricardo Delgado

Because there is more to comics than the stupid super heroes we all love, here comes a fantastic and splendid piece from master artist & storyteller, Ricardo Delgado.

This was to be one of the 12 signed lithographs of the (too?) ambitious carnivorous serie based on Age of Reptiles. Sadly for its fans, this lithograph serie was discontinued after the release of the fourth one.

Dark Horse had the good idea and taste to compile all 12 in a rare Age of Reptiles calendar in 1999.

This one was an instant favourite for obvious reasons.

Packed with “characters”, I love the feel you get from the piece. You really get a sense that they all just sniffed a prey on the wind and how tense the whole scene resultantly radiates. Ricardo also managed to infuse personality in each raptor through subtle details such as neck position, stance, size of their eyes, etc…

Finally, you also get a sense that this big old rugged rock is their place. The one they regroup at after the hunt. Look at all the bones littering the ground including a skull from an obviously larger animal which is consistent with their group hunting modus operandi.

I will conclude by copy pasting the legend from the calendar that Ricardo wrote:

Late Cretaceous China

6 feet

Imagine a pack of wild dogs on the African Savana. That is how Velociraptor may have lived-in a large group attacking bigger animals, or by themselves running through the brush after smaller prey. Its long arms, large eyes, and sickle claws made Velociraptor an effective hunter.