Xenozoic Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2013

Great old school style adventure comic with a modern sense of storytelling. Has a bit of a Love and Rockets feel, but with more scifi elements and dinosuars! The sexual tension between the two leads is refreshing. Though titillating, the will they/won’t they angle is entirely wholesome. Both leads are strong, attractive, and intelligent, with different approaches to the world they live in that cause them to rely on each other for survival and friendship in a very meaningful way. Their bond is really the heart of the story, which grounds the narrative in an otherwise ridiculous setting. But the fact the setting is ridiculous is also what makes it such fun!

XENOZOIC by Mark Schultz collects all of the comics written AND drawn by Schultz, but he wrote back-up stories which were drawn by Steve Stiles, so if you like what you see, here, those reprints are included in earlier volumes. I never get tired of this series! Jack Tenrec lives in a post-apocalyptic world where dinosaurs have been reintroduced to the surface and the rules are kill or be killed. Hannah Dundee comes from a slightly-more-sophisticated community whose duplicity Tenrec can sense but whose purpose escapes him. The Grith are a lizard/human hybrid race with psychic abilities who weave unpredictably between the dinosaur and human kingdoms. What elevates XENOZOIC from most science-fiction mash-ups is his well-researched topography for this world: Schultz completely understands the landscape of this alternate future he has created. Like the best science-fiction, Schultz invests his vision with an agenda: anti-technology and pro-environment. Tenrec is fighting to keep the "balance" between nature and creature comforts, and if that makes him a holy fool, then so be it. Hannah represents the easy pleasures available from civilization, but she is also an orphan with a strong attachment to the Grith. The "dance" between Jack and Hannah provides the spine of this old-fashioned adventure story, and Schultz's astonishing artwork earned him the Russ Manning newcomer award: it's THAT good. As for the writing, Schultz has been scripting the syndicated Prince Valiant newspaper strip for the last several years, so he's got chops for days. Simply seeing Schultz's art evolve from his earliest stories to the final batch where he incorporates wash into his black-and-white is reason enough to pick up this book. But the story is wonderful from the get-go, so every page is a prize. XENOZOIC was my favorite book when it was being published as single issues, and it is wonderful to see it packaged together as a whole: this book has my highest recommendation!

Very nice. Really enjoyed it.

These comics are timeless due to them not only taking place a post-apocalyptic setting, but the art works have that awesome 80’s black and white glow. The series is a little light on character, but the world and it's personal politics more than makeup for it. Highly recommended this series.

This is the best edition of Xenozoic Tales ever put together. It's better than past reprint/trades and even better than the original comics. Pages are nice and white and the black line work leaps off the page! The only drawback is it's a tad heavy. This edition is a true reprint of the original, meaning it's in black and white. (If you're looking for colorized editions I believe those were released as "Cadillacs and Dinosaurs.")As for the content, XT is a throwback to the great EC comics of the 1950s. It starts off as an homage to the great Wally Wood. It perfectly employs his rendering, layouts, and pacing. This is by no means a long, drawn out (bloated) story. It has continuity throughout but each story stands on its own. Later in the run, Schultz becomes influenced by the great Al Williamson which, hard to believe, makes the art even better!Storywise, this is a dystopian future where dinosaurs roam the land and technology is basically that of the 1950s (Shultz has a fetish for Cadillacs of that era). The adventures are clever, quick paced, and enjoyable. The main hero and heroine have that classic "will they, won't they" approach to their romantic relationship. The bad news is that this run is only 14 issues long. But the GREAT news is that Schultz says he's coming back for more!If you like great comic art and smooth writing, this is for you!

Let's face it, who doesn't love dinosaurs? Like most men (whose boyhood is still perching on his shoulder and forcing him to buy all sorts of funny stuff that are hated by his wife) I have been in love with them from the first day I laid my eyes on the skeleton of a dinosaur in the small nature museum of our city. What I wouldn't give to see one alive (well, may be I wouldn't - as xenozoic era adventures demonstrate).And come now, who doesn't like cars from the fifties and sixties (my dream car being a Bel Air 1957)?So what happens when you put these together in beautiful black-and-white pages? Well, you obviously get Xenozoic. I loved it. I loved it so much I stormed through the pages, gobbling up the stories. The story is deceptively simple at the beginning but gets deeper and more complex as it develops. Jack and Hannah's story is always on the side and adds a little sexual tension to the otherwise fast paced action of the main story.It is all great. My only disappointment is the abrupt cutoff at the end. After finishing the book I tried to find out where the rest is. I could not find anything. I want to read the rest. No, I NEED to read the rest. Was it not written? If it is being written when will it be printed? Somebody please answer me...As I said, like a delicious chocolate bar, it leaves you craving for more. I hope there is more...

Great pencils and inks, well plotted set of stories, set against a backdrop of dinosaurs and Cadillacs. One of the most engaging graphic novels I've ever read. Characters are consistently well drawn, plot is unexpected at every turn, and even the dialog rings true to each character and locale. I'll be passing this one down to my kids.

If the names Burne Hogarth, Hal Foster, Frank Frazetta, and Al Williamson mean anything to you then order this book now. But there are other reasons.Centuries after an environmental collapse, humanity has emerged from underground shelters to find a very changed world full of creatures from another time. Now tribal shamans try to maintain a balance between the needs of their people and the environment, a balance which many find restrictive. The setting of Xenozoic is the City in the Sea and its shaman is two-fisted mechanic-environmentalist Jack Tenrec who does things his way whether the ruling council like it or not. The story begins with the arrival of Hannah Dundee, ambassador of the Wassoon tribe of the Tidal Flats. Xenozoic is the story of Jack and Hannah.The world Schultz creates is more complicated in every way than it first appears and writer/artist Schultz is in no hurry to give away its secrets. Indeed, by the end the book have the impression he's barely scratched the surface. Initially episodic, it develops into an ongoing and more assured narrative. Reminiscent of 1920's and 30's pulp fiction but with a modern sensibility, it's packed with action and skulduggery, monsters and beautiful women, and more.And the artwork! In the tradition of the artists cited above but with a hint of Wally Wood and Berni Wrightson, the detailed black and white art is just gorgeous.Great characters, a fascinating setting, good stories, wonderful art. Graphic stories just don't get much better than this. More please, Mr Schultz.

I grew up as a child loving reading comics with great stories and art work. Mark Schultz graphic novel Xenozoic is one of the best stories and best artwork I have ever seen. Even though the art work is black & white it is just unreal the attention to detail is a amazing. When hollywood make movies of comics or graphic novels stories they should have picked Xenozoic it would make a great film. This is a must buy for anyone who appreciates great art work and a good story should buy this now.

Just fabulous

Beautiful artwork!

Love it.