Xenozoic Tales

AUTHOR: Schultz, Mark

ARTIST: Mark Schultz (illustrator)

PUBLISHER: Kitchen Sink Press; Marvel Comics; Flesk Publications

FIRST SERIAL PUBLICATION: 1987-1996

FIRST BOOK PUBLICATION: 1989

Publication History

Philadelphia-born Mark Schultz discovered comic books at age six, when he was drawn to the larger-than-life heroics typified by Tarzan and Superman. Over time, he supplemented his comics reading with the pulp works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard, while Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, and Frank Frazetta proved to be artistic inspirations. As Schultz studied art, he also fell under the influence of classic American artists and illustrators such as Winslow Homer, Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, Daniel Smith, Dean Cornwell, Herbert Morton Stoops, and Frank Hoban.

Although he dreamed of drawing comic book stories, Schultz attended Kutztown State College (now Kutztown University of Pennsylvania) before going to work as a commercial illustrator. As independent comic book publishing exploded in the 1980’s, Schultz was finally inspired to make his dream a reality. He envisioned a postapocalyptic world set hundreds of years in the future, although technology would have stalled in modern times. The odd mix of cars and dinosaurs was on display in the twelve-page story “Xenozoic!,” which he submitted to Denis Kitchen, founder of Kitchen Sink Press.

Xenozoic Tales proved successful enough to be adapted by CBS for Saturday morning television under the more familiar name of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. Although it only lasted for one thirteen-episode season, it was successful enough to spawn a comic book based on the cartoon, published by Topps in 1994. Marvel Comics and Kitchen Sink Press also released reprints of the series under the Cadillacs and Dinosaurs title; Marvel’s versions were color comic books, while Kitchen Sink Press put out three oversized black-and-white collections. In 2010, Flesh Publications packaged all the Schultz material in one volume.

Plot

By 1987, Earth was already experiencing a series of geologic upheavals that would alter the ecosystem. By the early twenty-first century, mankind was abandoning the surface for subterranean dwellings. By 2020, billions of humans had died and entire species had been rendered extinct almost overnight. Humans, too, were nearly extinct, making way for new life-forms to evolve. Those humans who remained found bunkers and hunkered down for survival.

The series picks up some 450 years later as humanity reemerges into a world unrecognizable by the reader. The Earth has become habitable for other life, including a wide range of formerly extinct creatures, from trilobites to mammoths. Somewhere along the way, Earth gained a second moon, which had its own effects on the planet’s development.

The stories are set in this new Xenozoic (strange life) era and feature Jack “Cadillac” Tenrec. Jack is still in possession of technological skills, making him among the elite of the remaining human society. He is helping to rebuild the twentieth century from whatever parts have survived, notably Cadillacs, which he modifies to run on dinosaur guano in lieu of oil. Accompanying him on his adventures is the gorgeous scientist Hannah Dundee, who has secrets of her own. When not being chased by dinosaurs, Jack and Hannah must deal with corrupt humans as well as a new humanoid race that has genetic links to the reptiles and can telepathically chat with the dinosaurs.

Tenrec recognizes that, centuries before, humanity was somehow responsible for the cataclysm that altered the world. He considers it his personal responsibility to ensure that mankind has learned from its mistakes and can find a way to harmonize with the rebuilding world. While Tenrec looks after his “tribe,” Hannah represents the city-state of Wassoon, although her role as an ambassador is viewed with skepticism by others. Each story stands on its own while slowly building a larger picture of the world and its current inhabitants.

Characters

•Jack Tenrec is a muscled, handsome brunet who is adept with mechanical objects. A master mechanic for his tribe, he adores rebuilding ancient automobiles, which he modifies to run on dinosaur waste, and has a large garage with a fleet of vehicles in various states of repair. He has a particular fondness for Cadillac convertibles. Tenrec is an excellent shot and has a unique understanding of the artifacts left behind by his ancestors. He is romantically and physically involved with Hannah Dundee but does not entirely trust her, given her enigmatic nature.

•Hannah Dundee, scientist and ambassador from the nearby city-state of Wassoon, fancies Jack Tenrec and accompanies him on his escapades. Shapely and raven-haired, she is adept with a gun and makes love with abandon. While living with Tenrec, she teaches his tribe farming techniques, but her real mission is to locate and raid the tribe’s library for useful knowledge.

•Lord Drumheller is a haughty member of Tenrec’s tribe who wants Hannah for himself. He repeatedly hunts Tenrec with the intent of killing him but fails with each effort.

Artistic Style

Though new to the comics scene at the time Xenozoic Tales was published, Schultz was aware of and greatly influenced by his predecessors in the tradition of adventure illustrations. At the same time, in the process of painstakingly and meticulously rendering his artistic vision, he was able to create something truly his own.

While Schultz’s earliest work shows the influence of Eisner more than anyone else, Schultz fairly quickly developed a refinement and delicacy that more closely resembles the work of Williamson and Frazetta at their 1950’s peaks. Drawing for black-and-white publication, Schultz adds a large amount of texture and detail, from clothing wrinkles to chipped wall plaster. He uses Zip-A-Tone judiciously to complement his line work, which can range from bold lines to feather-thin cross-hatching.

Because his work is so meticulous and detailed, Schultz works slowly, which led to gaps between issues of Xenozoic Tales. Schultz has stated that he is ambivalent about his pacing, feeling that he is drawn to the meticulous work on display in Xenozoic Tales but that there are certain advantages to being less deliberate, including the ability to push a story forward. Nonetheless, he has been a steady writer and artist whose body of work has been recognized by his peers with numerous comics industry awards.

Themes

With Xenozoic Tales, Schultz wanted to create a comic book series that he would be inclined to read but that did not exist in the comics market at the time. While predominantly a swashbuckling series of adventures set in a fantastic future, Xenozoic Tales also highlights concerns about Earth’s fragile ecosystem. Schultz makes the point repeatedly that humans nearly destroyed their symbiotic relationship with the Earth, and now that life is recovering, Jack Tenrec is determined to keep his fellow humans respectful of the planet. Schultz has statedthat the environmentalist aspects of the story were late additions to his thematic shaping of the series, but that they are integral to the overall narrative purpose. The ecological angle, despite coming as late as it did, clearly has remained on Schultz’s mind, as evidenced by the release of the 2010 illustrated novella.

Impact

Xenozoic Tales was one of many well-regarded comics to debut during an explosive period for independent comic books in the 1980’s, thanks to the maturing direct-sales channel. However, its infrequent publishing schedule may have prevented it from gaining the attention it deserved. While such publishing gaps may have been unheard of for DC Comics or Marvel Comics at that time, they were not a problem for the smaller Kitchen Sink Press, which catered to the idiosyncrasies of its artists; Kitchen recognized Schultz’s artistic power early on and allowed him to mature as a storyteller.

Although Xenozoic Tales debuted in early 1987, the fourteenth and final issue came out in fall 1996, nearly a decade later. As a result, although Schultz became an acclaimed and respected artist, his style was no longer in vogue. Instead, he is considered an “artist’s artist,” while readers’ attentions were more commonly caught by the less realistic styles of the Image Comics creators who came to prominence during this period.

The series had minimal impact in the direct-sales channel, and even though it spawned an animated television series and a comic based on the cartoon, it did not inspire imitators. However, its sheer quality and overall dramatic excellence has seen it repeatedly repackaged and collected through the years.

Television Series

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. De Souza Productions/Galaxy Films/Nelvana, 1993-1994. CBS aired one thirteen-episode season of the series, in part based on the enthusiasm of co-executive producers Steven E. de Souza and Sasha Harari. The show featured vocal work from David Keeley as Jack and Susan Roman as Hannah. Its ecological theme appealed to CBS, which emphasized this aspect more heavily than Schultz did in his stories. The series was not a hit, lasting but one season, due in part to preemptions on both coasts for Winter Olympics coverage in 1994. However, its visual appeal led to a variety of merchandise, including video games from Rocket Science Games and a Topps comic book.

Further Reading

Gianni, Gary, Mark Schultz, and Harold R. Foster. Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant: Far from Camelot (2008).

Schultz, Mark, Ariel Olivetti, and Todd Klein. Superman and Batman Versus Aliens and Predator (2007).

Williamson, Al, Mark Schultz, and Sergio Aragonés. Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic (2009).

Bibliography

Allen, Mark. “Suspended Animation: Xenozoic Tales.” SciFiDimensions, May 10, 2002. http://www.scifidimensions.com/May02/xenozoictales.htm.

Du Brow, Rick. “Cadillacs Cartoon Enters Brave New World.” Los Angeles Times, February 12, 1994. http://articles.latimes.com/print/1994-02-12/entertainment/ca-22070‗1‗classic-cadillac.

Duin, Steve. “Mark Schultz.” The Oregonian, February 26, 2008. http://blog.oregonlive.com/steveduin/2008/02/mark‗schultz.html.