Be prepared, because Dynamite Comics announced a new comic focusing on the main villain of The Lion King, Scar!
The Lion King is one of Disney’s most popular and prestigious films, released in 1994. It was a story about Simba, a lion prince who is to succeed his father Mufasa as king of the Pride Lands. Simba’s paternal uncle, Scar, meticulously plans to overthrow Mufasa and off the young prince to seize the throne for himself.
The Lion King was a smash hit, earning $968.5 million against a budget of $45 million. It expanded into one of Disney’s biggest franchises, complete with a Broadway musical, direct-to-video sequels, two television series, and even a photorealistic remake. To this day, The Lion King is one of the highest-grossing animated films, with the 1994 version being the highest for traditional animation and the 2019 remake being the highest of all time. In 2016, the cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance of The Lion King (1994) made it deemed worthy for preservation in the National Film Registry.
The Undisputed, Respected, Saluted Wonder, Scar
Scar is the overarching antagonist of The Lion King franchise and one of the most popular Disney Villains. He maintains a lingering presence in the world of The Lion King even after his death at the end of the 1994 film; one of his sympathizers sought vengeance (The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride), and his great-nephew actively strove to not end up like him (The Lion Guard). The villain’s design, characterization, and vocal performance from original actor Jeremy Irons garnered nearly-universal critical acclaim.
Outside of The Lion King, Scar has featured in multiple Disney crossovers, such as Kingdom Hearts II and Disney Universe, along with a surprise cameo in Hercules. The character’s popularity proved to be so strong, he sometimes appears before his own nephew, including in mobile games like Disney Heroes: Battle Mode, Disney Sorcerer’s Arena, and Disney Mirrorverse. Scar even inspired the design of Leona Kingscholar from Disney Twisted-Wonderland.
The Lion King franchise has had different directions on the backstory of the first film’s big bad, Scar. Spin-off books published before the 1994 production finished portrayed him as the unfavorite of his family, with his namesake injury originating from a confrontation with a cape buffalo. However, the television series The Lion Guard depicts the lion getting his scar from a cobra, with its venom seeping into his mind and allowing him to embrace his dark desires. The 2019 remake implied that Scar had previously challenged his brother for the throne, resulting in the facial injury.
Be Prepared for Sensational News!
Dynamite Comics announced that they will release a new comic book series focusing on Scar, written by Chuck Brown and illustrated by Trevor Fraley. The comic, Disney Villains: Scar, will take place during The Lion King, filling in between scenes from the original film. With Simba’s birth, it dawns on Scar that he will never be king as long as his brother and nephew are around. From there, he devises a sinister plot to usurp the throne; his quest will bring him face-to-face with the wise shaman mandrill, Rafiki.
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Brown and Fraley loved The Lion King (1994), having grown up with and drawn inspiration from the film. With their new story, they hope to bring something new while preserving the spirit of the original story. Since Disney Villains: Scar takes place during the first film, it serves as a character study into Scar’s motivations and actions. There will be character interactions that were previously not shown in the film, including the aforementioned encounter between Scar and Rafiki. New characters will be introduced as well, including a faction of sly, deceitful birds(?) known as the Wake.
Disney Villains: Scar #1 can be preordered in late January and February with a special extra-sized 27-page story, all for the regular cover price of $3.99. Because of scheduling, a collected edition of the series will not be available before at least summer 2025.
Are you prepared for a new chapter in The Lion King franchise? Do you have any plans to get a copy of Disney Villains: Scar #1? What do you hope to see and learn from Scar’s side of the story? Let us know over on social media!
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Source: Comicbook, GraphicPolicy
