Dinosaurs have been around in Pop Culture for decades. Certainly, since the late 80s/early 90s when popular intellectual properties like The Land Before Time and Jurassic Park took the world (and children audiences) by storm.
Thanks to this and the popularity of the superhero genre, it was only a matter of time before we got a mix of the two: Dinosaurs and Superheroes. Below you’ll find a list of some of our favourite dinosaur superheroes and supervillains.
1. Dinah Soar
If you’re looking at Dinah and thinking to yourself “damn, she’s the hottest pterodactyl I’ve ever seen” then you’d be right. Published by Marvel Comics, Dinah Soar is part pterodactyl, part humanoid and almost all fabulously pink. While much isn’t known about Dinah, what is known is that she was originally drawn to Wisconsin and despite not being able to communicate verbally she has always gone out of her way to help others. Even if they didn’t quite who or what she was.
She is a member of the Great Lakes Avengers, thanks to answering an advertisement looking for costumed superheroes, posted by Mr Immortal. It was there that she fell in love with Mr Immortal. Interestingly, Dinah’s species mates monogamously for life and part of choosing that life partner means they can then understand Dinah.
Tragically, this dinosaur superhero perished during a Great Lakes Avengers mission which means we probably won’t see her again in comics anytime soon. Unless if she gets rebooted or brought back to some degree.
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2. Devil Dinosaur
You could probably make the argument that Devil Dinosaur isn’t strictly a superhero. Strictly speaking and according to Marvel Comics lore, he’s a mutant beast or devil dinosaur (hence the name). However, the many different versions of Devil Dinosaur has committed deeply heroic acts across the many different Marvel Comics universes.
According to a variety of events that occurred involving Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur on Earth-9997, Devil Dinosaur was part of a race of dinosaurs. In a number of other realities he’s also taken out The Beyonder, bonded with Venom (which you have to see to believe) and helped Moon Girl on many different adventures.
Despite his resemblance to being a red coloured T-Rex, he doesn’t just go around eating annoying insurance agents sitting on toilets, instead he spends his time aiding many superheroes in their fight against bad guys. Especially Moon Girl. So we’re saying it here and now: Devil Dinosaur is one cool AF dinosaur superhero.
3. Denver, the Last Dinosaur
Denver the Last Dinosaur is one cool operator in this list of dinosaur superheroes. Discovered by a group of teens in the 80s in a construction site, Denver is released from his egg. The teens then spend the entire series of the show trying to hide Denver’s true identity as a plant eating dinosaur while at the same time teaching him the ways of modern life. Not to mention how to skateboard.
Denver the Last Dinosaur ran for two seasons during the height of the dinosaur craze in the late 80s, with reruns being played well into the mid 90s (at least here in Australia). Thematically the show tackled issues of conservation, ecology and greed. Which is probably why the series received a recommendation from the National Education Association.
And to me, that’s why I’m quite confident in crowning Denver the Last Dinosaur with the crown as one of the best dinosaur superheroes.
4. Extreme Dinosaurs
The 1990s was all about anthropomorphic superheroes. With groups like Biker Mice from Mars, Street Sharks and Battle Toads leading the fray. And Extreme Dinosaurs was no exception.
Speaking of Street Sharks, Extreme Dinosaurs was a spin-off of the famous cartoon starring four shark brothers. During which the Extreme Dinosaurs characters appeared as the Dino Vengers. The series starred a Tyrannosaurus, a Triceratops, a Stegosaurus, and a Pteranodon that were transformed into super warriors by an interdimensional criminal named Argor Zardok.
Unfortunately, the Extreme Dinosaurs show only ran for 1 season before suffering extinction. However, it did leave a positive legacy as the main theme of the show was for the Extreme Dinosaurs superheroes to try and avert the evil raptors causing global warming. Maybe the world needs the Extreme Dinosaurs after all?
5. Dinobot
The late 90s/early 2000s dished out a brand new computer animated cartoon that extended the lore of the Transformers called Beast Wars.
Set many many years after the events of the Transformers cartoon, Beast Wars features a group of Decepticons (now called Predacons) that have stolen an old Decepticon artifact and are on the run. Hot in pursuit of them in a spaceship, the Autobots (now called Maximals) chase them into the past and eventually to an unknown planet which is revealed to be a prehistoric earth later in the series.
The Predacons have a power struggle early in the show, causing Megatron’s second-in-command, Dinobot, to defect and join the Maximals in their struggle against the Predacons. Although cunning and ruthless, Dinobot is a warrior who conducts himself under a strict code of honor. A code which sees him sacrifice himself to save a group of prehistoric humans at the cost of his own life.
And how does that make him a dinosaur superhero you ask? Oh, well he can transform into a Velociraptor.
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6. Dino-Riders
Like all good cartoons in the 1980s, Dino-Riders was a promotional show designed to help market and promote a brand new toyline. It was originally part of the Marvel Action Universe program and ran for only 14 episodes (only 3 of which were released on VHS).
Set on prehistoric earth, Dino-Riders focused on the many battles between the Valorians (the good guys) and the evil Rulon Alliance. Strangely enough, the Valorians were made up of humanoids which bore resemblances to ants, crocodiles, snakes, and sharks.
Transported back to prehistoric, the Valorians befriended and domesticated the Dinosaur race whereas the Rulons brainwashed them. A show which really capitalised on the idea of Dinosaur superheroes who worked alongside the Valorians whereas the Rulon Alliance made the dinosaurs their slaves. Dino-Riders had lots of potential.
7. Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
Easily the strangest entry on this list of dinosaur superheroes, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is a cartoon which depicts a post-apocalyptic society suddenly presented with breeds of dinosaurs appearing all over the land – and how they come to grips with dealing with them.
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs dealt with many ecological and political issues which the main plot was presented with. Issues which were probably a bit too advanced for its target audience and is probably why the cartoon only ran for one year despite there being a game and comic book of the same name.
8. Grimlock
Let’s revisit Transformers lore for a moment and talk about Grimlock. Despite their being many robots in the Transformers franchise that have born the name Grimlock, the first Grimlock was the leader and commander of the widely popular Dinobots in the first Transformers cartoon.
A merciless robot, Grimlock soon becomes a bit more empathetic to the Autobots cause thanks to his friendship with human Spike Witwicky. This temper his attitude and changes him to becoming a more agreeable Autobot than when he first appears in the series.
Grimlock is a powerful Autobot and rivals the strength of Optimus Prime and can transform into a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex looking robot. One which can snap in two, basically anything that gets between his jaws. A worthy addition to this list of dinosaur superheroes.
9. Sauron
Sauron was created by comic book writer Roy Thomas and artist Neal Adams to be an antagonist for the X-Men comic book series. Originally appearing as physician Karl Lykos, who was then bitten by a mutant pterodactyl in the Savage Land, Karl Lykos then took on the characteristics as a Pteranadon who that needed to feed on the energy of humans and mutants it maintain his strength and form as Sauron.
Throughout the X-Men series Sauron has been portrayed as an Energy Vampire/Were-Dinosaur hell bent on staying in his Pteranadon form as he sees reverting back to his Karl Lykos personality as the ultimate sign of failure and weakness. The X-Men cartoon from the 90s was the first introduction to Sauron in the mainstream and is by far the best representation of the character to date.
10. Stegron
Stegron was created by comic book writer Len Wein (Swamp Thing) and artist Gil Kane to be an antagonist for many Marvel Comics superheroes. Specifically, Spider-Man, Black Panther and Ka-Zar to name a few.
Originally appearing as Vincent Stegron, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent tasked with assisting Doctor Curt Connors in the study of dinosaur DNA taken from the Savage Land. However, Stegron took it a step too far by being influenced by Connors own transformation into The Lizard and so he injected himself with Dinosaur DBA – transforming into an orange dinosaur creature with Stegosaurus characteristics.
From here, Stegron has appeared off and on as a Spider-Man villain over the years. Not to mention numerous stints in the Savage Land – sometimes as a villain, sometimes as an anti-hero. One thing’s for sure, it seems the only person who knows the true intentions of Vincent Stegron is Stegron himself.
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What do you think of these Dinosaur Superheroes and Super-Villains?
Are any of these characters your favourites? Have seen any of the shows they’re from?
Let us know on social media.
