I recently attended TetZooCon 2024, and among my purchases from the various vendors there, my most anticipated was Sean Hennessy’s recently released collection of Speed Thief comics. Having established himself on Instagram, I’ve come to enjoy his light-hearted take on prehistoric life, and I was excited for them to be published in a print collection. Starring various dinosaurs and other Mesozoic critters, Sean’s comic anthology features its stars in random, “slice-of-life” scenarios, and all the triumphs and pitfalls therein.
While a comic series first and foremost, Sean’s cartoons nevertheless adhere to relatively rigorous reconstructions of the species depicted. There’s little to no anthropomorphizing of the animals’ physical appearances, with the humor carried by the strength of the writing and composition. (Everything even appears in their proper contexts; no Stegosaurs interacting with T. rex, here!)
As some others have noted, a vague comparison can be drawn between Sean’s work and that of False Knees, another comic series largely starring modern birds. I don’t mean to suggest that Speed Thief is derivative in any way, only that fans of one will definitely enjoy the other.
My one critique involves the formatting, which feels a little odd at times, primarily with regard to how the individual strips are labeled. Sometimes the title will be on the same page, sometimes it will be a page or even two apart. This is more of a matter of personal taste however, and not a major issue, at that.
I absolutely loved Speed Thief: Volume I, and I eagerly look forward to future comics from Sean, both online and in print. I give this my Dino Dad Stomp of Approval, and highly recommend it to dinosaur fans young and old! You can read more of Sean’s Speed Thief comics on Instagram, and you can purchase the book, prints, and various other goodies at his Etsy and Redbubble shops.
Dino Dad Reviews 