Beasts of Burden #1
Dark Horse Comics
Evan Dorkin
(a) Jill Thompson
FC 32 pgs w/ ads $2.99 US / Higher in Canada
These characters have appeared before in Dark Horse Book of Hauntings, Witchcraft, Dead and Monsters (for which that story received an Eisner award for best short story). The overall story focuses on a group of dogs and one cat who fight the supernatural – ghosts, witches, etc.
This issue just jumps right in, briefly introducing the characters and then bam! right into this issue’s adventure. The team goes up against a giant demon frog that’s eating its way through the neighbourhood. In this day and age of deconstructed storytelling where nothing really happens over several issues, I’ve gotten use to the first issue being intro and not much else. But here in Beasts of Burden, Dorkin and Thompson don’t waste any time and tell a fully contained story and the first part of a four issue miniseries. Some other writers out there should take notes.
Dorkin and Thompson have created something very cool here. If anyone wants to read something different than the standard superhero stuff that dominates the market this is a damn fine read. (Shane Hnetka)
ComicReaders 