REVIEW: Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men #1

Writer: Evan Dorkin
Artist: Benjamin Dewey
Letterer: Nate Piekos of Blambot
Review: Art Bee

When I first saw this comic book on the shelf at my LCS my first thought was, “sharp cover”, and my second was the Rolling Stones song which is still bouncing around my skull.
My decision to pick it up and review it was cemented by the owner and operator of my LCS, Shawn, saying that it was, “one of the best new comics he has read in a while”. In the past our opinions have been hit or miss on agreement, but in this case, they are fairly close.

Beasts of Burden #1 almost seems like something aimed at children with talking animals and magic. Even though there is no rating on the comic, from what I read in this issue, it seems fine for most ages (8+).
What hit me sideways was the boldness in the artwork. Dewey’s lines are all bold and deliberate providing a since of deliberate destiny for the characters. This is strictly my interpretation and I stand by it. The scenes are very detailed and keep the reader’s focus well. These qualities are one of the driving forces of the issue.

The story opens with a bunch of animals fleeing a forest fire while a Scottish terrier, Lundy, is running into it. It is evident by the opening scene that Lundy is some kind of guardian. Quickly this dog finds the source of the fire, a fire elemental salamander, and at this point if the reader had not realized this was fantasy from the talking animals, it should be clear now as the Scottie uses magic to free the salamander from an enchanted bear trap.

From this point the story moves quickly through its 22-pages, pulling the reader along. Normally I would say bad things about this but, in this situation, it seems to work. By the shear pace of the story and the boldness of the artwork the reader does not feel the need to question or think much, while getting what they need when they need it.

We find Lundy is a part of a larger group of dogs working together to fight evil and protect the area. One part of the area is called Burden Hill and it made me wonder if that has something to do with the title. Maybe the dogs have homes there or it’s their base of operations. Either way it makes the title have a dual meaning and that adds value in my mind.

This story uses its artwork well and keeps the story simple and fluid making it wonderful for all. My only reservation with what I said before about the audience level is how much horror will be incorporated later in the story since it is listed as horror/fantasy on Dark Horse Comics website, so be proactive about reading before you let kids read.

The cover I have shown in this review is the variant cover I grabbed from the shelf at my LCS. This cover is drawn by the renowned Rafael Albuquerque who is well known in comicdom for his work in DC comics and the American Vampire series.

Overall I have to agree with my LCS owner’s opinion of this book, and I look forward to seeing where the creators go with it. During my research I found the title Beasts of Burden has been published before in Sept. 2009, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything in this issue. Check it out for yourself and see what you think.