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Category: Comic books

Pick up 'Beasts of Burden'

"Beasts of Burden" by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse Comics) -- Something evil is lurking around the seemingly idyllic town of Burden Hill, and it's up to the Society to stop it.

The Society isn't your typical group of wizard and witches, though they are the types that can move around unnoticed and sense things outside the realm of normal human experience. They aren't even human.

They're a pack of dogs and a orphaned cat who've taken it upon themselves to unburden Burden Hill from its rash of nefarious paranormal activity.

Issue No. 2 of the four-issue miniseries came out last week, just in time for Halloween, and this is definitely one horror comic that shouldn't be missed.

These aren't Disney dogs, by any means, so don't pick it up for your little ones. But if you're looking for something beyond your typical slasher/gore fest, "Beasts of Burden" will give you something to shiver about.

It starts with Dorkin's script. He's put together an odd pack of animals, making them relatably human but not forgetting they're dogs -- and mostly neighborhood pets, at that. The dichotomy is good for some levity throughout the series, and he strikes a good balance between humor and drama.

The original story started out with the summoning of the Wise Dog, a leader in the Society, called to Burden Hill to help exorcise a ghost haunting a dog house. From there, things get weirder, with a coven of witches (and their black cats), undead dogs and a giant, man-eating frog. Something's afoot, and the Wise Dog enlists the help of these hounds to make things right again -- for themselves and for their people.

Dokin ("Milk and Cheese") is a fine artist in his own right, but here he's assisted by the brilliant painted artwork of Jill Thompson, best known these days for "Scary Godmother" and "Magic Trixie," both wonderful Halloween treats for the family. The expressions she gives her dogs are priceless. And the last page of issue 2 is a real tearjerker. And while she doesn't shy away from the gorier side the supernatural, she doesn't get gratuitous with it.

"Beasts of Burden" started out as part of a few Dark Horse horror anthologies. The company has been kind enough to post those stories for free at its Web site. Take a peek and then pick up the new issues while you still have a ghost of a chance. GRADE: A-