Beasts Of Burden returns for a new horror adventure in this exclusive preview

By Oliver Sava | April 17, 2018 | 4:00pm

Aux News comic previews

Since its debut in 2003, writer Evan Dorkin and artist Jill Thompson’s Beasts Of Burden has been one of the comic industry’s best horror titles, telling chilling, heartfelt stories with a cast of adorable animals who join forces to fight supernatural threats. The various Beasts Of Burden one-shots over the years have given readers check-ins with these characters, and the series returns with a new miniseries in August, teaming Dorkin and letterer Nate Piekos with a new artist as the focus shifts to a new group of critters. Beasts Of Burden: Wise Dogs And Eldritch Men brings artist Benjamin Dewey on board for a tale that puts the spotlight on the Wise Dogs, the elders of this animal community who have offered guidance in the past, but are now taking a more active role.

Dewey is an inspired choice to take over for Thompson, given his work on Image Comics’ The Autumnlands, a fantasy series that had him creating a large cast of anthropomorphized animals and maximizing the expressions of non-human characters. This exclusive preview of Beasts Of Burden: Wise Dogs And Eldritch Men #1 highlights the intricate detail Dewey brings to the natural world, and he channels the look of Thompson’s work with his lush painted coloring. He imbues the forest wildlife with fear and panic, and he turns a Scottish terrier into a determined action hero, ready to brave the raging flames created by a fire salamander. It’s a beautiful action sequence that showcases what a great fit Dewey is for this series, and readers can see more of Dorkin and Dewey’s creative chemistry when Beasts Of Burden: Wise Dogs And Eldritch Men #1 goes on sale August 22.