Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men

Beasts of Burden #3

by Evan Dorkin, Benjamin Dewey (Illustrations)

This eight-time Eisner Award-winning comic book series blending fantasy and humor features the adventures of paranormal pets investigating the horrors of Burden Hill.

A heroic pack of canines known as the Wise Dogs sets off on a mission to clean up a Pennsylvania corridor plagued by seemingly unrelated occult disturbances that include a fire salamander and a horde of mutant lurkers. A link is found among the various disturbances, leading our heroes to a mountain village inhabited by a survivalist witch-cult who have discovered the existence of a "Blood Lure" attracting occult forces, creatures, and many more terrors to Burden Hill!

Award-winning comics creators Evan Dorkin (Milk & Cheese) and Ben Dewey (The Autumnlands) come together to share the lives of some unlikely heroes.

This volume collects the comic-book series Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men issues #1-4, published by Dark Horse Comics.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy, Animals, Dogs, Fiction

120 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2019

About the author

Evan Dorkin is an American comics artist and writer.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Beasts of Burden mini takes a dark shift focusing on the council of Wise Dogs as they battle an evil cult, goblins, fire-breathing salamanders and more. The previous one-shots were more fun, focusing on supernatural events happening to neighborhood pets. Some of this was a bit jarring, especially when the Wise Dogs started talking to humans. That bit got a bit too fantastical for me. I always enjoyed that this was a thing between animals when we aren't home. The series was also much more bloody and gory. If Jill Thompson can't do the series, Benjamin Dewey was a fine replacement. His work on Autumnlands shows he has a gift for drawing all kinds of animals.

Received an advance copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely the darkest Beasts of Burden story so far, expanding our focus into a larger, more sinister world. I initially found the change of protagonists, setting and artists jarring but, by the time I reached the end of issue one, I’d embraced it all enthusiastically; there’s just no denying the quality of this production.

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this gang a bit more than the previous one, and this story was super atmospheric and perfectly paced, great stuff. Please, Evan and Benjamin, keep creating more of these graphic novels, in this format.

[Rachel Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of 2020! And it's great to be back in the world of Beasts of Burden, following a new crew of dogs (plus Miranda from the original volume) with magical powers! These first four issues compiled in this volume explore one intense story arc in which our wise canines have to fight evil in the Poconos. There's mystery, adventure, and horror. I really liked being introduced to the new characters - I quickly warmed to them, especially our main protagonist, Lundy - and that the comics overall took a much darker tone than Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites. But even with a darker, gorier story this time around there were still moments where the animals tugged at my heartstrings! And the art is fantastic. Dewey captures beautifully the emotional intensity in the violent scenes and the dogs interacting with each other. I can't wait to see what the Wise Dogs have to fight next.

[Niina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tällä kertaa keskiössä ovatkin viisaat koirat Burden Hillin koirien sijaan. Ratkottavana on yliluonnollisia ongelmia, kuten erään kultin tapaus. Jostakin syystä Jill Thompson ei ole mukana tämän tekemisessä. Toivottavasti sarja jatkuisi, sillä tarina ei ole vielä lopussa.

Kirjaston kappaleet osista 2 ja 3 olivat kadonneet jossakin vaiheessa, mutta edelleen tietokannassa. Ihastuin sarjan ensimmäiseen osaan Animal Rites niin paljon, että tein hankintapyynnön uusien kappaleiden hankkimisesta viime kuussa ja ne tulivatkin jo nyt lainattavaksi. Niitä ei oltu muovitettu, uuden käytännön mukaisesti. Mietityttää kyllä, kuinkahan mahtavat kestää kierrossa.

[Václav · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4,7 of 5 for this epic battle of wise good and dumb evil)
Despite it being only 4 issues long (previous ones are longer) and one full story, it's actually a great one. Yes, the basic premise is pretty common, but the execution is superb, leaning the classic tropes on characters and consistent lore than on tropes itself and that's a way to go. We move from Burden's bunch to a group of wise (and wise-to-be) dogs and their small and rare battles with evil. Won't say anything more, except again, it all fits the basic underlining story of the whole series.
And it's a great, great ride.

[Ed Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Dewey is perfect for drawing this. In both The Tragedy Series: Secret Lobster Claws and Other Misfortunes and The Autumnlands he has shown a great ability to draw animals that convey human-like emotions and yet still look like animals. This may be the best his art has been yet.

Earlier installments of "Beasts of Burden" were more lighthearted and playful, but this one intensifies the supernatural horror factor, as well as lengthening the story arc to include four single-issue comics. The band of "wise dogs" have to use their magic powers to fight some really bad men who've harnessed a great evil power. Expect lots of blood and guts. (You do not need to read previous installments to understand and enjoy this one. This is an independent story.)

The hardbound edition is beautiful and perfect for Halloween.

Art 5, story 3.

[Markku Kesti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oikein mainiota tarinaa koirista, jotka pistävät pahan kanssa töppäilevät ihmiset ojennukseen.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I missed the Burden Hill gang, but this was still a good adventure with the wise dogs. I loved the role the salamander played in the story, and the dogs really kicked ass at the end. Stupid evil humans. Didn't know who they were messing with.

The cover art by Rafael Albuquerque, Dustin Nguyen, Tyler Crook, and Jill Thomson in the cover gallery in the back of the book was gorgeous.

[OmniBen · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 2.75/5
This series has been very up and down for me. Volume one, Animal Rites was a wonderful little romp. An outstanding idea well executed, with some gorgeous art thrown in to round out a fantastic little package. Then I read volume two, Neighborhood Watch, which took everything that was great about volume one and flushed it down the toilet. Well, everything except the art that is. So, the excitement I felt when reaching for volume two was noticeably diminished when it came time for volume three. And low and behold, Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men falls somewhere in the middle. Better than Neighborhood Watch, although well short of Animal Rites, and I must say, as with volume two, the failings of this book fall squarely on the shoulders of writer Evan Dorkin.
As much as I lamented the loss of Jill Thompson's art, replaced here by Benjamin Dewey (whose art definitely wasn't this good with his contribution to volume two). The art is once again the star of the show. It's bold colouration and strong line work bringing this middling little tale to life in a way the narrative doesn't deserve. It was all going along decently enough, with Dorkin's simplistic style working for the animal's interactions. But as the story unfolded, and the main protagonist(s) entered the fray, things went rapidly downhill. Ending with a sad whimper and leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth and a nasty smell on the carpet.
Whatever gold he struck with Animal Rites, Dorkin has clearly lost it. Quick and clever little tales of doggie paranormal investigators has devolved into a pale shadow of its former self. Neither horrendously bad, nor excitedly interesting, it's simply a middling story, very well drawn. Another narrative disappointment, and It'll be the pound for this once beloved beast. Disappointing. 2.75/5


OmniBen.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original Beasts Of Burden mini-series is one of my favourite comics ever, and the few sparse one-shots we've had in the years since have always been gold (more on those later this year when Dark Horse finally collect them). When I heard that Evan Dorkin was doing yet another mini-series however, I was ecstatic, and having read it now, I'm even more pleased.

We forgo most of the main characters that we're used to for these four issues, instead focusing on the Wise Dogs, a council of older hounds who deal with most of the magical decisions in Burden Hill and the surrounding area as they investigate a mysterious salamander sighting that turns out to be the tip of a very large, very disturbing iceberg that features goblins, shapeshifting humans, and an attempt at summoning an elder god. The world of Burden Hill expands in numerous ways as we spend time with these characters, and it makes the Beasts Of Burden mythos feel much richer, even as we're drip fed ideas about how summoned creatures and magic work, as well as the effect that humans have on the world.

Jill Thompson didn't draw these issues, but Ben Dewey steps in ably with a similar style that does the job just as well. His animals are all realistic, he captures the gore and magic on opposite ends of the spectrum with effortless beauty, and I'd love to see him back for more Beasts if Jill isn't available. Plus every issue came out on time bar the last one, which is nice.

Basically, supernatural doggies save the day and what the hell more do you want?

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

We depart the single-issue story formula and usual cast of characters for a full-volume one in which the council of wise dogs tackles a violent mountain cult using human and animal sacrifice to summon some kind of Old One.

I missed Jill Thompson's water colors at first but Benjamin Dewey filled her shoes well.

And the author doesn't miss a beat. The new animals are distinct and recognizable. Dogs doing sorcery shouldn't work; in Dorkin's capable hands, it does.
-----------------------------------
SECOND READ
Plot points:
--(This volume runs concurrent with the Burden Hillers' windslither battle.)
--Lundy frees a giant salamander from a magic bear trap and teaches it to control its fire.
--The circle of wise dogs (Lundy, Emrys, Miranda, Dempsey, Brigid) and guards (Carver and Triss) battle a nest of lurkers. Dempsey and Brigid are injured and left at Huxley and Arthur's farm for treatment.
--The remainder of the circle goes to Derrington to investigate a corpse-riddled farm. A dog named Tommy guides them to a cultists' mine.
--Tommy turns out to be a cultist in disguise leading them into a trap. The dogs, along with Lundy's salamander, explode the cultists and accidentally release a Lovecraftian demon. They explode that too.
--Tommy is the sole survivor, now stuck in dog form. Lundy tells him to be a good dog.

[Jindroush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buď vás smečka mluvících kouzelných mudrcpsů zaujme a pak tomu okultnímu příběhu propadnete i s chlupama, nebo to pro vás zůstane jen jako taková legrační temná hříčka.

Jinak změna kreslíře, které jsem se velmi bál, nakonec až tak neublížila (ale Jill Thompson byla lepší)

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skews more towards adventure than the quieter creepiness of some of the Beasts of Burden tales, but still a lovely story.

[Alex E · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this volume, we move away from the normal gang of investigators and focus instead on the "wise dogs" that they aspire to be.

I thought this was a great move by Dorkin to not only build the world further, but to expand the overall lore of the book by focusing on a completely different, more experienced team. And while I did miss the normal crew of mutts and cats, I found myself really engaged to this new group. I kind of want to see more adventures with this crew as it seems they battle and investigate things that are really dire, and would probably be a situation that our normal cast would not be able to resolve or come out of unscathed at least.

In this volume, Ben Dewey handles the art, and he does a great job. I did find myself missing Jill Thompson - I will admit, but Dewey's work is really fantastic and gives the world and its characters a necessary dose of reality. If anything, his less cartoony style gave the entire story much more of a real feel, so it also felt more dangerous because of that.

Overall, this entire series is fantastic. I wish there was more and look forward to when Dorkin and crew release new tales - or should I say "tails".... sorry, couldn't resist. This series is full of imagination, danger, and a really colorful and diverse cast that makes for an entertaining set of stories. Highly recommended for fans of detective and occult comics.

[Marcelo Soares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuamos a histórias dos cães sábios que agora enfrentam o grande inimigo da paz e tranquilidade: o redneck americano que não tem nada melhor para fazer do que ir ficar peladão no alto de uma montanha invocando algum demônio ou monstro de outro tempo e espaço.
Tem de colocar uma Netflix para esse pessoal.
Bom, a matilha de Cães Sábios está na área investigando acontecimentos estranhos que envolvem um incêndio florestal, armadilhas mágicas, seres estranhos, massacres de animais e humanos, e, claro, rednecks americanos. A história é bem conduzida e não tem nada de muito desabonador, mantém o clima de altas aventuras e grandes confusões que eu gostei do primeiro volume, a arte também é muito bacana sem os exageros dos quadrinhos mais tradicionais.
Como eu sou uma cara velho, eu acho que seria interessante um quadro com o nome, a marca e o cargo de cada cachorro; já que, no meu tempo, cachorro só vinha em cinco modelos: policial, doberman, lassie, linguicinha e vira-lata. Isso facilitaria bastante uma melhor identificação dos personagens, mas, cuidado, doberman sempre é do mal, eu aprendi isso no filme A Gangue dos Dobermans que passava no SBT.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, I get to join everyone else in eagerly awaiting the next installment of Beasts of Burden and being utterly crushed when it takes forever to come out.

But, hey, at least it isn't Saga?

This entry in the Beasts of Burden series follows the Wise Dogs rather than the main crew. Miranda is there, but the crux of the action focuses upon Lundy as he guides the dogs through a series of encounters the culminates in going toe to toe with a human cult. There are bigger problems at play than just Burden Hill - something we learned in the last volume - but the scope of it looks to be larger than first thought.

This volume introduces cultists and elementals, as well as deepening the mysterious Companions that we only heard about in passing. We learn more about how the magic works, and just how powerful those Wise Dogs are. We also see a distressing prophetic dream from Miranda that I hope against hope isn't true...

This series continues to be one of the best ones on the shelf. Can't wait for more, and can eagerly assure all readers that it is worth the wait.

[Dávid Novotný · Rating 4 out of 5]

In second (or actually third) book, we are moving outside Burden Hill to investigate some strange happenings. Little more about wise dogs is revealed, but still it keeps mystery tone and you must read between the lines, or better say, between the panels. This time, whole book concentrate on one story instead of more short ones as it was in first one. We get slightly Lovecraftian horror, with more human factor, as pack is fighting cult of worshipers. Still pretty good, but it looses part of the mystery from the first stories. Also cliche ending, where bad guys talks about their plans to rule the world doesn't help...Over and all, I liked the first, and the third book which will came out later, more but this one is also entertaining and provides few pleasant moments

[Anjela Con Jota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tenía cero ideas acerca de lo que me iba a encontrar aquí y me he llevado una grata sorpresa. El dibujo me ha resultado muy interesante, a medio camino entre realismo y libros ilustrados de los años 70.
¿Y la historia?
Un equipo de perros ocultistas luchando contra las fuerzas del mal.
No hay más preguntas, Señoría.

[Orrin Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beasts of Burden remains the best cozy paranormal series around, even without Jill Thompson on art duties.

[Mothlight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope the salamander comes back because hes my favorite

[Alex Sarll]

More a spin-off than a continuation, with the book's main cast apparently on hiatus unless and until Jill Thompson ever answers Evan Dorkin's emails again. Still, her stand-in Ben Dewey acquits himself well in a similar style, so if you want cute dogs battling occult horrors, this remains the go-to comic in the field.

[Stephanie Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding series! Fantastic art! I recommend this to every comics / dog / horror / adventure fan!

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this little spin off. Glad the Wise Dogs got their own book. They’re so interesting.
But can we get a bull terrier wise dog? Yes? 😀

[M. P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, action-packed spin-off featuring the Wise Dogs, who started off as side characters in the original series. The Wise Dogs are a very different breed of main characters when compared to the cast of Animal Rites. While the main cast of Animal Rites that we came to know and love were pretty much underdogs, unexperienced and often thus much more fearful of the unknown and the potential supernatural threats they might face, the main cast here, the titular Wise Dogs, are a seasoned bunch equipped with vast knowledge and almost Lovecraftian superpowers who can keep their cool under great pressure.

While Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men begins with some creepy undertones familiar from the main series, the overarching plot of this volume isn't, in all honesty, very compelling after the first half of the story, at which point the tale starts to lean on generic, as it shifts its focus from supernatural creepy to supernatural action. However, the fully realized personalities of the main cast more than make up for it. The dialogue is humorous and in depth, and this is where the true strength of the comic lies. The character writing is just so, so good, it kept me hooked until the end, enjoying the action and blasting even though the story lacked a real sense of suspense that'd make you wonder just how exactly are the dogs going to conquer over the threat they face.

The art is still wonderful, with a new artist in tow. Dewey's art is very crisp and bold in comparison, but nonetheless has its own unique charm to it. The animals are rendered very realistically, yet they are extremely expressive - a feat in itself, considering! The shading work practically dances on the pages, and it's a pleasure to look at. I only wish Miranda's design hadn't been changed.

Overall a very fun spin-off with good pacing and characters, and a lot of supernatural blasting littered throughout.

[John Stanifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The idea of dogs with magical powers, fighting the occult, is pretty wild, and in other hands I don't think it would work nearly as well. Here, it works like a charm. The dialogue is often witty, and each dog has his or her own memorable personality.

This was a serendipitous find at the local library that I ended up enjoying immensely. Not what I'd call a "light" read since it deals with some very dark subjects.

But . . . I'd say I found it at just the right time. I recently read H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Whisperer in Darkness" for the first time; a recurring device in that story is the fact that dogs HATE anything "eldritch" (that is, anything sinister, otherworldly, etc.).

So yes, I was primed to enjoy this, and enjoy it I did in spite of a few images in the story that made me cringe (this is pretty gory at times and definitely not for younger children).

Can't wait to read more stories in this series.

[Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally a story about the Wise Dogs - the pinnacle of dog investigators and problem solves. We are introduced to an all new cast, with different personalities and POWERS! These dogs are fully trained and have psychic, magic or other powers. Very nice. They're investigating a bunch of mysteries which they later find out may have a connection to Burden Hill. I thoroughly enjoyed this for expanding the lore of wise dogs and their human companions. The only drawback is there is no kitty action, which made me a little sad. Still there's a good story, great characters, fantastic action and a tiny plot twist at the end. When I finished this I felt very satisfied and even wanted more Beast of Burden stories.

[Lary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A série continua num nível altíssimo. Mas achei esse spin-off um pouco mais lento, por conter muitas explicações, mas não interfere no andamento da história, ao contrario disso, dá muito mais base para o que vem acontecendo em Burden Hill.

Aqui a sociedade dos Cães sábios estão investigando outras situações paranormais além de Burden Hill, é uma história única e mais fechada, diferente do que vemos nas outras duas hqs.

A arte mesmo sem a Jill Thompson continua linda. No final da edição tem toda uma explicação de como os quadros são desenhados e do como é o processo de arte.

É uma história boa com uma arte muito linda e mais ainda, tem bichinho fofinho descendo a porrada em ser humano desgraçado na base da magia. Então vai na fé!

[J. Blake Myersmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wouldn’t it be fun if for a season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer we followed Giles and his stuffy, mysterious, Watcher’s Council on a tangentially related adventure? Or what if between seasons of Supernatural we watched Castiel and his super-powered angel buddies go on a smiting spree across the Midwest? No?

The art is still gorgeous but that’s all this book has going for it. An adventure with the Wise Dogs sounds fun on paper, but in practice nothing threatens dogs that can make people’s heads explode with a look, and as such the mystery falls flat, too. Gone are the fun monster-of-the-week vignettes, replaced with a fight against a literal army of cultists. I only hope the next one is a return to form.

[Natira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5* Weg von den "Lehrlingen" ab zu den "Wise Dogs" - ich habe Ace und Pug und Orphan und all die anderen in Burden Hill vermisst, Lundy ist mir allerdings ziemlich ans Herz gewachsen. Dieser Band enthält eine komplette Geschichte und diese ist ziemlich dunkel; hier kommt der Horroraspekt stärker durch als in dem ersten Band. Auch wenn der Zeichner Benjamin Dewey die Charaktere sehr gut darstellt - ich mag Jill Thompsons Art persönlich lieber.
Dass die Menschen in diesem Band die Wise Dogs verstanden haben und mit ihnen kommunizieren konnten, hängt vermutlich mit der Anwendung von Magie zusammen?