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Beasts of Burden #2
Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch
This eight-time Eisner Award-winning comic book series blending fantasy and humor features the adventures of paranormal pets investigating the monsters of Burden Hill.
The dogs and cats protecting Burden Hill from supernatural harm find themselves facing new threats and mysteries, including a vengeful demon, an invisible killer and an enigmatic flock of lost sheep. As a growing evil threatens to overwhelm their town, the animals find themselves some unlikely allies, most notably a seasoned paranormal investigator named...Hellboy.
This volume collects the comic-book series Beasts of Sacrifice , Beasts of Neighborhood Watch , Beasts of Hunters and Gatherers , Beasts of What the Cat Dragged In , and Beasts of The Presence of Others #1 and #2.
The dogs and cats protecting Burden Hill from supernatural harm find themselves facing new threats and mysteries, including a vengeful demon, an invisible killer and an enigmatic flock of lost sheep. As a growing evil threatens to overwhelm their town, the animals find themselves some unlikely allies, most notably a seasoned paranormal investigator named...Hellboy.
This volume collects the comic-book series Beasts of Sacrifice , Beasts of Neighborhood Watch , Beasts of Hunters and Gatherers , Beasts of What the Cat Dragged In , and Beasts of The Presence of Others #1 and #2.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
13 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Evan Dorkin
276 books143 followersEvan Dorkin is an American comics artist and writer.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 69 reviews
March 1, 2020
This is the best horror graphic novel I’ve ever read. The storyline is brilliant and the artwork is top of the line. Go hug your pets!
June 9, 2022
Addictive.
November 9, 2019
To Beasts of Burden as any given Hellboy short story collection is to the body of Hellboy comics. Another reminder that this is probably the best non-Hellboy supernatural series in comics right now. (All these Hellboy references are relevant, cuz this volume features the Beasts of Burden/Hellboy crossover.)
September 27, 2019
Finally, finally, finally. With the release of this third hardcover, all of the Beasts Of Burden stories that currently exist have been collected, and I couldn’t be happier.
Collecting all of the one-shots between the original series and last year’s Wise Dogs & Eldritch Men, as well as the two issue The Presence Of Others story from earlier this year, this collection can feel a little disjointed, since it’s so many separate stories at once, but the overriding theme (that humans are stupid and should stop messing with things they don’t understand) is prevalent throughout, and the shifting focus across the series’ many protagonists makes for a varied reading experience as well.
Whether it’s the witches Familiars in What The Cat Dragged In or the fresh perspective on the Beasts that Hellboy offers in Sacrifice, there’s a lot to enjoy here. The Presence Of Others is probably the strongest story since it has the most pages to expand, but there isn’t a bad tale in the bunch.
Returning for all but one issue is Beasts Of Burden originator Jill Thompson, whose beautifully painted pages are the lynchpin that holds the series together. The humanity that she injects the animals with is unparalleled, and Benjamin Dewey (who drew Wise Dogs & Eldritch Men, and pencils the second half of The Presence Of Others) is quickly becoming a worthy successor for her too.
Beasts Of Burden is always short and sweet – it’s the nature of the beast, when it’s mostly told in one-shots and short series. But this collection is much more of a main course, and should hopefully tide us all over until the Beasts inevitably return.
Collecting all of the one-shots between the original series and last year’s Wise Dogs & Eldritch Men, as well as the two issue The Presence Of Others story from earlier this year, this collection can feel a little disjointed, since it’s so many separate stories at once, but the overriding theme (that humans are stupid and should stop messing with things they don’t understand) is prevalent throughout, and the shifting focus across the series’ many protagonists makes for a varied reading experience as well.
Whether it’s the witches Familiars in What The Cat Dragged In or the fresh perspective on the Beasts that Hellboy offers in Sacrifice, there’s a lot to enjoy here. The Presence Of Others is probably the strongest story since it has the most pages to expand, but there isn’t a bad tale in the bunch.
Returning for all but one issue is Beasts Of Burden originator Jill Thompson, whose beautifully painted pages are the lynchpin that holds the series together. The humanity that she injects the animals with is unparalleled, and Benjamin Dewey (who drew Wise Dogs & Eldritch Men, and pencils the second half of The Presence Of Others) is quickly becoming a worthy successor for her too.
Beasts Of Burden is always short and sweet – it’s the nature of the beast, when it’s mostly told in one-shots and short series. But this collection is much more of a main course, and should hopefully tide us all over until the Beasts inevitably return.
January 8, 2023
Returning to this world of boop-able snoots and a surfeit of gore, Beasts of Burden manages a fine balance with humor, emotion, and beautifully rendered art.
December 26, 2021
I groaned when I saw Hellboy appear out of nowhere on page one. There's not much that breaks suspension-of-disbelief more than a lame forced crossover.
But by the end of the issue I loved it. Hellboy really is a natural fit for the Burden universe and his coming and going was handled with grace and heart.
Dewey and Thompson split art duties here and they're both perfect fits for the material.
Another stellar volume.
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SECOND READ
Plot points:
But by the end of the issue I loved it. Hellboy really is a natural fit for the Burden universe and his coming and going was handled with grace and heart.
Dewey and Thompson split art duties here and they're both perfect fits for the material.
Another stellar volume.
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SECOND READ
Plot points:
October 24, 2021
Ei aivan yhtä hyvä kuin Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites. Ensimmäisessä sarjiksessa vierailee Hellboy.
March 18, 2021
A fine collection of spooky stories.
March 19, 2021
More stories about dogs and cats and their adventures to save the Burden Hill neighborhood from horrors.
Sacrifice - 4* - The World's Greatest Paranormal Detective. Animals + Hellboy, count me in. Apparently Hellboy can talk to animals and it was a totally natural team up. Everyone is so cute, I love animals and this is what started me reading Beasts of Burden. I did not realize it at the time, but Beasts of Burden is VERY well written comedy horror with animals.
Food Run - 5* - Rex and Orphan try to catch a Goblin. Rex gets in trouble, but the Goblin has issues of his own. I wish people were more sympathetic of those who are food insecure, so they don't "waste" food, especially those idiots who are Picky Eaters.
Story Time - 5* - Wise dog Emrys tells a tale of Bitan the last of the warrior dogs, to 3 young puppies. The story is scary, compelling and would be GREAT as a campfire horror story. Loved it.
A View From The Hill - 5* - This touching story about wandering sheep guarded by an over protective Sheep Dog that is a border collie is awesome. The last panel ... OMG. OMG.
Hunters and Gatherers - 5* - Pugsley may be annoying but he has a gift with words! In this tale the Wise Dog society is dealing with so many problems they don't have enough time to devote to Burden Hill, so our gang of good boys have to handle a monstrous Windslither that has been eating other animals in the woods. Not the most emotionally resonant of the Beasts of Burden stories, but it does advance the plot for the series as a whole.
What The Cat Dragged In - 5* - Dymphna (the witch's ex-familiar): Just remember ... secrets are kept for a reason. Eisner winning issue where Dymphna goes back to her mistress's house, to set things right. Damn. So dark, so painful. So horrible. And I ugly cried again. This series is just taking things to new heights.
The Presence of Others - 5* - The wise dog apprentices of Burden Hill decide to interact with paranormal investigators, 2 of which (the father and daughter) have the family gift and can understand them. They exchange information and try to solve the Burden Hill occult mystery, but things don't go as planned. Tight and thrilling.
There's some bonus content art at the end, with some Hellboy ones. It's really cute and I had a smile on my face reading the artist's notes.
Sacrifice - 4* - The World's Greatest Paranormal Detective. Animals + Hellboy, count me in. Apparently Hellboy can talk to animals and it was a totally natural team up. Everyone is so cute, I love animals and this is what started me reading Beasts of Burden. I did not realize it at the time, but Beasts of Burden is VERY well written comedy horror with animals.
Food Run - 5* - Rex and Orphan try to catch a Goblin. Rex gets in trouble, but the Goblin has issues of his own. I wish people were more sympathetic of those who are food insecure, so they don't "waste" food, especially those idiots who are Picky Eaters.
Story Time - 5* - Wise dog Emrys tells a tale of Bitan the last of the warrior dogs, to 3 young puppies. The story is scary, compelling and would be GREAT as a campfire horror story. Loved it.
A View From The Hill - 5* - This touching story about wandering sheep guarded by an over protective Sheep Dog that is a border collie is awesome. The last panel ... OMG. OMG.
Hunters and Gatherers - 5* - Pugsley may be annoying but he has a gift with words! In this tale the Wise Dog society is dealing with so many problems they don't have enough time to devote to Burden Hill, so our gang of good boys have to handle a monstrous Windslither that has been eating other animals in the woods. Not the most emotionally resonant of the Beasts of Burden stories, but it does advance the plot for the series as a whole.
What The Cat Dragged In - 5* - Dymphna (the witch's ex-familiar): Just remember ... secrets are kept for a reason. Eisner winning issue where Dymphna goes back to her mistress's house, to set things right. Damn. So dark, so painful. So horrible. And I ugly cried again. This series is just taking things to new heights.
The Presence of Others - 5* - The wise dog apprentices of Burden Hill decide to interact with paranormal investigators, 2 of which (the father and daughter) have the family gift and can understand them. They exchange information and try to solve the Burden Hill occult mystery, but things don't go as planned. Tight and thrilling.
There's some bonus content art at the end, with some Hellboy ones. It's really cute and I had a smile on my face reading the artist's notes.
May 11, 2020
Another collection of great dark stories. Some of them stick with you long after you close the book, and some pages are really memorable.
September 13, 2022
(Zero spoiler review)
Oh man, this one stings. I take no joy whatsoever in documenting my opinions on this particular collection. Then again, I took little joy in reading it either, which seems to be the problem in the first place. Animal Rites (volume one) was an absolute delight. The rather unique and inventive ways in which the paranormal was explored through the eyes of a number of animals more than made up for the somewhat plain and rigid dialogue. And of course, the art was absolutely gorgeous. Gripes and flaws aside, volume one was definitely more than the sum of its parts, and packed some of the biggest feels into a single panel than I can remember in some time.
So whilst the art is still gorgeous in volume two, everything that worked story-wise has been lost or inadvertently misplaced. With the stale, unpleasant remains being all the worst aspects of the first volume, just cranked up to 11. IN short, Evan Dorkin shat the bed on this, sullied the cool art we did get, and ruined the chance to have the art present something better than what we got. Again, no fault belongs with the artists. It's the writing here which deserves the full brunt of the blame. The stories are entirely dialogue driven, to the preclusion of any other narrative method, which was a mistake. The dialogue itself is flat, lifeless and uninspired. The attempts at humour are awful, especially given how often its attempted. The stories themselves are a shadow of what they were. Only the short sheep story was anything close to the unexpected we got in volume one. Everything else was filler and fluff, with no substance and little style.
I genuinely didn't wan to have to right this. I would love for this to have wowed me as much as volume one did. Neighbourhood Watch isn't just a victim of it's previous success. This is disappointing regardless of whatever came before it. I would definitely recommend reading Animal Rites, and I would definitely recommend skipping this. Nothing to see here, move along. 2/5
OmniBen.
Oh man, this one stings. I take no joy whatsoever in documenting my opinions on this particular collection. Then again, I took little joy in reading it either, which seems to be the problem in the first place. Animal Rites (volume one) was an absolute delight. The rather unique and inventive ways in which the paranormal was explored through the eyes of a number of animals more than made up for the somewhat plain and rigid dialogue. And of course, the art was absolutely gorgeous. Gripes and flaws aside, volume one was definitely more than the sum of its parts, and packed some of the biggest feels into a single panel than I can remember in some time.
So whilst the art is still gorgeous in volume two, everything that worked story-wise has been lost or inadvertently misplaced. With the stale, unpleasant remains being all the worst aspects of the first volume, just cranked up to 11. IN short, Evan Dorkin shat the bed on this, sullied the cool art we did get, and ruined the chance to have the art present something better than what we got. Again, no fault belongs with the artists. It's the writing here which deserves the full brunt of the blame. The stories are entirely dialogue driven, to the preclusion of any other narrative method, which was a mistake. The dialogue itself is flat, lifeless and uninspired. The attempts at humour are awful, especially given how often its attempted. The stories themselves are a shadow of what they were. Only the short sheep story was anything close to the unexpected we got in volume one. Everything else was filler and fluff, with no substance and little style.
I genuinely didn't wan to have to right this. I would love for this to have wowed me as much as volume one did. Neighbourhood Watch isn't just a victim of it's previous success. This is disappointing regardless of whatever came before it. I would definitely recommend reading Animal Rites, and I would definitely recommend skipping this. Nothing to see here, move along. 2/5
OmniBen.
May 7, 2020
I picked this up specifically for the 'View From the Hill' comic, which I've seen on the internet many times but never been able to find in person. It's one of the coolest horror ideas I've seen - so when I saw this complication I had to have it.
Each strip is only short but they all pack a punch. Nearly all of them have a good chunk of action and paranormal elements, whether that's vampires, invisible monsters killing everything in sight, or witches, and then they have emotional distress piled on too. If they weren't making you want to check on your family, they were making you think about whether we're split from our friends after death. Absolutely none of them ended on an optimistic note - which is fine! They're horror stories and I'd have been shocked if they did.
I really want to pick up the next volume now just to make sure all the pets make it out of this storyline okay.
Each strip is only short but they all pack a punch. Nearly all of them have a good chunk of action and paranormal elements, whether that's vampires, invisible monsters killing everything in sight, or witches, and then they have emotional distress piled on too. If they weren't making you want to check on your family, they were making you think about whether we're split from our friends after death. Absolutely none of them ended on an optimistic note - which is fine! They're horror stories and I'd have been shocked if they did.
I really want to pick up the next volume now just to make sure all the pets make it out of this storyline okay.
October 10, 2019
Wonderfull, lovely and cruel.
March 18, 2020
I love these horror stories so much. And Hellboy makes an appearance!
October 15, 2021
Beasts of Burden is phenomenal.
The storyline revolves around a group of dogs (and two cats!) living in Burden Hill. In the last volume they joined the ranks of Wise Dogs as junior apprentices, and thus began their journey dealing with all the paranormal activity that has been cropping up around town. While junior apprentices, they are dealing with some pretty serious stuff. Serious enough that Hellboy of all people shows up in the first story in this volume!
These stories are riveting. The artwork is beautifully drawn, and colored with watercolor. There are multiple points where I had to stop reading to show my partner the artwork because it so perfectly captured an expression or body language that I'd seen in my husky. Cats, crows, and rats were also all depicted with similarly perfect attention.
While all of the stories in this volume were wonderful, there were two that particularly stood out to me. One involved sheep. The other was focused upon one of the cats. I'm not going to further elaborate, but I would love to hear what other readers make of these two stories in particular - because man, those were beautiful. Made me tear up a bit, and ended like a punch to the gut.
What a series.
The storyline revolves around a group of dogs (and two cats!) living in Burden Hill. In the last volume they joined the ranks of Wise Dogs as junior apprentices, and thus began their journey dealing with all the paranormal activity that has been cropping up around town. While junior apprentices, they are dealing with some pretty serious stuff. Serious enough that Hellboy of all people shows up in the first story in this volume!
These stories are riveting. The artwork is beautifully drawn, and colored with watercolor. There are multiple points where I had to stop reading to show my partner the artwork because it so perfectly captured an expression or body language that I'd seen in my husky. Cats, crows, and rats were also all depicted with similarly perfect attention.
While all of the stories in this volume were wonderful, there were two that particularly stood out to me. One involved sheep. The other was focused upon one of the cats. I'm not going to further elaborate, but I would love to hear what other readers make of these two stories in particular - because man, those were beautiful. Made me tear up a bit, and ended like a punch to the gut.
What a series.
August 27, 2021
As for anthropomorphism, I won't bore you with the technicalities, but there's something about it that makes characters more approachable, and my innate sympathy for animals sure helps. In the first two stories, I was struck by Thompson's lighthearted approach to Dorkin's script. Even in the second story, which is more battle-oriented, this is obvious. However, there is a strong feeling of unity that the art team brings out in how each animal speaks to each other in 'Story Time.'
All the stories, but especially 'Food Run,' have a wonderful sense of comedy. Going through; ignorance, smart head fakes in 'Story Time,' and a wonderful fourth wall breaker. A heartfelt finale to 'The View From The Hill' replaces that sense of whimsy and comedy. It's a tale in and of itself that deserves to be framed in some way.
Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch comes from a creative team who has won Eisner awards for this series. Anyone reading these stories should be aware of this reality. Professionalism and commitment are on full show, as one would expect from someone with such a background. A must-read for horror comic fans and anybody else interested in the subject.
All the stories, but especially 'Food Run,' have a wonderful sense of comedy. Going through; ignorance, smart head fakes in 'Story Time,' and a wonderful fourth wall breaker. A heartfelt finale to 'The View From The Hill' replaces that sense of whimsy and comedy. It's a tale in and of itself that deserves to be framed in some way.
Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch comes from a creative team who has won Eisner awards for this series. Anyone reading these stories should be aware of this reality. Professionalism and commitment are on full show, as one would expect from someone with such a background. A must-read for horror comic fans and anybody else interested in the subject.
December 18, 2023
Que quadrinho delicioso de ler!
Nesse terceiro volume temos uma boa sequência de ação, aventura e momentos de humor entre nossos protagonistas e outros animais que aparecem para interagir com eles. Ah, e tem também uma participação bem especial logo na primeira história.
Eu adoro o ritmo da narrativa desde o primeiro volume, e é muito legal ver que ele é mantido com consistência. Apesar de uns momentos mais sofridos (por conta do andamento dos eventos da história!), é interessante ver como a história vai ganhando mais peso conforme coisas acontecem.
Por fim, a arte da Jill Thompson continua me encantando e eu sou eternamente grata a ela por me mostrar quadrinhos atuais feitos do jeitinho que eu gosto, com lápis e tinta. Ansiosa pela continuação!
Nesse terceiro volume temos uma boa sequência de ação, aventura e momentos de humor entre nossos protagonistas e outros animais que aparecem para interagir com eles. Ah, e tem também uma participação bem especial logo na primeira história.
Eu adoro o ritmo da narrativa desde o primeiro volume, e é muito legal ver que ele é mantido com consistência. Apesar de uns momentos mais sofridos (por conta do andamento dos eventos da história!), é interessante ver como a história vai ganhando mais peso conforme coisas acontecem.
Por fim, a arte da Jill Thompson continua me encantando e eu sou eternamente grata a ela por me mostrar quadrinhos atuais feitos do jeitinho que eu gosto, com lápis e tinta. Ansiosa pela continuação!
May 15, 2022
BoB mě okamžitě zaujaly svým nápadem - zvířata jako čarodějové a paranormální vyšetřovatelé potírající zlo v podobě temných čarodějů a příšer? To celé zasazené do malebné anglické krajiny? Kresleno stejně malebným stylem vodovkami? Nádhera.
Některé postavy jsou ploché, jiné jsou svébytné. Příběhy nemají jedno hluché místo, nejsou zbytečně natahovány.
Je tam dost krve, což k tomuto typu příběhu patří, ale pokud nesnesete jediný pohled na trpící zvířata (a to ani ta fiktivní), tak se tomuto komiksu vyhněte obloukem. Některé boje s obludným zlem jsou totiž opravdu na život a na smrt.
V tomhle svazku je i navíc krátký příběh, kde vystupuje i Hellboy a vůbec zde neruší. Výborná práce.
Některé postavy jsou ploché, jiné jsou svébytné. Příběhy nemají jedno hluché místo, nejsou zbytečně natahovány.
Je tam dost krve, což k tomuto typu příběhu patří, ale pokud nesnesete jediný pohled na trpící zvířata (a to ani ta fiktivní), tak se tomuto komiksu vyhněte obloukem. Některé boje s obludným zlem jsou totiž opravdu na život a na smrt.
V tomhle svazku je i navíc krátký příběh, kde vystupuje i Hellboy a vůbec zde neruší. Výborná práce.
September 29, 2024
Dunno why Hellboy is here, but I’m into it
August 8, 2021
Genius! Absolutely brilliant! This series ranks up there with The Goon and Hellboy and the best of comics.
February 14, 2024
The scariness and gore ramps up as things get more dangerous for the gang. I'm still loving the stories and the wonderful watercolor art. And Hellboy shows up! That was my favorite story of this batch.
December 21, 2022
Be careful. Not for the kids.
Read
February 16, 2020This is the third Beasts of Burden collection I've read and I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them. It's a great mix of horror, comedy, good dogs and even some cats. If you love Hellboy then I believe this series will also appeal to you. In fact Hellboy makes and appearance in one of the stories.
March 29, 2020
The comics are still as charming as ever as far as the art goes, but I have to admit I felt slightly disappointed with the contents, since I can't help but compare the second volume to Volume 1: Animal Rites. The first volume was a very solid piece of work, but the second volume felt almost like a scrapbook in comparison. We get a few pretty generic shorter comics in the beginning of the volume, a story with Hellboy, a couple of good but not amazing stories, and a shift from X-File-ish atmosphere to a more Lovecraftian feel at the end.
As far as the shorter stories go, I only liked the one with the flock of sheep, and I have a gnawing suspicion it's because it was one of the very few stories in the book that even remotely reminded me of the first volume and its markedly eerie atmosphere.
Now, Hellboy... The story was alright, but I really don't like guest appearances and mixing comic universes. It breaks my immersion.
I also don't know how I feel about the more classic, if not pretty generic Lovecraftian horror feel in the last storyline. What drew me into this series initially was the art style, however, what made me stay was the eeriness. The last story didn't really give me that feeling that causes my pupils to enlarge, though that was something I really wanted and expected from this volume.
All that said, it's still a charming collection of comics, and there is obviously more to come. This volume definitely felt like a calm before the storm, an introduction to the creepy, terrible horrors that will engulf Burden Hill in the coming stories. Kind of like how the middle installation in a trilogy can sometimes feels like a set-up, rather than a decent story at its own right. That's how I felt about Neighborhood Watch>/i>. I'm still very much looking forward to more adventures from our beloved group of underdogs... and cats!
As far as the shorter stories go, I only liked the one with the flock of sheep, and I have a gnawing suspicion it's because it was one of the very few stories in the book that even remotely reminded me of the first volume and its markedly eerie atmosphere.
Now, Hellboy... The story was alright, but I really don't like guest appearances and mixing comic universes. It breaks my immersion.
I also don't know how I feel about the more classic, if not pretty generic Lovecraftian horror feel in the last storyline. What drew me into this series initially was the art style, however, what made me stay was the eeriness. The last story didn't really give me that feeling that causes my pupils to enlarge, though that was something I really wanted and expected from this volume.
All that said, it's still a charming collection of comics, and there is obviously more to come. This volume definitely felt like a calm before the storm, an introduction to the creepy, terrible horrors that will engulf Burden Hill in the coming stories. Kind of like how the middle installation in a trilogy can sometimes feels like a set-up, rather than a decent story at its own right. That's how I felt about Neighborhood Watch>/i>. I'm still very much looking forward to more adventures from our beloved group of underdogs... and cats!
January 12, 2020
Halfway through this book, I was torn between giving it 4 or 5 stars. It was undoubtedly good, well-written, beautifully illustrated but not great. And then came the last story, The Presence of Others. A solid 5 stars story, one of the best I've ever read in comics! I didn't expect to love some talking animals but, guilty as charged, your honour! Witty dialogues, complicated relationships between them, different characters, great continuity. Basically, everything a good book needs! I will read the previous volumes asap! Recommended as hell(boy)!
October 21, 2019
Not as heartbreaking or hypnotizing as the first volume was for me, but I still really enjoy these little mysteries, the charm of there characters, and the creepiness of the monsters they run into. Glad to have this one read.
September 6, 2023
Sometimes silly, sometimes not. And when not, the stories are horrifying or heartbreaking.
The animals of Burden Hill really don't have it easy.
The animals of Burden Hill really don't have it easy.
July 30, 2023
I've always liked Monster of the Week episodes best, so I was very into this collection of one-shot comics. I'm fully on board with pet supernatural investigators and paranormal crime fighters; I mean, of COURSE our animals have complicated and sophisticated internal lives and all their own emotional drama, and it makes sense that at least some of them would be part of a psychic militia. Like, my cat is ALWAYS seeing stuff that isn't there, so she's either part of the psychic pet militia or a psychic pet militia needs to come and help us exorcise this house of whatever is skeeving her out.
A View from the Hill is my favorite of these one-shots; I love the concept of calm, nurturing sheep protecting and caring for their border collie friend. Y'all, they're probably not telling him they all burned to death not just because they don't want to be separated into Dog Heaven and Sheep Heaven, but also because they don't want him to know that he didn't save them!
What the Cat Dragged In was beautiful on the opposite end of the spectrum, but had the same theme. Dymphna didn't know (but did she suspect?) that she'd inadvertently been subjecting her daughters to ceaseless torment; finally gaining that knowledge allowed her to help them, but their freedom just meant that now they're separated by death. But before she knew she could free them, she was planning to stay in the house with them--ceaselessly tormented, as well, but at least they would be together. I would absolutely endure ceaseless torment to hang out with my own daughters, too! (Just between us, sometimes it IS ceaseless torment to hang out with them... while we were chatting waiting for the Barbie movie to start last night, my teenaged daughter had the nerve to explain to me in great detail that apparently I am VERY annoying! I was all, "You wait until the end of this movie and try to say that to me, Missy.")
The Presence of the Others was the only one-shot that I wasn't feeling right away. I mean, where are the beasts? And when we finally get the beasts, why are we having to hear about these humans' stupid powers? Why do I care that the son can only hear the animals if he holds his sister's hand? Like... okay? I actually asked my husband to ready-reference if these were characters I should have known, because I also would have been super confused at the beginning of the collection if I didn't know who Hellboy was! But he Googled and said no, these were just... characters.
Fortunately, they did kind of grow on me, and I was SUPER into it when the Dad went bad. And now I actually do want to read more about them, because I'm very interested in knowing if the Dad is still haunted or if he's just an asshole. He's certainly channeling some John Winchester-level A+ parenting!
I'm not fully caught up on the series, so it's possible that there were ongoing plot connections that I didn't pick up on, but that also means that this is a great collection to just pick up cold!
A View from the Hill is my favorite of these one-shots; I love the concept of calm, nurturing sheep protecting and caring for their border collie friend. Y'all, they're probably not telling him they all burned to death not just because they don't want to be separated into Dog Heaven and Sheep Heaven, but also because they don't want him to know that he didn't save them!
What the Cat Dragged In was beautiful on the opposite end of the spectrum, but had the same theme. Dymphna didn't know (but did she suspect?) that she'd inadvertently been subjecting her daughters to ceaseless torment; finally gaining that knowledge allowed her to help them, but their freedom just meant that now they're separated by death. But before she knew she could free them, she was planning to stay in the house with them--ceaselessly tormented, as well, but at least they would be together. I would absolutely endure ceaseless torment to hang out with my own daughters, too! (Just between us, sometimes it IS ceaseless torment to hang out with them... while we were chatting waiting for the Barbie movie to start last night, my teenaged daughter had the nerve to explain to me in great detail that apparently I am VERY annoying! I was all, "You wait until the end of this movie and try to say that to me, Missy.")
The Presence of the Others was the only one-shot that I wasn't feeling right away. I mean, where are the beasts? And when we finally get the beasts, why are we having to hear about these humans' stupid powers? Why do I care that the son can only hear the animals if he holds his sister's hand? Like... okay? I actually asked my husband to ready-reference if these were characters I should have known, because I also would have been super confused at the beginning of the collection if I didn't know who Hellboy was! But he Googled and said no, these were just... characters.
Fortunately, they did kind of grow on me, and I was SUPER into it when the Dad went bad. And now I actually do want to read more about them, because I'm very interested in knowing if the Dad is still haunted or if he's just an asshole. He's certainly channeling some John Winchester-level A+ parenting!
I'm not fully caught up on the series, so it's possible that there were ongoing plot connections that I didn't pick up on, but that also means that this is a great collection to just pick up cold!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2020
After getting used to the overall premise of the last volume, this one hits the ground running and builds on what we know and the possibilities of this world.
Dorkin is doing some real world building in this volume, even if it just mostly takes place in this small county. Small stories from the first volume are referenced here, and built upon. Villains return, and seeds are sown for next time. I think Dorkin has a hell of a premise here and it fits so well in the comic book medium. Even in cartoon form I think the series would lose a bit of its "bite" (pun intended) because the characters would be very "cutesy". However in a comic, things are moving quickly from panel to panel that you don't focus so much on the cute aspect but on the story itself. Maybe a cartoon would be good, but for my money this format really does feel perfect for this series.
Jill Thompson continues her great work on this book, and if anything, it looks better than ever. I found myself pausing at some of her panels to admire the watercolors, the way she conveys movement and action and the sense of foreboding that is all down to Thompson. She does wonderful work in this book and a big part of why it is so good is because of her.
This is a great series that was off my radar for some time. Don't let it be off yours if you are into occult detective stuff. This one is too good to pass up.
Dorkin is doing some real world building in this volume, even if it just mostly takes place in this small county. Small stories from the first volume are referenced here, and built upon. Villains return, and seeds are sown for next time. I think Dorkin has a hell of a premise here and it fits so well in the comic book medium. Even in cartoon form I think the series would lose a bit of its "bite" (pun intended) because the characters would be very "cutesy". However in a comic, things are moving quickly from panel to panel that you don't focus so much on the cute aspect but on the story itself. Maybe a cartoon would be good, but for my money this format really does feel perfect for this series.
Jill Thompson continues her great work on this book, and if anything, it looks better than ever. I found myself pausing at some of her panels to admire the watercolors, the way she conveys movement and action and the sense of foreboding that is all down to Thompson. She does wonderful work in this book and a big part of why it is so good is because of her.
This is a great series that was off my radar for some time. Don't let it be off yours if you are into occult detective stuff. This one is too good to pass up.
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