Beasts of Burden (comics)

Beasts of Burden (comics)
Cover to Beasts of Burden #4 (Dec 2009) by Jill Thompson
Publication information
Publisher	Dark Horse Comics
Creative team
Writer(s)	Evan Dorkin
Artist(s)	Jill Thompson
Creator(s)	Evan Dorkin Jill Thompson
Collected editions
Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites	ISBN

Beasts of Burden is a Dark Horse Comics team of animals, created by writer Evan Dorkin and artist Jill Thompson, that investigate different paranormal events that occur in their small neighborhood of Burden Hill. The group consists of five dogs named Ace, Rex, Jack, Whitey, and Pugsley, and a cat named Orphan (later they are joined by another cat named Dymphna, a former witches familiar). The group is often seen consulting with "Wise Dogs", local shaman-like elders of their community.^[1]

The characters made their first appeared in a story titled Stray (written by Evan Dorkin with art by Jill Thompson) in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings. The made subsequent appearances in The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft, The Dark Horse Book of The Dead, and The Dark Horse Book of Monsters.

Dorkin stated that he came up with the concept after being asked by Dark Horse editor Scott Allie to write a story for the horror anthology The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings.^[2]

“	I wanted to write a haunted-house story, but not along traditional lines. After a few false starts I hit on the idea of a haunted doghouse, which became my pitch for Stray. Scott liked it and wanted me to draw it. I draw animals about as well as I breakdance, but Scott believed in me. Which was really nice. Luckily for us all, I convinced him to approach Jill Thompson instead	”
—Evan Dorkin, 2010

In 2009 the characters appeared in their own 4-issue mini-series.^[3] In 2010 the characters appeared alongside Hellboy in a one-shot issue titled Hellboy/Beasts of Burden: Sacrifice.^[4] In 2011 it was announced that three new Beasts of Burden stories would appear in the relaunched Dark Horse Presents series in issues 4, 6, and 8.^[5]

Contents 1 Bibliography 1.1 Comics 2 Collected editions 3 Film 4 Partial List of Awards & Recognition 5 References

Bibliography

Comics

• The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings (story Stray) by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson.
• The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft (story The Unfamiliar) by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson.
• The Dark Horse Book of The Dead (story Let Sleeping Dogs Lie) by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson.
• The Dark Horse Book of Monsters (story A Dog and His Boy) by Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, and Jill Thompson.
• Beasts of Burden (4-issue mini-series) by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson.
• Hellboy/Beasts of Burden: Sacrifice (one-shot) by Evan Dorkin, Mike Mignola, and Jill Thompson.
• Dark Horse Presents (vol.2) #4 (story Food Run) by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson.
• Dark Horse Presents (vol.2) #6 (story Story Time) by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson.

Collected editions

• Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites (June, 2010) Collects the stories Stray, The Unfamiliar, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, A Dog and His Boy, and issues #1-4 of the mini-series.

Film

A CG-animated film adaptation is currently in the works at Reel FX Creative Studios with filmmaker Andrew Adamson scheduled to produce^[6] and writer Darren Lemke attached to write the screenplay.^[7]

Partial List of Awards & Recognition

• 2004 Eisner Awards: Won Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior Art)
• 2005 Eisner Awards: Won Best Short Story
• 2007 Eisner Awards: Won Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior Art)
• 2010 Eisner Awards: Won Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior Art)
• 2010 Eisner Awards: Won Best Publication for Teens
• 2010 Harvey Awards: Nominated for Best Continuing or Limited Series ^[8]
• 2011 National Cartoonist Society: Won Best Comic Book Artist (Jill Thompson) ^[9]
• 2011 Anthony Awards: Nominated for Best Graphic Novel ^[10]
• 2011 Eisner Awards: Nominated for Best Graphic Album - Reprint ^[11]
• 2011 Harvey Awards: Won for Best Graphic Album Previously Published ^[12]

References