Beasts of Burden is a comic book series created by writer Evan Dorkin and artists Jill Thompson and Benjamin Dewey, and published by American company Dark Horse Comics. The title centers on an eponymous team of intelligent animals who investigate paranormal events in their small neighborhood of Burden Hill. The initial group consists of five dogs and a cat. They are often seen consulting with "Wise Dogs", local shamanic elders of their community.Dorkin, Evan and Jill Thompson. "Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites". Dark Horse Books, 2010.
Publishing history The characters made their first appearance in a story titled "Stray" (written by Evan Dorkin with art by Jill Thompson) in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings. They 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.Dorkin, Evan and Jill Thompson. "Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites". Dark Horse Books, 2010, p.169.
In 2009 the characters appeared in their own four-issue miniseries. The following year the characters appeared alongside Hellboy in a one-shot crossover issue titled Hellboy/Beasts of Burden: Sacrifice. Three new Beasts of Burden short stories appeared in the fourth, sixth, and eighth issues of the relaunched Dark Horse Presents series during 2011 and 2012, all of which were later reprinted in the Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch one-shot. The publishing schedule slowed down after that with only two issues from 2013 to 2017.
Late 2017, Dorkin wrote on his blog that Thompson was almost finished with the first issue of a two-part story, The Presence of Others, and artist Benjamin Dewey was working on a four-issue story titled Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men. Dorkin confirmed on his Twitter account that more stories were planned for both Thompson and Dewey. In 2019, The Presence of Others was published with Jill Thompson on the first issue and Benjamin Dewey on the second, and the Occupied Territory four-issue miniseries with Benjamin Dewey was published in 2021.
Characters
The Apprentices Ace, a Husky, courageous and bitten by a werewolf in "A Boy and His Dog" Jack, a Beagle, has some sensitivity to the paranormal Pugsley, a Pug, who is outspoken, snarky and cynical, often gets told to shut up by the others Rex, a Doberman, who is often afraid The Orphan, a male orange tabby cat who is ownerless. He is the only non-canine to attend dog funeral services. He possesses street smarts. Whitey, a Jack Russell Terrier who has a tendency to vomit or wet himself when frightened Dymphna, a former witch's familiar introduced in The Unfamiliar Miranda, a black dog who can cast spells
The Swifties A gang of neighbourhood cats that work with the apprentices introduced in "Something Whiskered This Way Comes" and as allies in "The Presence of Others".
The Get Away Kid, ownerless tuxedo cat with a reputation for escape Muggsy, a calico cat who is a "first lifer" (a cat that hasn't used up any of its nine lives) Sleeping Bob Johnny Whiskers
Wise Dogs Cian Emrys, an Old English Sheepdog Lundy, a Scottish Terrier Dempsey Brigid
Other characters Red, a dog Holstein, a cat
Comics
Date Story Appeared in… Writer Artist Letterer NotesAugust 27, 2003StrayThe Dark Horse Book of HauntingsEvan DorkinJill ThompsonJill ThompsonJuly 7, 2004The UnfamiliarThe Dark Horse Book of WitchcraftJune 1, 2005Let Sleeping Dogs LieThe Dark Horse Book of the DeadDecember 13, 2006A Dog and His BoyThe Dark Horse Book of MonstersEvan Dorkinand Sarah DyerJason ArthurSeptember 16, 2009The Gathering StormBeasts of Burden #1Evan DorkinOctober 21, 2009LostBeasts of Burden #2November 25, 2009Something Whiskered This Way ComesBeasts of Burden #3December 23, 2009Grave HappeningsBeasts of Burden #4October 27, 2010SacrificeHellboy/Beasts of Burden:SacrificeEvan Dorkinand Mike MignolaSeptember 21, 2011Food RunDark Horse Presents #4Evan DorkinNovember 23, 2011Story TimeDark Horse Presents #6February 1, 2012The View from the HillDark Horse Presents #8August 1, 2012RECOLLECTS: Food Run Story Time The View from the HillBeasts of Burden:Neighborhood WatchMarch 12, 2014Hunters and GatherersBeasts of Burden:Hunters and GatherersMay 4, 2016What the Cat Dragged InBeasts of Burden:What the Cat Dragged InEvan Dorkinand Sarah DyerAugust 22, 2018Wise Dogs and Eldritch MenBeasts of Burden:Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men #1Evan DorkinBenjamin DeweyNate PiekosSeptember 26, 2018Beasts of Burden:Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men #2October 24, 2018Beasts of Burden:Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men #3December 19, 2018Beasts of Burden:Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men #4May 1, 2019The Presence of OthersBeasts of Burden:The Presence of Others #1Jill ThompsonJune 5, 2019Beasts of Burden:The Presence of Others #2Benjamin DeweyApril 7, 2021Occupied TerritoryBeasts of Burden:Occupied Territory #1Evan Dorkinand Sarah DyerBenjamin DeweyMay 5, 2021Beasts of Burden:Occupied Territory #2June 2, 2021Beasts of Burden:Occupied Territory #3July 7, 2021Beasts of Burden:Occupied Territory #4
Collected editions VolumeTitleDateStories CollectedISBNNotes1Beasts of Burden:Animal RitesJune 30, 2010 (HC) May 9, 2018 (TPB) Stray The Unfamiliar Let Sleeping Dogs Lie A Dog and His Boy The Gathering Storm Lost Something Whiskered This Way Comes Grave Happenings (HC) (TPB) Beasts of Burden:Wise Dogs and Eldritch MenMarch 20, 2019 (HC) Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men (HC)2Beasts of Burden:Neighborhood WatchSeptember 18, 2019 (HC) Sacrifice Food Run Story Time The View from the Hill Hunters and Gatherers What the Cat Dragged In The Presence of Others (HC)Beasts of Burden:Occupied TerritoryNovember 30, 2021 (HC) Occupied Territory (HC)Beasts of Burden OmnibusFebruary 18, 2025 (TPB) Animal Rites Occupied Territory Neighborhood Watch Wise Dogs and Eldrich Men (TPB)
Film A CG-animated film adaptation was announced via Reel FX Creative Studios with filmmaker Andrew Adamson scheduled to produce, and writer Darren Lemke attached to write the screenplay. On February 20, 2013, it was announced that Shane Acker would direct the film, with Mike Richardson and Aron Warner joining Adamson as producers.
In April 2021, Evan Dorkin revealed that this adaptation never moved beyond pre-production and that he was not a fan of the script that would have been used. No further adaptation plans have been announced.
Awards and 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"2010 Harvey Awards" , Harvey Awards, 2010 2011 National Cartoonist Society: Won Best Comic Book Artist (Jill Thompson)Gold, Mike. "National Cartoonist Society Winners Announced", ComicMix, May 29, 2011 2011 Anthony Awards: Nominated for Best Graphic Novel"Beasts of Burden nominated for 2011 Anthony Award", Dark Horse Comics, May 19, 2011 2011 Eisner Awards: Nominated for Best Graphic Album - Reprint 2011 Harvey Awards: Won for Best Graphic Album Previously Published 2015 Eisner Awards: Won Best Single Issue/One-Shot (for Beasts of Burden: Hunters and Gatherers) 2017 Eisner Awards: Won Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior Art) 2017 Eisner Awards: Won Best Single Issue/One-Shot (for Beasts of Burden: What the Cat Dragged In)
References