Dunce Press

Hey, so new comic tomorrow and all that. But in the meantime, I suggest you all go out and buy this comic:

Seriously. It's awesome.

It’s still on the shelves right now. And if you can still find issues one or two, buy those as well. And then, when the collection comes out, buy that. Why? So someday soon Dark Horse Comics tells Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson to go ahead and keep on making this fine, fine comic book.

Sometimes Comics and I can have a conflicted relationship. I really do love them, and I try and read a broad range. Honest, I’m waaaaay more experimental with my comics consumption than I am with my movie habits. But for all the brilliant work that the Chris Wares and Dan Cloweses and David Bses of the world are doing, The comics that I truly yearn for are things like Uncle Scrooge, Usagi Yojimbo, Dungeon, or (dare I say it) Calvin and Hobbes.

My nerdery is boundless.

Let me explain a little more deeply. Once I started really thinking about comics, and making them in a more thought-out and methodical manner, reading comics became simultaneously harder and more intimidating. Harder because now I’m always trying to be aware of the beats, the art, the writing, whether the inking really complements the story, etc. etc ETC., and more intimidating because because I always see what that creator or team does best. I mean, sure I can pick apart everything negative about a comic to make me feel better, but I’d rather find what I like about that book so I can file it away for later, and maybe see how to incorporate into my own work. But, it’s inevitably something that I not only can’t do, but also something that I would like desperately to be able to do (at least while I’m reading that particular comic). Take for example Alan Moore’s exceptional ability to wring every possible nuance out of a story. As many issues as I have with Watchmen, I keep going back to it because the entire thing is just so perfect as a comic book.

But I digress. Getting back to Beasts of Burden, what I’m liking so much about this series (and the other comics I mentioned) is that, yeah, it’s a pretty brilliant piece of work – but I never lose sight of the story or the characters because it’s too darned fun while I’m reading it to stop and examine anything. Yeah, I wish I could write characters that pop as individuals from their first line of dialogue like Evan, and who wouldn’t want to be able to paint like Jill Thompson. But while I’m reading it, I can just relax and be a comics reader again. All the best comics (in my opinion) strike a nice balance between maintaining enough depth to the work that you can pick it apart a little, but not losing the sense of fun in the process. Especially in the case of issue two, Beasts walks this line just fine. And for cripes sake, It’s about a group of housepets that deal with the paranormal problems in their neighborhood.

An example of both the great writing and the great art. And a poop joke. Oh, and the end of this issue will probably make you cry.

Alright. Done rambling. Just go check out this comic. It’s really really good.

For Serious.

J

(and by the way – all Beasts of Burden images  © Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson. But you knew that already, didn’t you?)