Beasts of Burden #2, which is published by Dark Horse Comics, is written by Evan Dorkin, illustrated by Benjamin Dewey, and lettered by Nate Piekos. In the previous issue, readers were introduced to Sabina, Russell, and Paul, their father. They’re a trio of paranormal investigators who are asked to find the body of a missing person. However, they inadvertently disturb the grave of a being known as “The Master,” which sets off a series of events that will bring serious consequences upon the animal defenders of the small town.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
This issue picks up with Paul waking up after being under the control of the “The Master.” The trio is accompanied by some of the animal protectors to a safer location. However, they’re attacked by a swarm of crows. Together, the paranormal investigators and the animal protectors must come together and find a way to get to safety. But not everything is at it seems, leading the investigators and animals not trust each other anymore.
I’ve become a fan of any comic that features animals as the main character. However, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I picked up this comic. There had been other comic series that took place within this universe but the premise of this one seemed simple enough to follow. It managed to combine elements of horror, mystery, and fantasy in such a way that it never seemed like one element stood out from the other. The comic does an incredible job with carrying the tension and eerie feelings that were established in the previous issue. The sense that the graveyard and forest are not safe places is not scrapped even after the group defeats the ogre rat.
The style of art in this comic is incredible. It brings a real element of horror but also finds a way to make the series that much more unique. It brought memories of watching cartoons like Tales from the Cryptkeeper and Goosebumps. One of the fight scenes in this issue is drawn with such detail and the colors all blend well together. The art style also creates this eerie sensation within the forest that perfectly fits this horror aesthetic. I’m looking forward to seeing more designs of the supernatural beings that serve “The Master.”
However, there were some questionable decisions made in the story that I wasn’t quite sure made sense. Without going into spoilers, the comradeship that had begun to build up between the trio of paranormal investigators and the animal protectors is put to the test. Neither this issue or the previous one set up anything to give this turn tension between the groups. It would have made sense for the fact that Paul was briefly controlled by “The Master” to establish conflict but that’s quickly dropped. I’m assuming that they will have work together but the direction this plot is being taken might make this risky. Overall, I’m hoping that this tension doesn’t last long.
Overall, I found this comic to be quite an enjoyable read. It did have its issues, but the art and the fight scene was enough to keep my interest. It’s a perfect blend of horror and mystery, with animal defenders as main characters. I’m looking forward to seeing this story progress but I’m also nervous about how further issues handle this tension that’s been set up.
Beasts of Burden #2 is available now wherever comic books are sold.
Beasts of Burden #2
TL;DR
It did have its issues, but the art and the fight scene was enough to keep my interest.
