Beasts of Burden#Film

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.

{{quote|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 four-issue miniseries.{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22070|title=Dorkin & Thompson's 'Beasts of Burden'|publisher=Comic Book Resources|last=Manning|first=Shaun|date=July 16, 2009|accessdate=July 19, 2011}} The following year the characters appeared alongside Hellboy in a one-shot crossover issue titled Hellboy/Beasts of Burden: Sacrifice.{{cite web|last=Manning|first=Shaun|title=C2E2 Exclusive: "Beasts of Burden/Hellboy"|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25857|publisher=Comic Book Resources|accessdate=July 19, 2011|date=April 20, 2010}} 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.{{cite web|title=Beasts of Burden Returns in Dark Horse Presents #4|url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/394/beasts-burden-returns-dark-horse-presents-4|publisher=Dark Horse|accessdate=July 19, 2011|date=May 10, 2011}} The publishing schedule slowed down after that with only two issues from 2013 to 2017.

{{quote|Basically, when Jill's available to work on the book we work on the book. I have three notebooks of material right now, the entire storyline is pretty much sketched out, with room for diversions and side-trips. If I had my way I’d be working on Beasts full-time, it's my favorite project and the one I’m always thinking about. It’s a labor-intensive book and Jill's in high demand so it takes awhile for us to get these stories out there. I wish we were on a regular schedule, but unfortunately I don't see that ever happening.|Evan Dorkin, 2014{{cite web |last1=Sunu |first1=Steve |title=Dorkin Discusses "Beasts of Burden," Bids Farewell to "The Eltingville Club" |url=https://www.cbr.com/dorkin-discusses-beasts-of-burden-bids-farewell-to-the-eltingville-club/ |website=Comic Book Resources |accessdate=June 23, 2018|date=March 5, 2014 }}}}

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.{{cite web |last1=Dorkin |first1=Evan |title=Still Here, Still Doing Stuff |url=https://evandorkin.livejournal.com/327332.html |website=Live Journal |accessdate=June 23, 2018}} Dorkin confirmed on his Twitter account that more stories were planned for both Thompson and Dewey.{{cite tweet |last=Dorkin |first=Evan |author-link=Evan Dorkin |user=evandorkin |number=996866395794235399 |date=May 16, 2018 |title=This brings you up to date about the BEASTS OF BURDEN comic series, at least all that I can talk about. More stories are planned and more art is coming from co-creator @thejillthompson and from @BenjaminDewey -- I hope we can do this for some time until the stories are all told. |language=en |access-date=June 14, 2021}} In 2019, The Presence of Others was published with Jill Thompson on the first issue and Benjamin Dewey on the second,{{cite tweet |last=Dorkin |first=Evan |author-link=Evan Dorkin |user=evandorkin |number=1093579713333858304 |date=February 7, 2019 |title=Here's where we are w/BEASTS OF BURDEN: THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS is a two-parter, part 1 w/art by series co-creator @thejillthompson. Part 2 w/art by WISE DOGS collab @BenjaminDewey. Both lettered by @blambot. This arc will finish up the long-awaited 2nd Burden Hill collection. (1) |language=en |access-date=June 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111213936/https://twitter.com/evandorkin/status/1093579713333858304 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |url-status=live}} and the Occupied Territory four-issue miniseries with Benjamin Dewey was published in 2021.{{cite tweet |last=Dorkin |first=Evan |author-link=Evan Dorkin |user=evandorkin |number=1093585089630490629 |date=February 7, 2019 |title=@thejillthompson @BenjaminDewey @blambot @colorkitten After THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS, me, @colorkitten, @BenjaminDewey and @blambot will be doing a new WISE DOGS mini-series. Three of the four scripts are completed. And after that, hopefully a series of Burden Hill stand-alone stories. We'll see how things go. Thx for reading BoB. (5) |language=en |access-date=June 14, 2021}}

• 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

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

• Cian
• Emrys, an Old English Sheepdog
• Lundy, a Scottish Terrier
• Dempsey
• Brigid

• Red, a dog
• Holstein, a cat

|Beasts of Burden:
Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men

|March 20, 2019 (HC)

|

• Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men

|{{ISBNT|9781506708744}} (HC)

|{{cite web|title=Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men (HC)|url=https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/3001-266/Beasts-of-Burden-Wise-Dogs-and-Eldritch-Men-HC|publisher=Dark Horse Comics|accessdate=17 February 2021}}

|-

|2

|Beasts of Burden:
Neighborhood Watch

|September 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

|{{ISBNT|9781506714103}} (HC)

|{{cite web|title=Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch (HC)|url=https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/20-073/Beasts-of-Burden-Volume-2-Neighborhood-Watch-HC|publisher=Dark Horse Comics|accessdate=17 February 2021}}

|-

|{{n/a|}}

|Beasts of Burden:
Occupied Territory

|November 30, 2021 (HC)

|

• Occupied Territory

|{{ISBNT|9781506720395}} (HC)

|

|-

|{{n/a|}}

|Beasts of Burden Omnibus

|February 18, 2025 (TPB)

|

• Animal Rites
• Occupied Territory
• Neighborhood Watch
• Wise Dogs and Eldrich Men

|{{ISBNT|9781506746784}} (TPB)

|{{cite web |title=Beasts of Burden Omnibus TPB |url=https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/3015-352/Beasts-of-Burden-Omnibus-TPB |website=Dark Horse Comics |access-date=15 February 2025}}

|}

A CG-animated film adaptation was announced via Reel FX Creative Studios with filmmaker Andrew Adamson scheduled to produce,{{cite news | url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/444/beasts-burden-headed-hollywood | title=BEASTS OF BURDEN HEADED TO HOLLYWOOD! | publisher=Dark Horse Comics | date=June 13, 2011 | accessdate=June 30, 2011}} and writer Darren Lemke attached to write the screenplay.{{cite news | last=Kit | first=Borys | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/comic-adaptation-beast-burden-taps-206306 | title=Comic Adaptation 'Beasts of Burden' Taps 'Jack the Giant Killer' Writer | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=June 28, 2011 | accessdate=June 30, 2011}} On February 20, 2013, it was announced that Shane Acker would direct the film, with Mike Richardson and Aron Warner joining Adamson as producers.{{cite news|title=Shane Acker to Direct Beasts of Burden|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=100599|accessdate=February 20, 2013|newspaper=ComingSoon.net|date=February 20, 2013}}

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.{{cite web | url=https://aiptcomics.com/2021/04/07/evan-dorkin-beasts-of-burden-interview/ | title=Evan Dorkin on the legacy and adventure of 'Beasts of Burden' • AIPT | date=April 7, 2021 }} No further adaptation plans have been announced.

• 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[http://www.harveyawards.org/awards_2010win.html "2010 Harvey Awards"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720233018/http://www.harveyawards.org/awards_2010win.html |date=July 20, 2012 }}, Harvey Awards, 2010
• 2011 National Cartoonist Society: Won Best Comic Book Artist (Jill Thompson)Gold, Mike. [http://l.wbx.me/l/?p=1&instId=31475212-8b66-4de5-93cd-d30be501a8e2&token=524d29078da83757a28b10e74569dfad586b62140000013034c91821&u=http://www.comicmix.com/news/2011/05/29/national-cartoonist-society-winners-announced/ "National Cartoonist Society Winners Announced"]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ComicMix, May 29, 2011
• 2011 Anthony Awards: Nominated for Best Graphic Novel[http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/414/beasts-burden-nominated-2011-anthony-award "Beasts of Burden nominated for 2011 Anthony Award"], Dark Horse Comics, May 19, 2011
• 2011 Eisner Awards: Nominated for Best Graphic Album - Reprint{{cite web |url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_11nom.php |title=2011 Eisner Awards Nominess |publisher=Comic-con.org |accessdate=March 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513193750/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_11nom.php |archivedate=May 13, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}
• 2011 Harvey Awards: Won for Best Graphic Album Previously Published{{cite web|url=http://www.harveyawards.org/awards_2011nom.html |title=2011 Harvey Awards |publisher=Harveyawards.org |accessdate=March 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210065805/http://www.harveyawards.org/awards_2011nom.html |archivedate=February 10, 2012 |df=mdy }}
• 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)

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Category:2003 comics debuts

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