Beasts of Burden

Title: Beasts of Burden

Genre: Horror

Story: Evan Dorkin

Art: Jil Thompson

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Year: 2009

Issues: 01-04

Rate: 90/100

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PROMO: Welcome to Burden Hill-a picturesque little town adorned with white picket fences and green, green grass, home to a unique team of paranormal investigators. Beneath this shiny exterior, Burden Hill harbors dark and sinister secrets, and it's up to a heroic gang of dogs-and one cat-to protect the town from the evil forces at work. These are the Beasts of Burden Hill-Pugs, Ace, Jack, Whitey, Red and the Orphan-whose early experiences with the paranormal (including a haunted doghouse, a witches' coven, and a pack of canine zombies) have led them to become members of the Wise Dog Society, official animal agents sworn to protect their town from evil. This turns out to be no easy task, as they soon encounter demonic cannibal frogs, tortured spirits, a secret rat society, and a bizarre and deadly resurrection in the Burden Hill cemetery-events which lead to fear and heartbreak as our four-legged heroes discover that the evil within Burden Hill is growing and on the move. Can our heroes overcome these supernatural menaces? Can evil be bested by a paranormal team that doesn't have hands? And even more importantly, will Pugs ever shut the hell up?

Mystique

Title: Mystique

Genre: Superhero

Story: Brian K. Vaughan, Sean McKeever

Art: Jorge Lucas, Manuel Garcia...

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Year: 2003-2005

Issues: 01-24 of 24

Rate: 75/100

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PROMO: Writer Vaughan (Y: The Last Man) deftly straddles the line between superhero story and spy thriller with this series. Bad-girl shape-shifter Mystique, who can look and sound like anyone, is forced into working for X-Men leader Professor Charles Xavier (her former enemy), in exchange for protection from the many governments and other groups that want her dead. Mystique serves as an agent for Xavier, carrying out missions with which he cannot be associated should they come to light. Vaughan stresses how little anyone trusts Mystique, and how little she trusts anyone else in return. He enlivens the basic premise with sharp dialogue, smart characterizations and innovative uses for a shape-shifter's powers (e.g., taking the form of a child to force soldiers into hesitating during a crucial firefight, or creating a pouch behind her stomach to smuggle illicit firearms through airport security). Mystique's handlers come in the form of longtime X-Man Forge, who can build anything, and tiny tough guy Shortpack, a six-inch-tall telepath who provides witty banter. Lucas's art is clean, clear and nicely depicts subtle emotions, which is handy, since Vaughan packs this thriller with dramatic tension. Don't let the pinup-worthy cover fool you: Mystique is a smart, engaging piece of espionage fiction that shows that the superhero story isn't dead yet. 

Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse

Title: Wormwood - Gentleman Corpse

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Story: Ben Templesmith

Art: Ben Templesmith

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Year: 2006-2007

Issues: 00-07 (series: "The Taster", "Birds, Bees, Blood and Booze" and "It Only Hurts When I Pee")

Rate: 93/100

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PROMO: Meet Wormwood, the English-accented, beer-drinking, sentient corpse possessing a maggot expat from the Hell dimension. Well, one of them. If he's not attempting to save Earth from demonic, parasitic fungal infections or undead strippers, then he's off drinking with his homemade mechanical sidekick, Mr. Pendulum.

War of the Undead

Title: War of the Undead
Genre: Horror
Story: Bryan Johnson
Art: Walter Flanagan
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Year: 2007
Issues: 01-03 of 03
Rate: 80/100
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PROMO: In East Germany in 1945, Hitler has committed suicide and the war is over, but a secret cabal of Nazis have an insane plan to resurrect Hitler's soul from Hell and place it in an earthly vessel. To do this, the Nazis will have to gather the Earth's greatest monsters: Dracula, the werewolf and Frankenstein's monster! World War II might soon be over... but THE WAR OF THE UNDEAD is just beginning. This collection compiles the three-part miniseries plus the exclusive 9-page preview story, too. From the twisted team of Bryan Johnson and Walter Flanagan, who let Karney loose on an unsuspecting public.