Dead Dog's Bite

 

Dead Dog’s Bite

What am I reading? Dead Dog’s Bite, September 2021, Issues 1-4, written and illustrated by Tyler Boss.

What’s it about? The Mid-West small town of Pendermills is rocked by the loss of Cormac Guffin, missing these last three days. None more so feel the loss than her best friend Joe Bradley. Joe will stop at nothing to find her friend in this off kilter thriller.

What’s good about it? I’m a real sucker for a clean panel structure: I think it's so natural reading a nine-panel page. It makes things cohesive and allows the art to control the pace. Boss’ art is sublime. I love his style. The combination of simple geometric panelling, his elegant bold pencils and limited winter colours really lends itself to the beguiling subject matter.

The best way I can describe this story is as if Wes Anderson directed Twin Peaks. It feels cutesy and low stakes, despite being about a missing girl with imagery and suggestions that have you questioning every line on the page. I found it remarkably affective in producing that uneasy feeling of “What did I just read?”. The narrator and story framing device are a master stroke of bafflement.

What did I struggle with? Cormac Guffin? Known to Joe as “Mac”… Mac Guffin… really? I’d swallow that if it was the only name like it, but the stooge Mayor Quesling was a bit too much for me. Besides that, there’s not a lot for me to complain about. On describing the ending to my wife, her reaction was “is that it?” but I won’t spoil that here.

Would I recommend? If you like weird, small, off beat stories, this would be right up your alley. It’s a quick read of only 132 pages. The hardback is delightful, and I’d suggest the optimum way of reading this story.