You cant go wrong with Evan Dorkin or Mike Mignola and this crossover with beautiful art by Jill Thompson is well worth the cover price.

Hellboy teams up with the animals of the Wise Dog Society the same way Scooby Doo teamed up with Batman and Robin in the 70’s, they meet, introduce, and they’re off.

The dogs (and cats) lead Hellboy to a tunnel where cats have been found murdered in bizarre rituals. Hellboy punches his way through rat infested corridors and has funny interactions with the animals along the way.

Eventually they find a creepy old woman who’s been killing animals to resurrect a long dead lover. The story goes into overdrive at this point in a sequence that has to be seen to be believed.

Hellboy fits perfectly in the world of Burden Hill where dogs and cats speak English and supernatural creatures run rampant in the forest. If you love animals it’s hard to read books about them fighting and/or getting killed and I’m happy to announce that accept for a scary knife to the throat scene this book is not over the top or a bloodbath.

Aside from Hellboy smoking a cigarette instead of a cigar I loved this book and gave it to my cat to read. She chose to sleep on it instead.

Pick this up and if you haven’t and get the Beasts of Burden Hardcover at Amazon.

Beasts of Burden/Hellboy (one-shot)
Dark Horse
10/27/10
32 pages
$3.50