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“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” as the saying goes. And definitely don’t judge Image Comics’ new series illustrated by Trish Forstner. Forstner’s crisp, expressive pencils conjure nostalgic memories of Don Bluth’s All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) or Disney’s Oliver and Company (1988). Don’t be fooled, though. Writer and co-creator with Forstner, Tony Fleecs, has penned a dark and moody script far removed from the bubbly adventures of a Disney classic.
Furthermore, Stray Dogs is a rare project in which every aspect seems to compliment the other perfectly. Adding to the impact of the story and art, colorist Brad Simpson uses bright, solid colors to bring the fanciful world to life while Tone Rodriguez’s panel layouts standout as creative and effective.
Cute Dogs, Missing Memory, And A Murder
Stray Dogs introduces the reader to Sophie, an adorable little chihuahua-like dog with Disney princess eyes. She finds herself in a big unfamiliar house with a handful of other strange dogs. Sophie is scared. Her owner is nowhere to be found, and she has no idea how she even ended up in such a place. Still, things seem to be getting better after Sophie formally meets the gang of other canines. But things take a sharp turn when she finally gets a quick whiff off her new “master.”
Sophie’s memory hits her like a ton of bricks. This man waited for Sophie’s master in her apartment, attacked her when she got home and strangled her to death. When Sophie alerts the others of her revelation, they are very skeptical that their master could be capable of such a terrible act. Just when one of the dogs comes around and promises to help Sophie figure this out, she has lost the smell and forgotten everything, saying, “What killer? What are you talking about?” (( Fleecs, Tony. Forstner, Trish. “Stray Dogs #1.” Stray Dogs: Lost Dogs. Image Comics. 17 Feb. 2021. ))
Slow And Steady Sets The Stage
Tony Fleecs’ script is meticulously paced, but it never feels like it’s stuck. Rather, the slower pace adds to the general feelings of tension and mystery throughout the story without ever revealing too much about the true nature of what is going on. The reader learns only the essentials in this first issue. Sophie has ended up in an unfamiliar place with other former strays and doesn’t know how she got there. That is until she remembers that her master was murdered by the very man who brought her to this strange house.
The layouts in Stray Dogs stand out more than they typically do in the average comic book for several reasons. Tone Rodriguez uses various sizes of simple square and rectangle panels throughout the story but manages to avoid a monotonous feeling of repetition. In fact, this consistent style helps with the fluidity and compliments the slower pacing of the story. More still, Rodriguez opts to use wide gutters around the panels, which, again, aids the pacing by slowing the reader down from panel to panel. This static space between images builds up more narrative tension. With the design and the writing of Stray Dogs working in favor of its ominous tone, the art, at first glance, conveys more warm and pleasant feelings. But it actually functions to subvert any such expectations.
Don’t Judge A Story By Its Art
Marketed by Image Comics as Lady and the Tramp (1955) meets Silence of the Lambs (1991), Stray Dogs’ art feels more like the whimsical style of Don Bluth, whose smaller production company briefly stood toe-to-toe with Disney animation in the mid to late eighties. Forstner’s thick, heavy line work makes for beautiful character and world design, brought to life in vivid detail.
A unique part about this comic is its implementation of tone-setting panels that use unconventional images to convey a meaning or mood. It’s not something that is used much in mainstream comics, utilized mostly in the manga form of sequential art. In Stray Dogs, for example, a full panel of a glaring veterinary light and the paired dialogue not only make the reader anxious, the bright light acts as an on-page transition by seamlessly moving the reader to a panel showing the sun shining in the sky. The next image zooms out to show the sun hovering over a quaint farmhouse. The scene is set.
On top of the charming art, the solid writing, and the creative layouts, the coloring also plays an integral role in the storytelling of Stray Dogs. Sophie’s opening flashback at the vet is bathed in soft pastels, contrasting the sense of anxiety that the concurrent images create. In fact, seeing the typically calming colors over these panels create an even stronger sense that something is wrong.
But then the reader is taken to the present setting, the picturesque farmhouse. The art switches to bright, warm colors, and the reader is lulled back into a false sense of security. Then, Sophie remembers the murder. The coloring again plays a major part in this flashback, but there are no reassuring pastels this time. Aggressive shades of red take over the page and add to the horror playing out. The reader witnesses the gruesome scene as Sophie remembers it moment by moment. Without Simpson’s brilliant color work, this climax would not have the tremendous impact that it does.
Stray Dogs‘ Debut Is Barking Up The Right Tree
As strange as mashing up classic Disney animation with psychological horror sounds, Image Comics’ Stray Dogs #1 makes it work somehow. Fleecs’ writing gives each dog a distinct personality while also capturing a subtle feeling of impending dread. Forstner’s artwork, combined with Simpson’s colors, is a joy to behold, making the murder mystery that is unfolding all the more intriguing. All in all, Stray Dogs is an expertly crafted comic book from top to bottom, especially given the unconventional amalgamation of storytelling styles. You can get your paws on Stray Dogs #1 from your local comic shop on February 24, 2021.
