It’s International Dog Day! To celebrate, The Beat has an exclusive first look at a new sci-fi duology from Ahoy Comics, Death Dog, written by Bryce Ingman and illustrated by Alan Robinson. The debut issue features cover art by Robinson and Shannon Wheeler, and it’s slated for debut this fall.
Here’s the synopsis:
In a near-future America where most children have jobs instead of attending school, Wyatt—a 13-year old accused of shoplifting—is pursued by murderous robot dogs. Fortunately for Wyatt, a mysterious event transforms one of his terrifying pursuers into a tame, exuberant, and affectionate robodog who bonds with and protects Wyatt from the regular horrors of his cruel society. If you’re a 13-year old living in a country where no one protects kids, it’s nice to have a deadly robot dog in your corner.
Check out interior art from Death Dog #1 below.
“Are you like me? Are you terrified by robotic dogs? Every time I see a news report about some police department debuting their new robot dog or a viral video showing how fast and strong the newest faux canine is, I picture it chasing me—relentless, unstoppable and deadly,” said Ingman. “Basically, robot dogs creep me out!
“But recently, I got to thinking, could I write a story about a soulless robot dog that becomes a soulful hero dog? Could I take what scares me and turn it into something good? And Ahoy was kind enough to let me have a go at it. With the help of Alan Robinson’s brilliant art, I feel satisfied that our doggy mission was accomplished. So give Death Dog a read. It’s a rollicking tale of a neglected boy and a reborn ‘dog’ teaming up against a world that doesn’t give a damn about either of them,” he continued.
Robinson said, “I was not so much a dog person, but thanks to Bryce I’ve learned to love and fear dogs at the same time… especially Robot Dogs! This book was SO much fun to draw, and it felt great to put a little contribution on my end to such a fun story. It is always a pleasure to work on Ahoy books, and this was no exception!”
Ahoy editor-in-chief Tom Peyer said that although Death Dog is a comedic sci-fi tale, “I should mention how soulful it is. How moving. The late musician Captain Beefheart once said, ‘You can tell from the kindness of a dog the way a human should be.’ And you can also tell that from the kindness of Bryce and Alan’s Death Dog.”
Death Dog #1 will be available digitally and at your local comic shop on November 5.
