Patrick McDonnell‘s classic comic strip Mutts has been touching readers’ hearts for decades, including famous readers such as The Simpson’s creator Matt Groening, zoologist Jane Goodall, novelist Glen David Gold, and Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz who referred to Mutts as:
“One of the best comic strips of all time.”
This September, Abrams ComicsArts will publish Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story, a new Mutts story that highlights Guard Dog. Introduced to the world in 1995, Guard Dog is a chained dog. One of McDonnell’s most empathetic and compelling stories, Breaking the Chain is a celebration and history of Guard Dog with a full-color version of his story of long-awaited freedom. Over the years, the beloved character of Guard Dog has played an important role in raising awareness about the cruelty of tethering, inspiring countless readers to become involved in animal welfare.
Breaking the Chain begins when Guard Dog is abandoned by his owner, left alone and suffering. He’s soon discovered by his animal friends Mooch and Earl, and Doozy, a kind neighborhood girl, who work together to rescue their friend. In the introduction for Breaking the Chain, McDonnell states the following:
“This wasn’t a villain; this was a tragic character. i thought of all the real dogs in this country and around the world who suffer the same unbearable fate. maybe my do could be their voice. he could represent the cruelty that animals endure at the hands of humans, and the cruelty we inflict upon ourselves by staying chained to our unconscious ways of thinking”
Brought to life with McDonnell’s warm and intimate art, and featuring the complete story in color for the first time, Breaking the Chain is an emotionally resonant vignette whose grounding in the real-life animal neglect issues that affect millions of chained dogs worldwide will move both long-time Mutts fans and first time readers. With an introduction from award-winning songwriter and co-founder of the Sidewalk Angels Foundation, Rob Thomas, it is sure to be a collection that can’t be missed.
The Beat is happy to break the news that Abrams ComicsArts will donate a portion of the proceeds of pre-orders of Breaking the Chain to the Sidewalk Angels Foundation, a New York City-based charity founded by Thomas alongside Marisol Thomas, focused on providing support and funds to no-kill shelters around the United States.
Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story will be published on Tuesday, September 3, 2024 and is available for pre-order. To subscribe to the Daily Mutts, visit MUTTS.Com or their social media platforms. There will be further celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Mutts to come. A preview for Breaking the Chain is available below.
The original seven-week-long continuity was a masterclass in cartooning.
I loved it so much I pre-ordered this book last month.
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