Just Read - Savage Brute by Pat Dorian

This week’s book (also last week’s book) Savage Brute by Pat Dorian. I pick up issues #1 and #2 because I liked the cover to #1 and I really glad I did.

Savage Brute reminds me of a classic comic remixed for the modern age adult. The art is very bigfoot style for a lack of a better term, reminds my a little of the Flintstones cartoons in places. Dorian has a very deliberate style the he delivers perfectly with lush brush strokes.

The story in issue 1 revolves around the adventures of Savage as he hunts for food for his poor Ma, after his Pa left her. There are also villains in the story, Mr. Binky and his henchman Ravage who is a perfect foil for Savage right down to his looks.

Issue 2 picks up right where issue 1 left off, Savage brings home food for his Ma and finds that his sister Lilly is missing. His Ma is not please with this turn of events and Savage finds him self back on the hunt. this time for his sister Lilly. In this issue King Cobra is added to the cast of bad guys.

Both books are told in a gag-a-page style with something funny on almost every page.  There is an odd amount of adult jokes, content and language (not porn). Most of it flows fairly smoothly with the story, but some of it falls flat. Maybe I spend to much time reading kids comics, but this content felt a little strange and forced at times. With that said, I cannot wait until issue 3.

images from issue 2

The books are self-published mini-comics with screen-printed covers. I really like the cover to issue 1 and the flaps featuring faces of each character in the book. The stories are 20+ pages long with a couple pages of preview sketches for the next issues in each book.

A special bonus, Dorian did a nice pencil and ink drawing in each book. Not sure if this is standard or not, but I found it to be an awesome touch on an excellent self published mini-comic.     

-Denny Riccelli creates comics under the pen name ‘dennmann’ he currently publishes the webcomic Cousin Harold and some mini-comics now and then, including Jenny Spookawski Ghost Girl. He lives in Peoria, Arizona with his wife and 2 kids.