Scotty Arsenault (Tales of the Fehnnik, Heebas) has returned with Commander Kitty, a brand new storyline for his continuing on-line full-color science fiction comic strip. Join Kitty, Mittens, Fluffy, and Mr. Socks (a ferret, of course!), and the rest of the crew of the Number Six as they “battle with imaginary evil alter egos from another dimension, fending off commercial advertising that would make the Borg tremble, travelling through time leaving a bloody carnage of blatant paradox behind them, discovering the secret artifacts of planet Pangolin, and going shopping for yogurt.” You heard it here. So, go and see it here.
Cats
Berke Breathed’s First Illustrated Novel
Berkeley Breathed, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of Bloom County and Outland, has given us his first illustrated novel. Flawed Dogs — The Shocking Raid on Westminster is “a heartwarming and humorous ode to the unconditional and lasting love that we and our pets share”. This is from the publisher: “Sam the Lion is actually a priceless dachshund, bred to be a show dog. More important, he is Heidy’s best friend—and she needs one like never before. Living with her reclusive uncle is hard, but Sam has a way of making her feel soft and whole. Until the day Sam is framed by the jealous poodle Cassius, and is cast out by Heidy’s uncle, alone on the wild streets, where he is roughed up by a world he was not bred for. Sporting a soup ladle for a leg, Sam befriends other abandoned dogs and journeys all the way to the Westminster Dog Show, where his plan for revenge on Cassius takes an unexpected turn when he and Heidy spot each other after years of being apart.” The book is available in hardcover this September from Philomel.
Stoners and their Cats… or vice versa
Fat Freddy’s Cat began his life as an extra the that popular underground comic book, The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. Soon, though, his popularity grew until he had his own comic title, also written and drawn by FFFB-creator Gilbert Shelton. Now Knockabout Comics brings us the Fat Freddy’s Cat Omnibus in trade paperback. Watch as the big stoner boy’s cat fights the never-ending army of roaches bent on world domination, travels through Mexico, saves the Earth from an alien invasion, and works as a government agent to save the world from the “Hee Hee Hee” drug. Nearly all of the Fat Freddy’s Cat adventures are collected in this softcover book that’s nearly 400 pages.
Beasts of Burden
We can’t top this, so we’ll just reprint it (from the official Dark Horse Comics press release): “When supernatural occurrences sweep the community of Burden Hill, it’s up to a heroic gang of cats and dogs to keep the residents safe from harm. A bizarre disturbance leads these four-legged neighbors on a wild goose chase into the depths of the nearby forest, where loyalties are tested and lives come to an abrupt end”. Beasts of Burden is a new full-color four-issue comic book miniseries brought to us by the award-winning creators Evan Dorkin (Milk & Cheese) and Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) and released, of course, by Dark Horse this September.
A Feline Tour of Old Tokyo!
Also just found on Amazon: Edo Cats: Tails of Old Tokyo, written and illustrated by Ryuto Kanzaki. It’s available this May in hardcover and softcover from Japanime Company. “Acclaimed manga artist and historian Ryuto Kanzaki takes readers on a whimsical tour of Edo (Old Tokyo) as seen through the eyes of the local cats. Discover the costumes, customs, and color of bygone Japan. Teeming with history and nostalgia, Edo Cats: Tails of Old Tokyo will delight manga fans and feline-lovers alike!”
