Review by C.J. Bunce

Wild’s End, a new comic book series from BOOM! Studios, is quite strange and enchanting—it reads like a Masterpiece Theater version of Winnie the Pooh.  Complete with talking animals, it’s also very British and old worldy.  At the same time this is no ordinary town at its core, more like the town of Haven of the Syfy Channel TV series based on the Steven King story “The Colorado Kid.”  And its inhabitants are as idiosyncratic as those troubled people of Haven.

But Wild’s End is more than that.  Think Alice’s Wonderland of odd fellows versus an attack like you’d find in H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, as a downed ship is about to wreak havoc on a peaceful Hobbiton-like community.

Mr. Clive Slipaway, a stout two-legged, walking-talking Great Dane, is new to the town of Lower Crowchurch.  He’s clearly trying to find a quiet place to retire after years of military service or some kind of similar tough life experiences.  He’s a bit like John Wayne’s Quirt Evans from Angel and the Badman—a tough customer who wants to mind his own business until circumstances require him to take action to protect the lives of local innocents.

Wild’s End, Issue #1, released this past week, includes an introductory story, town map, and local newspaper clippings, all from the creative minds of writer Dan Abnett and artist I.N.J. Culbard.

If you like anthropomorphic stories of the Fantastic Mr. Fox or Mouse Guard variety, this new monthly series is for you. The regular issue cover was created by Culbard, but also check out the great variant cover by Mouse Guard creator David Petersen.  You can see Petersen’s creative process for this cover here.

Pick up Wild’s End, Issue #1, this week at comic book stores everywhere, and get this new series on your pull list for October.