The Story of the Watchdog (Exclusive)

Summary

• Breaking the Chain: The Story of the Watchdog
  is a tribute to the popular character from the comic
  BODY
  ; the book also serves as a celebration of the comic strip’s 30th anniversary.
• Guard dogs
  The original story is intended to shed light on the issue of animal cruelty and inspire readers to get involved in animal welfare.
• Patrick McDonnell
  BODY
  The comic aims to raise awareness of the care of all animals and has gained countless fans from all walks of life over the past decades.

Fans of Jim Davis’ Garfield and Charles Schulz’ Peanuts who are not familiar with Patrick McDonnell BODY you have the perfect opportunity to discover the long-running series, with the upcoming release of Breaking the Chain: The Story of the Watchdogto celebrate the three-decade anniversary of the cartoon and one of its enduringly popular characters, the eponymous Guard Dog.

Screen Rant is proud to release an exclusive preview Breaking the Chain: The Story of the WatchdogThe book is from Abrams ComicsArts and is a tribute to BODY Prominence in comics over the past three decades. Guard Dog was introduced in the first year of the strip’s publication and is one of BODY‘ most lovable characters, making him the perfect focus for this anniversary release.

Exciting, Breaking the chain offers a full-color version of the original black-and-white story; hopefully the book will make a decisive contribution BODY for an eager new generation of readers.

First published on September 5, 1994,
MOTHER
quickly found a loyal following and made a lasting impression on critics and audiences alike, including some of the best known names in the comic book industry, such as
Peanuts
Charles Schulz praised it as “
“one of the best comic strips of all time”,
And
The Simpsons
Creator Matt Groening, who called
MUTTS, “smart, funny, brilliantly drawn and full of heart.”

Celebrate thirty years of Patrick McDonnell’s MUTTS with “Breaking The Chain”

Breaking the Chain: The Story of the WatchdogAvailable from September 3, 2024

(Guard Dogs) story addresses the larger themes that always play a role in the world of
BODY
.

Over the course of 30 years, the core concept of BODY was simple: each strip would chronicle the escapades of a dog and a cat named Earl and Mooch. One of the main supporting characters they often encountered in the neighborhood was Guard Dog, a chained guard dog who wanted nothing more than to be free. Breaking the chain puts the popular character in a special light:

In September of this year, Abrams ComicsArts will publish
Breaking the Chain: The Story of the Watchdog
,

a tribute and history of Guard Dog, featuring a color version of his high-profile story of long-awaited freedom that captivated readers around the world. Over the years, Guard Dog, one of comics’ most beloved characters, has played an important role in raising awareness about the cruelty of tethering and has inspired countless readers to get involved in animal welfare.

Breaking the Chain: The Story of the Watchdog
begins when Guard Dog is abandoned by his owner and is left alone and suffering. But he is soon discovered by his animal friends Mooch and Earl, as well as Doozy, a nice neighborhood girl, who work together to save their friend.

In other words, for new and returning BODY Fans alike, that is an incredible opportunity to relive the story of how Guard Dog came to be.

When discussing the upcoming release of Break the chain, Author and artist Patrick McDonnell explained the essential principles of the conception of the character “Guard Dog”:

This wasn’t a villain, this was a tragic figure. I thought of all the real dogs in this country and around the world who suffer the same unbearable fate. Maybe my dog ​​could be their voice. He could represent the cruelty that animals have to endure at the hands of humans, and the cruelty that we inflict on ourselves by remaining shackled to our own unconscious mindsets.

As McDonnell pointed out, Guard Dog was always an abused victim who longed for love and freedom. His story speaks to the larger themes that have always played a role in the world of BODY. Through the role of the protagonist, these themes can be highlighted even more clearly in relation to Guard Dog.

“The Guard Dog Story” highlights the most important themes of MUTTS

And his message is effective

This thirtieth anniversary special is intended to reinforce
Mutt
overall message and hopefully inspires readers to further get involved in the animal care community.

BODY was always more than just an often comedic story about a cat and a dog. BODY The aim was to raise awareness about animal cruelty and to show how important it is to care for animalsregardless of size and shape. The series has won fans of all kinds and ages, including singer-songwriter Rob Thomas, who wrote an introduction for Break the chains. As Thomas wrote:

Me,
BODY
is much more than a comic. It is an expression of the most beautiful sides of life – a mirror that reflects our love for the people and animals with whom we share it.

Or, as the famous animal researcher Jane Goodall put it:

Patrick McDonnell is a compassionate advocate for all animals, especially dogs and cats, and through his comic
BODY
he magically captures the personalities of some of our best friends.

But perhaps award-winning filmmaker Peter Docter summed it up best:

Mutts is elegant,

simple, profound and yet funny

Like a good haiku.

In any case, the scope of the Mutt Range should be clear.

As the press release of the Breaking the chain As already mentioned, this special is intended to mark the thirtieth anniversary Mutt general message and hopefully further inspiration for readers to get involved in animal care. According to fellow cartoonist Jules Feiffer:

In his heartbreaking Guard Dog story, Patrick McDonnell proves once again that he is the kindest and most passionate cartoonist of all time.
Breaking the chain
McDonnell breaks the reader’s heart again and again, kindly and gently, with such gentleness and grace that the reader is left in a state of sublime bliss at the end. Not since
Little Nemo in Slumberland
the comics page is blessed with such a gentle, reverent spirit. I don’t envy my friend Patrick having to deal with the anger of fellow comic artists who don’t understand that plain, simple humanity works on the comics page.

Total readers who have not checked back BODY or perhaps not familiar with this timeless peer of Garfield And Peanuts will be thrilled, Breaking the Chain: The Story of the Watchdog soon in your hands.

Breaking the Chain: The Story of the Watchdog

will be available from Abrams ComicsArts on September 3, 2024.