Jun 4

Jun 4 Anubis Dog Of Death #1 // Review

Anubis, yes, the Egyptian God of Death, that Anubis, is trapped in the form of a regular dog. Well, a regular dog that can still mentally influence people who are weak-willed enough, but that’s not quite enough to keep him from becoming a purse dog. Anubis Dog of Death is a fun and unique story from writer Sindre Lyngbø Finnøy (aka SindrElf), and artist John Barry Ballaran, perfect for mythology fans and dog lovers alike.

Poor Anubis remembers his former divine form and glory, how easily he was able to control people’s minds and lay waste to entire fields of soldiers. However, since the Egyptian gods aren’t very relevant to popular culture, he’s stuck in canine form, barely able to get himself adopted from the local shelter. But Anubis isn’t the only god in town; he meets Jesus and Tor (aka Thor) who work as carpenters and learns that Tor spent some time as a stormcloud before the popularity of the Thor comics and movies allowed him to make a comeback into popular culture. Unless his new owner is especially interested in Egyptian Mythology, it’s going to be a very long journey for Anubis.

Finnøy wonderfully balances the serious with the adorable and funny in this story. As a god of death, Anubis takes himself very seriously, but since he’s stuck in the form of a small, fluffy dog that can’t weigh more than 4 pounds soaking wet, it’s both hilarious and adorable. It also perfectly fits the “I’m a badass” attitude many small dogs seem to have in real life.

Ballaran’s art perfectly complements the writing and pulls the whole story together. Anubis goes from menacing, mind-controlling his new owner, a process that involves his eyes turning an evil-looking green, to adorable and helpless looking as he’s unceremoniously dumped into his new owner’s purse and immediately covered in glitter. The coloring is smooth and well blended, and this fits well with the way the action flows within each panel as well as between each one. And while it’s a smaller detail, the way that the dialogue bubbles when the gods are talking to each other are outlined with neon blue/green, adds a lot to the world-building, setting them apart from the normal humans.

Make sure to check out the creators' links and support them during the wait for issue two.