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Saturday, November 5, 2016

Comic Review: Battlepug 5: The Paws of War by Mike Norton from Dark Horse Comics

Battlepug 5: THE PAWS OF WAR
Writer: Mike Norton
Artist: Mike Norton
Cover Artist: Mike Norton
Genre: Humor, Fantasy, Action/Adventure
November 02, 2016
Format: FC, 72 pages; HC, 12'' x 8 1/2''
Price: $14.99
Age range:14
ISBN-10:1-50670-114-0
ISBN-13:978-1-50670-114-1
The Final Chapter!
THIS IS IT! The final battle between good and evil has begun! The Last Kinmundian and friends have reached the nefarious Catwulf and Zurn, but will they be able to defeat what they find? Revenge will at last be had in this action-packed finale to the Harvey and Eisner Award–winning web comic!

* Harvey and Eisner Award winner!
* Exclusive story pages not found anywhere else!

“If you appreciate good horror stories and gorgeous artwork, there’s no excuse as to why you haven’t bought this already. Go. Now.”—Comix I Read
GUEST REVIEWERS: Dani Harper, assisted by Toby the Pug, and Tux the 80-pound Unknown Canine

DANI: From the very beginning, it was clear that Battlepug had the ingredients of a truly outstanding graphic novel.

TOBY: “Pugs!”

TUX *scrunches down on the floor at Toby’s eye level* “I can be a pug.”

DANI: “Sure, Tux. But you’re still not sitting in my lap. Yes, Toby, this story has pugs. The narrator has a pug friend named Mingo, but the real star of the story is—

TOBY: “Sprinkles!”


DANI: “Aaand Sprinkles is a ginormous pug who befriends the bitter barbarian who is our true hero. The big nameless Kinmundian has lost everything he cares about and embarks on a quest for vengeance.”

TOBY: “Sprinkles lets the Kinmundian ride him. If I can just grow big enough, I could be a mighty steed for a hero too!” *runs over to his dog dish and chows down*


DANI: “Toby, I hate to tell you this, but you’re not getting any taller, just wider.”

TUX: “I can be a pug.” <joins Toby at the dog dish, inhales all the kibble>


DANI: “As I was saying, Battlepug was nearly perfect to start with. Mike Norton’s artwork is among the very best in the business, making every colorful page an experience all on its own. But even more amazing is his story. He took hugely disparate elements and blended them seamlessly.”

TOBY <bouncing> “It’s not every day you get a pug story that has giant creatures, and magic, and swords, and battles, and enchanted armor, and pirate’s dens, and walking bones, and-and-and EVERYTHING!”


DANI: “True, but Norton did something even better. He created a large and diverse cast of characters, and not only made them work together, he made the reader CARE about them.”

TOBY <thinking hard> “I thought I just cared about the pugs. But then I kind of worried about the Kinmundian. And I wanted to know more about Moll, and what was going to happen to Bryony… In the end, I guess I wanted to know what happened to all of them.” <falls over> “I think I pulled a brain muscle.”


DANI: “But you’re right!”

TOBY: “I am?”


TUX: “I can be a pug.” <falls over with a ground-shaking thud, narrowly missing Toby>


DANI: “Everyone that the Kinmundian met had their own story to tell, and we empathized with them and worried about them and cheered for them. That’s what made Book Five, the final book, so important. We needed to know what happened to all those characters we cared about. And that’s when we get to see the very best part of all.”

TOBY: “What’s the best part? Is it when— Mbmpf!” <finds a sock stuffed in his mouth>


DANI: “Careful now, no spoilers! It’s been said that the best stories are about CHANGE. Mike Norton made sure that his hero, the nameless Kinmundian, gradually changes in profound ways without realizing it. And in so doing, he brings about change in others too. That’s the best part of all.”

TOBY: “Mgyphmrr mewqikkm!” <sucking on the sock contentedly>


DANI: “Exactly. We can’t say anything more about this book, except that all the storylines are tied up nicely, and that readers will find ample resolutions—with a few surprises thrown in, of course.”

TUX: “I can be a pug.” <wanders off to find a sock>


4 “GRRRRRRRsnrrffl!” sheep for THE PAWS OF WAR


5 “I-can’t-believe-how-dang-perfect-this-story-arc-is” sheep for the overall BATTLEPUG series

* * * * *
Battlepug Facebook Page 
Battlepug Website

(read the comic, check out Mike Norton’s blog, and buy cool stuff )

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