Writer Evan Dorkin and artist Veronica Fish debuted their new series Blackwood at Dark Horse Comics this week. It features four new students at a college for occult interests who discover a dark mystery and plenty of other strange happenings during their freshman year. It’s a pitch that resonates with Fish’s recent work on young adult series like Archie and Slam. However, it feels like another big leap for Dorkin as a writer.
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Dorkin’s career as both a writer and cartoonist has been a showcase in range. While his artistic style is unmistakable, his bibliography reveals a truly diverse array of stories. They cover all sorts of ground from madcap comedy to sincere superhero adventures and tragic animal stories. Looking at Dorkin’s comics, from his earliest publications in the 1980s through Blackwood this very week, it’s impossible to predict what he might do next.
That’s why we’re looking back to showcase his best creations from a long career. These comics reveal his abilities as both a singular talent and collaborator, working on both one-page gags and sprawling narratives. It’s a testament to both the versatility of the medium and the artist himself, and we hope you find the time to read some of these excellent comics, as well as Blackwood.
Milk and Cheese
Created by Evan Dorkin
This is Dorkin at his most absurd. The characters of Milk and Cheese are just that: milk and cheese. However, they possess inhuman amounts of hatred and spite. Their adventures typically compose only a few pages, if that, but they do plenty of damage in whatever space they are given. Like Statler and Waldorf on The Muppets Show they tear into whatever they see, tossing out hilarious barbs at icons of pop culture, politics, and more. It’s difficult to find a more compact, comedic read in comics with each new shot of this dynamic duo coming with plenty of laughs and chaos.
Beasts of Burden
Written by Evan Dorkin
Art by Jill Thompson
Beasts of Burden is the polar opposite of Milk and Cheese. It tells the story of a pack of neighborhood dogs, ranging from a Husky to a tiny Pug, who combat supernatural forces while their owners aren’t looking. The story is beautifully told by Jill Thompson’s illustrations and the seemingly silly plot is told entirely straight. Stakes are very real as zombies, ghosts, and more threaten the animals, not all of whom manage to survive their adventures. While the series is only published intermittently, each new installment is a true joy to discover and earns the multiple Eisner Awards bestowed on it.
The Eltingville Club
Created by Evan Dorkin
This cartoon takes the anger-driven humor of Milk and Cheese and applies it to an actual narrative with a specific focus. The story centers on four nerds whose interests include comics, science fiction, and role-playing games that form a club in high school. Together they display all of the most toxic elements of fandom, rejecting outsiders and eventually turning on one another. As a comics fan it can be a difficult read as Dorkin sharply satirizes geek culture, often predicting ugly trends in modern culture. Ultimately, this recently concluded series is a much-needed scathing take on the functions of fandom as it takes over the mainstream.
Superman and Batman: World’s Funniest
Written by Evan Dorkin
Art by David Gibbons, Mike Allred, Sheldon Moldoff, and various others
This one-shot, prestige comic book offers a much more gentle approach to the follies of fandom through the rivalry of 5th dimensional imps Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite. Their battle makes quick work of the heroes (and villains) who would seek to stop them before moving on to a wide variety of other planets in the DC Comics multiverse. The jokes are aimed at the conventions of superhero comics as well as literal superhero conventions, having a laugh at the many absurd elements in both. It’s an affectionate form of laughter though as the story remains aware both its creator and reader genuinely love its subjects.
Last Daughter of Argo
Superman Adventures (vol. 1) #21
Written by Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer
Art by Brett Blevins and Terry Austin
Dorkin would pen multiple installments starring Supergirl in the perennially underrated Superman Adventures. Her first appearance may still be her best though in this updated origin that includes some guest stars from the Fourth World Saga as well. Supergirl possesses a ton of charm and seemingly endless optimism and energy in this appearance, made all the more impressive by her tragic origin. This is one issue that shows Dorkin’s mastery of a straightforward superhero tale, after wonderfully subverting it with stories like “World’s Funniest.”
Night Falls On Yancy Street
Startling Stories: The Thing #1-4
Written by Evan Dorkin
Art by Dean Haspiel
This story sticks in continuity while still reimagining The Thing in a narrative that blends the Marvel universe with strong elements of noir. It has everything from a cadre of less-than competent villains to a romantic interest ready to go wrong. The illustrations of The Thing in his trench coat and fedora are top notch as well. This series might have been largely forgotten, but remembering it points to the enduring versatility of Aunt Petunia’s favorite nephew.
Bad Blood
Predator: Bad Blood #1-4
Written by Evan Dorkin
Art by Derek Thompson, Chris Warner, Keith Aikin, and Derek Thompson
This miniseries managed to capture the excitement of the Predator franchise without telling the same story of Predators coming to hunt man again. Instead, this story places the focus on a rogue Predator who has broken his culture’s hunting code and becomes the hunted as a result. It’s a twist that packs all four issues with plenty of bloody action. Sometimes a great premise doesn’t need much tweaking to remain great, and this story delivers a killer action comic.
Dork
Created by Evan Dorkin
Dork is yet another example of Evan Dorkin’s energetic cartooning and sharp sense of humor. Unfortunately, unlike Milk and Cheese or The Eltingville Club, this series has not remained in print for long. If you ever come across an issue at a convention or in back issues bins, be sure to take a look. The many stories and gags contained in its pages across multiple decades still offer plenty of laughs and a reminder that Evan Dorkin is one of the most versatile writers still working in comics today.
