If you watch The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead or a host of other zombie-ish apocalyptic shows you will likely notice one thing (among many others of course such as yes zombies for a start).
A dearth of animals.
Yes there is the occasional horse (that provides a connection to a simpler time for a moment before becoming Walker chow) or deer (dinner anyone? Humans that is) but mostly animals are few and far between.
It’s something that writer Sanuel Sattin, and illustrator Chris Koehler, aim to rectify in a new comic book series by Z2 Comics, Legend, which published the first of 10 issues on 4 May.
“I’ve sometimes described Legend as Watership Down meets The Walking Dead, with dogs and cats instead of rabbits, minus zombies, plus monsters,” says Sattin. “But the similarities might not stretch far beyond the state of the ruined landscape filled with threats. I always did wonder why it was so rare to see animals in (The Walking Dead). I assumed they’d been eaten, but surely many could escape the zombie hordes? Legend might be an unconscious answer to some of the questions I had.” (source: c|net)
As a fan of both The Walking Dead and Watership Down, the idea of someone giving animals, specifically domesticated animals such as dogs and cats who would find themselves exceedingly lost and uncertain in a largely humanless world, their place in the apocalyptic storytelling sun is an appealing one.
And the actual breeds of dogs especially chosen for the series matter a great deal as Sattin explains.
“Our central character is Legend, an English pointer, but other dogs, including pit bull Herman, will play important roles. And their breeds matter, Sattin said.
“‘English pointers are wary and good at spotting danger,’ he said. ‘Pit bulls are associated with negative stigmas, while beagles are thought of as submissive. Each of our breeds is chosen with particular traits in mind.’ (Never fear, pit bull lovers, Herman will be breaking those negative stereotypes — in fact, his poor treatment in the past might work in his favor.)” (source: c|net)
Yes, there are cats involved too and they are well and truly standing side-by-side with the dogs with all kinds of mysterious gadgetry and resourcesfulness at their disposal.
It’s an intriguing, imaginative take on a well-trod genre and it bodes well for its storytelling that so much thought and care had gone into the concept and the execution.
If Legend is any guide, it looks like the animals may just outlast us all after all.
