For three decades, cartoonist and writer Patrick McDonnell has entertained readers around the world with his beloved syndicated comic strip Mutts. The adventures of Mooch, the curious cat, and Earl, the ever-trusting dog, have drawn praise from the likes of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, and The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. In 1995, McDonnell introduced a new character in Mutts: Guard Dog, a chained dog longing for his freedom. Now, this September, Abrams ComicsArts will publish Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story, a celebration and history of Guard Dog with a full color version of his newsworthy story of long awaited freedom.
Over the years Guard Dog, one of the Mutts comic strip’s most beloved characters, has played an important role in raising awareness about the cruelty of tethering and has inspired countless readers to become involved in animal welfare. Featuring the complete Guard Dog story, early Mutts comic strips, and other supplementary materials - Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story will be published on Tuesday, September 3. Abrams will donate a portion of the proceeds for pre-orders of Breaking the Chain to the Sidewalk Angels Foundation.
Patrick McDonnell is the creator of the animal-friendly comic strip Mutts, which debuted on September 5, 1994, and has appeared in more than 700 newspapers in over twenty countries. With a print readership in the millions, Mutts has garnered international recognition for its gentle humor and powerful themes of kindness, compassion, and friendship. In 1999, just five years after Mutts began, McDonnell received the highest honor awarded to a cartoonist: The Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year.
“This wasn’t a villain; this was a tragic character,” says McDonnell in his introduction to Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story. “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 endure at the hands of humans, and the cruelty we inflict upon ourselves by staying chained to our own unconscious ways of thinking.”
Brought to life with McDonnell’s warm and intimate art, and featuring the complete story, now in color for the first time, Breaking the Chain is an emotionally resonant vignette whose grounding in the real-life animal neglect issues that affect millions of chained dogs worldwide will move both long-time Mutts fans and first-time readers.
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