So it's fallen to these animals, whose eyes and ears and snouts are more attuned to what's happening, to counter these malevolent forces and try to get to the heart of the mystery of Burden Hill.' 'The people there are barely aware of their natural environment, let alone the unnatural environment. 'The area is attracting the dead, the damned and the diabolical, and the human inhabitants of the Hill are blind to this as they go about their everyday business commuting to work, watching TV, worrying about money and their kids,' Dorkin explained. In the miniseries, it's once again up to the animals to deal with the rampant occult activity in Burden Hill. I really enjoy writing them and I love seeing how Jill depicts them.' I'd have been happy to have this up and running immediately after the 'Book of the Dead' story I've been chomping at the bit to get back to these characters. 'So, this is something we've been trying to put together for a couple of years now. But we're finally making the comics,' he continued. 'It took us a while to get things going, because of schedules, contracts, and all those sorts of things that hold projects up. 'And getting a name for the damned thing, because beforehand everyone either called the series 'Strays' or 'that cat and dog thing Jill and Evan are working on.' Further installments appeared in the 'Book of Witchcraft,' 'Book of the Dead,' and 'Book of Monsters.' 'By the time we were working on the final story, Jill, Scott, and I were discussing taking the project further, and doing a limited series,' Dorkin told CBR. 'Stray' won Thompson an Eisner award for Best Painted/Multimedia Artist in 2004.

Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin