I Segreti Di Burden Hill: Riti Animali (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Found this in a visit to my local library, and picked it up because of a post I had seen on Tumblr about it. I have to say, I REALLY enjoyed it. I was a bit worried when I first started, and was hoping that the content wouldn't be too campy or cliched, but I was set real straight. It's delightful! The comic covers a wide range of emotions, and I find the plot and the stories inside to be exquisite. Definitely one of my favorite comics now! It's unique...and eclectic. It occupies a strange space because:• It's about talking animals, defending their backyards. That's the sort of thing that appeals mainly to young children, and women (like me) .• The animals are rendered more realistically than cartoonishly, and the watercolor artwork further distances it from traditional comic styles. Basically, it's "artsy." Guys might pass this by not just because of the talking pets, but because it has a soft, dreamy look to it overall.• However, looks are deceiving--the cute little animals fight supernatural evil! Stylistically, the inconguence can be disorienting. The whole look and feel transforms from sweet/cute doggies and kitties, to violence and bloodshed. A coven of witches is wiped out. Rotting dog zombies seek revenge. Hellboy makes a guest appearance to help neutralize a threat! And animals suffer...in one heart-wrenching story, the tragedy of drowned kittens ends with a hauntingly horrific final panel. I'd have had nightmares seeing that as a toddler! That's not "kiddie" or "girlie" material.I wondered, reading this for the first time at the library, who it was aimed at. It is sometimes soft and sweet, and sometimes a knife to the gut. I wasn't sure I liked it. A year later, I gave it a second read...and loved it. I don't know why. Maybe because I needed the initial scan before setting in to appreciate the artwork. You know, it's nice to read something unusual. And that's what this is...a graphical platypus. It has sweetness and sentimentality like a girly comic; it has talking doggies and a simple comic layout like a child's comic; it addresses some mature themes and has a highly artistic style like an adult comic; and it has explicit bloody violence like a guy's comic---but it isn't really any of them. Honestly, I have no way to categorize this oddly compelling little hybrid. So all I can say is...give it a try. Read the whole thing. If you don't hate it, or only like some of it, then maybe give it another look later on. There's something in it...that may not be apparent at first glance...maybe because if you read a lot of comics, you're probably expecting it to be like something else. It's not. But that little platypus might just grow on you.
What do You think about I Segreti Di Burden Hill: Riti Animali (2011)?
Really beautiful art. The writing is a bit slight and rushed; it may appeal to young adults.
—shanna
super cute animals solve supernatural crimes. art better than stories.
—Harry
A delightful mix of pet whimsy and supernatural creepiness.
—taaly
Creepy stories with dogs and cats as the heroes. Awesome!!
—Mommykim
very good - story, drawing, presentation all went together
—lunastarship
