Teen Dog (2014)

Synopsis

Teen Dog is John Hughes movies meets ’90s Nickelodeon cartoons. It’s a totally awesome adventure that stars the canine that spun out of Jake Lawrence’s web comic Time Cowboy and kickflipped his way into our hearts. What It Is: Skateboards, football games, prom…your teenage years have got nothin’ on the raddest dude that’s ever graced a denim vest. Written and illustrated by Jake Lawrence (Time Cowboy), join Teen Dog and his best friend Mariella as they tackle typical teen life with a manic twist. Growing up is an adventure, and you might as well rock it!

From: BOOM! Studios

Notes on This Title

None.

Awards

None.

Reviews

“Looking like a cross between The Simpsons‘ Poochy and Back To The Future’s Marty McFly, Teen Dog is, essentially, a dog who is a teenager and super chill and way awesome at everything like skateboading and and gaming and watching movies and hanging out. Indeed, BOOM! promotes Teen Dog as embodying a high school experience that “didn’t totally blow” but rather ‘totally ruled.’

Lawrence’s work fits in well with the very animation-influenced tone and webcomics aesthetic established by Lumberjanes and Midas Flesh at BOOM! Box and the kaboom! line that includes Bee and Puppycat and the Adventure Time and Bravest Warriors series. But Teen Dog is is distinguished by a distinctly 1980s comedy vibe and a flavor of the surreal. To wit, the protagonist is an anthropomorphic dog in high school.” (Source: ComicsAlliance)

Teen Dog, a goofy yet sweet comic written and drawn by Jake Lawrence, triumphs in boldly eschewing many staples of modern comic book storytelling in leaving out intricate, overarching stories and anything else that doesn’t directly lead to fun and endearment. Even something like Lumberjanes, as swell as it is, opts to weave a mystery-laden tale that requires concentrated month-to-month reading to understand; Teen Dog doesn’t bother. Sure, despite each issue being mostly self-contained, there is an ongoing story to follow, but it’s all to-the-point and easy-to-follow. Because of this, nothing gets in the way of instant joy in this series. (Source: Graphic Policy)

Interviews

Medium: “Jake Lawrence – Minicomic.club 2017 Season

Paste Magazine: “BOOM! Editor Shannon Watters Talks Lumberjanes, Queer Representation and the Value of Scaring Kids”

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