‘Animosity: Year One’ – Bennett, De Latorre, Schwager, Dillon (Aftershock)

I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again, charity shops are the best for book shopping. Charity shops can be full of other peoples junk but they are also full of hidden treasure if you’re patient, or just lucky. You’ve got to take a chance though, pick up that book or comic you’ve never seen before and give it a go, you’ll never know otherwise.

Given the price of comics these days, I’ve got to be a little choosy about what I pick up; that’s why I’m happy to give ‘charity shop comic books’ a go, they’re a little kinder on my wallet ;o) That was why I took a chance on ‘Animosity: Year One’ and…

One day, for no reason, the Animals woke up. They started thinking. They started talking. They started taking REVENGE.

The world is plunged into chaos as the newly-intelligent Animals fight humanity, and simply fight each other, for their own life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. In the midst of the turmoil is Jesse, an 11-year-old girl, and her dog, Sandor, who is devoted to her and her protection. One year after the incident, Jesse and Sandor begin a cross-country journey to find Jesse's half-brother, Adam, who is living in San Francisco. But the journey there, and what they discover along the way, is something that neither man nor beast are prepared for…

Before I get into the book itself, it’s worth saying that as good as ‘Animosity: Year One’ is (and it really is good), I would do a little research before getting too invested in the tale. Aftershock Comics went bankrupt in December 2022 and I’ve got no idea what happened to the story after that. A quick look on Amazon shows a ‘Year Three’ so I’m assuming there has to be a ‘Year Two’ somewhere. I don’t know if ‘Animosity’ ended with ‘Year Three’ or even if there’s still a tale to be concluded (and where that might be). I don’t know but if I find out, I’ll leave a comment here ;o)

The good news is that ‘Year One’ is relatively self-contained; there are shoots that will grow into whatever happens in ‘Year Two’ but our travelers find a place to stop and that’s where this part of the story concludes.

There is enough here though that although you won’t see me fork out for brand new books, I have got half an eye open for cheap copies in all the usual places. ‘Year One’ takes a well worn concept and makes it shine, just by letting animals be animals.

I know what the blurb says (and you can’t blame a blurb for being a little sensational) but ‘Year One’ is actually a lot more thoughtful with its subject matter than you’d think. Sure, some animals have a score to settle but others are already planning for the long term, and following through with those plans. Bennett gives you a real sense of how, suddenly, everything has irrevocably changed and everyone is scrambling to make sense of it. There’s a real mix of panic and opportunism here, along with a really thorough exploration of what this new world is and what it means. There is so much to see and ponder here and Bennett holds it all together superbly through the dynamic between Jesse and Sandor.

Some things never change and in this book, that’s the relationship between a girl and her dog. Despite (and because of) everything else, these two still hold to each other and all their decisions are made with the other in mind. And it is so sweet to see Sandor use his new found speech to be an even better dog for Jesse. I came for the concept but I stayed to see these two be best friends and face this new world together.

If I had one (small) complaint, it was that De Latorre’s art didn’t quite work for me. While his animals are great, his humans didn’t feel like they had the same level of detail (for me, anyway) and that ultimately made for uneven visuals. That’s just me though, your mileage will vary.

Without knowing if the story ever continued elsewhere, I’m more than a little wary about recommending ‘Animosity: Year One’. I’m glad I gave it a go though and if another volume should appear in the British Heart Foundation shop, I’d pick it up ;o)