Dog Eaters didn’t begin life as a comic book. It began as a screenplay written by Malcolm Wong, who entered the story in Creative Screenwriting‘s annual Screenwriter’s Expo in Los Angeles with the hopes of gaining some recognition. But when the awards ceremony rolled around, Malcolm found himself not only winning first place in his genre. He did earn the chance to have his screenplay adapted into a comic book miniseries. Malcolm was nice enough to stop by First Comics News to let our fans know all about Dog Eaters.
First Comics News: So, do dog eaters have different preferences in dog. Does chihuahua taste better than Great Dane?
Malcolm Wong: LOL. It depends on their diet. It’s been 175 years after the Die Off and any surviving dogs have interbred with wolves and coyotes. They are more like the Australian Dingo than cute lapdogs — except for Mr. Fluffy who is Tracy’s pet dog.
1st: Why is the comic titles Dog Eaters?
Malcolm: Dog Eaters is the derogatory name that the Black Dog Clan is called (mostly behind their backs) by the people that live in the scattered casino-cities in the American Southwest along the trade route. Pre-historically, dogs have been a food source for humans. Remember, this is 175 years after the Die Off. Post-Die Off conditions exacerbated a deadly transmissible spongiform encephalopathic wasting sickness that killed off most “traditional” stock animals meat sources that were genetically manipulated for greater muscle. The niceties of the early 21st Century have been lost in the struggle for survival. Out of necessity, the nomadic Black Dog Clan eats dog as one of their main protein sources.
Surprisingly (or not), I have gotten some pushback from this title — people can love their dogs more than their own relatives! If that’s the case for you, gentle reader, the subtitle is: “The Saga of the Black Dog Clan.”
1st: What is “The Die Off”?
Malcolm: The Die Off was more than a war that killed 90% of the people, worldwide. The domino effect of the destruction of the infrastructure of the war led to famine, starvation, and disease,
1st: After the Die Off, what type of technology is left in their world?
Malcolm: The leading factor of the Die Off was technology — technology that ran amok. There are still pockets of tech remaining in the world. That is the quest that Bevan is on. The most widely used tech is used on vehicles which are powered by solar and hydrogen fuel cell technology. The satellites were knocked out in the war, so radio is limited to little more line of sight. Their weaponry are small arms salvaged from the 21st century and reproduced — a lot of weapons were made in the 21st century! The sequel to DOG EATERS takes place in South America which has higher tech that what is available in the American Southwest.
1st: Which Nomadic Tribes rule the world of Dog Eaters?
Malcolm: There is no one tribe or clan that rules. There are no empires as yet like the Mongol Hordes of Genghis Khan of the late 12th and early 13 Centuries. They are more like nomadic Amerindians in scale.
1st: Who is Lamont Black Dog?
Malcolm: Lamont is the leader of the Black Dog Clan. He was a fierce renegade that met his future wife, Rebecca, a healer, and together, they attracted people that had the same lifestyle and realizing that they were stronger and could travel more safely as a group, a band organically formed.
1st: Who is Rebecca Black Dog?
Rebecca Black Dog is Lamont’s wife and the mother of their two children, Tommy and Tracy. She is a healer and the soul of the Black Dog Clan.
1st: Who is Tomahawk “Tommy” Black Dog?
Malcolm: Tommy is the oldest surviving son of Lamont and Rebecca. His is brash, a talented shot, but over-confident, wild, a bit entitled, and a thrill seeker.
1st: Who is Tracy Black Dog?
Malcolm: Tracy is the daughter of Lamont and Rebecca. She is on the cusp of adolescence and developing and understanding the nuances of the relationships between male and female.
1st: Who is Stevie Six Killer?
Malcolm: Stevie is a trusted lieutenant and the best friend of Tommy. He had a little fling with Angie and is hoping to marry her.
1st: Who is Angie Bird Song?
Malcolm: Angie is the beauty of the Black Dog Clan. She is a bit self-centered and thrives on male attention, especially Stevie and Lamont’s…
1st: Who is Chunga Red Star?
Malcolm: Chunga is another trusted lieutenant of the Black Dog Clan, a fierce and loyal fighter. She lays it all on the line for the clan.
1st: Who is Bevan Chan?
Malcolm: Bevan is a Northerner who is traveling south on Quest to find high technology. He triggers an ambush meant for the Black Dog Clan, is wounded and brought into the clan by Tracy.
1st: What makes The Black Dog Clan special?
Malcolm: The combination of the strong leadership of Lamont and the healing and wisdom of Rebecca has kept the Black Dog Clan safe on the dangerous trade runs between the casino-cities. Many other clans or gangs have been wiped out through misfortune, bad luck, or failing to gauge the best times to engage or escape an enemy.
1st: How are Black Dog Clan members automatically telepathically and spiritually linked?
Malcolm: While the Clan members are not exactly automatically telepathically or spiritually linked, they do share a “oneness” that has occurred because of their shared experience and way of looking at the world. This allows them to move as a unified organism at the best of times. When key members are motivated by their personal gratification, things start to fall apart.
1st: Why do the tribes allow the casino-cities exist, instead of raiding them for their resources?
Malcolm: The surviving casino-cities have strong fortifications that can withstand an attack, but most of the tribes have a symbiotic relationship with these settlements. They are able to enjoy city life when they want or need to without the headache of maintaining the infrastructure.
1st: Who is Bronco Morenos?
Malcolm: Bronco is the mayor of Three Palms where the Black Dog Clan goes for some R&R. He is of Roach descent and his criminal tendencies are enhanced and enabled as the leader of Three Palms.
1st: Who is Rose Chavez?
Malcolm: Rose is the good-time girl — the flower, so to speak — of Three Palms. She hangs out in the bars and attaches herself to the gaming table winners.
1st: Who are the roving bands of predatory bandits?
Malcolm: Many of the survivors of the Die Off were maximum security prisoners. Genetically and culturally inclined towards violence, they live as gangs where only the strongest survive.
1st: Is this ongoing or a reprinting of the 2008 mini-series from Dabel Bros Comic?
Malcolm: This is a re-print of the Dabel Brothers mini-series that ran for 3 issues before the Dabel Brothers were absorbed by Marvel. The rest of the series was completed and published by Sea Lion Books before they went bankrupt. It was then released independently. The six issue mini-series tells the complete story.
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