Billionaire Island: Cult of Dogs

Billionaire Island (collected editions) #2

by Mark Russell, Steve Pugh (Illustrations)

Series author Mark Russell says that Billionaire Island: Cult of Dogs "...tells the story of how a planet doubles down on its faith that money will save them and how a dog becomes the focal point of that ill-advised religion."

The long-awaited return of the "series that's simultaneously infuriating and hysterically funny in its indictment of not just the 1%, but of the people-and the economic system-that enable them" (Comics Beat) is here! Set in the year 2046, two years after Billionaire Island collapsed, the story sees the global economy in ruins and the president of the United States resign in disgrace and flee the country.

A cult has risen around Business Dog, the canine chairman of Billionaire Island. The first series' protagonist, Trent, is continuing to hunt down billionaires for the harm that they have caused the working class. "In this brave new world, some Americans have used the sudden absence of the billionaire class to begin building cities to withstand the growing climate devastation, while others invest their hopes for survival in a new cult, centered around a very familiar canine...But who's the man behind the dog?"

Billionaire Island Volume 2: Cult of Dogs collects all 6 issues of the series.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Comic Book, Fiction, Dystopia

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

*NOTE: This is my review for Issue #1, since GR doesn't have the singles. Not a chance I'd wade through a whole trade of this.

This one was not for me, kids.

Political commentary, set in the future, with the promise of dogs but none yet apparent. How disappointing.

Give me billionaire dogs splurging on bones and squeaky toys and I might be interested, but this heavy-handed satire was just not for me at all.

The stories at the end were a little better, but I'm not committing to the comic just to see how the stories end.

[Sem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting to suspect Mark Russell has something against capitalism, must investigate further...

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful, depressing, and hilarious. Just like I like 'em.

[Mark Schlatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is basically an unnecessary sequel to Billionaire Island; it's the same team with Mark Russell doing his usually funny hits on late stage capitalism and Steve Pugh doing great rubbery, cartoony art that still makes the targets of the satire (almost) human. But the first volume had a strong plotline to drive the story, and this volume doesn't. Moreover, Russell dials down the dialogue and radically dials up the narrative introspection, which created a read that made me wonder at times if the art was even really needed. Absolutely some good bits, but nothing that needs to be searched out.

[Andres Pasten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bueno, pero no al nivel del vol 1

[Sarospice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry. Nothing to see here. Russell's own capitalism has made his writing so hit or miss.

[Robby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very forced sequel. Most of it is just Russell directly lecturing to his audience.