Billionaire Island: Cult of Dogs #1: Money Problems

It’s been a crazy few days for America. Well, it’s actually been a crazy few years for America. With Billionaire Island: Cult of Dogs #1, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh somehow harness the insanity of America in a single issue. I am a big fan of Russell and Pugh’s work on DC’s Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex which shares many themes with Billionaire Island: Cult of Dog. One thing that stuck out to me was the way Pugh draws Reuben, Mr. Canto’s caregiver. There is something so sinister behind his smile. It reminded me a lot of Lex’s peculiar mask in Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex. We are so used to the bad guy looking like a bad guy, but in reality, Pugh and Russell are spot on with Reuben. He is easily the worst person in this issue and seems to be pulling a lot of the strings for the story. On the other hand, Shelly Bly is an interesting protagonist and seems to be the one sane person that sees the insanity of it all.

The first few pages of the issue give readers a rundown of where we are and how we got there. Up until 2044, everything Russell tells us is factual. I especially enjoyed the mention of a certain pair of billionaires who raced to space. It felt a little too easy by making the rockets extremely phallic, but that is what’s so good about this issue. Nothing is too far-fetched or on the nose, which is terrifying. I’m not sure if Mark Russell is a satirist or a seer. It is clear that the entire creative team had a blast with this issue. Rob Steen’s lettering is top-notch and does an excellent job of carrying the reader through the issue, especially with Shelly’s narration. I loved and enjoyed the various ads and articles we see on screens. Chris Chuckry’s coloring compliments Pugh’s pencils and inks and does a great job of balancing the different settings we see in the issue. The ads I mentioned before are a great example of Chuckry’s skill. The screens are front and center but don’t pull you away from the rest of what is going on.