![]() ![]() The pain and horror of previous panels is now cast in a melancholy but peaceful light. This context makes the final page truly heart-wrenching as Hazel’s pain is quelled by her desire to be reunited with her puppies in death. Blood for blood vengeance does not displace loss and heartache, a realization that Hazel and the rest of the beast of Burden Hill silently realize. Hazel’s violent revenge a few pages earlier, where she kills the troubled neighborhood boy responsible for drowning dozens of small puppies and kittens, is rightfully unfulfilling. In terms of narrative, it provides closure as Hazel joins her deceased puppies. ![]() ![]() ![]() The final panel, a large splash page that concludes “Lost” is perfect for a number of reasons. While some may argue that animal lovers are quick to ascribe human feelings to animals (I’m reminded of Herzog’s horrific Grizzly Man), I still believe that the love I feel for my pets is reciprocated, and like humans my cat displays a myriad of emotions. The story of Hazel and her missing puppies embodies the fear, worry and anger that we feel as humans. One of the joys of being an animal lover and a pet owner is how animals can quickly become an addition to a family and home. These are talking animals that one can see oneself in. Dorkin and Thompson’s strength lies in their ability to depict talking dogs and cats in a way that seems perfectly plausible and normal. ![]()
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