Shiprock & Anchordog is a quiet, little, twenty-two page comic by Evan Curran and Gregery Miller.  It’s the story of Shiprock and Anchordog, two dogs living in some mystical land surrounded by friends, who decide to leave because there isn’t enough food for them there.  Shiprock decides they should leave immediately, so they head “out west,” embarking on an adventure with the help of their friend, DeeDee, a dragon.

I believe Curran wrote and Miller handled the art, there’s no credit page, so I’m not really sure.  The art is charming; it’s quirky and colorful and full of character and detail, if a little unrefined.  The writing wants to be heartfelt and funny, and, sometimes, it is but is mainly plot.  The characters do this and then they do that, and then this happens to them.  We don’t really develop the main characters at all, except a little bit with Anchordog, who we learn really likes peanuts.  The best moments are the interactions with DeeDee, the dragon, who becomes teary when her two friends are leaving, but she decides to be brave and help them, because, ultimately, she wants the best for them.  It’s quite touching, I just wish the comic had more scenes like this one. 

Parents might enjoy reading this story to their young children.  Both the imaginative visuals and the sparse dialogue would allow an almost interactive reading experience and feels almost like a picture book anyway.  You can read the story for free online, as well as enjoy some kid friendly and really good music produced, along with the comic, as part of the Shiprock and Anchordog Project.