Love dogs? What about super-powered dogs? If your answer is a resounding “yes” then we have the perfect comic for you. Introducing Alpha Dogs by Jon Dexter!
Jon Dexter’s Alpha Dogs follows the story of Buck, a super strong, super high-endurance pit bull who fiercely protects his loved ones while evading ruthless agents determined to seize his extraordinary powers. The comic, published by Source Point Press, features art by Fernando Melek, Ezequiel Dominguez, and Lucas Urrutia.
In this interview, we chat to author Jon Dexter about his comic. We discuss his inspiration for writing a story about dogs, his writing process, and where he foresees the future of the comic. Check it out:
Comics Bulletin: What inspired you to write Alpha Dogs? How did you come up with the story?
Jon Dexter: The inspiration for Alpha Dogs came about after the town we lived in had outlawed pit bulls. Owning a pit bull mix we were not going to get rid of your pitty so we moved. It was then I decided to create Alpha Dogs, a comic with the theme that Dogs much like people should be judged by the strength of their character, not by prejudices.
I also wanted to tell a cautionary tale of the consequences of pushing aside your dogs/children when someone better comes along ala’ a new puppy/boyfriend.
One aspect I really enjoyed about the story is how it seamlessly blends the fantastical element of talking dogs with mature, adult themes. How do you approach maintaining that balance between fantasy and realism?
I had to keep in mind that dialogue could come across as hokey if I didn’t respect the dogs. They had to sound like preeteen to adult intelligence depending on the dog talking.
Can you share the journey of developing “Alpha Dogs” from concept to publication? The Kickstarter was hugely successful!
The genesis of my main character’s attitude and look is inspired by our pit bull mix, Pig. My friend called me up and said he had been watching the Westminster Dog Show. He knew about my previous comics that crashed and burned and told me I should write a comic about dogs with super powers. At the time I thought, “that’s the dumbest idea I’ve heard yet.” But after the incident with our town banning pit bulls the story gestated.
I also was watching reruns of Lost. I always admired how they set up the episodes. I decided I would follow the same formula. I would have my main storyline and flash back to each dog per comic and give their backstory. However, as I developed the series I decided to focus the story on Buck. Seeing the story that his point of view as opposed to an ensemble comic series. Similar to the Harry Potter series with Harry as the main character with his friends aiding him toward his goal.
Straight away, “Alpha Dogs” sets up a big mystery. It feels like you could keep this story going for a long time. Do you have an end point in mind? Do you know how the series ends?
Alpha Dogs series is slated for between 50-60 issues. I had the ending in my mind from the start but as I developed the series into issue twenty I decided on an ending the readers will be satisfied with. All epic endings should be bitter sweet and I’ll leave it at that.
Do you have any other projects in the works? What can our readers expect to see from you in 2025?
Dime-Store Detective issue 5 launches in April on Kickstarter. Dime-Store Detective is a supernatural crime mystery spanning forty years. My other series Space Cruizin’ issue 2 will also be dropping sometime in late 2025. Space Cruizin’ is a fun adventure comedy featuring three misfits who must save the galaxy from certain doom!
We thank Jon Dexter for his time! You can check out his Kickstarter for Alpha Dogs here. Alpha Dogs Volume 1 is available here. It’s also available at various retailers, including Amazon and Target.
