Tory Bush shares his love for art and animals in “The Ultimate Guard Dogz”

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Louisiana native Taurean “Tory” Bush is proof that visions will manifest with faith and intentional work. While serving ten years in prison in Texas, Bush found a sense of independence and solace in art. He said, “I survived in prison by drawing…” After his release, Bush gave himself time to readjust to life outside incarceration.

His debut comic book, “The Ultimate Guard Dogz,” takes readers on a fun, informative, and adventurous journey discovering the world of Canidae. As an author, illustrator, dog trainer, father, and husband, Bush is restoring his passions and turning his dreams into reality.

The Black Wall Street Times interviewed Bush about his life journey, cultural upbringing, and “The Ultimate Guard Dogz.”

Tory Bush’s Upbringing in Louisiana 

From the age of four to twelve, Bush stayed with his grandmother near Lebeau, Louisiana on 100+ acres of countryside land. 

He described how being raised by a single grandparent in the ’80s in a small town during the crack cocaine epidemic was challenging. “I had other cousins she was raising at the house, so we kind of raised ourselves a little bit, and you look up to who you see,” Bush shared, “People don’t realize that in small areas that drug is way more harmful than it would in a large area. I was really around zombies.”

As a child, Bush grew up with dogs and worked with them to tame feral hogs Bush said, “I would go out with one of my dogs, and after school, I would go to the hogs and run them so they wouldn’t root.” In addition, if a hog escaped and became feral then a bay dog or catch dog would assist him.

When Bush became an adolescent, he moved with his mother. He remembers living in different cities throughout Saint Landry Parish. Despite his challenging upbringing, he did not lose sight of his vision. He said, “As kids, I can remember liking to draw and liking dogs, so I never ran away from that. I always embraced it. Some people like things, but society will make it seem like this is not what they should do because this is not cool to their friends or their environment.”

His art teacher, Ms. Knott, believed in his artistry and connected him to eventually receive a scholarship to The Art Institute of Houston. Bush combined his passion for art and dogs to create “The Ultimate Guard Dogz” universe. 

Bush said, “We are all made for a purpose, and we don’t know it, but we have to go within ourselves and find out what we really like as being a person.”

“The Ultimate Guard Dogz” Need Love Too 

The relationship between humans and dogs is complex. Throughout time, certain breeds have faced discrimination. Bush’s mission within “The Ultimate Guard Dogz” brand is to combat these ideas. He said, “My characters are dogs that were once banned around the world like the Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, Boxer, Pitbull, and any other Mastiff dogs.” Further sharing his thoughts, as a dog trainer, Bush believes breed discrimination mirrors racism because of biases and stigmas.

His love and understanding of dogs influenced him to humanize them in “The Guard Dogz”. Bush said, “I wanted to use the anthropomorphic setup of dogs with the human form because I wanted to be able to tell a story without any racial bias. Every breed of dog was bred for a purpose and that’s what their superpowers are.”

In the first issue, the protagonist Boxer delves into a journey of action, doubt, drama, and determination. Canidae is the home of the parallel universe for domestic and ancient world canids. Within the universe, various breeds live among each other with superpowers navigating challenges. 

Bush’s keen knowledge and wisdom of animals and nature helped him create the storyline. “You can read a dog breed to see their qualities and see what they were bred for. I went through each one of them and figured out their superpowers, names, and history to use in the book,” he said.

His interest in art and anime stems from his youth. His favorite animated cartoons growing up included Thundercat, Heman, Transformers, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As an independent creative, Bush also taught himself Photoshop. 

In addition, Bush likes to keep his family close-knit on this journey of success. When asked why is working alongside his family important to him, Bush shared, “My [elders] were very big on family. So, I feel like as a big and very independent family, I think that we all are likeminded, and we’ve been through a lot of things together as a family. I think we should not only go through bad things together but good things as well.”

Incorporating Creole Culture in “The Ultimate Guard Dogz” Series

After his publishing debut, Bush says he feels like a breath of fresh air, and he wants to keep producing books. “This ain’t nothing but the beginning. This is another step to another journey,” he said. Bush shared some exclusive ideas and creations including a multitude of stories and backstories that are in the works.

Bush plans to include the Louisiana environment, Creole culture, and the Catahoula dog in upcoming books. “We are going to be in the swamps, around alligators… We are going to have cracklins, boudin, and boucheries [in the book]… Whenever we go in Louisiana we’re going to make sure we show up.” 

Ultimately, throughout his writing, he wants people to realize that a person’s skin color does not determine their character. He said, “Whenever you see a dog’s point of view, it’s in greyscale.”

The Ultimate Guard Dogz’s brand expands beyond the comic book. Currently, autographed posters, shirts, and books are available for purchase. In addition, they hope to expand with toys, trading cards, and more soon.