by Eric S. Brown Text ©2008 Eric S. Brown

Cover images in opening montage are copyright as follows: Thunderbunny #1, © Martin Greim; Cerebus the Aardvark #112/113, ©1988 Aardvark-Vanaheim; Usagi Yojimbo: Seasons, © Dark Horse Comics; Gargoyles #1, ©2006 Slave Labor Graphics; Extinctioners #2, ©1999 Shanda Fantasy Arts; Rocket Raccoon #1, ©1985 Marvel Comics; Elephantmen #15, ©2008 Comicraft; Howard the Duck #8, ©1977 Marvel Comics; Atomic Mouse #1, ©2001 Shanda Fantasy Arts; Bullwinkle and Rocky #9, ©1987 Marvel Comics; Tellos v. 1, ©2001 Image Comics; Thundercats #1, ©1986 Marvel Comics; Cutey Bunny Summer Special #1, © Magnecom; Hoppy the Marvel Bunny #3, © DC Comics; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, ©1984 Mirage Studios; Pantha, © DC Comics

   When one thinks of the modern comic book industry, one does not usually think of a rabbit leaping tall buildings in a single bound or a pig swinging through New York on spider webs—but such comics do exist! Generally, anthropomorphic titles are aimed at children; DC’s most popular animal title is Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew. Most of the Zoo Crew are affectionate parodies of various members of the Justice League of America. There’s Fastback (a turtle with super-speed powers, like the Flash), Alley-Kat-Abra (a cat who can cast spells like Zatanna), and Rubberduck (who can stretch like the Elongated Man). Captain Carrot himself is a bizarre mix of Popeye and Superman; he consumes radioactive carrots in order to gain the powers of flight, super-strength, and an immunity to harm.
   Marvel’s best known animal title is Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham, but animalized versions of most of the Marvel Universe exist in Spider-Ham’s world with names like Ducktor Doom, The Fantastic Fur, and Wolverine (who is literally the animal his name comes from).

   In terms of more adult animal titles there are graphic novels such as WE3 and The Pride of Baghdad. WE3 centers around the tale of a cyber-enhanced dog, cat, and rabbit who have been altered by the United States military to be expendable field weapons, each packing more weaponry built into their systems than carried by a full squad of marines. Together, the unfortunate trio of animals escape their masters and set out to face the real world alone for the first time.
   Like WE3, The Pride of Baghdad also tackles hard-hitting subjects like mortality and survival in its plot, but it’s a true story based on a pride of lions who were accidentally loosed during the bombings of the Gulf War. Though the story is told from the animals’ point of view, the metaphor of them being human refugees burns in one’s mind as one reads the story… which has anything but a happy ending.

   So whether you’re young or old, there are animal comics still out there to be enjoyed. You just have to look hard enough, in this age of the super-hero, to find them.