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Where would Hawkeye be without Lucky, the Pizza Dog? Or Sailor Moon without Luna the cat? Our favorite comic book figures would be lost without their animal companions. Sometimes those animal companions have their own superpowers, while in other instances, they provide moral and physical support.
To celebrate the wonderful animal companions in comic books, I’ve put together an incomplete ranking of the best companion animals in comics. Superheroes and their pets tend to dominate (plus I recognize that I have a bit of a Marvel bias since that’s what I tend to read). I’ve tried to include some non-superhero animal companions as well. Some animal companions are sidekicks while others play top billing with their humans.
So here’s the very incomplete ranking of the best companion animals in comics. I’m going to divide it up into three categories: daily (like newspapers), fantasy/sci-fi, and superheroes.
Daily Comics
Peanuts by Charles Schulz – Snoopy
If we are going to talk about animal companions, Snoopy has to be number one. I imagine that he’s up there in terms of recognizability with Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop. He’s Charlie Brown’s best friend, but he’s also got his own life, whether it’s writing on his typewriter and imagining fighting the Red Baron.
Creator Charles M. Schulz once said of Snoopy: “Snoopy’s whole personality is a little bittersweet. But he’s a very strong character. He can win or lose, be a disaster, a hero, or anything, and yet it all works out. I like the fact that when he’s in real trouble, he can retreat into a fantasy.”
If you want to get meta, we can add Woodstock as Snoopy’s best non-human animal pal. Apparently, Woodstock was named for the famous music festival.
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson – Hobbes
Then we have the illustrious Hobbes, the stuffed tiger and best friend of 6-year-old Calvin. The two get into mischievous adventures together, whether it’s space exploration, Calvinball, or other mayhem. They also ponder the mysteries of the world together. It’s incredible to think that the strip only ran for ten years; it feels much longer given how rich their world is.
Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson – Marigold Heavenly Nostrils
I love love love the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series. Marigold is a unicorn who is the best friend of Phoebe. They meet when Phoebe rescues Marigold, who got too entranced with her own image in a puddle. In exchange, Marigold offers her a wish, and all Phoebe wants is a unicorn as a best friend. Hijinks ensue. The series has been described as a 21st-century Calvin & Hobbes, but unlike C&H, Phoebe has good relationships with members of the opposite sex. Marigold is a fun foil to Phoebe as they both discover each other’s worlds. Marigold is a bit snooty at times (her character description sums it up best: “She’s the most beautiful creature in the neighborhood, and she knows it”), but she’s a good friend and mischief maker with Phoebe. Big bonus: the series is still ongoing!
Fantasy and Sci-Fi Comics
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples – Lying Cat
Lying Cat is a beautifully drawn blue-green sphinx cat who is the sidekick of bounty hunter, The Will. Her name is a bit of a misnomer. She does not lie, but she can tell if someone is lying, simply declaring “Lying” or “Not Lying.” Quite the useful skill for the sidekick of a bounty hunter! But Lying Cat has her own sense of morality and will call The Will out on his own lies. She may be a side character, but she’s been around since the very beginning of the series.
Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda – Master Ren
Master Ren is the two-tailed cat poet sidekick to Maika, the protagonist of the series. He exudes poetry and wisdom, trying to guide Maika through the hellscape she’s living internally and externally. But he’s got his own baggage: it’s not 100% certain what side he is on. That makes him delightfully ambiguous and perfect for this list.
Hilda by Luke Pearson – Twig
Twig is a deerfox from the Land of Starlight. He is the beloved pet and best friend to Hilda, a little blue-haired girl with an adventurous spirit. He’s adorable, but he’s got a fierce side. He’ll defend Hilda when she inevitably encounters something scary in her wanderings in nature. He often can sense trouble before it happens.
Superhero Comics
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur by Stephanie Williams and illustrated by Asia Simone – Devil Dinosaur
Okay, I’m going to use Devil Dinosaur from the animated series Moon Girl and Demon Dinosaur on Disney with this corresponding graphic novel. He’s a red Tyrannosaurus Rex who accidentally comes into this world when brilliant Lunella Lafayette builds a machine that creates a portal that he steps through. Devil Dinosaur may sound scary, but he’s a sweetheart, lover of hot dogs, and loyal companion to Lunella, aka Moon Girl. The two of them make a great team defending the Lower East Side from all the baddies who want to cause mayhem in the neighborhood.
Superman by various authors and illustrators – Krypto
Krypto is the loyal dog companion to Superman. He’s been the subject of several series, a television show, and most recently, a run with the great Ryan North. Imagine all the mischief a dog with powers from Krypton could get into!
Squirrel Girl by Ryan North and Illustrated by Erica Henderson – Tippy Toe
Last but not least, we’ve got Tippy-Toe, the pink-bowed squirrel sidekick to the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Tippy-Toe and Squirrel Girl make a great team; they can understand each other and Tippy-Toe plays an important role in helping Squirrel Girl win the day. Plus, she’s a weapon that can be launched at enemies as a whirling ball of nails and teeth.
So that’s a very incomplete ranking of the best animal companions in comics. If you want more comics about animals, check out these comics about animals and these pets in comics.
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