The best animal characters in comics: the tier list

Animal characters bring humor, tenderness and fantasy to comics: from the mercenary raccoon to the Kryptonian dog. This tier list ranks these four-legged (or feathered) heroes and companions according to their importance and charisma. Criterion: the weight and popularity of the character.

Editorial Ranks, Facts verified. Each entry refers to a site file when it exists.

Tier S: the four-legged stars

Rocket Raccoon became a global star thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy. Krypto the Superdog has been with Superman since 1955. Howard the Duck by Steve Gerber is a cult satirical duck, and Detective Chimp (Bobo) is a surprisingly endearing monkey detective at DC.

Tier A: loyal companions

Lockjaw (the teleporter dog of the Inhumans), Cosmo (the telepathic dog of Knowhere), Redwing (Falcon's hawk) and Zabu (Ka-Zar's saber-toothed tiger) are iconic companions.

Tier B: the notable mascots

Streaky the Supercat , Ace the Bat-Hound , Lockheed (Kitty Pryde's dragon) and Old Lace (the Runaways dinosaur) complete the menagerie.

Tier C: animal curiosities

Comet the Super-Horse , Rex the Wonder Dog , Beppo the Super Monkey and Throg (the frog worthy of Mjolnir) are more atypical but cult characters.

Tier D: the absolute curiosities

Captain Carrot , Lucky (Hawkeye's "Pizza Dog") and G'nort (the canine Green Lantern) close this tier list: more obscure but very real animal characters.

To remember

• Rocket Raccoon brought animal characters into global pop culture.
• DC has a long tradition super animals (Krypto, Streaky, Beppo).
• These characters bring humor and emotion to the stories.
• Each entry refers to a site file when it exists.

Chronological landmarks and families of animal characters

Behind the tier list, animal characters in comics follow a fairly readable history. Placing them in time and by family helps explain why some became stars and others curiosities.

DC's first super-animals (1952-1962)

DC led the way in the early 1950s with Detective Chimp and Rex the Wonder Dog (1952), then Krypto (1955), who accompanies Superman and first appears in Adventure Comics #210, Ace the Bat-Hound (1955), Beppo the Super-Monkey (1959), Streaky the Supercat (1960) and Comet the Super-Horse (1962). It is a tradition of super-powered companions, designed for young readers, that makes DC the home of the super-animal.

Marvel's arrival (1965-1980)

Marvel built a different approach, tied more to fantasy or adventure storytelling: Lockjaw, the Inhumans' teleporting dog, and Zabu, Ka-Zar's saber-toothed tiger (1965), then Redwing, Falcon's falcon (1969). Steve Gerber's Howard the Duck (1973) changed the game with a satirical duck, then Rocket Raccoon (1976, Marvel Preview #7) and Lockheed, Kitty Pryde's dragon (1980), rounded out this period.

Three families to tell apart

• Hero companions, such as Krypto, Lockjaw, Redwing, Zabu or Old Lace: they live in the shadow of a main character and almost never exist alone.
• Animal protagonists, such as Rocket Raccoon, Howard the Duck or Detective Chimp: they carry their own stories and their own tone.
• Comic curiosities, such as Throg, the frog worthy of Mjolnir, or G'nort, the canine Green Lantern: niche characters, enjoyed for their humor.

Landmarks for the collector

Companions first appear in their hero's series, so look for their first appearance in that title rather than in an issue bearing their name. For Rocket Raccoon, the first appearance is in Marvel Preview #7, a magazine issue that escapes ordinary series searches. For Krypto, it is Adventure Comics #210 (1955).

Before buying, always check the date given in the tier list: several of these characters have had successive versions (Cosmo, Old Lace, Lucky) and the same name can point to very different issues.

Finally, animal characters remain good ground for a themed collection: the entry ticket is generally low, and the variety of publishers and eras lets you assemble an original collection without chasing grails.

Frequently asked questions