The best animal characters in comics are, at the top,Rocket Raccoon,Krypto the Superdog,Howard the DucketDetective Chimp. This tier list ranks the heroes and animal companions of the comic book universe according to their popularity and their stories. Facts (publisher, creation) checked, no invented ratings.

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, Factsverified. Each entry refers to a site file when it exists.

Tier list — animal characters
S
Rocket RaccoonMarvel, 1976 CryptoD.C., 1955 Howard the DuckMarvel, 1973 Detective ChimpDC, 1952
A
LockjawMarvel, 1965 CosmoMarvel, 2008 RedwingMarvel, 1969 ZabuMarvel, 1965
B
Streaky the SupercatDC, 1960 Ace the Bat-HoundD.C., 1955 LockheedMarvel, 1980 Old LaceMarvel, 2003
C
Comet the Super-HorseDC, 1962 Rex the Wonder DogDC, 1952 Beppo the Super MonkeyD.C., 1959 ThrogMarvel, 1986
D
Captain CarrotDC, 1982 Lucky (Pizza Dog)Marvel, 2012 G'nortDC, 1988

Tier S: the four-legged stars

Rocket Raccoonbecame a global star thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy.Krypto the Superdoghas been with Superman since 1955.Howard the Duckby Steve Gerber is a cult satirical duck, andDetective 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) andZabu(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) andOld Lace(the Runaways dinosaur) complete the menagerie.

Tier C: animal curiosities

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

Tier D: the absolute curiosities

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

To remember

Frequently asked questions

Rocket Raccoonis the most popular since the Guardians of the Galaxy films.CryptoetHoward the Duckare cult classics.

Both: Rocket Raccoon is a mercenary with a big heart, Howard the Duck a satire, while Lockjaw or Cosmo mainly bring tenderness and fantasy.

Yes, Krypto the Superdog appeared in 1955 (Adventure Comics #210) and remains Superman's most famous animal companion.

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