Pet Avengers – Lockjaw and The Pet Avengers Versus Red Ghost and The Monsters of Evil! – MK Stangeland Jr.

(2 Panels)

Panel 1: Small, thin panel as Pet Avengers LOCKJAW, THROG, LOCKHEED, REDWING, HAIRBALL, MS. LION, and TIPPY-TOE stand in shock and look upon the full team that RED GHOST has assembled.

RED GHOST: (Off Panel) Pet Avengers! Prepare to face your utter annihilation at the hands of...

Panel 2: SPASH PAGE!

RED GHOST is at the center of THE MONSTERS OF EVIL as they assume battle poses and prepare to do battle against the PET AVENGERS. The names of the members are bolded next to each of them.

RED GHOST (1): …my MONSTERS OF EVIL!

RED GHOST (2): MIKHLO, IGOR, and PEOTR the SUPER APES!

RED GHOST (3): DOG-HULK! (A comic version of one of the hulk-powered dogs from Ang Lee’s HULK movie)

RED GHOST (4): ROBO-HIT-MONKEY! (HIT-MONKEY re-built as a superpowered monkey cyborg.)

RED GHOST (5): SQUIRRELPOOL! (The Squirrel in a Deadpool mask that Marvel previously used on one of its covers and temporarily on their website when the Konami Code was entered.)

RED GHOST (6): PREDATOR Y! (A humanoid version of PREDATOR X, but with wings.)

(END PAGE)

Pet Avengers – Valhalla Interrupted – Ryan K Lindsay

PAGE 22 - 5 PANELS

1. Establishing shot of Central Park in Manhattan. Take whichever panel size or perspective angle you desire. Just make sure this isn’t a massive panel, we need more room below.

Caption-Throg: You should be happy I’m here.

2. Throg sits in a majestic throne amidst the trees made of branches and leaves. His Mjolnir sits by his right hand in a cradle made of leaves and his left hand holds a tiny goblet with red wine sloshing around in it.

Throg: My mere presence recognises this locale is a prosperous ecosystem.

3. Lockjaw looks up at Throg, he’s making a point.

Lockjaw: *this speech bubble holds some kind of crazy symbol, do with it as you wish*

4. Throg points at Lockjaw with his goblet, he’s making a point of his own.

Throg: Neither I nor my associates have rained down on this city, been vomited up by fair maidens, or imposed ourselves in any malicious manner.

5. Large panel. Throg sits back in his throne, Lockjaw looks small before him. Behind and around Throg, the trees fill with tiny Gold Frogs (about 1cm in length). Their eyes hint mischief and the amount of them is intense.

Throg: If you wish to lead my army away then you should find us a suitable battleground to inhabit.

Pet Avengers – I’m a Bad Man - Ben Rosenthal

1. Redwing is in midflight. However an arrow has pierced one of its wings. It cries it pain as it begins to fall.

2. A raging river. In the middle of the river is a burlap sack, tied up. It is in the process of sinking below the surface. From the hole in the sack we can see the paw of Hairball, reaching out for help.

3. Thog is hanging by the neck near a small lake. One hand clutches at the strand around his neck, while his other reaches in vain for his hammer, lying on the ground bellow his dangling feet.

4. Lockheed is on all fours, head held low. On the wall behind the dragon we can see the shadow of a man with a sword raised above his head. He is about to bring it down on Lockheed’s neck.

5. Lockjaw stands centre panel, looking scared. He is being tracked. Behind him leaping from the shadows is Kraven the Hunter, knife in hand.

Poor Pet Avengers - they more than anyone has suffered from my bad moos while writing this. I'll make it up to them, one day.

Pet Avengers - A Friend in Need - Grant McLaughlin

I'll stop giving you these classic 3 by 3 grid pages one of these days, but today is not that day.

Ms. Lion and Hairball are together on Christmas Eve. Ms. Lion has asked Hairball what he hopes to get from Santa, to which Hairball has responded that Santa doesn't exist, much to Ms. Lion's dismay.

1 – Hairball casually licks a paw as he just as casually dismisses Ms. Lion's innocent beliefs.

HAIRBALL: Think about it. How could one fat man possibly give presents to every single person in the world in one night? Not even Lockjaw could do that – and he can teleport!

2 – Ms. Lion is totally crushed. Hairball continues to lick his paw, not looking at his companion.

MS. LION (quietly) (1): I hadn't thought about it that way.

MS. LION (quieter still) (2): I-I guess you're probably right.

HAIRBALL: Probably.

3 – Ms. Lion flops onto the ground, despondent. Imagine the saddest dog you've ever seen, and you're getting close to what Ms. Lion should look like right about here. Hairball starts licking his other paw.

MS. LION: *sniff*

4 – Ms. Lion starts wailing. Exaggerated tears stream from his doggy eyes. Hairball continues licking his other paw, but his eye are now open wide is surprise.

MS. LION: AUGH-HUNH-HUNH-HUNH!

5 – Hairball is taken aback and visibly feels bad about this turn of events. He frantically tires to think of something to assuage Ms. Lion's incredibly grief.

HAIRBALL: ...

6 – Hairball, still concerned, has an idea.

HAIRBALL: I, uh, I hope that Santa brings me some tuna?

7 – Hairball is in the same position, waiting to see what comes of his gambit. Ms. Lion is still lying on the ground, but his entire demeanour has changed completely. He perks up his head and ears, looks at Hairball, and wears a huge doggy grin. Above his head are some Christmas-themed sound effects.

SFX: JOY!

8 - Ms. Lion happily skips around a surprised and sheepish Hairball.

MS. LION: Oh, I'm sure he will, Hairball! How could he not when you're such a good friend! The best friend a dog could ever hope to have! The bestest of best friends!

9 – Ms. Lion continues to skip around, nattering on about how great Hairball is. Hairball looks thoughtfully at his doggy partner.

HAIRBALL (quietly): Merry Christmas, Ms. Lion.

Why the Pet Avengers?

Because the Avengers were busy.

I kid, I kid.

I'm picking the Pet Avengers because comics are supposed to be fun, and that's exactly what the Pet Avengers are.

In theory, the Pet Avengers are completely ridiculous. And frankly, in practice, they're still pretty ridiculous. But that's a big part of their charm.

Where else will you find a teleporting dog, a Mjolnir-wielding frog, a fire-breathing dragon, a heroic falcon, a sabre-tooth tiger, a telekinetic fielded cat, and a second, non-teleporting, regular dog? And all on the same team to boot?

I'm going to go with “nowhere else”.

I first came into contact with the Pet Avengers while reading Alex Zalben's fantastic Thor and the Warriors Four. While these amazing animals were confined to a cameo role, I immediately fell in love with. To be honest, I rushed to my local comic book store to find what else this team of super pet has been in. There wasn't a ton at the time (although there have been a few series since then), but it was all a joy to read.

These aren't necessarily the most intellectually challenging books you'll ever encounter, but darn if they don't make for some darn good reading nonetheless.  Each character has their own distinct personality, and like any team book worth its salt, their sum is very much greater than their individual parts.

Seriously, if you haven't encountered these craft critters before, you have been missing out.

So in the interest of adding a bit more Pet Avenger goodness to the world, let's do our part and whip up a few more fun stories for these endearing animals to star in.

And let's not forget: