Dog Man: Grime and Punishment

Everything from here on is from George and Harold’s Dog Man comic:

A policeman and his police dog are involved in an explosion that severely injures the policeman’s head and the dog’s body. A surgery is performed where the dog’s head is attached to the man’s body; he became known as Dog Man. Dog Man fought crime; in particular, one of his main nemeses was Petey the evil cat. Fortunately, Petey found love and became good. A panel depicts Petey being hugged by many people; it is suggested that Petey “may need a little help from his friends” to remain on the side of good (14).

A splash panel depicts the Police Chief receiving an award from Mayor as his colleagues applaud enthusiastically. Mayor calls Dog Man to the stage to present the award to Chief. However, Dog Man does not appear. Someone suggests that he might be digging up flower beds. A speech bubble indicates Mayor worriedly declaring, “My roses!” Confirming Mayor’s fears, a panel illustration over the page shows Dog Man joyously and furiously digging up roses. He hears his name being called by Chief and runs to join him on stage. Mayor sees Dog Man covered in dirt and roses and wonders aloud whether things can get any worse.

A flip-e-rama section of the chapter depicts Dog Man jumping on and licking Mayor and Chief. Mayor is angry that Dog Man got dirt on his suit, slobbered on his glasses, and dug up his roses. Mayor threatens to take Dog Man’s badge away if he continues to misbehave. Chief assures him that Dog Man will be good, but the men notice that Dog Man has taken Mayor’s hat. In Chief’s efforts to pull it out of Dog Man’s mouth, he and Mayor are knocked backwards into a support beam. City Hall collapses dramatically. From the rubble, Dog Man leaps up and grabs the Mayor’s hat, running away with it.

That night, Chief and Dog Man go to Mayor’s house with flowers to apologize for Dog Man’s behavior. Mayor is unmoved and insists that Dog Man hand his badges over. Mayor tells his teddy bear, Mr. Snookums, about how powerful he is.

Chief and Dog Man go back to the station. Chief helps Dog Man to pack up his desk. Chief vows not to cry, but he sobs dramatically. Some other cops also cry, but others suggest that Dog Man is a bad cop; he chews up phones and poops in filing cabinets. They suggest that Dog Man is making Chief cry and that he should leave. Dog Man leaves the station. He howls sadly.

Dog Man returns home. He is greeted by Li’l Petey, who correctly interprets Dog Man’s howling to mean that he has been fired from his job. Li’l Petey comforts Dog Man by reading him a bedtime story that he and 80-HD (a robot) have written and illustrated about Dog Man. Dog Man falls asleep.

In Cat Jail, Grampa is working on an invention. He is irritated by Big Jim, his grandson, who is singing itsy-bitsy spider beside him; Grampa yells at him to shut up and admonishes him for constantly annoying him. Big Jim starts to cry. He tells Grampa, “I thought you liked me!” and Grampa clarifies, “I said I NEEDED you!” (55). Big Jim is mollified and flattered by this.

Grampa places his Motor Brain invention on Big Jim; it is designed to amplify the personality of the person wearing it. Big Jim grows in size and says that he is now called Snug. In a flip-e-rama, Snug is depicted kissing and cuddling a reluctant Grampa. While running away from Snug, Grampa discovers a secret escape room.

Li’l Petey and 80-HD complete their new invention: a cat mask that meows and hisses when they toggle the ears. They put it on Dog Man. The doorbell rings; it is Petey. Dog Man rushes to the door barking and licks Petey. Li’l Petey explains to Petey that Dog Man got fired; the police aren’t allowed to hire dogs anymore, so they are disguising him as a cat. Petey advises Dog Man to stop sticking his tongue out and to stop rolling in dead things. Petey takes Li’l Petey for ice cream.