ABSTRACT
Until recently, comics and graphic novels had a reputation as a vehicle solely for children’s entertainment,1 which caused a general neglect of academic interest in the medium. Not surprisingly, the fi eld of animal-studies has suff ered a similar fate for similar reasons; until recently, cultural interest in animals (as opposed to biological interest) was viewed as a childish indulgence. Therefore, examining the role of animals in comic books joins together two undervalued topics that are ripe for further study. Cultural beliefs about animals are revealed in comics, and these beliefs both refl ect and infl uence the value and signifi cance that are applied to animals, the environment, the natural world, and even other humans.
