The 5 Best Anthropomorphic Animals in the Marvel Universe

Talking animals are commonplace across the mighty Marvel Multiverse. Though not all anthropomorphic creatures are created equal...not when you’ve got weapon-savvy trash pandas, swine-based Spider-people, and cigar-chomping water fowl running around.

See where we’re goin’ with this?

With the release of Frank Tieri, John Cerilli, and Jacob Chabot’s ZIGGY PIG - SILLY SEAL COMICS #1 next week, we thought it would be nice to recap some of the best babblin' beasts in the MU.

So, let's start with...

HOWARD THE DUCK

We’d be quackin’ tarred and feathered if we didn’t give the very first shoutout to everyone’s favorite Duckworld expatriate. Created in the early ‘70s, Howard is so relatable because he doesn’t actually have any super powers. He’s just a talking, bipedal (and sometimes irritable) bird, who found himself stuck on Earth (the Florida Everglades, to be exact) through mere circumstance.

Throughout the years, Howard has helped thwart demons, solve murders, and annoy mutant hunters. During the first superhuman CIVIL WAR, he attempted to register with the government under the Superhuman Registration Act only to find that due to a bureaucratic fowl-up, he did not exist in the eyes of the system because pretending he was not real meant less paperwork for the government.

More recently, Howard went into business for himself as a private gumshoe. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire Howard the Duck.

As he likes to say, “you’re outta luck until you go duck!”

SPIDER-HAM

It sounds like something you’d see in a one of those nutty tabloid headlines: “HOUSE SPIDER TURNS INTO PIG WITH SUPER POWERS!” But...that’s exactly how Spider-Ham (A.K.A. Peter Porker) came to be.

Thanks to one of May Porker’s science experiments going awry, the SPIDER-VERSE would never be the same. After the accident, May couldn’t remember what had happened and unwittingly adopted the erstwhile arachnid as her nephew.

Living in an entirely anthropomorphic universe, Spider-Ham has faced off against adversaries like Ductor Doom, Bull-Frog, Raven the Hunter, Hogzilla, the Buzzard, and the King-Pig. Some of his allies include Captain Americat, Goose Rider, Hulk-Bunny, the Fantastic Fur, Deerdevil, and Iron Mouse.

Porker also works for the Daily Beagle under J. Jonah Jackal and dates Mary Jane Waterbuffalo!

ROCKET

Munitions expert. Wise-guy (err, mammal). Guardian of the Galaxy. If you plan on saving the cosmos, you better not leave out Rocket. He may be small, furry, and cute, but he’s got the grizzled attitude and jaded cynicism of Spider-Man Noir. It may or may not have a lot to do with the Napoleon complex stemming from his small stature.

Rocket hails from the Keystone Quadrant and was the genetic creation of robots at the asylum on Halfworld. After a stint of protecting a race of aliens known as “Loonies,” he left Halfword and bopped around the galaxy for a while, finding himself arrested, and imprisoned on several occasions.

He was recruited to help stop the Phalanx and Ultron from taking over the Kree home planet, a mission that introduced him to his best friend in the entire universe, Groot.

THE PET AVENGERS

"Every dog has his day."

That phrase could not be more accurate when talking about the Inhuman royal family’s pet canine, Lockjaw. With the ability to transport himself and his owners to any point in the known universe, Lockjaw took matters into his own paws when Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic) attempted to find the Infinity Gems in an effort to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Lockjaw knew of the Mind Stone’s location, but since he could only bark and slobber, no one really paid him any heed.

As a result, he assembled his own team of super animals like Throg (an amphibian with the powers of Thor), Lockheed (Kitty Pryde’s pet dragon), Hairball (Speedball’s telekinetic cat), Redwing (Falcon’s sidekick), and Ms. Lion (May Parker’s pet dog). Together, the Pet Avengers attempted to prevent Thanos from retrieving all of the Infinity Stones. They also traveled to the Savage Land (where they were aided by Zabu, the sabertooth tiger) and fought against the Kirby-created monster known as Fin Fang Foom.

Now, if all of those feats don’t deserve special treats from their masters, we don’t know what does!

COSMO

He may look like an ordinary Earth dog, but Cosmo is much, much more than what we think of as “man’s best friend.” In fact, he’s in charge of all the security for Knowhere, a bustling spaceport built inside the severed head of a dead Celestial.

Cosmo (once a Soviet-era space dog that can usually can be spotted wearing his original USSR space suit) has proved himself an invaluable supporter of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Since the team has made their headquarters at Knowhere, Cosmo helps them with navigating dangerous missions.

Read ZIGGY PIG - SILLY SEAL COMICS #1 at your local comic shop next week, on March 6!