Check out the other books in the Dog Man series!
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The overriding tone of the graphic novel series is that good will always triumph over evil. Dog Man and the other cops are symbolic of the good guys, while Petey is one of several bad guys. While Petey and the other villains set out to do evil deeds, the reader is always certain that Dog Man will win.
One of the first scenes of the graphic novel series explains how Dog Man came into being. Petey created a bomb, knowing that Officer Knight and his dog Greg would try and fail to diffuse it. When the bomb explodes, both Officer Knight and Greg are seriously injured. While Gregs body is dying and Officer Knights head is dying, a nurse comes up with the idea to sew Gregs head on Officer Knights body. With this idea, the best parts of both cops are saved, creating…
The story starts out as Dog Man (half dog half cop), Lil’ Petey (friendly non-evil immature clone of the villain Petey), and 80-HD (their robot friend) form the superhero group Supa Buddies where they each have alter-egos that fight crime. Shortly after, Petey arrives claiming to be the psychiatrist Dr. Katz to take Lil’ Petey too school, but soon is forced to reveal that he has done so under false pretenses because Lil’ Petey is in danger. Lil’ Petey’s history is coming back for him as he recounts a story from when he was a child when he and members of his scout group were stranded on a desert island. Those other members have a grudge against Petey for his actions that day and they have returned for revenge!
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas is a 2018 graphic novel for kids, the fifth in the Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey (creator of Captain Underpants). The series so far has been reviewed here.
Very fun series for kids, and simple enough that kids learning to read can make a lot of progress with a book like this, motivated by the humor to learn more.
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey | Official Book Trailer
With this fifth graphic novel in the Dog Man series, Dav Pilkey shows no signs of slowing down. Lord of the Fleas is packed with all the visual gags, bad puns, and nonstop silliness his readers have come to expect, along with (gasp!) a few genuinely heartfelt moments. As always, the art is funny, colorful, and engaging, rendered (supposedly) by Harold and George of Captain Underpants fame.
The plot kicks into motion when a supposed representative of Kitty Protective Services comes to take Lil’ Petey (the clone/son of Petey, the world’s most evil-est cat) away from Dog Man, who has been taking care of the kitten. Of course, the representative turns out to be none other than evil Petey himself in disguise. Through a series of flashbacks, Petey recounts to Lil’ Petey the tale of how he turned evil, interrupted at every turn by the kitten.
Lil’ Petey, by the way, is the true standout character of the book. A recognizable, hilarious little kid, he pesters adults with a litany of “Why? Why? Why?” and deliciously unfunny knock-knock jokes. (“Knock, knock.” “Who’s there?” “A flower.” “A flower who?” “A flower pooped on your head!”)
When three badder bad guys show up, led by the villainous Piggy (in a nod to Lord of the Flies), Lil’ Petey tries to convince his father, “You can change, Papa.” He urges the doubtful Petey to fight on the side of good. Through an epic battle involving a robot brontosaurus, a giant cat robot, fight scenes in Flip-o-Rama, and massive silliness, the kitten continues his faith in Petey, helping him to see the light.
Along the way, Pilkey throws in tons of puns: Dog Man’s crime-fighting alter ego is The Bark Night, and when he’s hurled into a building labeled “Cannery Grow,” he grows to Godzilla size. There are jokes just for grownups, like the Lord of the Flies references or the goofy, Warhol-like paintings on the wall of Dog Man’s doghouse. And throughout, the dialogue is snappy and comical, as when Lil’ Petey wants to borrow an enormous can of spray paint. “Excuse me, Mr. Squirty, may I have this?” “OK, strange flying cyborg kitten I’ve never met before. Take whatever you like!”
It’s safe to say that Pilkey’s legions of readers will gobble up this latest installment of Dog Man like the hero himself would tackle premium dog chow.