It seems impossible, but Dav Pilkey's "Dog Man" series has officially hit its 10th novel. On the one hand, it's not terribly surprising given its bi-annual release schedule and worldwide charm among readers. However, the bigger question is what exactly is there to say for a story of a character who is half dog/half policeman after so many issues? Well, following the events of "Grime and Punishment," it's not abundantly clear. At most, central character Petey continues his redemptive arc on a quest to be seen as a good person. Meanwhile, chaos ensues with the familiar fever-pitch madness that most of these books do. It's business as usual, and it continues the trend of having subplots that are often more substantial than the main one.
A key part of "Dog Man" continuing to thrive is how expansive the supporting cast has become. Petey continues to struggle with his role as a good father to son L'il Petey who is typically obnoxious with his musings and desires to do good in the world. Sure, there's plenty of gags where Dog Man is put into a cone that its own creative twist, but the heart of the story return to Petey's struggle with his father and the conflict of legacy, the struggle to break free of his past and become someone who is nice. There's interviews in here that try to get to the heart of what's changed, and it's again some of Pilkey's most mature and compelling writing, especially when juxtaposed with Dog Man's ongoing main plot.
The main plot is largely nonsense once again, relying on the familiar trend of Flip-O-Rama graphic violence and various puns and slapstick that are entertaining. The only issue is that they don't often bring anything new, and this is more appeasing fans who want to see grandiose absurdity happen. There isn't anything wrong with that and in fact, Pilkey has a knack for managing to fit this in-between the more emotional conflict, desiring to find a balance between what it means to be a hero and evil. On some level, there's nothing new, though there's room to suggest that the story will continue to piece together Petey's backstory and even give depth to his frayed relationship with his family.
On the one hand, "Dog Man" is doing pretty well for its 10th entry. There's still fodder to be made from these characters and it's easy to wonder how much further things will go. Along with a spin-off series involving Cat Kid, there's room to suggest that this world is only going to expand more, pushing boundaries about what this nonsensical premise can hold. Even when the story seems the most farfetched, it allows for something more human and vulnerable to seep in. The answer is complex, allowing children to latch onto these themes in ways that reflect what they're capable of as readers. Life is full of these weird, sometimes uncomfortable situations. Having a character like Petey cope in his own way only makes the struggle easier. There's laughs to be had, but just as importantly there's real characters here, somewhere buried in the crudely drawn zaniness of this world.
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