Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers
Encyclopedia
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers is a four-issue comic book
limited series
published by Marvel Comics
from July to October 2009. The series was written by Chris Eliopoulos
with art by Ig Guara.
member Mister Fantastic
visits Attilan
, city of the Inhumans
, seeking the six Infinity Gems
(each an artifact
of great power). Lockjaw
, an oversized dog
and pet
of the Inhuman Royal Family, finds the Mind Gem, which increases the animal's intelligence. Using telepathy
to read Mr. Fantastic's mind, Lockjaw decides to find the remaining Gems. The pet encounters and recruits a number of other animal companions to heroes, including the cat
Hairball, the diminutive dragon
Lockheed
, the falcon
Redwing
, the frog
Throg, and the puppy
Ms. Lion (actually a character from the animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
).
Courtesy of Lockjaw's ability to teleport
, the group visit the pre-historic Savage Land
and acquire the Time Gem and the aid of the sabretooth tiger Zabu
. The Space Gem is found in the past
, and after an underwater
encounter and being swallowed by the whale
-like Giganto
, the group collect the Soul Gem and the Reality Gem. The animal team converge on the final Gem, the Power Gem, which is in the possession of the President of the United States
' dog, Bo
. The Titan Thanos
, a previous owner of all six Gems when united as the Infinity Gauntlet
, intervenes and kills Ms. Lion. The other animals are angered by this act and use the Gems to strand Thanos in an alternate dimension
and subsequently revive their comrade.
Retrieving the final Gem, the group decides to separate, but not before Throg advises that they now share a psychic
link and will reunite if needed. Ms. Lion (resurrected by Hairball via the Soul Gem) dubs the group the Pet Avengers. The series concludes with Lockjaw presenting the Gems to a surprised Mr. Fantastic.
rating the first issue a 6.5 out of 10. The first issue sold out and went to second printing.
The story of the team continued in a second series, Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers: Unleashed (May – August 2010), followed by a third limited series Avengers vs. the Pet Avengers (December 2010 – March 2011).
volume:
Previous appearances by the animals have also been collected into trade paperback:
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
from July to October 2009. The series was written by Chris Eliopoulos
Chris Eliopoulos
Chris Eliopoulos is an American cartoonist and letterer of comic books.-Early life:Eliopolous attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York City, from 1985–1989. He majored in graphic design and minored in illustration...
with art by Ig Guara.
Plot summary
Fantastic FourFantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
member Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
visits Attilan
Attilan
Attilan is a fictional city in the that houses the Inhumans. It first appeared in Fantastic Four #47 . It has also been known as the Great Refuge and New Attilan.-Fictional history:...
, city of the Inhumans
Inhumans
The Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This race appears in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics and exists in that company's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe....
, seeking the six Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems, sometimes referred to as the Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful gems featured in the fictional Marvel Universe. Whoever holds all six gems in the Infinity Gauntlet gains omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and God-like power, and has absolute dominion over the universe...
(each an artifact
Magic item
A magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the person or being whose hands they fall into. Magic items are commonly found in both folklore and modern fantasy...
of great power). Lockjaw
Lockjaw (comics)
Lockjaw is a fictional character and alien bulldog-like being that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, an oversized dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
and pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
of the Inhuman Royal Family, finds the Mind Gem, which increases the animal's intelligence. Using telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
to read Mr. Fantastic's mind, Lockjaw decides to find the remaining Gems. The pet encounters and recruits a number of other animal companions to heroes, including the cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
Hairball, the diminutive dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
Lockheed
Lockheed (comics)
Lockheed is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is an alien dragon that is the longtime companion of Shadowcat , a member of the X-Men and Excalibur. He was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #166...
, the falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
Redwing
Falcon (comics)
The Falcon is a fictional comic book superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics.Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, and introduced in Captain America #117 , the character is mainstream comics' first African-American superhero...
, the frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
Throg, and the puppy
Puppy
A puppy is a juvenile dog. Some puppies may weigh , while larger ones can weigh up to . All healthy puppies grow quickly after birth. A puppy's coat color may change as the puppy grows older, as is commonly seen in breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier...
Ms. Lion (actually a character from the animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is an animated series produced by Marvel Productions starring established Marvel Comics characters Spider-Man and Iceman and an original character, Firestar...
).
Courtesy of Lockjaw's ability to teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
, the group visit the pre-historic Savage Land
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
and acquire the Time Gem and the aid of the sabretooth tiger Zabu
Zabu
Zabu is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe, a superhero who is connected primarily to the Savage Land, and the X-Men, and most recently the Avengers . He first appeared in X-Men #10 . He is the last known living Smilodon and is a companion and ally of Ka-Zar.-Fictional character...
. The Space Gem is found in the past
Past
Most generally, the past is a term used to indicate the totality of events which occurred before a given point in time. The past is contrasted with and defined by the present and the future. The concept of the past is derived from the linear fashion in which human observers experience time, and is...
, and after an underwater
Underwater
Underwater is a term describing the realm below the surface of water where the water exists in a natural feature such as an ocean, sea, lake, pond, or river. Three quarters of the planet Earth is covered by water...
encounter and being swallowed by the whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
-like Giganto
Giganto
Giganto is the name of two Marvel Comics monsters.-Giganto I:The first Giganto seen was one of the mutates created by the Deviant scientists to serve as part of Kro's invasion force when gathered on Monster Island...
, the group collect the Soul Gem and the Reality Gem. The animal team converge on the final Gem, the Power Gem, which is in the possession of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
' dog, Bo
Bo (dog)
Bo is the pet dog of the Obama family, the First Family of the United States. Bo is a neutered male Portuguese Water Dog. President Barack Obama and his family were given the dog as a gift after months of speculation about the breed and identity of their future pet...
. The Titan Thanos
Thanos
Thanos is a fictional character that appears in comic books and other media published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #55 and was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin....
, a previous owner of all six Gems when united as the Infinity Gauntlet
Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems, sometimes referred to as the Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful gems featured in the fictional Marvel Universe. Whoever holds all six gems in the Infinity Gauntlet gains omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and God-like power, and has absolute dominion over the universe...
, intervenes and kills Ms. Lion. The other animals are angered by this act and use the Gems to strand Thanos in an alternate dimension
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
and subsequently revive their comrade.
Retrieving the final Gem, the group decides to separate, but not before Throg advises that they now share a psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
link and will reunite if needed. Ms. Lion (resurrected by Hairball via the Soul Gem) dubs the group the Pet Avengers. The series concludes with Lockjaw presenting the Gems to a surprised Mr. Fantastic.
Reception
The series received mixed reviews, with IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
rating the first issue a 6.5 out of 10. The first issue sold out and went to second printing.
The story of the team continued in a second series, Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers: Unleashed (May – August 2010), followed by a third limited series Avengers vs. the Pet Avengers (December 2010 – March 2011).
Collected editions
The stories have been collected into a single trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
volume:
- Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers (collects Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #1-4, Tales of the Pet Avengers digital comic, and the Marvel Pets Handbook), 176 pages, May 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4123-5 (hardcover, November 2009, ISBN 0-7851-4271-1)
Previous appearances by the animals have also been collected into trade paperback:
- Pet Avengers Classic (collects ThingThing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
#4, Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
#220, Ka-Zar the Savage #14-15, X-Men UnlimitedX-Men Unlimited-Volume 1:The purpose of this title was to run stories that fit between the main X-Men comics. The stories included all characters from the X-titles, and the issues were collections of short stories...
#43, Marvel Comics PresentsMarvel Comics PresentsMarvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...
#72, SpeedballSpeedball (comics)Robert "Robbie" Baldwin is a comic book superhero character, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics.Originally known as Speedball, the character was created by artist Steve Ditko and writer Tom DeFalco, initially as a candidate for Marvel's separate New Universe imprint.Baldwin first...
#6, Marvel TalesMarvel TalesMarvel Tales is the title of three American comic-book series published by Marvel Comics, the first of them from the company's 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics...
#100, Marvel Super-HeroesMarvel Super-Heroes (comics)Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics.-Marvel Super-Heroes Special:The first was the one-shot Marvel Super-Heroes Special #1 , reprinting Daredevil #1 and The Avengers #2 Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and...
#8, Amazing FantasyAmazing FantasyAmazing Fantasy is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man in 1962...
#15, Fantastic FourFantastic FourThe Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
#94, New Defenders #150, New MutantsNew MutantsThe New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
Annual #4, Franklin RichardsFranklin RichardsFranklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
: Happy Franksgiving, New WarriorsNew WarriorsThe New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
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#57), 208 pages, October 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3966-4