WikiFur - User contributions [en]

Housepets!

2010-05-19T19:40:59Z

75.187.90.246: /* Cast */

{{wikify}}
{{Infobox webcomic
| title = Housepets!
| image = [[Image:HousepetsHeader.PNG]]
| author = Rick Griffin
| url = http://www.housepetscomic.com/
| status = Ongoing Monday-Wednesday-Friday
| began = June 2, 2008
| genre = General humor
| rating = [[Image:Censor_PG_button.png]]
}}
'''Housepets!''' is an [[anthropomorphic]] webcomic by [[Rick Griffin]]. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008. It has been nominated for the 2009 [[Ursa Major Award]] for ''Best Comic Strip''.

== Premise ==

The primary setting of ''Housepets!'' is Babylon Gardens, a suburban neighborhood somewhere within the United States (the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina). In the ''Housepets!'' universe, most animals are sentient; mammals with paws are fully anthropomorphized, having bipedal motion and the ability to talk. Mammals with hooves (and all other animals) retain their usual forms and modes of locomotion (birds,for instance, can talk and fly and have even threatened to unionize in the zoo if cats were not kept from entering their enclosure). All pets in ''Housepets!'' live double their normal lifespan, though whether this entirely applies to all other animals is hard to know. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Most pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.

The action of the comic centers around the different characters in Babylon Gardens; though, the comic starts with
Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family, other characters have been the focus of other arcs, often adding depth and breath to the world. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting pets dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood. The faces of most humans in the comic never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's ''Peanuts''.

== Cast ==

'''Peanut Butter Sandwich''', a dog. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for games of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled ''The Adventures of Spot (Superdog)'' about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.

'''Grape Jelly Sandwich''', a cat. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of ''Pridelands'', a popular fantasy book series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family; a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.

'''Mr.''' & '''Mrs. Earl Sandwich''' are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. They got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; they moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic, Mrs. Sandwich's job, if any, has yet to be mentioned.

[[Image:Good-ol-dogs-club.PNG|175px|thumb|From top, counterclockwise: Rex, Fox, Bino, Peanut|right]]

'''Bino''', the ''de facto'' leader of the neighborhood dog club, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club, but only when Fido is not around. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.

'''Joey''', Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he [[fursuit|dresses like a cat]]. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend, a mouse named Squeak. Joey has also expressed great artistic abilities. Somehow, in his cat suit, he is not recognized as being 'Joey' by other pets.

'''Fox''', Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.

'''Rex''', is Bino's friend and muscle in his clique. Though not the brightest of the dogs, he is strong and apparently has great cooking skills and discerning taste (or, at least, can taste subtle differences in coffee blends). His owner adopted him because he was supposed to be a great watchdog, but it turns out he's just great at picking out watches.

'''Maxwell''', Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive ragged bite mark in his right ear. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that Grape was a girl, but soon tried to ask her out. Ultimately Grape and Maxwell ('Maxie') started dating, much to Peanut's dismay. Like Grape he is a fan of ''Pridelands''.

'''Sasha''', a dog who has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means.

'''Daisy''', a black labrador retriver whose seems to be more dense than Sasha. She appears randomly and her only quote is "Hi I'm Daisy".

'''Fido''', Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club. Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model whom all the male dogs want to be ''like'', and all the female dogs want to be ''with''. Modest and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship, their affair is not public knowledge.

'''Sabrina''', Fido's cat girlfriend. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated. Sabrina wears an ankh on her color while Tarot has an Egyptian eye symbol, indicating the two may belong to the same owner. She and Fido were photographed kissing by Peanut, though they are both unaware of this.

'''Spo''', a mouse. Spo was given to Fido by his girlfriend Sabrina to be released since she abhors violence. This apparently is not the first time Sabrina has given Fido a 'charity case'. Though Spo makes off-color remarks aand seems to be deliberately trying not to make friends, the opposite is true: he desperately wants a friend but lacks appropriate social skills. Fido feels sorry for Spo and somewhat 'adopts' him, ultimately allowing Spo to hang out behind his ears, even on investigations (though this is rare since Spo tends to have a big mouth).

'''Tiger Arbelt''', a dog with an unfortunate name. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become aggressive and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.

'''Marvin Arbelt''', Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. He and Tiger seem to have a relationship based very loosely on the Garfield comic strip. Their usual routine was disrupted by Zach's presence.

'''Zach Arbelt''', is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Often times he feels alienated by the other pets. He once ran away from home and during his time in the woods he managed to accidentally free Pete from his imprisonment.

'''Mr. Bigglesworth (+10)''', a bunch of Siamese cats who share the same name (even the girls). Reson being, their owner is an old lady who can't tell them apart.

'''The Milton Ferrets''', Keene, Lana, Duke, Pit, Rock, and Simon are the beloved pet ferrets of Henry Milton, the founder of Babylon Gardens. After Henry passed on they inheirited a great deal of his estate and fourtune, much to the displeasure of other relatives.

'''Miles'''

'''Tarot''', a Pomeranian who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium who can summon spirits, cause telekinetic phenomena, use mental projection into other people's minds (to create a very realistic illusion), communicate telepathically, and foresee the future; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use. Some of her powers, like telepathy and reading minds, seem limited to Peanut. Why this is the case is, so far, unmentioned.

'''Joel/King''', a former PETA member who participated in Fox's abduction. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. Despite this, he joined ASPCA though he was later kicked out for unspecified reasons. He joined PETA after this because they do not do background checks. While awaiting trial for dognapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog for reasons that are unclear (at first it seemed like this was to help him learn some sort of lesson, but later events call this into question). While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as '''King''' and has the form of a Welsh Pembroke corgi. He lives with Pete as his "pet".

'''Pete''', the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment. He is capable of (among other things) flight, teleportation, and shapeshifting (both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown and his only known actions so far are to turn Joel into King and move into Babylon Gardens.

== External links ==

*[http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ Rick Griffin's deviantART]
*[http://www.housepetscomic.com/ Housespets home page]
*[http://www.furaffinity.net/user/rickgriffin/ rickgriffin's FA page]

[[Category:Comics]]
[[zh:Housepets!]]

Housepets!

2010-05-19T04:25:53Z

75.187.90.246: /* Cast */

{{wikify}}
{{Infobox webcomic
| title = Housepets!
| image = [[Image:HousepetsHeader.PNG]]
| author = Rick Griffin
| url = http://www.housepetscomic.com/
| status = Ongoing Monday-Wednesday-Friday
| began = June 2, 2008
| genre = General humor
| rating = [[Image:Censor_PG_button.png]]
}}
'''Housepets!''' is an [[anthropomorphic]] webcomic by [[Rick Griffin]]. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008. It has been nominated for the 2009 [[Ursa Major Award]] for ''Best Comic Strip''.

== Premise ==

The primary setting of ''Housepets!'' is Babylon Gardens, a suburban neighborhood somewhere within the United States (the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina). In the ''Housepets!'' universe, most animals are sentient; mammals with paws are fully anthropomorphized, having bipedal motion and the ability to talk. Mammals with hooves (and all other animals) retain their usual forms and modes of locomotion (birds,for instance, can talk and fly and have even threatened to unionize in the zoo if cats were not kept from entering their enclosure). All pets in ''Housepets!'' live double their normal lifespan, though whether this entirely applies to all other animals is hard to know. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Most pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.

The action of the comic centers around the different characters in Babylon Gardens; though, the comic starts with
Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family, other characters have been the focus of other arcs, often adding depth and breath to the world. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting pets dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood. The faces of most humans in the comic never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's ''Peanuts''.

== Cast ==

'''Peanut Butter Sandwich''', a dog. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for games of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled ''The Adventures of Spot (Superdog)'' about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.

'''Grape Jelly Sandwich''', a cat. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of ''Pridelands'', a popular fantasy book series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family; a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.

'''Mr.''' & '''Mrs. Earl Sandwich''' are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. They got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; they moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic, Mrs. Sandwich's job, if any, has yet to be mentioned.

<div style="float:right">[[Image:Good-ol-dogs-club.PNG|175px|thumb|From top, counterclockwise: Rex, Fox, Bino, Peanut]]</div>

'''Bino''', the ''de facto'' leader of the neighborhood dog club, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club, but only when Fido is not around. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.

'''Joey''', Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he [[fursuit|dresses like a cat]]. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend, a mouse named Squeak. Joey has also expressed great artistic abilities. Somehow, in his cat suit, he is not recognized as being 'Joey' by other pets.

'''Fox''', Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.

'''Rex''', is Bino's friend and muscle in his clique. Though not the brightest of the dogs, he is strong and apparently has great cooking skills and discerning taste (or, at least, can taste subtle differences in coffee blends). His owner adopted him because he was supposed to be a great watchdog, but it turns out he's just great at picking out watches.

'''Maxwell''', Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive ragged bite mark in his right ear. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that Grape was a girl, but soon tried to ask her out. Ultimately Grape and Maxwell ('Maxie') started dating, much to Peanut's dismay. Like Grape he is a fan of ''Pridelands''.

'''Sasha''', a dog who has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means.

'''Daisy''', a black labrador retriver whose seems to be more dense than Sasha. She appears randomly and her only quote is "Hi I'm Daisy".

'''Fido''', Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club. Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model whom all the male dogs want to be ''like'', and all the female dogs want to be ''with''. Modest and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship, their affair is not public knowledge.

'''Sabrina''', Fido's cat girlfriend. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated. Sabrina wears an ankh on her color while Tarot has an Egyptian eye symbol, indicating the two may belong to the same owner. She and Fido were photographed kissing by Peanut, though they are both unaware of this.

'''Spo''', a mouse. Spo was given to Fido by his girlfriend Sabrina to be released since she abhors violence. This apparently is not the first time Sabrina has given Fido a 'charity case'. Though Spo makes off-color remarks aand seems to be deliberately trying not to make friends, the opposite is true: he desperately wants a friend but lacks appropriate social skills. Fido feels sorry for Spo and somewhat 'adopts' him, ultimately allowing Spo to hang out behind his ears, even on investigations (though this is rare since Spo tends to have a big mouth).

'''Tiger Arbelt''', a dog with an unfortunate name. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become aggressive and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.

'''Marvin Arbelt''', Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. He and Tiger seem to have a relationship based very loosely on the Garfield comic strip. Their usual routine was disrupted by Zach's presence.

'''Zach Arbelt''', is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Often times he feels alienated by the other pets. He once ran away from home and during his time in the woods he managed to accidentally free Pete from his imprisonment.

'''Mr. Bigglesworth (+10)''', a bunch of Siamese cats who share the same name (even the girls). Reson being, their owner is an old lady who can't tell them apart.

'''The Milton Ferrets''', Keene, Lana, Duke, Pit, Rock, and Simon are the beloved pet ferrets of Henry Milton, the founder of Babylon Gardens. After Henry passed on they inheirited a great deal of his estate and fourtune, much to the displeasure of other relatives.

'''Miles'''

'''Tarot''', a Pomeranian who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium who can summon spirits, cause telekinetic phenomena, use mental projection into other people's minds (to create a very realistic illusion), communicate telepathically, and foresee the future; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use. Some of her powers, like telepathy and reading minds, seem limited to Peanut. Why this is the case is, so far, unmentioned.

'''Joel/King''', a former PETA member who participated in Fox's abduction. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. Despite this, he joined ASPCA though he was later kicked out for unspecified reasons. He joined PETA after this because they do not do background checks. While awaiting trial for dognapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog for reasons that are unclear (at first it seemed like this was to help him learn some sort of lesson, but later events call this into question). While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as '''King''' and has the form of a Welsh Pembroke corgi. He lives with Pete as his "pet".

'''Pete''', the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment. He is capable of (among other things) flight, teleportation, and shapeshifting (both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown and his only known actions so far are to turn Joel into King and move into Babylon Gardens.

== External links ==

*[http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ Rick Griffin's deviantART]
*[http://www.housepetscomic.com/ Housespets home page]
*[http://www.furaffinity.net/user/rickgriffin/ rickgriffin's FA page]

[[Category:Comics]]
[[zh:Housepets!]]

Housepets!

2010-05-19T03:55:22Z

75.187.90.246: /* Cast */

{{wikify}}
{{Infobox webcomic
| title = Housepets!
| image = [[Image:HousepetsHeader.PNG]]
| author = Rick Griffin
| url = http://www.housepetscomic.com/
| status = Ongoing Monday-Wednesday-Friday
| began = June 2, 2008
| genre = General humor
| rating = [[Image:Censor_PG_button.png]]
}}
'''Housepets!''' is an [[anthropomorphic]] webcomic by [[Rick Griffin]]. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008. It has been nominated for the 2009 [[Ursa Major Award]] for ''Best Comic Strip''.

== Premise ==

The primary setting of ''Housepets!'' is Babylon Gardens, a suburban neighborhood somewhere within the United States (the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina). In the ''Housepets!'' universe, most animals are sentient; mammals with paws are fully anthropomorphized, having bipedal motion and the ability to talk. Mammals with hooves (and all other animals) retain their usual forms and modes of locomotion (birds,for instance, can talk and fly and have even threatened to unionize in the zoo if cats were not kept from entering their enclosure). All pets in ''Housepets!'' live double their normal lifespan, though whether this entirely applies to all other animals is hard to know. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Most pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.

The action of the comic centers around the different characters in Babylon Gardens; though, the comic starts with
Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family, other characters have been the focus of other arcs, often adding depth and breath to the world. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting pets dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood. The faces of most humans in the comic never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's ''Peanuts''.

== Cast ==

'''Peanut Butter Sandwich''', a dog. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for games of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled ''The Adventures of Spot (Superdog)'' about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.

'''Grape Jelly Sandwich''', a cat. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of ''Pridelands'', a popular fantasy book series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family; a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.

'''Mr.''' & '''Mrs. Earl Sandwich''' are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. They got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; they moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic, Mrs. Sandwich's job, if any, has yet to be mentioned.

<div style="float:right">[[Image:Good-ol-dogs-club.PNG|175px|thumb|From top, counterclockwise: Rex, Fox, Bino, Peanut]]</div>

'''Bino''', the ''de facto'' leader of the neighborhood dog club, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club, but only when Fido is not around. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.

'''Joey''', Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he [[fursuit|dresses like a cat]]. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend, a mouse named Squeak. Joey has also expressed great artistic abilities. Somehow, in his cat suit, he is not recognized as being 'Joey' by other pets.

'''Fox''', Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.

'''Rex''', is Bino's friend and muscle in his clique. Though not the brightest of the dogs, he is strong and apparently has great cooking skills and discerning taste (or, at least, can taste subtle differences in coffee blends). His owner adopted him because he was supposed to be a great watchdog, but it turns out he's just great at picking out watches.

'''Maxwell''', Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive ragged bite mark in his right ear. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that Grape was a girl, but soon tried to ask her out. Ultimately Grape and Maxwell ('Maxie') started dating, much to Peanut's dismay. Like Grape he is a fan of ''Pridelands''.

'''Sasha''', a dog who has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means.

'''Daisy''', a black labrador retriver whose seems to be more dense than Sasha. She appears randomly and her only quote is "Hi I'm Daisy".

'''Fido''', Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club. Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model whom all the male dogs want to be ''like'', and all the female dogs want to be ''with''. Modest and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship, their affair is not public knowledge.

'''Sabrina''', Fido's cat girlfriend. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated. Sabrina wears an ankh on her color while Tarot has an Egyptian eye symbol, indicating the two may belong to the same owner. She and Fido were photographed kissing by Peanut, though they are both unaware of this.

'''Spo''', a mouse. Spo was given to Fido by his girlfriend Sabrina to be released since she abhors violence. This apparently is not the first time Sabrina has given Fido a 'charity case'. Though Spo makes off-color remarks aand seems to be deliberately trying not to make friends, the opposite is true: he desperately wants a friend but lacks appropriate social skills. Fido feels sorry for Spo and somewhat 'adopts' him, ultimately allowing Spo to hang out behind his ears, even on investigations (though this is rare since Spo tends to have a big mouth).

'''Tiger Arbelt''', a dog with an unfortunate name. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become aggressive and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.

'''Marvin Arbelt''', Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. He and Tiger seem to have a relationship based very loosely on the Garfield comic strip. Their usual routine was disrupted by Zach's presence.

'''Zach Arbelt''', is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Often times he feels alienated by the other pets. He once ran away from home and during his time in the woods he managed to accidentally free Pete from his imprisonment.

'''The Milton Ferrets''', Keene, Lana, Duke, Pit, Rock, and Simon are the beloved pet ferrets of Henry Milton, the founder of Babylon Gardens. After Henry passed on they inheirited a great deal of his estate and fourtune, much to the displeasure of other relatives.

'''Tarot''', a Pomeranian who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium who can summon spirits, cause telekinetic phenomena, use mental projection into other people's minds (to create a very realistic illusion), communicate telepathically, and foresee the future; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use. Some of her powers, like telepathy and reading minds, seem limited to Peanut. Why this is the case is, so far, unmentioned.

'''Joel/King''', a former PETA member who participated in Fox's abduction. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. Despite this, he joined ASPCA though he was later kicked out for unspecified reasons. He joined PETA after this because they do not do background checks. While awaiting trial for dognapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog for reasons that are unclear (at first it seemed like this was to help him learn some sort of lesson, but later events call this into question). While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as '''King''' and has the form of a Welsh Pembroke corgi. He lives with Pete as his "pet".

'''Pete''', the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment. He is capable of (among other things) flight, teleportation, and shapeshifting (both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown and his only known actions so far are to turn Joel into King and move into Babylon Gardens.

== External links ==

*[http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ Rick Griffin's deviantART]
*[http://www.housepetscomic.com/ Housespets home page]
*[http://www.furaffinity.net/user/rickgriffin/ rickgriffin's FA page]

[[Category:Comics]]
[[zh:Housepets!]]

Housepets!

2010-05-11T19:57:14Z

75.187.90.246: /* Cast */

{{wikify}}
{{Infobox webcomic
| title = Housepets!
| image = [[Image:HousepetsHeader.PNG]]
| author = Rick Griffin
| url = http://www.housepetscomic.com/
| status = Ongoing Monday-Wednesday-Friday
| began = June 2, 2008
| genre = General humor
| rating = [[Image:Censor_PG_button.png]]
}}
'''Housepets!''' is an [[anthropomorphic]] webcomic by [[Rick Griffin]]. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008. It has been nominated for the 2009 [[Ursa Major Award]] for ''Best Comic Strip''.

== Premise ==

The primary setting of ''Housepets!'' is Babylon Gardens, a suburban neighborhood somewhere within the United States (the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina). In the ''Housepets!'' universe, most animals are sentient; mammals with paws are fully anthropomorphized, having bipedal motion and the ability to talk. Mammals with hooves (and all other animals) retain their usual forms and modes of locomotion (birds,for instance, can talk and fly and have even threatened to unionize in the zoo if cats were not kept from entering their enclosure). All pets in ''Housepets!'' live double their normal lifespan, though whether this entirely applies to all other animals is hard to know. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Most pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.

The action of the comic centers around the different characters in Babylon Gardens; though, the comic starts with
Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family, other characters have been the focus of other arcs, often adding depth and breath to the world. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting pets dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood. The faces of most humans in the comic never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's ''Peanuts''.

== Cast ==

'''Peanut Butter Sandwich''', a dog. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for games of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled ''The Adventures of Spot (Superdog)'' about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.

'''Grape Jelly Sandwich''', a cat. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of ''Pridelands'', a popular fantasy book series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family; a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.

'''Mr.''' & '''Mrs. Earl Sandwich''' are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. They got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; they moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic, Mrs. Sandwich's job, if any, has yet to be mentioned.

'''Maxwell''', Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive ragged bite mark in his right ear. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that Grape was a girl, but soon tried to ask her out. Ultimately Grape and Maxwell ('Maxie') started dating, much to Peanut's dismay. Like Grape he is a fan of ''Pridelands''.

'''Tarot''', a Pomeranian who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium who can summon spirits, cause telekinetic phenomena, use mental projection into other people's minds (to create a very realistic illusion), communicate telepathically, and foresee the future; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use. Some of her powers, like telepathy and reading minds, seem limited to Peanut. Why this is the case is, so far, unmentioned.

'''Fido''', Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club. Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model whom all the male dogs want to be ''like'', and all the female dogs want to be ''with''. Modest and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship, their affair is not public knowledge.

'''Sabrina''', Fido's cat girlfriend. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated. Sabrina wears an ankh on her color while Tarot has an Egyptian eye symbol, indicating the two may belong to the same owner. She and Fido were photographed kissing by Peanut, though they are both unaware of this.

'''Spo''', a mouse. Spo was given to Fido by his girlfriend Sabrina to be released since she abhors violence. This apparently is not the first time Sabrina has given Fido a 'charity case'. Though Spo makes off-color remarks aand seems to be deliberately trying not to make friends, the opposite is true: he desperately wants a friend but lacks appropriate social skills. Fido feels sorry for Spo and somewhat 'adopts' him, ultimately allowing Spo to hang out behind his ears, even on investigations (though this is rare since Spo tends to have a big mouth).

<div style="float:right">[[Image:Good-ol-dogs-club.PNG|175px|thumb|From top, counterclockwise: Rex, Fox, Bino, Peanut]]</div>

'''Bino''', the ''de facto'' leader of the neighborhood dog club, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club, but only when Fido is not around. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.

'''Joey''', Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he [[fursuit|dresses like a cat]]. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend, a mouse named Squeak. Joey has also expressed great artistic abilities. Somehow, in his cat suit, he is not recognized as being 'Joey' by other pets.

'''Fox''', Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.

'''Rex''', is Bino's friend and muscle in his clique. Though not the brightest of the dogs, he is strong and apparently has great cooking skills and discerning taste (or, at least, can taste subtle differences in coffee blends). His owner adopted him because he was supposed to be a great watchdog, but it turns out he's just great at picking out watches.

'''Tiger Arbelt''', a dog with an unfortunate name. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become aggressive and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.

'''Marvin Arbelt''', Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. He and Tiger seem to have a relationship based very loosely on the Garfield comic strip. Their usual routine was disrupted by Zach's presence.

'''Zach Arbelt''', is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Often times he feels alienated by the other pets. He once ran away from home and during his time in the woods he managed to accidentally free Pete from his imprisonment.

'''Sasha''', a dog who has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means.

'''The Milton Ferrets''', Keene, Lana, Duke, Pit, Rock, and Simon are the beloved pet ferrets of Henry Milton, the founder of Babylon Gardens. After Henry passed on they inheirited a great deal of his estate and fourtune, much to the displeasure of other relatives.

'''Joel/King''', a former PETA member who participated in Fox's abduction. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. Despite this, he joined ASPCA though he was later kicked out for unspecified reasons. He joined PETA after this because they do not do background checks. While awaiting trial for dognapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog for reasons that are unclear (at first it seemed like this was to help him learn some sort of lesson, but later events call this into question). While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as '''King''' and has the form of a Welsh Pembroke corgi. He lives with Pete as his "pet".

'''Pete''', the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment. He is capable of (among other things) flight, teleportation, and shapeshifting (both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown and his only known actions so far are to turn Joel into King and move into Babylon Gardens.

== External links ==

*[http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ Rick Griffin's deviantART]

[[Category:Comics]]
[[zh:Housepets!]]

Housepets!

2010-05-04T04:12:09Z

75.187.90.246: /* Supporting/minor characters */

{{wikify}}
{{Infobox webcomic
| title = Housepets!
| image = [[Image:HousepetsHeader.PNG]]
| author = Rick Griffin
| url = http://www.housepetscomic.com/
| status = Ongoing Monday-Wednesday-Friday
| began = June 2, 2008
| genre = General humor, gag-a-day
| rating = [[Image:Censor_PG_button.png]] (PG)
}}
'''Housepets!''' is an [[anthropomorphic]] webcomic by [[Rick Griffin]]. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008. It has been nominated for the 2009 [[Ursa Major Award]] for ''Best Comic Strip''.

== Premise ==

The primary setting of ''Housepets!'' is Babylon Gardens, a suburban neighborhood somewhere within the United States (the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina). In the ''Housepets!'' universe, most animals are sentient; most mammals are fully anthropomorphized, able to walk and talk, and live double their normal lifespan. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.

The action of the comic centers mainly around Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family (I.E., "Peanut Butter Sandwich"), and their various misadventures. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting Peanut and Grape dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood, although some strips also pay tribute to Griffin's inspirations; for example, one full arc is a homage to familiar scenes from Bill Watterson's ''Calvin and Hobbes'', and the faces of most humans in the comic are never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's ''Peanuts''.

== Main characters ==

'''Peanut Butter Sandwich''', a dog. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for games of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled ''The Adventures of Spot (Superdog)'' about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.

'''Grape Jelly Sandwich''', a cat. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of ''Pridelands'', a popular fantasy book series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family, a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.

== Supporting/minor characters ==

'''Mr.''' & '''Mrs. Earl Sandwich''' are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. Got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic.

<div style="float:right">[[Image:Good-ol-dogs-club.PNG|175px|thumb|From top, counterclockwise: Rex, Fox, Bino, Peanut]]</div>

'''Bino''', the ''de facto'' leader of the neighborhood dog club, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.

'''Fido Byron''', Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club (when Bino isn't around). Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model whom all the male dogs want to be ''like'', and all the female dogs want to be ''with''. Modest and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship, their affair is not public knowledge.

'''Joey''', Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he [[fursuit|dresses like a cat]]. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend, a mouse named Squeak.

'''Fox''', Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.

'''Rex''', is Bino's friend and muscle in his clique. What he lacks in brains, he makes up for in his uncanny ability to taste minute differences in coffee blends. Oh, and he’s strong too, but that’s genetic.

'''Maxwell''', Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive bite mark in his right ear, part of which is missing. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure, and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. Also a fan of ''Pridelands''. He is attracted to Grape, but was just as shocked as Peanut to discover that she was a girl.

'''Tiger Arbelt''', a dog with an unfortunate name. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become agressive and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.

'''Marvin''', Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. In fact, most of the cats are more patient and understanding with Tiger, and that doesn’t help things one bit.

'''Zach''', is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Often times he feels alienated by the other pets.

'''Tarot''', a Pomeranian who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium who summons spirits, experiences apocalyptic visions of the future, and is able to communicate telepathically; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use.

'''Pete''', the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment. He is capable of (among other things) flight, teleportation, and shapeshifting (both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Pete's behavior thus far has been relatively benign, although Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown.

'''Joel''', a former PETA member who participated in Fox's abduction. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. While awaiting trial for kidnapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog in order to show him the world from an animal's point of view. While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as '''King''' and lives with Pete as his "pet".

'''Sasha''', one of those ‘flavor of the week’ kind of girls, having an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means.

'''Sabrina''', Fido's girlfriend, the quiet type. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated.

== External links ==

*[http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ Rick Griffin's deviantART]

[[Category:Comics]]
[[zh:Housepets!]]

1000 Ways to Die

2010-04-27T03:39:32Z

75.187.90.246: /* 1000 Ways to Die and furry */

[[File:1000 Ways to Die logo.jpg|right|200px]]
[[File:297px-Spike logo.svg.png|right|125px]]
'''1000 Ways to Die '''is an American television series which recreates unusual deaths and near-deadly accidents (using pseudonyms for involved parties) and interviews experts and witnesses who discuss the subject matter in depth. It is shown on Spike and premiered in the Spring of 2008.

==1000 Ways to Die and furry ==

The Season 2 episode, '''''Death Over Easy''''', featured a segment entitled #412: '''''Em-Bear-Assed''''', which covered an April 16, 2001 incident in the [[wikipedia:Mojave Desert|Mojave Desert]] near [[wikipedia:Palmdale, California|Palmdale, California]].

The incident involved a man who wandered the desert under the influence of [[wikipedia:psilocybin|magic mushrooms]] in order to get in touch with his "inner dog", and had come across a group of furries engaged in sexual encounters around a campfire.

He tried top join into the orgy, but was rebuffed, and then mistook a nearby brown bear as a human participant; he was then mauled to death.

==Reception==

The segment was criticized by furries for having depicted furries in an oversexualized light.<ref>[http://www.anthrocon.org/node/3519 Discussion about the series episode] on the Anthrocon forums</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links ==

*[http://www.spike.com/video/em-bear-assed/3107893 Episode #412], ''Em-Bear-Assed''
{{net-stub}}
[[Category:Media coverage]]
[[Category:2008 events]]
[[Category:2001 events]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]