Dog Man: Mothering Heights

Dav Pilkey uses comic book features throughout his series to depict Dog Man’s adventures. As is typical of graphic novels, the illustrations rely on many components usually employed in comic books rather than illustrated children’s novels. Text is supported by illustrations laid out in panels, or frames, in multiple-panel sequences that convey action. Important moments have whole pages dedicated to them, known as splash panels. The story is designed to be interpreted through these visuals as well as through the words. Furthermore, Pilkey includes numerous flip-o-rama sections in the story, where one flips pages so that the illustrations seem animated. He also employs onomatopoeia (such as “BOOM,” “KLUNK,” and “STOMP”), where a word looks how it sounds; this is also a feature typical of comic book action scenes.

Comic book conventions are also evident in the story’s characters, who conform to comic character tropes. Grampa’s penchant for destruction, as well as his maniacal and sinister manner, are recognizable tropes of many comic book villains, such as Batman’s Joker or Penguin. On the other hand, Dog Man and Chief’s haphazard approach to defeating criminals is a satirical take on comic book superheroes, such as Batman or Superman, who are motivated to defeat the forces of evil that threaten their respective cities.