Polite Dissent

13 Responses to “ Talking Animals ”

1. Juho Salo
   May 28th, 2006 at 11:19 am
   

   The cat’s name was Mystery, IIRC.

2. Trench
   May 28th, 2006 at 11:25 am
   

   Wasn’t there a talking gorilla villain in the Doom Patrol as well?

3. RAB
   May 28th, 2006 at 2:18 pm
   

   I know it’s not a comic book, but just out of curiosity: does Rufus the naked mole rat count as a talking animal for you? I’m wondering if there are separate categories for animals who who clearly speak in human language (like Monsieur Mallah, the gorilla Trench was asking about) and animals who communicate via a “pidgin” dialect that may, or may not, be perceived as speech by the humans around them.

4. Ian Myles Slater
   May 28th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
   

   Trench is right.

   The Doom Patrol’s gorilla enemy was Monsieur Mallah.

   Like Grodd, Monsieur Mallah currently rates his own Wikipedia article. They would doubtless be annoyed to learn that they share this status not only with Detective Chimp and Beppo, but also Rex the Wonder Dog. (Not to mention Krypto, Streaky, and Comet the Superhorse, among others.)

   Given the rest of the “Doom Patrol” cast, and its exceptionally quirky storylines in some versions, it may be debatable if this talking gorilla really stands out from his particular crowd.

   His most recent appearance seems to have been as a recurring “guest villain” on the animated “Teen Titans,” where he was usually at the Brain’s side. He appeared solo in an episode in which he had a frustrating time trying to capture some very peculiar children who were being escorted by Raven. He eventually succeeded, which wasn’t really a good idea; if Raven had been less distracted by playing babysitter, she might have thought of that solution herself.

   Grodd simultaneously had a major role in the animated “Justice League Unlimited,” where I thought he was very successfully portrayed. (He had been established earlier in the “Justice League” incarnation of the series.)

5. Wo0tus
   May 28th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
   

   i’m not sure if the space chimp in The Tick animated series was in the comics, though i’m sertain that some of The Tick books had talking animals

6. Randy
   May 28th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
   

   Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. He appeared with Superman and the Marvel Family in DC Comics Presents #34 and fought King Kull, Mxyzptlk and Mr. Mind. It was my introduction to the character and I thought he was the coolest.

7. Mr. Jeff
   May 29th, 2006 at 12:10 am
   

   Don’t forget Denton Fixx from ‘Mazing Man.

   Although, Denton is really a person who just looks like a dog.

   So, (maybe) never mind..

8. Lea Hernandez
   May 29th, 2006 at 1:50 am
   

   And there’s my own talking animal: Jude the Platypus Papparazzi from Rumble Girls: Silky Warrior Tansie

9. Mr.Chris
   May 30th, 2006 at 9:12 am
   

   Don’t forget Mr. Talky Tawny, also from Captain Marvel/SHAZAM!

10. Scott H
    May 30th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
    

    I have to agree, talking animals are almost always cool, at least when not made too twee and cutessy.

    And Neil Gaiman said this weekend that Barnabas and Matthew were specifically a rip from Peter Beagle’s _A Fine and Private Place_, which all right thinking people should go out and find a copy of - and no, I don’t care that it’s a prose novel rather than graphic novel.

11. Roger Green
    May 30th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
    

    I was always fond of Smilin’ Ed Smiley, the FantaCo rodent.

12. Bobby Flashpants
    May 30th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
    

    Fables features dozens of talking animal characters, or at least it used to. That the decline of the book from outstanding to merely very good conicides with a movement away from talking animals is of no surprise. The current storyline has talking wolves in it, and has been better than other recent arcs.

13. Harvey Jerkwater
    June 13th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
    

    Thor the Thunder Frog. Oh yes.

    KABOOM! Ribbit!

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