There are new dogs in town – well, new in the Journal Sentinel Sunday Comics section, anyway.
Will, Kenny, Cocoa, Tucker and Iggy are the “Dogs of C-Kennel,” making their Milwaukee debut in this Sunday’s Comics section.
Started in 2009, “Dogs of C-Kennel” chronicles the misadventures of a pack of bizarre dogs and other creatures living in an animal shelter that looks a lot like a prison.
The leader of the kennel, of sorts, is Will, a sarcastic pit bull with a sketchy history and an unwillingness to take his confederates seriously — with good reason. Cellmates include Kenny, a clumsy Siberian Husky who prefers dog sledding; Cocoa, a woman Kenny has a crush on; Tucker, a schnauzer mix who trades investments on the side; and Iggy, a nervous chihuahua described as having a “four-legged panic attack.”
The life of animals in confinement, such as it is, could particularly resonate as the conoravirus pandemic continues.
The dogs’ main window to the outside world, other than peeking over the wall or through the bars, is a bird named Wheeler, who smuggles anything the dogs want (for a price ).
“Dogs of C-Kennel” is written by Mick and Mason Mastroianni. Both brothers were born into the business; their grandfather, Johnny Hart, created the long-running “BC” and “The Wizard of Id” comics.
When Hart died in 2007, Mick and Mason stepped in. Mason Mastroianni took over drawing “BC” in 2010 and “Wizard of Id” in 2015, and Mick wrote “Wizard of Id” and co-wrote “BC” with Hart’s daughter, Perri Hart.
“Dogs of C-Kennel” replaces “Dog Eat Doug” in the Sunday Comics. You can find “Dogs of C-Kennel” daily strips at jsonline.com/go-comics.
Contact Chris Foran at chris.foran@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cforan12.
