We know what you’re thinking. “Gee, Multiversity! You guys did all these awesome lists about everything that happened in 2011… but you’re the site with the weird guy who wears cat t-shirts in interviews and writes about how comic companies hate cats. Aren’t you going to cover anything cat-related from 2011?” You’re damn right we are!
In a category full of timeless characters like Felix, Garfield, Streaky, Hobbes and Spider Jerusalem’s unnamed janus cat from Transmetropolitan, all of whom paved the way for comic book cats, it is tough to look through the legions of cats who have made appearances in comics throughout this past year. Yet, none the less, a list has been compiled of the ten best cats of 2011. Besides, when Tim Daniel, the man who designed our 2011 In Review banner, also makes a banner with a cat, you can’t not use it, right? Right.
Take a look after the cut as we pay tribute to the cats who enriched our lives throughout 2011.
The ever vigilant John Blacksad returned last year with a brand new volume, L’Enfer, Le silence. Set in New Orleans, it was his first story published since 2005. While it has certainly made the rounds in Europe, it hasn’t made its way to the states quite yet despite anxious finger tapping and nail biting. Never the less, we’re more than happy to assume that it is as good as all that came before it, and include Blacksad on our list anyway.
Besides, I personally only read the Dark Horse collection of Blacksad this year, so I’m counting it. My list, my rules!
9. Tie! Orphan and Hairball
Both Orphan and Hairball essentially got the same amount of screen time this year. Orphan appears in three short stories within Dark Horse Presents, whereas Hairball only appeared in one issue of Avengers vs Pet Avengers. However, both orange cats are absolutely delightful with their crotchety attitude and adorable faces, so they can both take the ninth spot on this list, as well as an award for Cat To Most Remind Me Of My Own Cat Boots In 2011.
8. Old Hob
2011 saw the comic book reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ongoing, and with it came a brand new villain named after the Devil — Old Hob. Created by IDW’s editor-in-chief Chris Ryall and assumedly replacing the villain Hallocat (who was once known as Pookey and/or Scratch the Cat Burglar, another name for the Devil (the Scratch part, not the Cat Burglar part)), Hob was born out of the same genetic mess that birthed the Ninja Turtles and their master Splinter in the reboot, and he has since gone on to battle the Turtles as an agent for Stockgen.
Sure, he’s not the most adorable candidate, nor is he the most likable cat on this list — but he is a fantastic new character to the series either way. There’s nothing quite like an angry one-eyed cat gangster to rough up an old ninja rat, you know?
7. Chi
Reprinted from strips presented in Weekly Morning, Chi traveled across the great blue ocean last year within collections of Chi’s Sweet Home, and immediately won our hearts. With three new volumes this past year, she remains one of the finest cats around. Chi has gone on to represent the very finest in serialized cat adventures, actively capturing the adorable quirkiness inherent in all of these chaotic bundles of warm fuzziness.
Without her adorable ^_^’s and :3’s, the world of cat comics would certainly be a much darker and grittier place. Yet, Chi prevails, and has prevailed since 2004, and for that we’re more than happy to =^o‿o^= all over the place.
Continued below6. Beast
While he is probably the least “cat” out of all the cats on the list, let it never be said that Beast – whose secondary evolution moved him into a feline form – hasn’t had a great year.
While Beast has certainly always played a major role in the events of the X-Men, his departure from the team last year had some worried he would be lost to obscurity and self-loathing. However, from adventures in space with SWORD through adventures in underground lost cities with the Secret Avengers and a new resident teaching position at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, Beast has moved quite beyond “that bookish nerd character” and evolved into quite the action/adventure superstar. Chalk that up with a role in the film X-Men: First Class, and you’ve got a banner year for the blue furball.
5. Tinker, aka “2”
Yes, we know what you’re thinking here: “Wait a minute — WE3 didn’t come out this year! WE3 came out in 2004!” Yes, you’re absolutely correct. However, a Deluxe hardcover edition came out this year with brand new pages from Quitely and Morrison, and that counts. It absolutely counts. We’re counting it!
Besides, any opportunity to a) talk about WE3 and b) talk about how much I enjoyed WE3 is an opportunity I will gladly take, especially because Tinker is a fantastic part of the book.
4. Doctor Cat
The adorable Doctor Cat had a bit of year. Let go from the hospital he works at for malpractice and spending the better part of the year attempting to find a new adorable job for him to be adorable at, Doctor Cat finally saw victory recently when it was discovered that Lawyer Cat had set him up, the dastardly fiend! Suffice it to say, this wonderful ball of fluff and his adorable penchant for sleeping on the job or playing with mousey toys had a terrific 2011, and we can only imagine what kind of adorable trouble he plans to get into next year.
3. Arsenal’s Cat
Poor Arsenal’s Cat. He will forever live in infamy as the dead carcass that was used to beat up hobos while Arsenal set a bad example for everyone and became DARE’s new spokesperson.
However, in a fit of fantastic wonderfulness, artist Reilly Brown brought Arsenal’s cat back from the dead for one incredible image, and that alone is warrant for a winning spot on this year’s list.
2. Dex-Starr
It’s fairly impossible for people not to love Dex-Starr. After his impossibly cute/impossibly sad origin story in the back pages of Green Lantern #55, the famous rage kitty of the Red Lanterns has found himself a comfortable home, curled up in a ball and each of our hearts.
While he’s only had one major scene-stealing appearance in the Red Lanterns ongoing so far, we’re confident that such a powerful and positive force for feline retribution will be a major player in the book quite soon.
1. Detective Space Cat
Sure, we’re a bit biased about our love for good ol’ DSC, but he is one fantastic cat. And rest assured — while he may have been birthed out of an April Fool’s joke here at MC, you haven’t seen the last of him yet. He’ll be back and tripping on space-nip before you know it. Just you wait…
Runner up: Simon’s cat
Just look at him go! That little guy is always adorable.
