If you’re here it probably means you or your child have recently fallen head over heels into the Dog Man Universe, and as a Dad fully immersed in that universe, let me extend you a Supa Welcome! While the continuity and narrative crossover of Dog Man stories is not especially complex, the books don’t prioritize telling you where each graphic novel and various spinoffs fall in order. Since Dav Pilkey’s comics are the surest gateway to reading since bribing children with candy, it’s well worth making the series list chronology easier for everybody.
Do you have to read Dog Man in order? Absolutely not. I’m yet to meet a kid who wasn’t perfectly content mostly reading the graphic novels out of order (then again, I’m yet to meet myself as a child via time travel, so never say never!). Nonetheless, there are a variety of characters who appear and develop over the course of these works, particularly Petey the Cat and Lil’ Petey. It will make more sense to read through the books in order the first time – and then like an absolute maniac the next 10,000 or so times.
As I type this in 2025, there are 14 Dog Man graphic novels by Dav Pilkey, and 5 Cat Kid Comic Club spinoffs (Also by Pilkey – to date, no other comics creators have entered the Dog Man Universe). While new Dog Man graphic novels have released pretty consistently since 2016, it’s been a full two years since the last (fifth) Cat Kid comic. Cat Kid Comic Club #6 has been rumored for a while now, and is currently estimated to see print in 2026.
The other biggest question parents often have is what reading level should a kid be before trying Dog Man? Speaking only from the unimpeachable authority that comes with the self-appointed title Big Daddy, both my oldest kids gravitated to reading Dog Man pretty soon after learning to read. Officially, I’d say Dog Man is perfect for kids 6 to 9, so first, second or third grade. That said, kids come to reading at different speeds and with varying enthusiasm – if you’ve got a kid who never wants to read and suddenly they’re giving Dog Man a go, heck yeah! In terms of whether or not Dog Man is appropriate for your young reader, there’s no cursing, no excessive violence, and extraordinarily minimal tackling of mature themes. These are books for kids to love, and Dav Pilkey knows what kids love. Unfortunately, that does also mean there’s plenty of potty humor. We are talking here about the author of Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir-Stinks-A-Lot. Your kids will love it, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably grimace but enjoy their joy. Mileage may vary!
Now, inevitably after your child reads Dog Man, you are both going to be looking for more comics like Dog Man. There are two good options here, and coincidentally, they’re both written by me! First off, try out Comic Book Herald’s best comics for kids! Then, try the article I wrote for Popverse specifically about good comics for kids who just saw the Dog Man movie! Otherwise, find a complete Dog Man reading order below, and enjoy the comics! [Read more…] about Dog Man Reading Order