Peter Porkchops #4
Peter Porkchops #4 is an early entry in DC's dedicated funny-animal line of the early 1950s, a period when the publisher was actively shifting away from superheroes and investing in anthropomorphic humor titles. As one of the first four issues of Peter Porkchops' solo series — itself spun out of Leading Comics after the character's debut in issue #23 of that anthology — each of these early numbers helped establish the recurring cast dynamics, strip formats, and backup features that would sustain the title through 60 issues and into the Silver Age. The issue also participates in DC's cross-promotional ecosystem, carrying an ad for Comic Cavalcade #41 that ties the funny-animal world directly to the publisher's broader line, including characters like Nutsy Squirrel.
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Peter Porkchops was created by artist Otto Feuer, who debuted the character in Leading Comics #23 (cover-dated February–March 1947) when that anthology dropped its superhero content and pivoted fully to talking-animal humor. After Feuer's pig-versus-wolf strip proved popular enough to warrant its own title, DC launched the Peter Porkchops solo series in late 1949. Issue #4 appeared in 1950 as part of the series' inaugural year, with Otto Feuer handling the title-character stories and cover art, while Rube Grossman — a former Fleischer Studios animator who had become one of DC's primary funny-animal artists — contributed the backup strips featuring Goofy Goose and other supporting characters.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published in 1950 by DC Comics as the fourth issue of the Peter Porkchops solo series, which ran from 1949 to 1959 for 60 issues total.
- Otto Feuer, creator of Peter Porkchops (who first appeared in Leading Comics #23, February–March 1947), provided cover art and the lead Peter/Wolfie stories.
- Rube Grossman, a former Fleischer Studios animator turned DC funny-animal specialist, contributed backup strips including a Goofy Goose story in which Homer and Calvin trick Goofy into believing he has turned invisible so they can sell him a fake cure.
- The issue's lead Peter/Wolfie story features the two rivals competing to bring back jungle animals from Africa for a local zoo.
- A second Peter/Wolfie story has the pair sailing a boat that Peter won in a raffle, with neither character knowing anything about seamanship.
- The issue includes a 'Twenty Questions' prose text story starring Peter Porkchops, consistent with the series' format of mixing comic strips with short fiction features.
- A 'Fun an' Fact' activity page by Martin Naydel — another DC funny-animal regular — appears among the issue's non-story content.
- The issue carries an in-house advertisement for Comic Cavalcade #41, cross-promoting both Superman and Nutsy Squirrel and illustrating DC's practice of linking its humor and superhero lines in this era.
Cast · 17 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Wolfie keeps eating in Peter's restaurant even though he has no money, so Peter makes him wash the dishes as payment, and manages to keep him from pulling any tricks to get out of it.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).