Star Comics, the kids branch of Marvel Comics in the 80’s, was one of many reasons why I became a life long comic reader. They did some amazing comics based on some of the most popular cartoons and toys of the time with Masters Of The Universe and Thundercats being some of my favorites that I can remember getting issues of at the grocery and convenience stores, and I loved reading about the adventures of He-Man and Lion-O in the pages. Besides the popular licensed characters, Star Comics also did a slew of original characters,t some of which we have already covered like Wally The Wizard and others being Planet Terry, Meet Misty, Royal Roy, Spider-Ham. Among my favorites of the original characters is Top Dog, a boy’s pet who was always up for adventure and oh yeah, could talk! And for those wondering Spider-Ham was always my favorite original character created for Star Comics. This update will also be kicking off Dog Month as I have two other updates about classic comic canines on tap to make this February just a little more fun. So let’s sit back and relax and spend some time with Top Dog, that canine of mystery.
Top Dog is not like your normal dog as he can talk as well as is super smart, and comes to live with the Jordan family after he befriends the son Joey who knows of Top Dogs smarts but is sworn not to share his secret…cause Top Dog was actually an agent who worked for the Government for many years and this has made him a target of many criminals of all types. Throughout the run of the comic series Top Dog and Joey would have all types of adventures and would even meet the likes of Royal Roy, Peter Parker and Heathcliff. The character Top Dog was created by the team of Lennie Herman and Warren Kremer in 1985 for Star Comics and it would run for 14 issues and would end in 1987, but even after the series ended the character would appear sometimes in the Heathcliff comic series. And years after that Top Dog would appear in the Marvel Comics series X-Babies showing that the character will never fully go away. Top Dog was one of the original characters created for Star Comics and for the most part was I think at least in my circle of friends was one of the most popular ones as I knew more kids that read his issues than I did Planet Terry, Royal Roy and Wally The Wizard and he was only rivaled by Spider-Ham. It’s a shame that Top Dog is just sitting around Marvel Comics collecting dust as they could easily place him into the Marvel Universe again as I mean they have all types of strange creatures around now, he is smart why not place him in New York or even have him lead a Animal version of The Avengers with the likes of Spider-Ham, Howard The Duck, Devil Dinosaur and Rocket Raccoon. But Marvel these days lack the imagination that use to make them the House Of Ideas and seem to be more into their MCU and creating the same plotted movies over and over again with the same style humor recycled over and over. And I can hear you all saying now “but the movies make billions” and I get it, but I think if they spent more time on the comics as well with fresh and entertaining ideas their sales would pick up and they could even…gasp bring in new readers! But don’t get me started on the state of Marvel and DC Comics as I could go on forever and this update is about Top Dog and I should say that fans of Star Comics as well as classic kids comics should track down his issues and give them a read, as they are enjoyable.
So as you can see, Top Dog really is a fun character that brought entertainment to his readers in the 1980’s and is truly a character that should be used and be around to this day, and now I think this is the time that we start reviewing the comics and I have to admit I am very much looking forward to reading these comics again as I have not read them sense I was a kid and they were originally being released, so it will be interesting to see if they hold up and still hold that charm like they did decades ago for me. I would also like to thank Bell Book And Comic, Mavericks Cards And Comics as well as Lone Star Comics for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So if you are ready, let’s see what kind of adventures Top Dog is going to have and if they are as awesome as I remember them being.
Top Dog # 1 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 1 of 14
Top Dog and Joey are playing baseball in the basement when his Mom hears him and they two have to be quite so that she does not learn Top Dog’s secret of talking. Then Joey and Top Dog think back about a few days ago and how they meet. Joey was playing baseball in the park with friends and chases a homerun ball into the woods and meets Top Dog a talking dog who friends Joey and the two make a pact to keep his talking a secret and Joey takes Top Dog home to live with him and his family. As Top Dog and Joey are walking home Joey tries to help Top Dog on how to act like a real dog, and once home Joey’s Mom falls in love with him as does his Dad and even his sister Lizzie seems to be coming around. The next day Top Dog and Joey start racing each other and rich kid Mervin Megabucks hears Top Dog talk and tries to buy him, Joey says no deal and denies the talking but Top Dog gets dognapped by Mervin and his chauffer Slyme and taken to the family mansion. And Top Dog watches as Mervin kicks out his old dog Bruno in order to make room for him, and in order to make Top Dog talk Mervin throws him into a heat box trying to fry him into talking. Joey sneaks around the mansion and ends up finding Tog Dog in the heat box and as Mervin and Slyme approach they trick them to let Top Dog out of the box by having him speak and then Joey makes it look like he was doing the voice to pull a prank on Mervin and then Joey and Top Dog make an escape from the Mansion even bringing down the robot guards that Mervin has sent after them, and once free they head home.
This is such a fun first issue and was a great one to get young readers hooked as it has lots of stuff to get their attention like a talking dog, a Spider-Man t-shirt wearing kid, robots, baseball and even a rich kid who gets made to look like a fool…so in other words those readers who dislike Ritchie Rich and Royal Roy will like seeing Mervin Megabucks being made a fool of as he truly is a terrible rich brat. Top Dog in this issue is hiding out in the park reading a newspaper and enjoying his life away from drama and his stressful life and finds that acting like a normal dog and living with the Jordan family could be a great life and get away for him, as it’s clear his new friendship with young Joey is something special as the youngster keeps his secret of being a super smart and talking dog. Speaking of Joey Jordan he is a normal kid who loves baseball and Spider-Man and is a good kid with a good family and is very loyal to his new friend and I guess pet Tog Dog. And while Lizzie Jordan is Joey’s mean older sister the true baddies of this comic is Mervin Megabucks who is a rich bratty kid who gets what he wants and steals a dog after not being able to buy it and then treats his old dog as well as his chauffeur Slyme terrible all the while seeming like he is taking great joy being as rude and snotty as possible. I mean you have to feel bad for his old dog Bruno that he just kicks out of his life when he thinks he has a new more special dog you know Mervin is truly scum. The stories are lots of fun and have that classic kids comic charm and yet also has that 80’s Marvel Comics charm to it making for a very enjoyable read that truly held up for me. The cover is great and very eye catching as it does a great job of showcasing Top Dog and the interior art done by Warren Kremer is great stuff and has that Marvel Comics charm with that dash of 80’s kid’s comic style. Over all a great read and if you have not read Top Dog check out this first issue as it does a great job of showing you want you are in for with the rest of the series.
Top Dog # 2 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 2 of 14
Joey Jordan has to go to sleep as it’s a school night and he has a big test the next day, as Joey gets ready for bed Tog Dog sneaks out the window to go disco dancing and later a dog that looks like Top Dog creeps into a hole in a fence at a military base and acts as the tech labs watch dog at night, they call him Spike and when everyone is gone Spike takes out a little camera and takes photos of all the Top Secret plans and deliveries them to Foreign Spies who call the Dog Vladamir via hidden in the morning paper. And the next morning Joey sends Top Dog out to get a paper so he can write paper for school and Top Dog runs into the spies who steal the paper form him thinking that more top-secret photos are inside, while Spike looses his paper and Tog Dog finds it and takes it to Joey and they find the film with the stolen secrets! You see Spike is really a little person named Vladamir who is acting as a dog in order to steal from the USA Military to help his country with these stolen tank blue prints. Top Dog and Joey set a plan in motion to get all the Spies captured by the F.B.I and after tricking Spike and getting the two other Spies to show up at the lab and Tog Dog acting as Spike and using things around the lab to trip up the baddies the F.B.I show up and arrest them as well as Spike who ends up showing up and getting blamed by his now captured spy friends for this missions failure. Joey and Top Dog sneak away and are heroes that helped save America from spies who wished our nation ill.
The second issue of Top Dog is just as much of a fun read as the first issue and in this issue Tog Dog and Joey Jordan setting up spies in order to stop them from taking stolen top secret tank designs back to their country, and after making the baddies look silly they are able to get them all arrested by the F.B.I who are more than happy to take them away. In this issue Top Dog is having fun living with The Jordan’s and being the best friend of Joey but also likes going out at night to hit the clubs, but when he stumbles on a Spy Ring he uses his smarts to bring them down. Joey Jordan is proud of his new “pet” dog as they two are quickly becoming best friends, and he is also very much down to help Top Dog bring down the spies as well and even endangers himself to do so. The Spies are tricky and use one of their own to dress as a dog and act as the bases guard dog in order to steal the plans, and yet they are also out smarted by a talking dog and a young kid. I like in this issue that we see that Top Dog is also good at throwing darts and likes to Disco Dance and will do what is right for America when he finds that people are trying to do our nation wrong. I also like that we get a look at Joey’s room and that he has a poster of The Incredible Hulk as all kids should. This issue also shows that Mom Jordan is wanting to know more about Top Dog as Lizzie Jordan is still being rude to the canine. The cover for this issue is very cool and eye catching as it shows Top Dog showing off is multi tasking skills. The interior artwork was done by the talented Warren Kremer again who I am a fan of as his kid comic work is great stuff and captures that 80’s style used in them. Over all a great issue and it as well held up really well for me as I liked this issue as a kid and like it now as an adult, lets see what issue three is all about.
Top Dog # 3 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 3 of 14
The TV News has been covering the Mad Biter a dog that has been biting people around town and has yet to be caught! While Joey and Top Dog are outside on a walk they run into Larry Lewis who wants Joey to go to the movies with him, but Joey tells him that he and Top Dog need to finish their walk and this upsets Larry who hates Top Dog and storms off only to be bitten by the Mad Biter! And Larry gets an idea and calls the cops and says that Top Dog is the Mad Biter and this leads to Top Dog betting arrested and put into a jail for criminal canines! But once Joey gets Top Dog out on bail and after visiting Larry late at night and making him think he his having nightmares about how he has wronged Tog Dog he is proving innocent and set free. Now Top Dog and Joey are looking for the true Mad Biter and they find a patron and know that he will attack next at the library and worse Lizzie is on her way to the library and finds herself in the path of The Mad Biter who goes for the attack but is knocked away by Top Dog who gets the dog to chase him into the park and then punches and knocks out The Mad Biter and the cops are able to take the crazed dog away and Top Dog is a hero. In the end Joey, Top Dog, Lizzie and Larry are all hanging out watching TV and enjoying the day.
Yet another great issue that held up and delivers a fun and entertaining read as this issue has Top Dog being framed for crimes he did not do and sent to jail and has to go to court in order to clear his name and when he finally does so he and Joey has to try and bring the real Mad Biter to justice as well as save Lizzie who is about to be the next bite victim! In this issue Top Dog is having a great day, but do to one young man’s jealousy he is blamed for a crime and finds himself in jail, court and later in the path of the true criminal dog and all the while the people of the town have turned fearful of him all besides Joey and his sister Lizzie who stick by him. Top Dog also in this issue shows that he can act like a dog even under pressure and can also fist fight with the best of them as he knocks the real mean dog silly with a series of punches. Joey Jordan is upset when his friend Tog Dog is blamed for the rash of animal attacks and even comes up with a good plan that ends up clearing his name and getting him out of doggie jail. And you also have to give Lizzie Jordan some respect as in court she stands with Top Dog and gives him credit when he saves her from being bitten. Larry Lewis who is a friend of Joey’s is the one that starts all the drama for him when he spreads the story that Top Dog is the canine going around biting people and this is all cause he feels that Joey spends to much time with his pet and not enough time hanging out with him! Oh course Larry learns his lesson and feels bad for what he has done to his friend innocent dog and makes things right. The Mad Biter is a dog that is mad at humans for some reason and is biting them all over town and causing fear and panic, but when he runs into Top Dog he gets knocked out and captured and now will pay for his crimes. The parts that have Top Dog in Doggie Jail is great stuff as he is surrounded by lots of mean dogs and even his fist fight with The Mad Biter are the highlights. The cover is really cool and the interior art once more done by Warren Kremer is solid great stuff. Another great kid comic read and shows why Top Dog was a well loved original character in the world of Star Comics.
Top Dog # 4 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 4 of 14
While at the mall Joey and Top Dog are looking around when a man named Morrison recognizes Tog Dog and this causes the talking canine to panic and he and Joey run all the way home. Once back and safe in Joey’s room Top Dog tells Joey that he use to be called Mr. X and was the creator of the super computer in Washington D.C and he is the only one that can work it, but he left due to the pressure and that Morrison is the only one who knows his secret, but they have been followed home as a rock with a note comes from the window telling Top Dog they need his help. Top Dog takes the job as he has to help his country and best part is Morrison has brought the super computer with him and the case is a threat that was made to the President about bringing down the country with fake money unless he is given real money and the criminal is Eddie Etch. Top Dog is able to trick Eddie and ends up in the criminal’s hideout but after going for a device that will drop the fake money all over America via a satellite in space goes off Top Dog and the computer must come up with a plan that will push all the money to the ocean and he is able to pull it off saving America from the fake cash drop. The government is able to arrest Eddie and the town people end up getting an Ice Cream shop as a fake one was built as a base and Top Dog makes Morrison open if for the favors that Government asked of him.
This fourth issue truly turns Top Dog into a man of mystery as his back story of working for the government is starting to come to light and now Joey knows just how smart and unique his new friend really is, as not only does he bring down a criminal but he is also the one who created and can control a Super Computer that America needs to solve some big problems. The comic also lets us know that this is only a small part of Top Dog’s secrets as it appears he did more stuff for our country than just the computer, and you know as this series goes on we will see more and more of his past. In this issue Top Dog goes from being in a panic about being found by one of his past co-workers to becoming a spy and hero that saves America from a rash of fake cash that will causes prices to skyrocket! Plus as before it shows just how smart and skilled Top Dog is as he uses them both in order to help America as well as the people of the town he now lives by getting them ice cream! Joey who is just a regular kid finds himself being apart of the plan to try and stop this attack and now being around Top Dog he finds himself on more and more adventures that most normal kids would never be able to go on. Eddie Etch is a criminal who wants to be rich and his idea of getting lots of money is to threaten to flood America with fake cash if he is not given real cash so that he can build a mansion, he also is super smart as he carries a remote control around that if he presses a button the fake money will fall from the sky as it will drop from space cause its all stashed inside of a satellite. Its lots of fun seeing Top Dog work his butt off super fast to solve this case and it’s also cool that we get to also learn that he is liking his life with the Jordan family. The cover for this issue is fun and has a big figure pointing at a shocked Top Dog and like before the interior art by Kremer is really great, and for some reason the way he drew Eddie reminded me of a drunk, addicted version of Bluto from Popeye. Over all once more a great issue and packs lots of fun and some silly moments and shows that Star Comics was the king of Kids Comics in the mid 1980’s.
Top Dog # 5 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 5 of 14
Top Dog has to do one more job for the government and he and Joey head to the backroom at the ice cream parlor and Morrison fills them in on what is needed and that is to stop the invisible criminal named Mr. Invisible who has grown bored of stealing jewels and money and now craves power as he wants the current President to step down and appoint him as the new President! Top Dog goes to work on the computer and finds that a pearl that is in Egypt can block the power of the amulet that give Mr. Invisible his powers. Once in Egypt Joey and Top Dog go looking for the pearl and unknown to them they are being followed by that sinister Mr. Invisible who makes it very hard for them to find the only item that can stop his crime wave. Once Top Dog has the pearl in hand Mr. Invisible tries to steal it from his hand, crashes their plane, pops their raft while at sea and tries to have one of his stooges get it…all attempts fail and in the end both the pearl and amulet fall into the sea and are lost and Mr. Invisible is arrested and his threat to America is over.
This issue has Top Dog and Joey Jordan once more on a mission for the Government with this time having to stop a invisible criminal who wants to become President of America in order to have power! Top Dog as always uses his smarts as well as skills to pull off this adventure as he is able to use the Super Computer, find the pearl, tricks Mr. Invisible and his Goon friend into dropping the amulet into the sea and is of course able to make the world think he is just a normal dog. Joey Jordan is also very helpful in this case as he helps trip up Mr. Invisible and he also is able to make people think he is Mr. X in order to cover for Top Dog. Mr. Invisible started out as a petty criminal and when finding the amulet during a museum heist gets the power to stay invisible and this helps him pull off bigger and better crimes, but also has driven him into a power trip as now he thinks he can bully the President Of The United States and force himself into that position…and of course he is wrong as Top Dog will not allow it! I like that in this issue Top Dog and Joey travel to Egypt and have to climb a pyramid in order to find a secret pearl hidden in one of the blocks, I wish that a Mummy would have showed up as that would have been lots of fun to see. Top Dog in these last two issues has truly turned into a canine version of James Bond as he is a government agent sent on missions that affect his country…just done more with a kids comic silly nature. The cover for this issue is pretty fun and has Top Dog and Joey being stalked by Mr. Invisible who has a gun pulled on them behind their backs. And to sound like a broken record the interior artwork is great and done by Warren Kremer who showcases just how great of an artist he is. We are five issues in and all of them have held up and are great solid reads.
Top Dog # 6 **1/2
Released in 1986 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 6 of 14
Top Dog and Joey Jordan are swimming at a water hole and Mervin Megabucks and his chauffeur Slyme show up once more as Melvin makes another offer to buy Top Dog as he wants him for his collection as he knows he can talk, and this offer of course is shot down. Melvin then heads to the two mad scientists Frank and Stein that live in the castle lab on his land and gets them to use a hypno beam on Top Dog that will force him to want to live with Melvin, and the beam works as Joey watches as his canine friend leaves with the two scientist back to the Megabucks estate. Once inside the castle lab Top Dog snaps out of his trance and comes up with a plan to act like a rabid dog and chases Melvin, Frank and Stein all around the lab growling and acting as if he is going to bite them! Joey comes to the Mansion to talk to Top Dog about his rude leaving without saying goodbye but instead is given back Top Dog as Melvin thinks the canine is crazy! In the end Joey and Top Dog head home as Melvin and his two looney scientists are left back at the lab happy to have not been bitten. Days later Joey has to take Top Dog to the vet for a checkup and things get crazy when after given gross tasting medicine Top Dog sneaks into a bathroom to brush his teeth and the Vet sees all the foam and thinks he is rabid! But in the end Joey covers for him and acts as if Top Dog eats toothpaste and once home and a prank pulled by Joey that has toothpaste in a dog bowl, Top Dog eats a good dinner to end a stressful day.
Issue six is a very fun read but does something that the other issues did not and that is have a backup story as well as two single page gag stories to fill the page count as the main story falls a little short in the length department. The main story while a fun is also this point the weakest of any of the main stories as the issue has Top Dog being brainwashed to want to live with the rich kid Melvin only for him to snap out of it and acted crazy in order to scare his kidnapper who in return give him back to Joey just to get him away from his estate. The stories is filled with two mad scientists Frank and Stein who add a dash of kid friendly Horror elements to the adventure, but they are mostly used as a gag as they each say each others name like they are introducing themselves to everyone who gets their names mixed up. Mervin Megabucks is as scummy as ever as he tries to once more buy and steal Top Dog and treats everyone around him like dirt, so it’s nice to see him be scared silly by Top Dog who does a great job of acting rabid. Joey Jordan in this issue is very sad when he thinks Top Dog leaves his family in order to love with Melvin as it hurt him that his canine best friend didn’t even say goodbye, he of course learns later that his friend was dognapped. The second story is ok and is more just a long joke about toothpaste and Top Dog brushing his teeth in order to get a bad taste out of his mouth. While this issue is good it just lacks a little of the charm of the past five issues and leaves it feeling a little more lackluster. The cover is very cool and has Top Dog in the hot seat while being looked at by two mad scientists and as you guess the interior artwork is done by Kremer still and is really good stuff. Over all a good issue that only slips a little but still delivers an entertaining read.
Top Dog # 7 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 7 of 14
In the kingdom of Cashelot Royal Roy and his pet toothless alligator Gummy are listening as his father King Regal is arguing with the King of a surrounding natuon who wants to take over one of the kingdoms water reservoirs as there is empty and this is leading to a possible war between the two kingdoms. The United States steps in and calls on Morrison to call Top Dog in order to use the Super Computer in order to find a way for the war not to happen and for the nation of Lessavia to get the water they need. And the answer is for Top Dog to get to Cashelot and cook a great meal for the two Kings and this will cause the two to come to peace and work out this water crisis, and of course Joey has to go to Cashelot as well with Top Dog for his cover. Once at Cashelot Joey, Top Dog and Morrison under a hood going as Top Chef are greeted by Royal Roy, Gummy and Ascott who rush the three Americans to the castle, but unknown to them Count Archduke Von Krunch the sinister cousin of the Royal family is on the way to the castle as well to try and ruin the big meal to set a plan in effect that will have his take control of Cashelot. Once in the kitchen Top Dog gets to work on the meal as Joey and Morrison try and help keep everyone out of the kitchen, but when Joey is sent out to get some spices he is kidnapped by Von Krunch and this causes Royal Roy and Top Dog to rush out and find him and Morrison is left alone to continue the meal. Once Top Dog saves Joey from a locked room at the castle they all rush back to the castle only to find that the meal is done, and is super hot and both Kings have to help each other using water and this causes peace between the two nations as they both get a laugh out of the super hot meal.
This is such a cool issue as it brings Top Dog together with another Star Comics original character Royal Roy (Read Here For His Update) and it’s pulled off pretty well! In this issue’s plot Royal Roy’s kingdom is about to go to war with another kingdom over water and the only one who can save the day is Top Dog who is also a great chef and can make a meal that brings peace, but of course things go crazy when Joey is kidnapped and Top Dog and Royal Roy has to save him even though it puts the meal in trouble. Top Dog is shown now to be a chef that’s food is so good that it causes peace to breakout between warring nations. And because he is a talking canine he has to hide around the Kingdom of Cashelot as a regular dog and also must dodge Gummy the pet of Roy who wants the play. Joey does what he can to help Top Dog on this mission and is very honored to meet Royal Roy who is kind of an idol to many of kids. And poor Morrison has to wear a hood over his head and act as if he is the one known as Top Chef in order to cover for Top Dog so that the meal can be made. Royal Roy, Gummy and Ascott are around and do what they can to help get Top Dog and his friends to the Royal Kitchen as well as find the missing Joey when he is taken by the issues main villain that goofball baddie and Royal Roy cousin Count Archduke Von Krunch who fails in his attempt to try and ruin the meal and take over the Kingdom. I like how Gummy who is a toothless alligator that acts like a dog wants to play with Top Dog who tries his best to get away from him as he has a world saving meal to make, I also like that Royal Roy and his cast take more of a backseat and do not outshine Top Dog and Joey who are the main stars throughout. The cover is cool and showcases both the main Top Dog and Royal Roy characters and yep the interior is great and done by Kremer again. A very cool crossover issue that was a blast to read back then and even now as it did both comic series justice.
Top Dog # 8 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 8 of 14
Top Dog hears Mom Jordan and Lizzie talking about a surprise party the next day for Joey’s birthday and he leaves a note and heads out to find a gift for his friend, but the note is very basic and makes it sound as if Top Dog was leaving for good. While out looking for a gift Top Dog is hit by a car and this leaves him confused on who he is and the older couple who hit him take him home and call him Woofer. Meanwhile Joey is so upset that he cries throughout his Birthday Party and his family start to worry about his sadness. Soon the old couple find that Woofer is super talented and take him to an agency that gets him work for dog food commercials under the name Horace The Dog and when Joey and Lizzie see it they know that this new mascot star is their old missing dog Top Dog. Joey tracks Top Dog to the film studio and notices that his canine friends mind seems to be off as he does not recognize him, but after an accident that has a lighting rig falling and hitting Top Dog on the head he gains his memory back and gets himself fired from the commercials and returns home with Joey as the two friends are once more back together.
This issue has the plot of Top Dog loosing his memory and becoming a TV star and only after being hit on the head does he gain his memory back and return home to Joey as well as get himself out of the spotlight of being famous. You have to say poor Top Dog in this issue as he not only gets hit by a car and gets a head injury he also then take a hit to the head via a light and each time he has head trauma making you wonder if he has brain issues. Joey in this issue has a terrible birthday as he thinks his friend and pet dog Top Dog has ran away and this causes him to cry throughout his party and make his friend and family very uncomfortable. But Joey does not give up on his friend and tracks him down and helps him regain his memory and find his way back home. The plot of this issue is really simple and is very basic, as it has been done lots of times before in comics, cartoons and TV Shows and because of this familiar plot it makes for a read that brings a smile to your face as you know it will have a happy outcome. The cover is fun and has Top Dog being a superstar and the interior artwork is great and is of course Kremer who has done all the issues this far in the series and has done a great job every issue. Over all a simple plot but a very fun issue that brings the entertainment.
Top Dog # 9 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 9 of 14
It’s Pet Day at the museum and Joey Jordan and Tog Dog are attending as is Iggy Nutmeg and his cat Heathcliff who is very much into seeing the fish as he wants to eat them! Joey and Iggy decide to team up as they are both working on a project about Egypt and Top Dog makes a promise to Joey that he will keep an eye of Heathcliff to keep him out of trouble, and after the two you boys head to the exhibit Heathcliff escapes the pet area and Top Dog has to follow him and the two even fight with Heathcliff making his escape once more, Top Dog alerts Joey to the cats rampage but says he will stop it. Heathcliff is causing mischief all around the museum and Top Dog is given chase. Meanwhile both Joey and Iggy find themselves taken prisoner when the stumble on a robbery plot at the museum and one of the crooks is even dressed as a Mummy. Heathcliff stumbles onto the crime as well and is able to take the stolen jewels and after finding Top Dog the two pets keep the robbers busy and even set off the silent alarm, and once the police get their and Top Dog uses the Mummy’s bandages to wrap up the crooks the jewels are returned and Heathcliff and Top Dog are the heroes of the day.
This is yet another super fun crossover that has two of Star Comics popular characters coming together for one fun issue as this time around Top Dog is paired up with Heathcliff who was super popular not only in Star Comics but also on TV and Comic Strips. And this pairing was a great idea as these two were the Star Comics icons when it came to animal main character based comics. In this issue Top Dog and Heathcliff start off as enemies as the two just do not get along but their human owners Joey and Iggy do, but after a theft takes place the two animals team up and make a great team as they bring down the crooks and save the day as well as the priceless jewels the baddies were trying to steal. One of the best parts of this crossover is the brief paw fight between Top Dog and Heathcliff as paws are thrown and that makes for a fun few panels. I also feel that they use both Joey Jordan and Iggy Nutmeg well as they quickly become friends and work on a school project together and even both stumble on and taken prisoner when they find out about a robbery. The comic also has a cameo from Heathcliff characters Muggsy Faber and his bulldog Spike and that adds to the fun nature of this crossover. The villains of this issue are the three crooks with one that is wearing a Mummy costume while they are thieves they are not that dangerous and are out smarted really easy by Top Dog and Heathcliff. I should also note that while Top Dog and Heathcliff stop the criminals in the end, its clear that Top Dog is annoyed by the attitude of his feline friend. The cover is great and has Top Dog and Heathcliff running from a Mummy and yep you guessed it the interior art by Kremer is as good as ever. Once more a great Top Dog comic that held up for me and of course if you are a fan of Top Dog give it a read, but also fans of Heathcliff should check it out.
Top Dog # 10 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 10 of 14
Comic World the local comic shop is having Spider-Man as a guest and Joey is helping Danny the son of owner Mark Carter hang posters for this event, and once done Joey is paid in comics for his help and Top Dog wonders why people would read comics as they seem silly to him. While Joey is still looking Jim Osborn enters the shop as he is the actor who will be playing Spider-Man for the public appearance and all the kids in the shop want the actor to sign their comics. As Comic World is about to close for the day a man named Magee shows up just as Danny leads Joey, Jim and Top Dog to his house, but something does not set right with Top Dog who goes back to the shop and hears Magee tells Mark that he wants the money back that he put into the comic shop and that they should burn the shop down and collect the insurance money! Meanwhile Danny goes to Joey’s house for dinner and Top Dog has to wait to tell his friend what he over heard, and when he does Joey is torn about calling the police about the possible arson as it would really hurt Danny. But after talking to “Spider-Man” or Spider-Actor Jim about keeping secrets Joey comes up with a plan and goes to Comic World and confronts Mark on the arson plan, this causes the owner to change his mind but before they can call the police Magee shows up and at gunpoint locks Joey, Mark and Top Dog into a storage room with the idea of burning them alive inside the shop! But Top Dog is able to escape and gets help from Danny who is also quickly captured and thrown into the storage room. But Magee was not ready for Jim as Spider-Man who swings into action via a banner and knocks Magee silly and saves all his friend locked in the storage room and proves he his a hero not just an actor playing one and also saves the comic shop from a fiery death. The Comic Shop is now doing well and Danny is now working with his dad at it and Jim Osborn is a local hero and Top Dog and Joey meet Peter Parker who has been sent to take pictures and even see J. Jonah Jameson shows up to rant about Spider-Man.
This is the crossover that all the readers had been waiting for and sadly while it’s a good issue those who want to see Spider-Man and Top Dog work together to bring down criminals will be very much let down as the Spidey in this issue is just a goofy actor and the real Spider-Man is only shown in a cameo and as Peter Parker. The plot of this issue has Joey’s friend Danny and his Dad not having much time to spend together as the dad has made a bad business deal with a criminal to get his comic shop up and running and now faces the threat of arson in order for the shop to turn a faster profit, but of course Top Dog, Joey and an actor play Spider-Man save the day and bring down the criminal and turn the comic shop into one of the towns must stop shops. Tog Dog in this issue is the one who discovers the plot of arson and is also taken back by Joey who does not want to call the cops over it as he fears it will hurt Danny’s feelings, we also see that Top Dog does not like comic books and thinks Spider-Man is cheesy. Joey ends up saving Mark Carter the father of his friend Danny by not calling the police and also getting him away from Magee who is a true scumbag who wants to burn up a store full of comic books! One of the cool parts of this comic is seeing Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson at the comic shop covering the Spidey Actor saving the day, and its great that Joey who is a big Spider-Man fan not knowing that he is that close to his idol who is taking photos at his local comic shop. The cover for this issue is very iconic as I remember many of my friends having this issue in their comic collection and its super eye catching as it has Spider-Man swinging with Top Dog! The interior art this time is done by a team as Warren Kremer did all the normal Top Dog stuff and John Romita drawing Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson, making this a very fun comic to not only read but also look at. A great issue that holds up for me after all these years, and yes I do wish Spider-Man in the comic was really Spidey.
Top Dog # 11 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 11 of 14
Joey and Top Dog are heading downtown as a new comic shop as just opened and when they reach town they find that everything ran by computer has gone crazy so they rush to the Ice Cream shop and to the Super Computer that is going crazy, and after quickly fixing it Top Dog learns that his brother Dirty Dog is the one who made the computer go crazy and that he wants to meet his brother alone on top of a near by mountain. Morrison films Joey in on who Dirty Dog is and this causes Joey to follow Top Dog and once on the mountain they are both captured by Dirty Dog’s trap door. Top Dog learns that his brother has built human like robots of all the worlds leaders that will allow him to control the world, but he needs Tog Dog’s help to build in their speech and uses Joey as a hostage to get what he wants. Dirty Dog sends out a robot version of Joey to report back to Morrison and even stay at his home and be the perfect son to his parents, while Top Dog tries to figure out a plan to save the day. Top Dog ends up freeing the real Joey who goes and gets Morrison for help and he also has programed the World Leader Robots to fight his brothers robots and they all destroy each other, but before Dirty Dog can be captured he escapes inside a rocket. In the end Top Dog and Joey head home and have to take apart the robot Joey that has been living at the Jordon house while the real one was held prisoner.
This issue pits brother against brother as Top Dog has to face off with Dirty Dog as one wants to help the world while the other wants to rule over it. Dirty Dog is the dust cloud caring canine brother of Top Dog and is just as smart as his brother, but is also very bad as his whole world is just about him and his want to be a ruler. Dirty Dog is so smart that he knows how to hack into the Super Computer as well as can build robots that can look and act like anyone. Dirty Dog due to his creative and smart mind makes him very dangerous to all of the world as his mean nature knows no bounds. Meanwhile Top Dog in this issue uses his smarts and creative ways for good and is able to stop his brothers plans as well as get his friend Joey to safety, it’s a shame that the two canine brothers are at odds with one another and have different values. Morrison also is a hero of sorts as he comes to the aid of Top Dog and causes Dirty Dog to flee the scene of his crimes. I like that when characters are around Dirty Dog the sneeze as a dust cloud of dirt follows him, think Pigpen from Peanuts. This issue also makes the stakes seem high as Top Dog fears what his brother can do as he knows just how dangerous he is and the fact they can match wits makes for a entertaining showdown and read. The cover for this issue is fun and has the robot called Max holding Joey and Top Dog as Dirty Dog mocks them. And yep you guessed it the interior art is once more done by Kremer and is very great stuff! One other really cool thing I should say that in the letters page called “Star Signals” they ran a reader poll and the winner of “Favorite Character” went to Top Dog with the characters Lion-O (Thundercats) and Wicket (Ewoks) both tied for second place! I would have really loved to have seen the full list as were did He-Man (Masters Of The Universe), Royal Roy, Spider-Ham and R2-D2 (Star Wars: Droids) place on this list! But to sup this up another great issue from the Top Dog team and I can see why he was so popular back in the 80’s.
Top Dog # 12 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 12 of 14
Joey Jordan and Top Dog are heading to their booth at the school’s science fair and soon find out that their neighbor is Mervin Megabucks who is as rude as ever. Mervin tricks Top Dog with a kite that he claims only he can fly, and when Top Dog tries it turns into a rocket and flies the canine back to the Megabucks estate and to the lab of Dr. Frank and Dr. Stein who are waiting and once more capture Top Dog. Mervin gives Joey a ride to the lab and then informs him that they will be switching minds so that he can prove that Top Dog talks and with the help of a machine made by Frank and Stein they do just that! The switch only lasts 24 hours and once its done Joey who is really Mervin heads to Top Dog who wakes up in a fake version of Joey’s room that has been built at the castle. When Top Dog does not speak and Mervin who is really Joey shows up the plan is a bust, but Joey who is really Mervin decides that he will do the next best think and that’s ruin his nemesis life! The fake Joey tries his best to ruin the reputation of the real Joey at home and school but everything keeps backfiring as all his bad doings keep falling on Mervin and making him look like the bigger jerk. In the end a mix up at the lab turns Joey back to normal but Mervin, Frank, Slyme, Stein, a Rooster and a dog get all mixed up and the machine shorts out making it take time before they can all be back to normal.
That mean rich brat Mervin Megabucks is at it again in this issue as he once more makes an attempt at owning Top Dog and proving that he can talk, this time he even uses a machine the switches minds….but this of course backfires for him as by the end his mind ends up in a dog that has fleas! Mervin is such a rude young man who treats people and animals terrible and thanks his money makes him powerful, when in reality it just makes him a not likeable person with a massive ego. The Mad Scientist Frank and Stein are goofy doctors who just do what they are told and that includes kidnapping a kid and a dog. Top Dog is two smart to fall for this mind trick, well and he looses his voice for a short time that causes him not to speak to the fake Joey. Speaking of Joey the real one he is the true hero here as he saves Top Dog as well as stops all the antics of the fake Joey and even tricks Mervin into going back home so that they can switch minds back. This issue really does feel like a cartoon and is packed with lots of silly humor as well as a dash of Sci-Fi fun and that is why it’s a good read. The cover for this issue is silly and has the mind switching machine hard at work and the you know the deal with the interior artwork being great and who did it by now. So with that lest see what issue thirteen has in store for us and if it will hold up as well as all these issues have for me.
Top Dog # 13 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 13 of 14
After watching TV and a sci-fi show about time travel Top Dog tells Joey that he has ben working on a time machine and the two rush off to the Super Computer that is hidden at the ice cream shop that is watched over by Agent Morrison. But before they get their Top Dog helps out Brutus a dog that is being miss treated by his owner Tommy Turner by setting him free from pulling a wagon full of groceries. Once at the computer something goes wrong and causes the machine to go off and zap Joey who finds himself in the year 2007 and everything has changed from travel, to dress to locations and this makes Joey confused as he rushes to the new location of the Ice Cream shop and meets Morrison and later Top Dog who are both very old now and confused by why the younger Joey being there and the worse they are not sure how to get him back to his time! And worse he finds out that Vladimir and enemy of the state has captured the adult version of himself who is now an agent, and the mind of Top Dog is starting to go. But with the help of young Joey Top Dog is able to save older Joey and arrest Vladimir and send Joey home by accident when they bump into the time machine that blasts Joey back in time.
This is a fun issue as it really has a Sci-Fi feel to it as Joey is sent to the future by accident and must save the older version of himself from a spy that has taken him hostage! Top Dog when older is slowly loosing his smarts, but still is very much a fighter and still has is attitude and humor that makes him the well loved canine of comics. Joey lands in 2007 and well sense it’s 2022 nothing they predicted the future to be like came true…but Joey does learn that he will become a Government agent. Morrison as an old man still works at the Ice Cream shop as the secret base for the Super Computer. The issues villain is Vladimir who goes down really easy when Top Dog frees the adult Joey and he is punched in the face. While this issue does not have any real “danger” feeling to the mission it does bring some wonder as you start to wonder just how young Joey will get back to his time, and of course its just like the way he got to the future. The cover is funny and shows the future in the background and young Joey trying to talk to the very old Top Dog. And once again you know the deal when it comes to the interior art so I am not going to say it again. Over all a pretty fun issue that sadly leads us to the final issue in the series.
Top Dog # 14 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price $1.00 Star Comics # 14 of 14
Joey Jordan is waken from a nightmare that had his best friend Top Dog leaving, and when up he and Top Dog head to the Super Computer to give it a tune up and meet up with Agent Morrison who is happy to see his friends. But unknown to them all they have been followed by Dr. Ominous who pulls a gun on them all and is ranting that he is the one who truly created the Super Computer (called The Brainstrain) and that Top Dog took the credit for it, and Morrison admits that Ominous built some of the computer but had a mental breakdown before it was even close to being finished and that Top Dog was indeed the one who finished it and made it better. Dr. Ominous is not hearing it and uses a transport ray gun to steal the computer and then also blasts Top Dog and himself leaving Joey and Morrison to have to rush to the basement to use a very talkative and old Super Computer to try and get the answer of were the Super Computer is now. Meanwhile Dr. Ominous threatens the lives of the Jordan’s in order to get Top Dog to help him install a new feature and then operate the Super Computer. Meanwhile the changes used allows Dr. Ominous to steal all the worlds landmarks from the Great Pyramids to The Statue Of Liberty all because the scientific world thought he was washed up when he had his breakdown, but of course Top Dog along with Joey Jordan and Agent Morrison stop this mad man and send the landmarks back, but Dr. Ominous is able to escape being captured. In the end Top Dog tells Joey that until Dr. Ominous is captured that he can no longer live with his family as it would put them all in danger and with that Top Dog leaves.
And with that ends the Top Dog series that ends kind of sadly as our canine hero has to leave his best friend and really his family behind all because of a fat crazy scientist by the name of Dr. Ominous who has threaten to hurt the Jordan family in order to get to Top Dog. I think the real kicker in this is that at the end they promised a new Top Dog series was in the works and would be released soon after the currant series ended, and we all know that it never happened and Marvel Comics was the master of not allowing Star Comics series to end in a proper manor…so imagine being a kid and reading this issue and the last image you see of Top Dog a character that you have read every issue of and have grown to love is him crying and running down a street away from his best friend who is also crying sad tears in the street in front of his home….like way to go Marvel! Sadly the new Top Dog series was never made and I truly do feel that this was a missed character opportunity as he was very popular with readers and already we seen that he was in the normal Marvel Universe as he crossed over with Spider-Man so why not continue is adventures in Marvel proper? The one thing that Marvel did at least somewhat right is they allowed this Star Comics character to have a final issue that alerted the readers that this was it for them on this run, as so many before and after just ended with no send off and true ending for the characters. I mean I would have really loved to have seen a comic that would have has Top Dog along with Agent Morrison and yes Joey Jordan going around the world taking down spies and villains on their hunt to bring Dr. Ominous to justice and along the way they could have meet up with The Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Luke Cage and even Spider-Man once more. Or even imagine an issue that had Top Dog in Florida and having a run in with Man-Thing that would have been awesome. Top Dog really was a well written kids comic that started out like your typical Harvey Comics with a dash of Archie Comics but really quickly it turned into something very special and of its own as it added many different elements together from action to sci-fi to even comedy it brought it all. I mean it also did a great job of having crossovers with such characters as Spider-Man, Heathcliff and Royal Roy and each was done really well. Speaking of Heathcliff for those wondering Top Dog would appear in solo back up stories in that series, so in a way he did continue on after his series ended. The cover for the final issue is sad and shows Top Dog crying and the interior art by the talented Warren Kremer was really great stuff throughout the series. While much time has past I say to Marvel Comics it’s never to late to bring Top Dog back into the world of comics and you should do so as he still has many adventures left to have with us his readers. Checkout the artwork below to see they style used by Warren Kremer.
I have an idea for Marvel Comics that they should do as they own Star Comics, Malibu Comics and CrossGen Comics all three they do nothing with…so why not mix them together in their own universe that runs separate from Marvel but gives the characters new life and makes their old readership happy to see them back, plus could give creators more to work with as well as give readers something different from their bland stories they are spewing out in their main titles…as some of modern Marvel is unreadable at this point. But we all now this will never happen as they have been a shell of a company sense Disney bought them and only care about films and shows with the characters. But with that I will say I was a Top Dog fan as a kid and after reading these issue again I am a Top Dog still! Dog Month continues with our next update as we will be taking a look at that comic strip canine called Belvedere. So until next time, read a Star Comic or three, watch a movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update as we spend some time with a dog with some major attitude.
