Introduction
The Dog Man book series by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey has become enormously popular since the first book Dog Man was published in 2016. The series follows the adventures of the crime-fighting Dog Man, who is part dog and part policeman. As of 2022, there are 13 books in the main Dog Man series, with the most recent being Dog Man: Mothering Heights released in 2022 (Source).
The Dog Man books are aimed at young readers but have gained fans of all ages with their humorous stories and illustrations. The series blends together cop adventures with silly humor, making it appealing to kids. Yet the books also feature some thoughtful themes about friendship, empathy and doing the right thing. This broad appeal has led to the Dog Man books becoming international bestsellers, topping the charts for graphic novels.
Previous Books in the Series
The Dog Man series, written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey, started in 2016 and follows the adventures of Dog Man, a part-dog, part-man former police officer. The books so far are:
Dog Man (2016) – Sergeant Petey, Dog Man’s former partner, creates Dog Man by attaching the head of police dog Greg to the body of a policeman named Knight. Dog Man fights crime alongside Petey against their enemy, Petey’s own creator Li’l Petey.
Dog Man Unleashed (2016) – Dog Man gets sent to doggy jail for digging up the flowers in the mayor’s garden. Meanwhile, Petey creates a new comic book hero, Dog Man Unleashed, to take Dog Man’s place.
Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties (2017) – Dog Man takes on two criminal cats, evil Kitty and her sidekick Lil’ Petey, as they try to clone themselves into an army.
Dog Man and Cat Kid (2018) – Li’l Petey teams up with a part-cat, part-robot clone of himself named Cat Kid to try to create mayhem for Dog Man.
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas (2018) – When Petey’s owner gets married, Dog Man gets jealous of sharing Petey with a new family member.
Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild (2019) – Dog Man faces new villains trying to take over the city, including 80-HD the robot and Clawde the bear.
Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls (2019) – Dog Man has to stop Petey’s ball from destroying the city.
Dog Man: Fetch-22 (2020) – Li’l Petey creates an army of robots to try to take down Dog Man once and for all.
Dog Man: Grime and Punishment (2020) – Dog Man confronts dirty cops and must clear his name when he gets framed.
Dog Man: Mothering Heights (2021) – Dog Man discovers Petey has created a new robot mom.
The Last Hound Announcement
The latest book in the wildly popular Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey, Dog Man: The Last Hound, was first announced in September 2022. Pilkey revealed the title and cover art for the 13th book in a YouTube video that now has over 2 million views.
Fans of the Dog Man series were ecstatic when the announcement was made. The YouTube comments were flooded with enthusiastic responses from loyal readers who have grown up with the books. Many expressed how excited they were for another hilarious Dog Man adventure. Some noted how the cover art hints that this could be the final book in the series, sparking speculation about the plot. Overall, the initial reactions were extremely positive, with the Dog Man fan base eager to get their hands on the new release.
As one of the most anticipated children’s books of 2023, the reveal of The Last Hound built up palpable excitement and intrigue in the literary world. Since the first Dog Man book published in 2016, the graphic novel series has sold tens of millions of copies globally. The preannouncement hype reflected the devoted readership Pilkey has accrued over the years.
The Last Hound Plot
Not much is known yet about the specific plot and story of The Last Hound, since it has not been released. However, based on the previous Dog Man books and the title, we can speculate that it will likely center around Dog Man and his friends working to defeat or confront the villainous Petey, who was turned into a cyborg cat called Cat Kid.
The title The Last Hound implies this may be the final showdown between Dog Man and Petey. Perhaps Petey will hatch an ultimate plan as Cat Kid to eliminate all dogs, and Dog Man will have to lead a resistance of hounds and pups to stop him. There will likely be plenty of humor, laughs, and twists throughout their adventure against Cat Kid.
Author Dav Pilkey said the book involves Dog Man unexpectedly traveling back in time to meet a new character named Ruby. This suggests time travel will play a role in the plot. Overall, while the exact story is a mystery for now, we can expect an exciting Dog Man adventure with humor, friendships, and action.
Release Date
The official release date for Dog Man: The Last Hound is December 28, 2021. Dav Pilkey and Scholastic officially announced this release date in summer 2021. The book will be available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats on this date.
For those wanting to get their hands on Dog Man: The Last Hound right away, pre-orders are available now at major booksellers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and independent bookstores. Pre-ordering helps lock in a copy of the book to arrive on release day.
The December 28 release positions Dog Man: The Last Hound as a major new winter release for the publishing industry. The book will land on shelves just after the busy holiday shopping season, making it a likely holiday gift and stocking stuffer for Dog Man fans. It also allows for marketing and promotion during the fall ahead of the winter release.
Pre-Order Information
Fans can pre-order Dog Man: The Last Hound from major booksellers both online and in physical stores. Some options for pre-ordering online include:
Amazon – The paperback edition is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released on December 27, 2022. The Kindle edition can also be pre-ordered and will be delivered on the release date.https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Man-Last-Dav-Pilkey/dp/133857484X
Barnes & Noble – Fans can pre-order the hardcover edition from Barnes & Noble online for delivery on release day or in-store pickup when it hits shelves.https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dog-man-dav-pilkey/1137564251
Indiebound – Supporting local independent bookstores, the paperback can be pre-ordered through Indiebound for delivery after release.https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781338574849
Fans should check with their local bookstores to see if pre-orders are available in store as well.
Author Dav Pilkey
Dav Pilkey is the American creator of the popular Dog Man graphic novel series for children. Pilkey was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Pilkey suffered from ADHD and dyslexia as a child, and was expelled from multiple schools for misbehavior before discovering his talent and passion for drawing and writing. Pilkey started creating his own comics as a child to cope with his struggles, eventually self-publishing his first book in 1987 at the age of 21.
Pilkey is now a successful and acclaimed cartoonist and author with over 40 million books sold. He is best known as the creator of the Dog Man and Captain Underpants series. Pilkey lives in Washington state with his wife, Sayuri. His stories are inspired by his own childhood as well as children and adults worldwide. According to his website, Pilkey’s goal is “to provide kids with stories that spark their imaginations and encourage them to read.”
What Fans Can Expect
Based on the previous Dog Man books, fans can likely expect more hilarious adventures and laughs from Dog Man and his friends in The Last Hound. Author Dav Pilkey has crafted a wonderfully wacky world with unique characters that have resonated with readers of all ages.
Plot-wise, fans can probably expect Dog Man to battle his nemesis Petey yet again in this new book. Their rivalry has been a constant throughout the series. However, the stakes may be raised even higher this time around with the arrival of a new villain, the titular Last Hound. Not much is known yet about who or what the Last Hound is, but he/she/it will surely challenge Dog Man unlike ever before.
Dav Pilkey’s illustrations are sure to continue bringing these characters to vivid life. He has a very distinctive cartooning style that meshes perfectly with the zany stories. Fans can look forward to those same expressive drawings leaping off the page in The Last Hound.
There will likely also be plenty of laughs through visual gags and funny dialogue between the characters. The Dog Man books have always masterfully balanced exciting plots with hilarious humor.[Source]
Impact on the Series
The Last Hound is expected to have a significant impact on the wider Dog Man series. As the title suggests, this may be the final book in the popular children’s graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey. However, Pilkey has not definitively stated whether The Last Hound will mark the end of Dog Man or not.
If this does turn out to be the final Dog Man book, it will wrap up the storylines and adventures of the beloved characters that kids and families have been following for years. Dog Man has encountered many foes and befriended some unlikely allies throughout the series, so The Last Hound may bring closure to these narratives and relationships.
On the other hand, Pilkey may intend to continue the Dog Man series beyond The Last Hound. He could be using the title as a tease or a plot device without necessarily ending Dog Man’s story. The book’s description mentions a “twist ending,” so Pilkey may have more surprises in store. The massive popularity and profitability of Dog Man also gives Pilkey incentive to prolong the series.
Either way, The Last Hound promises to be an exciting and impactful Dog Man adventure. It will likely leave fans eager for more, whether or not Pilkey actually continues the series. For now, speculation over the book’s effect on Dog Man’s future will simmer until The Last Hound hits shelves.
The Future of Dog Man
According to author Dav Pilkey, there are more Dog Man adventures to come. In an interview with PR Newswire, Pilkey revealed that Dog Man book 15 is slated for release in March 2024. The upcoming book will be titled Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder. Pilkey commented that “I’m having so much fun creating new stories with the characters that I drew in my childhood, and knowing that kids today love Dog Man as much as I do makes it all the more meaningful.”
While an end date has not been set for the Dog Man series, Pilkey hinted that he has ideas to continue it for the foreseeable future. He is passionate about keeping kids excited about reading and wants to keep delivering entertaining Dog Man stories. There is also potential for Dog Man spinoffs and movies down the line.
Fans can expect more hilarious adventures, new characters, and clever twists as Pilkey expands the Dog Man universe. It’s clear the beloved character will continue entertaining readers for years to come.