''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' is a
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
series about a team of
talking animal
A talking animal or speaking animal is any non-human animal that can produce sounds or gestures resembling those of a human language. Several species or groups of animals have developed forms of communication which superficially resemble verbal ...
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
es called the Zoo Crew. The characters first appeared in a 16-page
special insert in ''
The New Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
'' #16 (February 1982), followed by a series published from 1982 to 1983. The Zoo Crew characters were created by
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
and
Scott Shaw!
Scott Joseph Shaw (born September 4, 1951), often spelled Scott Shaw! and Scott Shaw? in ''Rick and Steve'', is an American cartoonist, animator, and historian of comics. Among Shaw's comic-book work is Hanna-Barbera's ''The Flintstones'' (for M ...
Although the series, which was the last original funny animal property to be created by DC Comics, proved short-lived, it is still fondly remembered by many comic fans of its generation, and the characters appear occasionally in cameos in the mainstream
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
(this is made possible due to the existence of a "multiverse" in the DCU, which allows the Zoo Crew characters to exist on a parallel Earth).
The series was introduced in a 16-page insert in ''
The New Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
'' #16.
The series was cancelled after 20 issues, with six issues still in preparation. These six issues were eventually published in three double-sized issues as ''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! in The Oz-Wonderland War'' #1-3, with the
indicia title ''Oz-Wonderland Wars'' (plural). The series did not, in fact, depict a conflict between the
Land of Oz
The Land of Oz is a magical country introduced in the 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow.
Oz consists of four vast quadrants, the Gillikin Country in the north, Quadli ...
and
Wonderland, which plotter
E. Nelson Bridwell
Edward Nelson Bridwell (September 22, 1931 – January 23, 1987) was a writer for ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' magazine (writing the now-famous catchphrase, "What you mean...we?" in a 1958 parody of ''The Lone Ranger'' in Mad) and various comic books ...
considered antithetical to Ozite politics, but rather depicted the
Nome King
The Nome King is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum. He is introduced in Baum's third Oz book ''Ozma of Oz'' (1907). He also appears in many of the continuing sequel '' Oz'' novels also written by Baum. Although the c ...
retrieving the magic belt and using his powers against both Oz and Wonderland, with the Zoo Crew coming in as reinforcements against him. The series was praised for its artwork, by
Carol Lay
Carol Lay (born 1952) is an American alternative cartoonist best known for her weekly comic strip, ''Story Minute'' (later to evolve into the strip ''Way Lay''), which ran for almost 20 years in such US papers as the '' LA Weekly'', the ''NY Pres ...
, for its close emulation of the work of
John R. Neill
John Rea Neill (November 12, 1877 – September 19, 1943) was a magazine and children's book illustrator primarily known for illustrating more than forty stories set in the Land of Oz, including L. Frank Baum's, Ruth Plumly Thompson's, and three o ...
and
Sir John Tenniel
Sir John Tenniel (; 28 February 182025 February 1914)Johnson, Lewis (2003), "Tenniel, John", ''Grove Art Online, Oxford Art Online'', Oxford University Press. Web. Retrieved 12 December 2016. was an English illustrator, graphic humorist and poli ...
, but the story, scripted by
Joey Cavalieri
Joey Cavalieri is an American writer and editor of comic books. He is best known for his work on the characters Green Arrow and Huntress as well as the co-creation of Helena Bertinelli, the third Huntress, for DC Comics.
Career
Joey Cavalier ...
, was seen by many to be too close to the plot of ''
Ozma of Oz
''Ozma of Oz: A Record of Her Adventures with Dorothy Gale of Kansas, Billina the Yellow Hen, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger; Besides Other Good People Too Numerous to Mention Faithfully Recorded Herein'', p ...
'' to reach its full potential. The series featured cameos from both
Hoppy the Marvel Bunny
Hoppy the Marvel Bunny is a fictional comic book superhero and anthropomorphic animal originally published by Fawcett Comics as a spin-off of Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Captain Marvel. He was created by Chad Grothkopf (1914–2005), and debuted in ...
and
the Inferior Five
The Inferior Five (or I5) are a parody superhero team appearing in books by the American publisher DC Comics. Created by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Joe Orlando, the team premiered in the DC Comics title ''Showcase'' #62 (May-June 1966) ...
.
A ''
Showcase Presents
''Showcase Presents'' was a line of black-and-white paperback books published by DC Comics (from 2005 - 2016) at an average rate of two per month. Much like Marvel Comics' '' Essential Marvel'' volumes, each book usually included over 500 pages of ...
'' reprinting of the entire series was slated for September 2007 but was postponed, along with several other ''Showcase'' editions, due to royalty issues in DC's contracts of the 1980s. The book was finally released in September 2014.
After years of absence, the Zoo Crew was reintroduced in ''
Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
'' (vol. 3) #30-31 (December 2005-January 2006). In October–December 2007, a three-issue miniseries called ''Captain Carrot and the Final Ark'' featured the Zoo Crew picking up from the ''Teen Titans'' storyline.
Location
The various members of the Zoo Crew lived on a parallel
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
that, during DC's Pre-''
Crisis
A crisis ( : crises; : critical) is either any event or period that will (or might) lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affair ...
''
Multiverse
The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
system, was named "Earth-C". Earth-C consisted of a world where various
anthropomorphized
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
talking animals existed; the series featured many animal-themed
pun
A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...
names for real-world aspects. For instance, the Zoo Crew operated out of "Follywood, Califurnia", a parody of
Hollywood, California
Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...
.
[''The New Teen Titans'' #16 (February 1982)] Similarly named Earth-C cities include "Gnu York" (
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
),
"Tallahatchee" (
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...
),
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #1 (March 1982)] and "Loondon" (
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
).
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #6 (August 1982)] Countries on Earth-C include "Cornada" (
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
),
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #3 (May 1982)] and the "United Species of America" (
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
);
the capital of the United Species was "Waspington, D.C." (
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
).
The President of the United Species of America was "Mallard Fillmore" (a reference to the 13th president of the United States,
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853; he was the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former member of the U.S. House of Represen ...
). Other famous figures of Earth-C included "Liz Whaler" (
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
),
"Marlin Brando" (
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
),
"Byrd Rentals" (
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture.
Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
) and "Rova Barkitt" (
Rona Barrett
Rona Barrett (born Rona Burstein, October 8, 1936) is an American gossip columnist and businesswoman. She runs the Rona Barrett Foundation, a non-profit organization in Santa Ynez, California, dedicated to the aid and support of senior citizens ...
)---the last two of whom became members of the Zoo Crew as Rubberduck and Yankee Poodle, respectively.
Historical figures and events on Earth-C also parallel those of the real world, including the "Second Weird War" (
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
; Earth-C's version featured the U.S. and the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
fighting the "Ratzis" (
Nazis
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
))
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #5 (July 1982)] and President Abraham Linkidd (a
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
, Earth-C's version of
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
), who was immortalized in the nation's capital in the "Linkidd Memorial".
Earth-C's population also consisted of the various "funny animal" characters that appeared in DC Comics over the years, particularly those in such
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during ...
and
Silver Age DC titles as ''Funny Stuff'', ''The Dodo and the Frog'', ''Real Screen Comics'', and so forth. Indeed, several characters from these series made cameo appearances during the run of ''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!''. One of those older characters, Peter Porkchops, was a member of the Zoo Crew itself as Pig-Iron. Reference was also made to Fastback's uncle being Merton McSnurtle, a Golden Age funny animal superhero known as the
Terrific Whatzit.
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #4 (June 1982)]
Eventually, readers (and the Zoo Crew) were introduced to the parallel Earth of "Earth-C-Minus", which turned out to be the home of the "Just'a Lotta Animals" (a parody of the
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
) and whose world was an all-animal reflection of the universe of Earth-One in the original
DC Multiverse
In DC Comics, the Multiverse is a "cosmic construct" composed of the many fictional universes the stories of DC take place in. The worlds in this multiverse share a space and fate in common, and its structure has changed several times in the h ...
.
After the 1985 miniseries ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March ...
'', it was stated that the universes of Earth-C and Earth-C-Minus were actually "alternate dimensions" rather than parallel universes, and thus were spared from the effects of the Crisis. The miniseries ''
The Kingdom'' presented Earth-C as a
Hypertime
Hypertime is a fictional concept in DC Comics which first appeared in the 1999 '' The Kingdom'' limited series. It is a variation of the Multiverse concept that existed in DC Comics before 1985's ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' limited series and w ...
reality. In the series ''
Countdown to Final Crisis
''Countdown'', also known as ''Countdown to Final Crisis'' for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book Limited series (comics), limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of ...
'', the
Monitors
Monitor or monitor may refer to:
Places
* Monitor, Alberta
* Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States
* Monitor, Kentucky
* Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States
* Monitor, Washington
* Monitor, Logan County, West Vir ...
include one who has a neck and head that appears to resemble a
giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, ''Giraffa camelopardalis ...
's. There is an equivalent of Earth-C in the newly reestablished
DC Multiverse
In DC Comics, the Multiverse is a "cosmic construct" composed of the many fictional universes the stories of DC take place in. The worlds in this multiverse share a space and fate in common, and its structure has changed several times in the h ...
, designated "Earth-26", with a history and population similar to that of the Pre-''Crisis'' Earth-C.
Origin
The origin of the team came about when
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
was investigating a strange phenomenon causing the citizens of
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big c ...
to begin acting like their
primate
Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians (monkeys and apes, the latter including huma ...
ancestors. He determined the cause to be rays of energy originating from the planet Pluto. Flying towards outer space, he encountered an energy barrier around the Earth, but after noticing a meteor pass through unaffected, he grabbed the meteor and attempted to use it to get him through the barrier. When Superman and the meteor struck the barrier, they were both shunted into an alternative dimension of "funny animals", later designated as Earth-C. There, Superman met several of the world's residents, who had gained superpowers when they were struck by the various meteorite fragments.
The animals and Superman soon teamed up to stop the source of the ray (which was also causing the denizens of Earth-C to behave like their non-anthropomorphic animal ancestors), which turned out to be the old
Justice League
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
villain
Starro the Conqueror, a
starfish
Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...
-shaped alien, who was launching his de-evolution assault from the Earth-C universe's
Pluto
Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the S ...
. After defeating the villain, the animals decided to stick together and form the Zoo Crew, and Superman returned home.
Unlike many superhero teams, the Zoo Crew initially had considerable difficulty fighting as a unit. For instance, they would often take on a foe in pairs, and find themselves interfering with each other and being put out of action as a result. However, as the series progressed, the Zoo Crew persevered to develop their
tactics
Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to:
* Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks
** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield
** Chess tactics
** Political tact ...
in order to become a coherent fighting force.
Zoo Crew reunited
In ''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #30-31 (December 2005-January 2006), the Zoo Crew made their first return appearance in some time, in stories presented as excerpts from a comic book story "Whatever Happened to Captain Carrot?" that
Kid Devil
Edward Bloomberg (currently known as Red Devil) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Alan Kupperberg, Dan Mishkin, and Gary Cohn, the character first appeared in Fury of Firestorm #2 (June, 1984). The ...
reads in #30. In these excerpts, the Zoo Crew is shown to have mostly disbanded and now lives in a "darker" world than in their prior adventures. Little Cheese is dead. Yankee Poodle has lost her secret identity and is a fugitive from the law, accused of trying to assassinate President Mallard Fillmore. Fastback has disappeared, Pig-Iron and Rubberduck operate as underground superheroes against the current anti-superhero law and Captain Carrot is in self-imposed retirement after the death of his partner, Carrie Carrot, at the hands (or paws) of Armordillo and Frogzilla. He has not left his apartment in years, and drinks heavily out of guilt over Carrie's death. The only Zoo Crew member prospering is Alley-Kat Abra, who has revealed her identity publicly and become a world-famous magician. The story is a parody of the grim and gritty trend most often identified with the late 1980s to early 1990s superhero comics, and it includes references to several of DC's own series (such as ''Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'' and ''Watchmen'', including the cover of the ''Captain Carrot'' comic, which bears a resemblance to the cover of ''Watchmen'' #1).
A new hero, the American Eagle, overhears Pig-Iron, Rubberduck and Yankee Poodle at the scene of Little Cheese's murder when they decide to regroup in order to avenge him. Acting independently of them, he confronts Roger Rodney Rabbit and bullies him into becoming Captain Carrot again. The others are disappointed when Abra refuses to rejoin the team, but rejoice when the American Eagle brings Captain Carrot back to them. Their investigation reveals that the crimes against their members are connected. The president bribed Alley-Kat-Abra to reveal all of the Zoo Crew's secrets to the government; she took the money and made herself rich and famous. She banished Fastback into the future, killed Little Cheese and framed Yankee Poodle for the crime when she got too close to finding out what had happened to Fastback. When Alley-Kat-Abra is arrested for murdering Little Cheese, she tells them that she did it simply because she is a cat and cats hate mice. The Zoo Crew inducts the American Eagle as their newest member and heads into the future to retrieve Fastback. Issue #31 was drawn by ghost artist Scott Roberts. Many fans spotted the difference and complained. Scott Shaw! had, in fact, drawn the pages, before DC's switch to another artist.
''Countdown''
The Zoo Crew returned in a ''
Countdown to Final Crisis
''Countdown'', also known as ''Countdown to Final Crisis'' for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book Limited series (comics), limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of ...
'' tie-in entitled ''Captain Carrot and the Final Ark'' #1-3 (October–December 2007). In the new DC Multiverse, the Zoo Crew now resides on Earth-26. It is revealed that they enlisted the aid of Chip Hunter, Time Master in a successful rescue of Fastback from the future. They returned to their own time to find major changes. President Mallard Fillmore's bribing of Alley-Kat-Abra was revealed and he resigned in shame. Vice President Beneduck Arnold took over and promptly created the Collar I.D. Initiative, (a parody of the Superhuman Registration Act storyline of Marvel Comics' ''
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
'' crossover event), which required that all superheroes reveal their secret identities to the government and wear identity collars. The government immediately stopped funding the Zoo Crew, and they were forced to leave their headquarters and all of the equipment that came with it. The Zoo Crew officially resisted the Collar I.D. Initiative and refused to sign up, but fought crime on the sly.
The Zoo Crew members restored both their civilian and their superhero identities. Roger Rodney Rabbit regained his status as a comic book artist/writer, but he had to stop writing ''Just'a Lotta Animals''. Their attorney presented him with a cease and desist order, and he complied. Fastback started The World's Fastest Delivery Service. Rubberduck's acting career as Byrd Rentals was all but over, but he did get a reality TV show featuring him and other washed-up actors. The American Eagle continued his radio career as Johnny Jingo, "the radio talk show host with two right wings". Pig-Iron got a job working on an oil derrick, and Yankee Poodle became the highest-rated talk show host in the business after she was exonerated of all charges.
The Zoo Crew operated briefly in defiance of the new law in a battle with the Salamandroid (at a comic book convention where Roger Rodney Rabbit was on a writers' panel) and again when they learn of a threat to destroy Gnu York's greatest landmarks. Frogzilla reappears in a dumbed-down state (reminiscent of the "Hulk smash!" version of the Hulk) and battles the Zoo Crew. During the fight, he swallows Pig-Iron. He is manipulated into vomiting Pig-Iron into a particular building, which houses a dimensional warp. The crash frees Alley-Kat-Abra from a netherworld. After defeating Frogzilla, Abra tells her former teammates that she was imprisoned there by Dark Alley, an evil version of herself created by the Just'a Lotta Animals foe Feline Faust. Dark Alley was the one who killed Little Cheese and framed Yankee Poodle for the crime. Pig-Iron vouches for her and tells them that she contacted him telepathically from the netherworld while he was in Frogzilla's belly and told him her escape plan. The team accepts her back as a probationary member (until they are sure that they can trust her again) and they promptly go to search for the Salamandroid's base under the ocean. Starro the Conqueror surprises them and uses his starfish duplicates to make them forget how to use their powers. Only Pig-Iron escaped-he could not go underwater for fear of rusting.
Starro works with Rash Al Paca to flood Earth-26 so that he can rule it. Aftr President Arnold reveals that the ID collars have eliminated the powers of every superhero on Earth-26, the Zoo Crew summons the Just'a Lotta Animals for help. Green Lambkin leads a JLA team (Hawkmoose, the Elon-Gator, the Crash, the Batmouse and Zap-Panda) to help. Unable to stop the flood, the animal heroes evacuate a number of Gnu Yorkers using an ocean liner called ''Boa's Ark''. As Pig-Iron stays behind battling Starro hoof to tentacle. Others combine their powers to transport the ship full of refugees to Earth-C-Minus. En route, the JLA encounters Muttron, Lightstray and Orihound of the New Dogs; while the two groups face off, the cruise ship is accidentally sucked into the New Dogs' Kaboom Tube and sent to New Earth. The ship lands safely, but all of the passengers, including the Zoo Crew, have turned into ordinary animals.
Zatanna takes Roger Rabbit to participate in her stage show, as the other transformed Zoo Crew members look on. (A pig is among the transformed Crew, though Pig-Iron had not been on the ship when it left).
''Final Crisis''
In the climactic battle in ''
Final Crisis
"Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
'' #7, Monitor Nix Uotan restores the Zoo Crew to their old anthropomorphic forms.
''Convergence''
During DC's
Convergence
Convergence may refer to:
Arts and media Literature
*''Convergence'' (book series), edited by Ruth Nanda Anshen
* "Convergence" (comics), two separate story lines published by DC Comics:
**A four-part crossover storyline that united the four Wei ...
crossover event of 2015, various members of the Zoo Crew team up with
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...
and
Wally West
Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics as the original Kid Flash and the third Flash (DC Comics character), Flash. His power consists mainly of speedster (fiction), superhuman speed. ...
in staged fights to save their respected worlds all to the amusement of
Brainiac
Brainiac is a colloquial adjective used to describe exceptionally intelligent people. It may also refer to:
Culture Fictional entities
* Brainiac (character), a fictional supervillain in DC Comics, and an enemy of Superman
* Brainiac (story arc), ...
.
Team members
The members of the Zoo Crew include:
*Roger Rodney Rabbit / Captain Carrot: A
rabbit
Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...
from
Gnu York and leader of the team, who is often called Rodney so as to avoid confusion with the title character of the film ''
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American live-action/animated comedy mystery film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Frank Marshall and Robert Watts, and loosely adapted by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman from Gary K. Wolf's 1 ...
''. After consuming one of his "cosmic carrots" (as Rodney called them), Rodney gains superpowers for roughly 24 hours, although major exertion could exhaust the powers sooner. His powers include superstrength, endurance, heightened hearing and vision senses and a super-powerful leap. As such, he is the only member who has to constantly replenish his powers and keeps a pair of carrots holstered on his belt for such a need in emergencies. The source of these carrots was initially a
windowbox
A window box (sometimes called a window flower box or window box planter) is a type of flower container for live flowers or plants in the form of a box attached on or just below the sill of a window. It may also be used for growing herbs or othe ...
in which he grew the carrots, which one of the meteor fragments had struck. Later, he arranged a grow-op at the team headquarters to ensure an adequate continuous supply. In his
alter ego
An alter ego (Latin for "other I", " doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a differen ...
, Rodney was the writer and artist of the comic book ''Just'a Lotta Animals'', until its members sued for
copyright
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...
violation and prevented any further reproductions of their adventures. His
Earth-26 counterpart is a member of the Justice League Incarnate.
*Felina Furr / Alley-Kat-Abra: A
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
from
Mew Orleans,
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
instructor and student of the mystical arts. Felina uses her "
Magic Wanda" to cast various types of spells. She has a crush on Rodney / Captain Carrot, and was relieved to see Wonder Wabbit (of Earth C-Minus) return to her own world due to her attraction to him. She was imprisoned by Feline Faust, unknown to her teammates, during which time an evil counterpart, "Dark Alley", impersonated her, murdered Little Cheese, and framed Yankee Poodle for the crime.
*Peter Porkchops / Pig-Iron: A
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
from
Piggsburgh who was struck by a meteor fragment, and fell (along with the meteorite) into a vat of molten metal in the
steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-finish ...
where he worked. The consequent chemical reaction transformed his now-enormous body into living
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
, with strength and invulnerability to match. Peter was originally a character from an earlier series of DC "funny animal" comics. Pig-Iron is also nicknamed the "Swine of Steel" and the "Porcine Powerhouse". Pig-Iron remains behind on Earth-C in the ''Final Ark'' comic book series, fighting against Starro to save his friends. Despite this, a pig is shown alongside the rest of the Zoo Crew after they are transformed into non-anthropomorphic animals at the end of ''Final Ark'', and Pig-Iron is shown as one of the Zoo Crew restored to his anthropomorphic form by Monitor Nix Uotan in ''
Final Crisis
"Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
'' #7. The Peter Porkchops character was created by Otto Feuer and first appeared in 1947 and had his own book from 1949 to 1960.
*Byrd Rentals / Rubberduck: A
duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
from
Follywood, Califurnia, who was originally a
movie
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
star, and is given the power to stretch his body into any shape and length when a meteor fragment struck his hot tub when he was in it. Byrd Rentals' name is a parody of actor
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture.
Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
. Rubberduck is also nicknamed the "Malleable
Mallard
The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...
" and the "Ductile Duck".
*Rova Barkitt / Yankee Poodle: A
poodle
, nickname =
, stock =
, country = Germany or France (see history)
, height =
, maleheight =
, femaleheight =
, weight =
, maleweight =
, femaleweight =
, coat ...
who is also from Follywood, who worked as a gossip columnist (or as she prefers to call it, a "celebrity interviewer") and was interviewing Byrd when they were both struck by meteor fragments. Rova gained the ability to project a repelling force (in the form of blue stars) with one hand and an attraction force (in the form of red-and-white stripes) with the other. Rova Barkitt's name is a parody of gossip columnist
Rona Barrett
Rona Barrett (born Rona Burstein, October 8, 1936) is an American gossip columnist and businesswoman. She runs the Rona Barrett Foundation, a non-profit organization in Santa Ynez, California, dedicated to the aid and support of senior citizens ...
.
*Timmy Joe Terrapin / Fastback: A
turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
from the
Okey-Dokey swamp in the American South, who while trying to catch a
bus
A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...
to
Kornsas City, was struck by a meteor fragment and gained the ability to move at
superchelonian speed. Fastback is also nicknamed the "Reptilian Rocket". Timmy Joe is not the first fast-moving turtle in his family. His uncle Merton McSnurtle was secretly the
Terrific Whatzit, a superhero during the Second Weird War. One issue mentions McSnurtle's participation in "
Operation Overlard".
*Chester Cheese / Little Cheese: A
mouse
A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
and student at Follywood High School, who has the ability to shrink from the comparable size of his teammates to a size of only a few centimeters, and was the only team member not to gain his powers from a meteor fragment (he gained his powers from eating a piece of experimental cheese brought back from Earth-C's
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
), as well as the first non-founding member. He soon revealed his secret identity to the public and left the Zoo Crew to become a lawyer. "Dark Alley", an evil version of Alley-Kat-Abra created by Feline Faust, a villain from Earth-C-Minus, later killed him and framed Yankee Poodle for the crime.
*Johnny Jingo / The American Eagle: An
eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
, who is "the radio talk show host with two right wings" by day, and a vigilante by night. Jingo replaced Little Cheese on the reconstituted Zoo Crew after the latter's death. He is the only member who does not have superpowers, though he does use gadgets similar to those used by the
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
.
In the story in ''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #30-31, deceased Earth-C meta-animals named (other than Little Cheese) include Carrie Carrot, Giant Giraffe, Marvel Bunny Jr., Ballistic Baboon, Amazing Ant, and Power Panda. These heroes may or may not have been former Zoo Crew members. Other members originally included are
Terrific Whatzit and
Hoppy the Marvel Bunny
Hoppy the Marvel Bunny is a fictional comic book superhero and anthropomorphic animal originally published by Fawcett Comics as a spin-off of Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Captain Marvel. He was created by Chad Grothkopf (1914–2005), and debuted in ...
.
Villains
Enemies of the Zoo Crew include:
*Dr. Hoot: An
owl
Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
who uses various scientific gadgets to commit crimes.
*Amazoo: An android from Earth-C-Minus that is a funny animal counterpart of the DC Comics villain
Amazo
Amazo () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky and first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #30 (June 1960) as an adversary of the Justice ...
; it has the abilities of all animals on Earth C-Minus.
*The Shaggy Dawg: A
sheepdog
A sheep dog or sheepdog is generally a dog or breed of dogs historically used in connection with the raising of sheep. These include livestock guardian dogs used to guard sheep and other livestock and herding dogs used to move, manage and co ...
from Earth-C-Minus that is a funny animal counterpart of the DC Comics villain the
Shaggy Man
The Shaggy Man is a character in the Oz books
The Oz books form a book series that begins with ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900) and relates the fictional history of the Land of Oz. Oz was created by author L. Frank Baum, who went on to writ ...
.
*A.C.R.O.S.T.I.C.: A Cabal Recently Organized Solely To Instigate Crimes (as well as other variants designed to fit that particular
acrostic
An acrostic is a poem or other word composition in which the ''first'' letter (or syllable, or word) of each new line (or paragraph, or other recurring feature in the text) spells out a word, message or the alphabet. The term comes from the Fre ...
), a secretive organization that plots to overthrow the American government.
*"Feathers" Fillmore / Brother Hood: A.C.R.O.S.T.I.C.'s shadowy leader, named for his black hood. He is President Mallard Fillmore's criminally adept brother.
*Cold Turkey: A
turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
with weather control and "cold ray" devices; he calls his hoodlums "Snowbirds".
*
Jailhouse
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correcti ...
Roc : A giant
vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
who had been in jail since the late 1950s, until he is released to work for A.C.R.O.S.T.I.C.
*Melvin McMole / Digger O'Doom: A
mole
Mole (or Molé) may refer to:
Animals
* Mole (animal) or "true mole", mammals in the family Talpidae, found in Eurasia and North America
* Golden moles, southern African mammals in the family Chrysochloridae, similar to but unrelated to Talpida ...
who gains tremendous strength after eating one of Rodney's cosmic carrots.
*Fennimore Frog / Frogzilla: Formerly a
frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...
, he is turned into a giant frog by A.C.R.O.S.T.I.C. as a means of seeking revenge against his old foe, Dunbar
Dodo
The dodo (''Raphus cucullatus'') is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius, which is east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The dodo's closest genetic relative was the also-extinct Rodrigues solitaire. The ...
. Both Fennimore and Dunbar originally appeared in DC's "funny animal" title ''The Dodo and the Frog''.
*Feline Faust: A
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
sorcerer from Earth-C-Minus that is a funny animal counterpart of the DC Comics villain
Felix Faust
Felix Faust is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Justice League of America #10'' (1962), created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. He is depicted as an mystic sorcerer obse ...
. His servitor, "Dark Alley", later killed Little Cheese and framed Yankee Poodle for the crime.
*
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain character appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in ''Th ...
: The brilliant, mind-controlling
gorilla
Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...
once transported himself to Earth-C, only to be defeated by the Zoo Crew and the
Changeling
A changeling, also historically referred to as an auf or oaf, is a human-like creature found in folklore throughout Europe. A changeling was believed to be a fairy that had been left in place of a human (typically a child) stolen by other fairi ...
.
*Armordillo: A villainous
armadillo
Armadillos (meaning "little armored ones" in Spanish) are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which is part of the superorder Xenarthra, along wi ...
from the "
Lone Stork State" of
Taxes
A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or ...
with "nine-banded armor" and razor-sharp claws.
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #2 (April 1982)]
*Kongaroo: A
kangaroo
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...
from
Aukstralia, who is transformed into a giant by A.C.R.O.S.T.I.C.
*Garrison Gorilla / King Kone: A disgruntled
gorilla
Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...
ex-employee of the
Basset & Robins ice cream company who wears a refrigerated suit (à la
Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Dave Wood, Sheldon Moldoff and Bob Kane, and first appeared in ''Batman'' #121 in February 1959 as the ice-based criminal Mr. Ze ...
), equipped with a gun that projected destructive blasts of ice cream.
*The Time-Keeper: A rotund
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
who collects great moments from history, disrupting the normal flow of time on Earth-C. His time-control powers are considerable; he proves to be capable of aging or infantizing others at will, and transporting others through space and time. He attempts to pursue Alley-Kat Abra romantically.
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #9 (November 1982)]
*The Salamandroid: A heat-based
salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...
android and a creation of Dr. Hoot; a member of the anti-mammal movement in ''The Final Ark''.
*Rash Al Paca: An
alpaca
The alpaca (''Lama pacos'') is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can successfu ...
and an Earth-26 analogue of
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul, commonly pronounced correctly as ''Re'sh'', hence or ; "The Head of the Demon" or, in a rougher translation, "The Chief Demon". is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary o ...
; he is working with the anti-mammal movement in ''The Final Ark'' to flood the world.
*
Starro the Conqueror: An alien
starfish
Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...
and an enemy of the
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
. After a past battle between the JLA and Starro on Earth-One in the original DC Multiverse, a severed piece of Starro falls through a
chartreuse hole and regenerates into a new Starro on Earth-C, although this version's motives and tactics are somewhat different from the original Starro. He was the Zoo Crew's first opponent, and most recently appeared in ''Captain Carrot and the Final Ark'' #1-3.
*A. "Wolfie" Wolfe / The Wuz-Wolf: A
wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...
who was formerly Peter Porkchop's neighbor, Wolfe became the villainous character after acquiring a talisman that contained some of the steel that Peter had fallen into and given him his powers (thus containing some of the meteor fragment as well). He is Earth-C's version of a werewolf (depicted here as a human being, a mythical creature on Earth-C); in this case, having suffered from the compulsion to eat Peter in his youth (which he got psychiatric help for), Wolfe acted on this impulse as the Wuz-Wolf and was left disgusted after the Zoo Crew managed to cure him.
*Alfred E. Newgator / Mudd: An
alligator
An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...
and distant relative of Fastback who went treasure hunting in the Okey-Dokey Swamp in 1923 and died when he stepped into a quicksand bog. Years later, a movie was shot in the swamp and a barrel of gloop makeup was dumped in the bog where Alfred's bones lay, creating a mud monster dubbed Mudd. Mudd attacked the movie set and abducted
Fara Foxette. The Zoo Crew's attacks had no effect on Mudd until Alley-Kat-Abra creates a plug at the bottom of the swamp and pulled it, sucking Mudd away.
*Polly Wannacracker / The Squawker: A
parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoid ...
rival of Rova Barkitt, Polly crashed into a radio broadcasting tower and gained a sonic scream.
*Salvador Doggi / Debbil Dog: A
chihuahua painter who turned to dark magic to regain his creative spark, only to accidentally create an interdimensional gateway and was sucked into his painting. He spent the next several years developing powers to control the dimension and sucked in Alley-Kat-Abra to free him so that he could use his powers to turn the world into his canvas. After a lengthy fight, Alley-Kat-Abra created a portal, which Debbil Dog planned to destroy so that she would trapped and unable to stop him. However, the portal was fake and Alley-Kat-Abra was able to escape through a real one. The painting was then destroyed, trapping Debbil Dog forever. Debbil Dog could warp reality and wielded a trident, A Brush with Disaster.
*Cheshire Cheetah: A British
cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
who gained superspeed from a constant diet of fast food. After failing to outrun Fastback, the Cheshire Cheetah attempted to escape via a prototype jetpack that he'd stolen, only to have it blast him into space.
[''Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!'' #10 (December 1982)]
*Fatkat: A
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
crime boss who wanted Chester Cheese to throw a basketball game. When he refused, Fatkat had Chester's father killed and him locked in his father's vault which resulted in Chester eating the moon cheese and becoming Little Cheese. Fatkat was eventually defeated by Little Cheese with help from the Zoo Crew.
*Starski N. Hatch / The Screeching Tire: A
hamster
Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera.Fox, Sue. 2006. ''Hamsters''. T.F.H. Publications Inc. They have become established as popular small pets. The b ...
piloting a giant wheel called the Treadnaught. He was a special effects technician for
Steven Spielbird-Dog's movies and was mad that he never received any credit for it. Steven filmed his rampages and offered to make Hatch his next big star.
*Doc Bill Platypus / Power Platypus: A
platypus
The platypus (''Ornithorhynchus anatinus''), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic, egg-laying mammal Endemic (ecology), endemic to Eastern states of Australia, eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypu ...
stunt double, Doc was mad that Byrd Rentals was going to do his own stunts for his latest movie. He tried to get revenge by sabotaging Byrd's car but Byrd was able to save himself every time, thanks to his super powers. Rubber Duck easily foiled Power Platypus by leaving him clinging to a cliff.
*Slumberjack: A
jackrabbit
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The gen ...
art thief, who claimed to be the world's slowest jackrabbit.
*Willy Wildebeest/Gnudini: A
wildebeest
Wildebeest ( , , ), also called gnu ( or ), are antelopes of the genus ''Connochaetes'' and native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes true antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-toe ...
bank robber and master escape artist with magical powers. He is eventually revealed to be a genie and sealed back in his bottle by Alley-Kat-Abra.
*Stanley Bruin / Solar Bear: A
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
weatherman who could generate intense heat and blinding light after being struck by a magnified sunbeam. He blinded his viewers in order to rob them but was defeated when Fastback caused him to overheat.
*Louie Landcrabbe: A
crab
Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...
real estate agent who attempted to buy the Zoo Crew's headquarters. After being rejected, he teamed up with Frogzilla to get revenge.
*
Toto / Titano: A mutated, giant
chimpanzee
The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close relative th ...
with superpowers similar to
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
due to being mutated by being radiated with
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a unique, poisonous r ...
during a science experiment in cyberspace.
In other media
* The Zoo Crew appeared in the ''
Robot Chicken DC Comics Special
''Robot Chicken DC Comics Special'' is an episode of the television comedy series '' Robot Chicken'' and it was aired as a one-off special during Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on September 10, 2012.
A DC Universe special, in collaboration with D ...
'' in a skit in which the
superheroes
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
of
Earth-One
Earth-One (also Earth-1) is a name given to two fictional universes (The Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis versions of the same universe) that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name in ...
travel to Earth-C for the funeral of Captain Carrot.
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
struggles to keep a straight face. Pig-Iron and Rubberduck cameoed in the
third DC Comics special.
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specifi ...
voiced the latter character.
* The Zoo Crew appeared in ''
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''.
References
External links
Obscure DCU Guide: Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crewat
Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...
Archivedfrom the original on April 9, 2012.
Interview with series co-creator Scott Shaw! on the Zoo Crew story in ''Teen Titans'' (current series) #30 & #31Aliens Vs. Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew
{{Portal bar, 1980s, Speculative fiction, Comics
1982 comics debuts
1983 comics endings
Animal superheroes
Characters created by Roy Thomas
Comics about animals
Comics about rabbits and hares
Comics about pigs
Comics about ducks
Comics characters introduced in 1982
DC Comics titles
Fictional rabbits and hares
Humor comics
Parody comics
Children's comics
Parody superheroes