Where to start? How to start?

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imercenary
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Where to start? How to start?

Post by imercenary »

Hi, I recently found this webcomic and I thought the few pages I read of it were interesting so I figured it might be a good idea to start from the beginning.

Then I saw that the beginning was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back in 2008.

Is there some kind of "download archive" or "view multiple pages on one screen" system I can use? The prospect of clicking through every single page is just a wet blanket. I wouldn't mind simply jumping ahead but I don't know if/where there is a "start reading here cause I rebooted things"-point.
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Gameb18oy
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

I don’t think so, but in case I’m wrong, you might inform people how far in you are at the moment, there might be more or less options depending on that... will bring up the imaginate and the Spot (superdog) arcs have no major impact on the plot going forward, aside from the one offs they are the only thing I know you can skip over
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Champion Wallace »

Hello, welcome, another generic greeting!
I wish I could be more helpful, but as far as I know, this comic doesn't have any of the features your talking about (although, all things considered, it's probably a good thing there hasn't been a reboot that invalidated the first half). As with all webcomics I've seen, the first part is the worst. Unfortunately for you, the first part of Housepets is foundational for the rest of the comic (and really, it's not bad per say, just not as good as it gets). The comic was originally made in black and white until the first Christmas strip. The good news for you is some fans decided to make colored versions and compile them all onto one page like you asked for; you can find it at It's a REFOOT! (a REFur project rebOOT). For the other 94.7% of the comic, you'll have to slog through clicking through every page. If your really serious about getting through quickly, I could try to make a list of strips or arcs you could skip, but if I go farther that guest comics or maybe one-offs, It'd be labeled as blasphemy by the rest of the members. Something to know about is through the first Valentines day stip, if you held your mouse over the picture it would just say the strip's name, but comics made after that there would be an extra punchline or other information.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by D-Rock »

Yeah, Champion, I recall a previous thread about "which arc's are worth skipping" and it got kinda rough. Everyone likes different parts of the series, so you'll have to discover what you like best on your own through your own findings. Callbacks are common, but reboots have not happened.

Some people like the slice of life stuff over the fantastical adventures, some it's the opposite. I'm sire even the Spot comics and Imaginate arc's have their fans. Nothing is objectively "better," but at the same time Rick uses the comic as a sort of experimentation ground at times.

So yeah, sorry there's no easy answer.
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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I don't think there is anyway you can skip over any of the arcs so you need to read them all. The good news is that eventually you will be able to get caught up. It took me 2 weeks but that was all the way back in 2014. LOL
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Obbl »

Just pace yourself. As far as I'm concerned, just about every part of this comic is enjoyable. As long as you don't treat it as some big project that you absolutely must catch up on, but rather a long string of stories to read through in your own time, I don't believe you'll burn out on this comic ^^
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gbr23 »

I want to point out something that have been on my mind since this version of the website got out, and I think that for new readers not having a CAST page could really affect their experience. For a lot of us not having a Cast page doesn’t affect much, since we’re familiarized with the characters but I think that for someone who’s starting to read the comic, not having an index of the characters could be an issue.

Now, I know that HP! cast is big, there are a lot of characters and making it would require A LOT of time and thought, so I get why a Cast page isn’t a priority for Rick.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Bandit1990 »

When I started reading I used the Wiki to help keep track of everyone. https://housepetscomic.wikia.com/wiki/Characters

Parts are somewhat out of date however.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

It still amazed me when I found out Housepets had a big enough audience to justify a wiki
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Basically any type of media these days now is qualification enough to get a wiki page. Whether that wiki page is well-maintained is a whole other story.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by NHWestoN »

As the King of Hearts directed the White Rabbit about a reading assignment, "Start at the beginning and, when you come to the end, stop."

I bought the books. They were worth it. If that's not your bag (or your budget), try starting at the beginning and read maybe ten strips a day. If you're not enjoying the reading, maybe that's a message, too.

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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Though if you are and you can do more than 10, feel free to read more strips but just don't burn yourself out.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Champion Wallace »

I'm very late with this and it probably won't help the original poster, but it might help the next person who discovers Housepets! but is overwhelmed by the number of comics to read through before being able to partake in current discussion. The author, Rick Griffin, has said about the strip Seasons Greetings, that "this arc marks the new iteration of Housepets; it’s intended to be a new jumping-on point. You shouldn’t have to know (much) about the comic as things will be iterated in a timely manner."
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Buster »

i feel the need to argue against that on the grounds that the majority of my favorite stories from this comic are before that point.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

You can argue that but there is nothing about somebody's favorite arcs being before that point that takes away from that being a jumping-on point. Rick set it up so that was where new readers would start and also at that point, new readers wouldn't have favorite arcs.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by fenrirblack »

Why would that be a starting place for new readers? There is so much readers need to know that took place before that point. Even if most of the King information is retold its still not the same as reading it and seeing it take place. Res too. If you get to Temple Crashers without reading how Res was introduced you would have no idea who he is or why he's there. You miss all the backstory for why anything happens. You have to start at the beginning or at least at Sinister Shadow. When I started reading it was the epilogue of the Temple Crashers. I went back and started at the beginning of the Temple Crashers 2 arc and read through it. Afterwards I skipped around and went to the K-9PD story then Save the Date. When I read that first line about how King had been a dog for (7) years, alarms went off in my head so I backtracked and read that entire King saga. After a point I just started at the beginning and read through the entire series and everything made a lot more sense. Even if Year 1 is mostly jokes and gags, you see Pete being introduced which leads into him getting released which leads to King's introduction which creates Team B and affects the rest of the series. On the flip side you are introduced to Tarot in year 2 which introduces the Team A storyline. You won't even fully understand half the jokes if you don't start at the beginning.
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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I'm not saying that it WOULD be a good starting point. I'm just saying that Rick said it would be a good starting point for new readers who were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of comics.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by NHWestoN »

No CLIF Notes for Housepets!, I'm a'feared. ;)
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

Yeah, most you can do is find out what parts people in general say you can skip. Like most of us agree you can skip Spot arcs as they truly don’t impact anything unless you want to count non-canon guest comics... which I suppose we do occasionally since I still find a few people referencing the one of Bailey bellydancing. Speaking of, I didn’t realize she had existed well before the King and Fox ship came up... also, anyone here who was around when that began? I just know that happened, I have no idea how strong the shipping was for them. Was it as strong as Grapenut?
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by imercenary »

Thanks for all the feedback guys (I'm not dead!)

I'll read the comic starting from the strip Seasons Greetings (thanks Champion Wallace) and if I like the comic enough, I can always go back to the older strips later.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by fenrirblack »

Gameb18oy wrote:Yeah, most you can do is find out what parts people in general say you can skip. Like most of us agree you can skip Spot arcs as they truly don’t impact anything unless you want to count non-canon guest comics...
I skip those and the Imaginate chapters except "Imaginate, Too" because it is the only one of significance and one of the best chapters of the series.
Amazee Dayzee wrote:I'm not saying that it WOULD be a good starting point. I'm just saying that Rick said it would be a good starting point for new readers who were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of comics.
I personally don't see how Housepets is overwhelming. Ten + years of comedy/slice of life stories where half the chapters are more humorous than important for the overall story. The sheer amount of characters is overwhelming, I will admit. I still have my character chart I made when I first started reading as well as my flow chart of each characters relation to one another. It took months for me to finally tell the wolf cubs apart and too this day I struggle a little.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

fenrirblack wrote:
Gameb18oy wrote:Yeah, most you can do is find out what parts people in general say you can skip. Like most of us agree you can skip Spot arcs as they truly don’t impact anything unless you want to count non-canon guest comics...
I skip those and the Imaginate chapters except "Imaginate, Too" because it is the only one of significance and one of the best chapters of the series.
Amazee Dayzee wrote:I'm not saying that it WOULD be a good starting point. I'm just saying that Rick said it would be a good starting point for new readers who were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of comics.
I personally don't see how Housepets is overwhelming. Ten + years of comedy/slice of life stories where half the chapters are more humorous than important for the overall story. The sheer amount of characters is overwhelming, I will admit. I still have my character chart I made when I first started reading as well as my flow chart of each characters relation to one another. It took months for me to finally tell the wolf cubs apart and too this day I struggle a little.
The t-shirts he gave the cubs better never come off as that’s the only way I’m gonna be able to tell them apart. Right now their personalities are pretty similar alongside their looks, so I need them.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by D-Rock »

Deevee has no facial markings, NorthStar has facial markings similar to Miles (two tone), Rockstar has facial markings similar to Lucretia (three tone).

I've had plenty of opportunity to work with North Star, so for me he's the easiest.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

D-Rock wrote:Deevee has no facial markings, NorthStar has facial markings similar to Miles (two tone), Rockstar has facial markings similar to Lucretia (three tone).

I've had plenty of opportunity to work with North Star, so for me he's the easiest.
Yeah, but due to how similar the three’s personalities have been up to this point, and those differences not immediately being as clear as an article of clothing or a scar, it’s harder to tell them apart from most characters, especially as they are wolves so every one except from Snowy in that pack shares a color palette in regards to fur... and sorry for pointing out a plothole, but why have we never seen her wolf cubs... or Snowy for that matter?
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by D-Rock »

We've seen them twice, at King's wedding and Bino's failed wolf test. Snow and even Rodney have not had much focus at all. There's just too many others.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

D-Rock wrote:We've seen them twice, at King's wedding and Bino's failed wolf test. Snow and even Rodney have not had much focus at all. There's just too many others.
Them include the theoretical pups?
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by D-Rock »

Yes, one was shown during the wedding rehearsal, the other Bino tried to use as a witness to him actually managing to do the tests.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Gameb18oy »

D-Rock wrote:Yes, one was shown during the wedding rehearsal, the other Bino tried to use as a witness to him actually managing to do the tests.
I see... you know now that I think about it, should have remembered multiple pups took that test
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Champion Wallace »

NHWestoN wrote:No CLIF Notes for Housepets!, I'm a'feared. ;)
I was doing some digging, and it turns out your statement isn't as true as one would guess. Right after the end of the first Temple Crashers arc (close to the "jumping-on point") the author, Rick Griffin, posted this recap of relevant stuff moving forward from there. It's not required reading, but it's there for people who want things explained more obstinately or in-depth. As far as I know, this is the only recap he has written up.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by NHWestoN »

Woulda never known, thanks. You'd sure miss a lot, though, if you never read the comic's....
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

That is probably why Rick made the "jumping-on point" where he made it then.
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by NHWestoN »

Ain't it fascinating where a simple question leads? Wheeeee!
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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: Where to start? How to start?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Well Rick gave an answer so I would say that the answer the creator gave is the official one.
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