SOPHIE

In new and reworked episodes of the webcomic “Doug Eat Dog” recast into graphic format, a small chocolate Lab finds herself part of a growing household.

Fans of the long-running cartoon series will find themselves in familiar territory as a frisky pooch accustomed to “infinite attention and belly rubs” is suddenly forced to accommodate some distracting new arrivals—notably genius kittens Chewy and Equinox, and a big-headed “hairless meatball” named Doug whose first, and only, word is an endearing “Bak!” Squirrels, a spider named Carl, Constance the closet monster, and other occasional guests wander in for cameos, and though some raucous playtimes are cast into short storylines (e.g., “Commander Doug vs. the Labradorian” and “The Fast and the Furriest”), most pages are, like the original strips, discrete incidents with punchlines in the final panels. If the mix of adult-sounding dialogue (“Hey! You’re not allowed on the furniture!” “What part of we’re cats do you not understand?”) and broad humor is reminiscent of “Calvin and Hobbes,” there’s plenty of snuggling and dancing to give the hijinks a cozily domestic tone all their own. And, following a partial cast list at the end, Anderson adds a practical tidbit with the observation that dogs actually sweat through their paws. “So when they give you their paw, you’re actually shaking their armpit.” Good to know. The bright, dynamic art accentuates the characters’ hilariously expressive faces.

Fun, funny, and likely to draw new fans to the dynamic duo.