Tag Archives: dav pilkey

Scholastic to Publish Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga

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Scholastic has announced that Dav Pilkey’s #1 global bestselling Captain Underpants series will return in an exciting new format. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga, written and adapted by Dog Man creator Dav Pilkey, will release simultaneously on April 7, 2026 in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with full-color illustrations by Japanese manga artist Motojiro.

Originally launched by Scholastic nearly 30 years ago with the first book The Adventures of Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey’s pioneering bestselling series was instrumental in creating the illustrated children’s chapter book category that is still popular today. There are more than 90 million copies of Captain Underpants books in print to date, with translations in 37 languages. The series was adapted as a critically acclaimed feature film by DreamWorks Animation as well as an original series on Netflix. With the release of Captain Underpants in comics under its Graphix imprint, Scholastic redefines the manga space by publishing bestselling kid-favorite stories with age-appropriate content.

Combining humor and action with empowerment and empathy, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga features the amazing adventures of best friends George Beard and Harold Hutchins and their waistband warrior superhero creation, Captain Underpants. Following the story arc of the original chapter book, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga is reenvisioned as an engaging graphic novel that will read in the traditional English language tradition (left to right), include new and fun Flip-o-Ramas that will captivate existing fans, capture new readers, and appeal to comics, manga, and anime aficionados alike.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga

Scholastic reveals the cover for Dog Man: Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey Coming November 11, 2025

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Scholastic has revealed the cover for Dog Man: Big Jim Believes, the newest book in Dav Pilkey’s #1 worldwide bestselling literary phenomenon. Releasing simultaneously on November 11, 2025, in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the latest epic adventure in the hit graphic novel series featuring the lovable canine superhero and his “supa buddies” will delve into the importance of friendship, truth, integrity, and gratitude.

As a writer and illustrator who has inspired kids around the world to read for fun and made his ADHD and dyslexia his “superpowers,” Pilkey’s Dog Man books explore multi-generational family and champion empathy and doing good.

The Dog Man series follows the hilarious and heartwarming adventures of the “Supa Buddies”: Dog Man, a lovable canine superhero, and his friends Li’l Petey, a curious kitten who embodies love, optimism, and hope, and 80-HD, a robot who expresses himself best through his art. The series explores universally positive messages including empathy, kindness, and striving to become a better version of one’s self, while it also tackles more complex themes including death, shared custody, and forgiveness.

Since Dog Man launched to critical acclaim in August 2016, there are more than 70 million copies of the books in print to date, with translations in 48 languages. In the U.S., every installment in the series has clinched the #1 spot on national bestseller lists. Year to date sales in the U.S. for Dog Man are up 34% over the prior year with the most recent book, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins (published in December 2024), selling nearly 1.1 million copies to date in the U.S. alone*. In the U.K., where Dav Pilkey has been shortlisted for a British Book Award for Illustrator of the Year and Dog Man shortlisted for Book of the Year/Children’s Illustrated, one in three graphic novels sold are books by Pilkey*. Dog Man also saw tremendous growth in Canada where combined English and French sales for the series are up 73% over the prior year and continues to be the #1 bestselling children’s book series. In Australia, where a Dog Man book is sold every 2 minutes, Dog Man reigns as one of its bestselling children’s series of all time. Dog Man book sales in Spanish in Spain and Latin America are up 101% from prior year. Screen Rant recently crowned Dog Man, “the biggest comic book hero in years,” besting long-time classics Super-Man and the Hulk. (*Source: Circana Bookscan/U.S., The Bookseller/UK)

Following a successful theatrical run debuting at #1 at the box office, the Dog Man film adaptation from DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures will exclusively stream on Peacock starting May 30th. The critically-acclaimed Dog Man: The Musical and Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical from TheaterWorksUSA, stage adaptations of Dav Pilkey’s hit graphic novel series, will be touring across North America through 2026.

Dog Man: Big Jim Believes

Binc Announces $45,000 Matching Gift to Help Book and Comic People Affected by California Wildfires and Other Disasters

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Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

As wildfires continue to ravage parts of California, a matching gift pool will ensure donations made to the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation continue to have double the impact. Thanks to the generosity of Dav Pilkey, Forefront Books, Ingram Content Group, Macmillan Publishers, and Mad Cave Studios all gifts, regardless of size, up to $45,000 will be matched to meet the needs of the bookstores and comic shops and their store employees potentially impacted by the wildfires and other natural disasters.  

The California wildfires have closed dozens of book and comic stores, forced many book and comic people to evacuate or shelter in place, and Binc is already aware of seven booksellers who have lost their homes. Free mental health wellness is being offered to anyone in need and the calls for help continue amidst widespread and ongoing devastation.

An initial $10,000 match from Bookshop.org, which was quickly met, motivated the $45,000 matching gift pool.

The foundation receives requests every day from book and comic store employees and owners experiencing unforeseen emergency financial, medical and mental health hardships, and has helped stores around the country recover after natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Double the impact of a gift to Binc by donating today. 

The Library of Congress to Host Dog Man Author and Illustrator Dav Pilkey this January

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Dav Pilkey

The Library of Congress will host Dav Pilkey, the No. 1 worldwide bestselling author and acclaimed illustrator of the global phenomenon “Dog Man” on Wednesday, Jan. 29 starting at 5:30 p.m. During this event, Pilkey will discuss his newest book, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins and talk about how books bring people together and help kids develop empathy and compassion.

Following the author talk will be a sneak peek clip from DreamWorks Animation’s feature film, Dog Man, coming to theaters Jan. 31. Families can also enjoy a range of interactive experiences, including a meet-and-greet with Pilkey, photo opportunities with the Dog Man costume character, a create-your-own comics station, and a variety of fun activities for kids and families to enjoy in the Great Hall.

This event kicks off Pilkey’s global tour, “Celebrating Heroes Around the World.” 

Ticketing Information
Free tickets to the event can be obtained at loc.gov/events. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for all activities. Each ticket holder will have access to Dog Man activities, custom Dog Man cookies, and a meet-and-greet with Pilkey. A limited number of add-on tickets are available to see the 6:30 p.m. program with Pilkey in the Coolidge Auditorium on a first-come-first-serve basis. Once those tickets are all reserved, the Library will indicate that they are sold out on the event page on loc.gov/events. A limited waitlist to see the program will be available on the day of the event.

Meet and Greet Information
All ticket holders will be eligible to meet Pilkey during a meet and greet starting at 7:15 p.m. Please note that participants will be allowed to line up starting at 7 p.m. Each ticket holder will receive a free copy of “Dog Man: Big Jim Begins.” Additional books will be available for purchase near the Coolidge Auditorium starting at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the event. To ensure that all attendees can be accommodated, no books from home can be signed. 

Dav Pilkey and the Library of Congress
During the pandemic lockdown, Pilkey, in collaboration with the Library of Congress and Scholastic, launched “Dav Pilkey at Home,” a weekly series of free videos created by Pilkey and posted online to encourage kids to be creative and to keep reading at home. The playlist of Pilkey’s “how to draw” and “read aloud” videos are archived on the Library of Congress’s website at loc.gov/engage.

For nearly four decades, Pilkey’s books have been inspiring and igniting kids’ passion for reading. Published by Scholastic, the Dog Man series follows the hilarious adventures of the “Supa Buddies” — Dog Man, a lovable canine superhero, and his friends Li’l Petey, a curious kitten who embodies love, optimism and hope, and 80-HD, a robot who expresses himself best through his art. With Pilkey’s trademark humor and heart, the Dog Man series celebrates creativity and imagination and explores universally positive messages including the importance of doing good and striving to become a better version of one’s self, while it also tackles more complex themes including loss, redemption and forgiveness. Since it launched to critical acclaim in 2016, the Dog Man series has more than 60 million books in print, has been translated into 47 languages, and earned a place among the bestselling graphic novel series of all time.

Scholastic unleashes a Dog Man Global Campaign celebrating reading and heroes around the world and a Dav Pilkey International Tour

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Dog Man Hero Party

Dog Man-ia is about to sweep the globe. Big plans for Dav Pilkey’s #1 blockbuster hit series Dog Man kicks off with the launch of the newest book, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, releasing today simultaneously in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with a 5 million copy first printing.

Since the book series launched to critical acclaim in August 2016, Dog Man has more than 60 million books in print with translations in 47 languages, making it one of the bestselling graphic novel series of all time. DreamWorks Animation’s new feature film adaptation, Dog Man, will arrive in theaters worldwide early next year, beginning with the U.S. release on January 31. The film is directed by Peter Hastings and features the vocal talents of a powerhouse comedic cast, including Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson, Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais (The Office).

More big news is coming in the New Year as Dog Man author and illustrator Dav Pilkey embarks on an international tour. Inspired by one of the themes in the Dog Man series about how ordinary people can do extraordinarily good deeds, all events on Dav Pilkey’s tour will shine the spotlight on everyday heroes who make a positive impact in their own communities. The tour starts in the U.S. in January with an event at the world’s largest library, the Library of Congress, in Washington, D.C. Additional event details and tour stops in the U.S. include Kansas City, Detroit, Dallas, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more. For the first time in 10 years, Pilkey will travel to the U.K. and Ireland appearing in London at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the Southbank Centre’s Imagine Festival on February 22nd followed by an event in Dublin. More venues and countries along with ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks on Scholastic’s social media platforms and Scholastic’s Dav Pilkey website.

For nearly four decades, Dav Pilkey’s books have been inspiring and igniting kids’ passion for reading. Highlights of upcoming plans include: 

  • A new Dog Man book, Dog Man: Big Jim Believes, will be published by Scholastic worldwide in Fall 2025.
  • Scholastic also will release a special full-color edition of Dav Pilkey’s first-ever graphic novel, The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, in August 2025. Originally published in 2002, fourteen years before Dog Man, The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby was an instant national bestseller. 
  • Starting this month and through spring 2025, more than 100 Dog Man costume characters will be appearing at bookstores, libraries, and community-wide events across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
  • Thousands of custom “Join The Hero Party” Dog Man displays and exclusive giveaways will be featured across all major retailers in the U.S. and Canada. Scholastic will also distribute thousands of event kits and the Dog Man iconic hero badges to bookstores and libraries. To find events in the U.S. and Canada, and to download free “Join the Hero Party” activities, visit www.celebratedogman.com.
  • Dav Pilkey has created a free “Supa Special Collector’s Comic” showing how animators brought his characters to life on the big screen for the Dog Man movie. To help readers explore the exciting world of graphic novels and creative storytelling, Scholastic will provide nearly 4 million copies of this free mini comic through its school channels in the U.S., U.K., Canada, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
  • Through literacy programs organized by Scholastic collaborators Book Trust and the Scripps Howard Fund, which promote book access and the joy of reading, nearly 50,000 students across the U.S. will each receive a free copy of Dog Man: Big Jim Begins. In addition, one school from each program will receive a “Join the Hero” party-themed Scholastic Book Fair. Participating schools will also recognize everyday heroes who make a difference in their own communities. These in-school literacy programs will be fully funded by Dav Pilkey.  
  • Starting this month through 2025, international publishers have major plans to promote Dog Man including a costume character tour in Spain organized by Grupo SM. In Brazil, where Dog Man sales have doubled, publisher Companhia das Letras is sending the Dog Man costume character on a wide-ranging promotional tour appearing at bookstores in various cities including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
  • The critically-acclaimed Dog Man: The Musical and Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical from TheaterWorksUSA, stage adaptations of Dav Pilkey’s hit graphic novel series, will be touring across North America and around the world through 2025. Learn more at TWUSA.ORG.

Dog Man: Mission Impawsible gets a gameplay trailer and release date

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Get ready for an epic adventure! Mindscape and Dav Pilkey have revealed the first look at gameplay for Dog Man: Mission Impawsible. Take a look at the magic of the beloved Dog Man graphic novels in the world of gaming. For the first time ever, fans and gamers can dive into the thrilling adventures of Dog Man with an exciting 2D side-scrolling platformer. Dog Man: Mission Impawsible is produced under an agreement brokered by Joester Loria Group, Dav Pilkey’s global licensing representative for Dog Man, and is developed by Floor 84 Studio, a studio known for their collaborations with Disney, Warner Bros., and Mattel. The game will be available Dec. 6, 2024, digitally and physically on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as digitally on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X|S.

Help Dog Man and his friends chase down the supa bad guys in their most impawsible mission yet! Embark on an exciting journey across 50 unique levels spanning five diverse worlds, all in pursuit of the thief who stole the key to the city. Switch between Dog Man and his Supa Buddies, each equipped with special abilities and gadgets like Rocket Boots, Retractable Claws, and Dirt-Proof Pants. Together, conquer challenging obstacles and take down powerful, recognizable bosses!

Dog Man is unleashed with its first movie trailer and cast revealed!

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Part dog, part man, all hero. 

From DreamWorks Animation—creators of the beloved blockbuster franchises Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and The Boss Baby—comes the canine-crime-fighting film adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s New York Times bestselling literary phenomenon: Dog Man. 

When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve—and fetch, sit and roll over.  

As Dog Man embraces his new identity and strives to impress his Chief (Lil Rel Howery, Get Out, Free Guy), he must stop the pretty evil plots of feline supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson; Saturday Night Live, The King of Staten Island). Petey’s latest plan is to clone himself, creating the kitten Lil Petey, to double his ability to do crime stuff. Things get complicated, though, when Lil Petey forges an unexpected bond with Dog Man. 

When Lil Petey falls into the clutches of a common enemy, Dog Man and Petey reluctantly join forces in an action-packed race against time to rescue the young kitten. In the process, they discover the power of family (and kittens!) to bring even the most hostile foes together.  

Dog Man also stars Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers, Rango) as TV reporter Sarah Hatoff; Poppy Liu (Hacks, The Afterparty) as Petey’s assistant, Butler; Emmy nominee Stephen Root (Barry, King of the Hill) as Grampa; Billy Boyd (the Lord of the Rings franchise, Seed of Chucky) as Sarah’s cameraman, Seamus; and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais (The Office, Extras) as Flippy the fish.  

Dog Man is directed by Emmy winner Peter Hastings (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness), whose credits include the groundbreaking animated series Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. The film is produced by Karen Foster (Spirit Untamed), who served as co-producer on DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon. 

Launched in 2016 by Dav Pilkey—the #1 global bestselling author and award-winning illustrator of the Captain Underpants books—the Dog Man Scholastic series now includes 12 books. The series has more than 60 million copies in print and has been translated into 47 languages. Cat Kid Comic Club, a spin-off of Dog Man launched in 2020, has also topped bestseller lists around the world. Pilkey’s newest book in the Dog Man series, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, is set to release on December 3, 2024.

The bestselling Dog Man is getting a video game for PC and Consoles

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Mindscape and Dav Pilkey have partnered to bring the bestselling Dog Man graphic novel series to the world of video games. This license agreement grants Mindscape global distribution rights for Dog Man: Mission Impawsible, in both digital and physical versions of the game.

Since its launch by Scholastic in August 2016, Dog Man graphic novels have sold more than 60 million copies in print and translated into 47 languages.

Dog Man: Mission Impawsible is a 2D side-scrolling platformer featuring fun and engaging puzzle mechanics. Players will embark on an exciting journey across 50 unique levels spanning five different worlds as they pursue the thief who stole the key to the city. Players will explore eight iconic locations from the Dog Man universe, including City Hall, the Giant Marshmallow Factory, and various jails. Each location offers unique platforming challenges and puzzle-solving opportunities, ensuring action-packed and entertaining gameplay for fans of all ages.

The game will be available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Xbox Series X|S.

New Dog Man comes to shops this December

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Dog Man

Some howling good news to readers and moviegoers alike. Scholastic has announced that a new book in the global publishing phenomenon Dog Man by Dav Pilkey will be published on December 3rd. DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures recently revealed that Dog Man, an animated feature film adaptation based on the blockbuster hit graphic novel series will be released in theaters worldwide in January 2025.    

Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, the thirteenth book in the series, explores the origin story of Pilkey’s beloved Dog Man characters, and will land in stores in time for the holiday season and weeks before the global theatrical release of the movie. The announcement comes on the heels of the success of Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder released in March of this year and seized the #1 spot as the bestselling book overall (adult and children’s books combined) for five straight weeks* in North America and topped bestseller lists around the world. Since the series launched to critical acclaim in August 2016, there are more than 60 million Dog Man books in print to date with translations in 47 languages.

With Dav Pilkey’s trademark humor and heart, the Dog Man series celebrates creativity and imagination and explores universally positive messages including the importance of doing good and striving to become a better version of one’s self, while it also tackles more complex themes including loss, redemption, and forgiveness. Most recently with Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder, Dav Pilkey delved into the world of artificial intelligence while making a gripping and comical commentary about the impact of social media.

Dog Man: Big Jim Begins,

Dog Man is back with a new book, musical, and more!

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Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea

Dog Man is back! The #1 global bestselling and acclaimed book series by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey makes a rollicking return on March 28th with a new book, Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea, releasing simultaneously in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Asia. Pilkey’s hit series which launched to multiple starred reviews six years ago, has more than 60 million copies in print to date with translations in 44 languages. The last installment in the series, Dog Man: Mothering Heights, published nearly two years ago, dominated both children’s and adult bestseller lists, and was the #1 bestselling book overall in the U.S. in 2021. TheaterWorksUSA recently announced the March 4th return of the hit show Dog Man: The Musical at New World Stages in New York City, with performances also set to begin in Australia in June. A feature film adaptation of Dog Man is in the works from DreamWorks Animation.

To mark the launch of the highly-anticipated new Dog Man graphic novel, Scholastic announced today its campaign to celebrate the joy of reading which includes “Dog Man Day” events in stores, schools, libraries, and major conventions and venues around the world. Highlights of upcoming events, community outreach, free comics, and exclusive Dog Man giveaways include:

  • The month of March kicks off with the release of the anniversary edition of Dav Pilkey’s The Adventures of Captain Underpants featuring an all-new bonus 32-page Dog Man comic, Dog Man and the League of Misfits. This special edition marks 25 ½ years since the launch of the phenomenally popular Captain Underpants series which has more than 90 million copies in print to date with translations in 43 languages.
  • To celebrate the publication of Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea and the return of Dog Man on stage, the cast of Dog Man: The Musical will make a special appearance at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City in late February, as well as a special performance and book giveaway for kids from New York City Title 1 schools in attendance at New World Stages on March 30th. This special performance is part of TheaterWorksUSA’s not-for-profit mission and “Cause for Applause” Fund that makes theater accessible for all children. 
  • Starting March 28th and continuing throughout the spring, national retailers Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Books-a-Million, and independent bookstores will host “Dog Man Day” celebrations throughout North America. Additionally, multiple Dog Man costume characters will make “surprise and delight” appearances at major venues and conventions throughout the year. To find a “Dog Man Day” celebration near you, visit www.celebratedogman.com and click on the Epic Event locator.
  • To encourage community engagement and bring families together to celebrate reading, Scholastic has created thousands of “Supa Epic Event Kits” for public and school libraries hosting “Dog Man Day” events. Each kit is filled with fun giveaways including “Dive into Reading with Dog Man” collectible posters, comic creators, and more. To access free downloadable activities online, visit www.celebratedogman.com.
  • Dav Pilkey has written and illustrated a 16-page original comic, Wally’s World, which will be available for free* exclusively at independent bookstores in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. Target and Barnes & Noble will offer exclusive editions of Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Seafeaturing free trading cards and colorable pull-out poster respectively.  (*Limited quantities, while supplies last)
  • Scholastic Book Fairs, in partnership with the Scripps Howard Fund, will distribute free copies of Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea, to 25,000 students and teachers in Title 1 schools. The giveaway is part of the Fund’s “If You Give a Child a Book…” literacy campaign, which provides free book fairs for low-income students in The E.W. Scripps Company’s 41 markets around the U.S. The Fund is a leader in supporting childhood literacy, journalism education, and community giving. The free book giveaway to underserved students is made possible by and courtesy of Dav Pilkey.
  • To celebrate reading and bring excitement to tens of thousands of classrooms, Scholastic Book Clubs, for the first time ever, will be distributing Dog Man Day celebration kits in its distinctive Book Club boxes specially designed with Dav Pilkey’s iconic characters.
  • On May 6th “Free Comic Book Day,” comic bookstores will be giving away copies of a free comic featuring characters from both Dog Man and Captain Underpants series.
  • More exciting news about Dav Pilkey’s books will be announced on Dav Pilkey’s Epic Comic Club, a free online platform where kids can create their own comics in a safe environment, and access exclusive content including Dav Pilkey’s read-aloud and how-to-draw videos, and more. Launched in August 2022, Dav Pilkey’s Epic Comic Club has reached kids, parents, caregivers, and educators in 153 countries to date.
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