Cat and dog lovers unite with duo Pixie and Brutus - the webcomic series that follows a tiny, joyful, absolutely cute kitten, and her large, scar-faced German Shepherd companion. Cartoonist and creator, Ben Hed, told Bored Panda that the adorable animal adventures began as a random funny comic idea. But the people really liked the series, so he kept it up. Now Pixie and Brutus have an Instagram following of 1.7m and their playful, humorous, sweet storylines continue to bring them joy. Whether you have seen their comic strip before or are new to the world of this unlikely animal friendship, these mischevious pets are sure to bring a smile to your face.
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Pixie and Brutus fandom has been rapidly growing and to keep them entertained Hed has decided to introduce a line of some merchandise. Last time the illustrator spoke to Bored Panda mentioned that the idea of making Pixie the tiny kitten and Brutus the dangerous dog plushies was in the works, and now it seems we can expect them shortly: "Yes actually; gonna start with just Pixie. There are a few changes that still need to be made, but if I had to guess a date, I'd say we'll start selling within three months. If we sell enough Pixie plushies, we can do other characters (Brutus next, most likely)."
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Keeping up with demand might pose pressure for some but instead, Hed has used it to push himself, saying last time “I do worry about each comic’s performance, but I worried about that before I created Pixie and Brutus too.” Following that interview, his Instagram followers substantially increased, which he said never ceases to shock him.
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Not only does he not feel pressure from his fans, but they inspire him through their comments. "Tons of feedback. What they liked about the comic, what they thought was going to happen, ideas for future comics, ideas for new characters. There are probably a couple of funny comics in my feed that are entirely inspired by a comment on one of my posts."
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Through Pixie and Brutus's evolution, Hed has become a full-time illustrator, and while he says he gets a lot less sun, not much has changed for his two characters. "Their designs are a bit different from the first P and B comic, and I guess Brutus has gotten gradually less hostile towards other characters as of late, but other than that. It's pretty much the same."
So what can we expect for the future adventures of this dynamic duo? For now, Hed is still just focused on creating enjoyable comics - but there is always room to dream. "I thought it would be cool to have them adapted into a tv show, but that's LONG, long term. Probably won't even ever happen... but maybe."
