The Crass Menagerie

Stephan Pastis’s The Crass Menagerie (2008–present, Andrews McMeel) collects the early years of his daily comic strip Pearls Before Swine, offering a generous sampling of the strip’s sardonic humor and cast of anthropomorphic oddballs. Pastis, the strip’s sole writer and artist, uses this volume to showcase his sharp, self-deprecating wit and the series’ signature blend of wordplay, absurdity, and cynical commentary on modern life. As the first collection of a beloved modern comic, it’s an essential entry point for readers discovering the misadventures of Rat, Pig, and their friends.