Footrot Flats

Footrot Flats was a comic strip written by New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball. It ran from 1975 until 1999 in newspapers around the world, and resulted in a series of 27 books (collecting the newspaper strips, with additional material), a stage musical, and an animated feature film called Footrot Flats: the Dog's Tale.

The cartoon was based around the life of Wal Footrot's sheep dog, "Dog", on their farm Footrot Flats (hence the title), and the other characters, human and animal, that came into their lives. Dog's thoughts are voiced in thought bubbles, though he is clearly "just a dog" rather than the anthromorphised creatures sometimes found in other comics or animation. The humour was based around the foibles of the characters, which many, particularly farmers themselves, found easy to recognise around them. There was much "humour in adversity", making fun of the daily struggle that permeates farming life.

Contents

1 Main Characters 2 Minor Characters 3 See Also 4 External links

Main Characters

"The Dog" 

The main character of the book, a Border Collie. Thinks of himself as 'upper middle class' and tough, but is really quite soft and often cowardly. He has a real name but he hates it and stops everyone who tries to reveal it. Wal always calls him "Dog", gaining loyal devotion. Often put to use to guard things or get rid of rats or pigs - which he fails to do. He also has a couple of alter egos, "The Scarlet Manuka" and "Mitey Iron Paw", that appear from time to time. Was the mascot of the All Blacks for a few seasons.

Wallace "Wal" Footrot 

The owner of the Dog and Footrot Flats. A decent bloke although a bit of a slob. A rugby union player, plays for the town team and dreams of one day playing for the All Blacks. Also plays cricket when in season.

Socrates "Cooch" Windgrass 

Runs the farm next to Wal, has compassion for all living creatures and things and thus has a natural way with animals. Owns a pet Magpie called Pew who is constantly attacking Wal (Wal chopped down his family's nest tree, orphaning Pew and making him a 'social misfit'). Cooch never drives a tractor, preferring to plod along on his Clydesdales. Wal's best friend (besides the Dog, of course!).

Dahlene "Cheeky" Hobson 

Wal's on-again/off-again girlfriend. Works at a hair salon. Cheeky is despised by the dog, who is always looking for a way to come between her and Wal. Near the end of the strip's run she and Wal become engaged but at the last minute she dumps Wal to move out of town with a male stripper.

Rangi Wiremu Waka Jones 

A local boy who often appears on the farm to give Wal a hand. As a testimony to Murray Ball's skill as an artist, the character of Rangi actually grew up over the years in the book, appearing slightly older in each book from being a little kid to a teenager.

Janice "Pongo" Footrot 

Wal's niece, daughter of Rex Footrot. Like Rangi she aged during the book. She starts off very much a stereotyped girl, dressing up the Dog in a pram and playing dolls, however she slowly turned into a strong pro-feminist.

Dolores Monrovia Godwit "Aunt Dolly" Footrot 

Wal's aunt. Owns a cat home (where Dog was born). Very conservative and does not like Wal being with Cheeky at all. But under her strictness she has a kind heart and takes to mothering abandoned lambs in the winter. Dog despises her for giving him his name - which he does not reveal.

Horse 

Based on a cat Murray Ball owned. In Book 7 there's a brief ode to Horse written in the front pages. The character is a menace to Dog and the other characters, resisting attempts to be tamed by Aunt Dolly or others. He has a girlfriend (Fred) who frequents with a Bikie gang and loves leather. Often is father to kittens. He and Dog frequently cross paths which end up with Dog on the short end. Spoke a bit in the earlier comics but in later ones he mainly spoke out via actions and yowls.

Prince Charles 

A VERY spoilt English Corgi owned by Aunt Dolly. Has a higher view on life from listening to Aunt Dolly and living inside. Often there are "class" clashes between him and Dog. He is easily stirred and Dog usually has to explain to him the rougher aspects of farm life - like livestock mating and maggots eating without gravy.

Minor Characters

Puti Puti 

Rangi's Cousin. A city slicker, often gains a culture shock when coming to the farm. Usually confuses Dog who attempts to be hip like the city dogs.

Pew 

A magpie that's been abandoned by his family after Wal cut down his tree. It's taken to Cooch and often gets back at Wal.

Jess 

Dog's on/off girlfriend and the attraction of other dogs in the area. Now and then has puppies.

Cooch's cousin Kathy 

A beautiful, occasional visitor to Cooch and Wal. Her face remains a mystery as she is always drawn facing away from the reader. Loved by the Dog for her fabulous cooking.

Stewart "Irish" Murphy 

Wal's other neighbour. Always appears filthy, probably due to farming numerous pigs, which cause Wal plenty of grief. Has three loutish sons Hunk, Spit, and Lex.

"Irish" Murphy's pigs 

A fearsome gang of five or six enormous beasts. Often lurk in the nearby creek, causing consternation to unsuspecting fishermen or dogs. Always ravenous, they once defeated and ate some large sharks that swam up the estuary.

Tiger, Wolf and Creampuff, "Irish" Murphy's pig-dogs 

They often terrorise Dog who seeks help from Wal, Horse or Major. Now and then Dog tries to take all three of them on at once.

Major 

Wal's first dog. A hunting dog, very stern and usually foul-tempered. But has some fondness for Dog, often saving him from Murphy's dogs.

Hermit Ram 

This character appears now and then. It's a ram that's run off from the group and lives in the scrub of the farm. Now and then it appears with interest in the female sheep and Dog is often sent to stop it. Now and then it's hunted — but often outdoes its pursuers.

Cecil the Ram 

An aged stud ram, who patently lacks zest for the task of servicing Wal's sheep. He soon rediscovers his libido when Wal sharpens the butchery knife.

Other hostile animals 

Horace and Dolores (pigs); the Goat; the Goose; the Turkey. In the early strip, these critters were Dog's main tormentors. Later the irascible tomcat Horse became Dog's main nemesis (and sometime ally).

See Also

• New Zealand humour

External links

• The Black Sheep's Footrot Flats page (http://www.theblacksheep.net/footrot.htm), a fan-site
• The Dog's unofish uneffi not official website (http://www.oneil.com.au/footrot/)
• The movie (http://www.nzfilm.co.nz/display_film.php?film_id=117) at the New Zealand Film Commission website