main image

KIRBY

Real Name: Kirby

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-93060/Ultraverse) dog

Occupation: Companion, protector

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Dan McDonald, Alec Swan (aka Firearm)

Enemies: Eric Bateman, sasquatches

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Dawson City, Canada

First Appearance: Firearm#8 (May, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: Kirby is a mixed breed canine: half husky, half wolf. As a dog, he has well-developed senses of smell, hearing and sight, and can run faster than humans. He has heightened stamina and endurance than most domesticated dogs, likely due to his part wolf heritage and his exposure to remote Canadian wilderness. Kirby is intelligent for a dog, obedient, courageous and very protective of its owner. His mixed breed also has high endurance for cold temperatures.

Height: 2'6" (at shoulder)
Weight: 88 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Mostly white (dappled with brown)

History:

(Firearm#8 (fb) - BTS) - Psychic Dan McDonald lived in the remote Canadian wilderness with his faithful canine Kirby; however, it was not far from a sasquatch camp ground. One snow-swept day, McDonald went into nearby Dawson City but in an alley, had a psychic vision (along with the accompanying seizure), which left him vulnerable. Two opportunistic criminals thought to rob him, but he was fiercely defended by his dog.

(Firearm#8 (fb)) - Detective and occasional bounty hunter Alec Swan (aka Firearm) chanced upon the scene and intuitively understood what was happening. Swan whacked the would-be thieves and later accompanied the thankful McDonald back to his remote hut to find out more. Kirby stayed by McDonald's side, who considered the dog to be like a son. Swan left to capture Tommy Locke. Helpful, McDonald swapped Swan's jacket for a warmer one to cope with the snow and frost. But after Swan left, McDonald had a psychic vision of Swan in danger, so he gave Swan's scent from the jacket to Kirby and told him to help the man. Kirby ran off at full speed, having quickly gained Swan's scent outside. Meanwhile, Swan had caught Locke in the woods; he had teamed up with Eric Bateman to secure evidence of sasquatch for fame and money. But the sasquatch returned for revenge as Bateman had killed one of their young, and they tore Locke apart, then turned on Swan. Kirby arrived and jumped an attack at the sasquatch that scared them away. Kirby ran at Bateman, who was pulling a gun on Swan from behind him, scaring the detective, and bit the criminal's throat, but Bateman was able to shoot a bullet into Kirby; the dog lay inert in the snow. A snowstorm began to blow and Swan carried Kirby's body, pushing through the snow to get to McDonald's cabin.

(Firearm#8) - Covered in snow, Swan burst into the cabin carrying the unconscious dog. Luck, Swan's old medical field training and a day's rest, and Kirby was happy on his paws on the porch again as Swan left.

Comments: Created by James Robinson, Bill Knapp, Jasen Rodriguez.

Writer James Robinson dedicated the issue to his friend Mike Lake and "to the memory of his beloved dog Kirby, the inspiration for this tale." (I'm guessing that's the comic titan Mike Lake, co-founder of the Forbidden Planet chain of stores, given the dog's distinctive name of a comic legend).

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Kirby has no known connections to:


images: (without ads)
Firearm#8, p24 (main image)
   p4 (growling headshot)


Appearances:
Firearm#8 (May, 1994) - James Robinson (writer), Bill Knapp (pencils), Jasen Rodriguez (inks), Hank Kanalz (editor)


First posted: 07/15/2025
Last updated: 07/15/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at:
http://www.marvel.com.

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix!

Back to Characters