History:
SGT. PRESTON DUDLEY
Real Name: Preston Dudley
Identity/Class: Human (Canadian)
Occupation: Law enforcement officer
Group Membership: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Affiliations: Elizabeth, Howard the Duck, Prince, Beverly Switzler
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Ontario, Canada
First Appearance: Howard the Duck I#9 (February, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: Dudley has a keen mind for facts in criminal investigations and his earnest eyes are quick to spot important details. Under normal conditions he is an accomplished horse rider. He carries a pistol but seldom needs to use it. He also appears to be an excellent animal trainer as his husky dog Elizabeth seems to understand him when he speaks.
Height: Unrevealed
(approximately 6'1")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 190 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
History:
(Howard the Duck I#9 (fb) - BTS) - In his career in the RCMP Dudley had a history of investigations of Pierre Dentifris as he was a suspect in several murders but the RCMP had never managed to make a charge stick.
(Howard the Duck I#9) - While out by a "basic crystal blue" lake, Sgt. Dudley saw an airplane falling from the sky. He told his horse Prince to ride up and investigate but Prince was a little too spirited and threw Dudley from his saddle. Elizabeth laughed at Dudley's predicament. Retrieving Prince, Dudley rode up and greeted the plane's surviving passengers - Beverly Switzler and Howard the Duck. Dudley introduced himself and gave the two visitors a ride aboard Prince.
Bringing Beverly and Howard to the neighborhood RCMP outpost, Dudley learned about the story of Howard's unsuccessful bid to become President of the United States which had been manipulated by someone who used a bellhop as an agent and controlled the robot plane which brought Howard and Beverly to Canada. Hearing this, Dudley immediately concluded Canada's only super-patriot Pierre Dentifris was responsible because it matched his modus operandi: Pierre always used bellboys and robot planes. Howard asked what they would do about Dentifris and Dudley assured him, "the Mounties always get their man!"
A brief ride on horseback (with a second horse accompanying Prince for the benefit of Beverly and Howard) led Dudley to the rustic mountain estate of Pierre Dentifris. The moment Pierre saw Howard he immediately confessed his entire scheme and motivation in targeting Howard but Howard was so unimpressed by Pierre's feeble condition and insane ravings that he told Dudley he'd lost interest in arresting him.
Dudley put Beverly and Howard up for the night in the log cabin where he lived. While Dudley was in the shower Pierre's bellboy underling attempted to kill Howard but Howard easily defeated him. Dudley emerged from his shower in time to arrest the bellboy.
While Howard was distracted, Pierre's pet beavers abducted Beverly and carried her to Niagara Falls so Pierre could face Howard in battle in his guise as le Beaver. Beverly was trapped in a tree as le Beaver's pets threatened to chew through but while Howard defeated le Beaver, Dudley arrived on the scene to rescue Beverly. With Pierre's defeat, Dudley declared "this basket case is closed."
(Howard the Duck I#10 - BTS) - Dudley gave Beverly and Howard a lift back to the United States, leaving them in a motel. In a state of delirium, Howard imagined Dudley as a customs agent asking him whether he had firearms or liquor.
Comments: Created by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan and Steve Leialoha.
Preston Dudley's name references two famous fictional Mounties - Dudley Do-Right of the animated program The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and Sgt. Preston, lead character of the radio adventure series Challenge of the Yukon. They're easily the two most famous fictional Mounties, but there is a long tradition of square-jawed double-fisted heroic Mounties in fiction, such as the Renfew of the Royal Mounted novels and the King of the Royal Mounted comiic strip. Mounties so often appear in fiction either in historical settings (or comedic) that you may be surprised to learn that they still exist in contemporary Canada, red coats and all - your own Prime One claims a Mountie on his family tree.
Dudley's horse Prince is a reference to Sgt. Preston's horse Rex, while his dog Elizabeth is a reference to Sgt. Preston's dog Yukon King.
Since Niagara Falls figures prominently in Dudley's adventure it's possible that Dudley lived in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario. Of course, part of the joke of the story is that the entire nation of Canada is represented as nothing more than a rustic town, Niagara Falls and some French-speaking people - an American tourist's view of a nation which is actually larger than the United States itself.
Beverly claimed they were "60 miles from London, Ontario" but that's still a fair distance from Niagara Falls. Again, that's probably the joke.
Note that Dudley speaks with an English accent, which is another popular American misconception about Canada from 20th century popular culture (only 1st generation UK immigrant Canadians have such accents and even then not as exaggerated as Dudley's).
This profile was completed on 11/24/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Preston Dudley should not be confused with:
Elizabeth was Dudley's trusty husky companion. Although a mere animal she demonstrated a sense of humor, rolling on the ground with doggish "arfs" when Dudley was thrown off Prince. At various times she seemed to understand what Preston was saying.
--Howard the Duck I#9
Prince was Dudley's trusty steed. He sometimes reacted with so much force that he would inadvertantly throw Dudley from the saddle.
--Howard the Duck I#9
images: (without ads)
Howard the Duck I#9, page 9, panel 7 (main)
Howard the Duck I#9, page 9, panel 5 (face)
Howard the Duck I#9, page 8, panel 5 (Elizabeth)
Howard the Duck I#9, page 7, panel 6 (Prince)
Appearances:
Howard the Duck I#9-10 (February-March, 1977) - Steve Gerber (writer,
editor), Gene Colan (penciler), Steve Leialoha (inker)
First posted: 09/02/2026
Last updated:
11/24/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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