2016/08/25

Zeke Wolf (1933)


Other Names: The Big Bad Wolf.

From: He debuted in 1933 in The Three Little Pigs, the famous Disney adaptation of the fairy tale. He remained the main antagonist of the Three Little Pigs series, appearing in all their subsequent cartoons and later in the derived comic series centered on his son Li'l Bad Wolf. He has also been featured on House of Mouse in relatively small roles.

Description: He's not as bad as Pete, but he is still pretty much two different characters. His cartoon incarnation, though with a strong temper, is a crafty and threatening villain who constantly disguises himself, and only fails thanks to the efforts of the Practical Pig. Meanwhile, in the comics, Zeke Wolf was depicted as a bumbling and comedic villain, who is often undone by his own bundles. 

In both cases, his main goal is to eat the Three Little Pigs; in the cartoons, it appears to be because that's just how nature works in this universe (sentient or not, wolves eat pigs). In the comics, it's much more complicated, because the series was retconned to take place in the same universe as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comics, where sentient animals are much more civilized than that. The area of the woods where Zeke and the Pigs live is shown to be a still relatively cut-off settlement, where while Li'l Bad Wolf and most other species are beginning to become less savage, the Wolf clan still sees eating other species as a proud tradition. Zeke tries to eat the pigs, not because he needs them, but because he thinks it's his place in society and he will be dishonored as a wolf if he does not attempt to eat them. Indeed, he was once or twice visited by his father, the Old Bad Wolf, who'd always be appalled by his son's inability to catch those pigs after all these years.

Review: As far as his original cartoon incarnation is concerned, he's barely more defined and interesting than Pete. However, the comics' Zeke Wolf is an interesting villain, and his bumbling personality makes for good stories.

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