Pearls Before Swine

By Stephan Pastis

At its heart, "Pearls Before Swine" is the comic strip tale of two friends: an arrogant Rat who thinks he knows it all and a slow-witted Pig who doesn't know any better. Together, this pair offers caustic commentary on humanity's quest for the unattainable.

Don't miss the newest "Pearls Before Swine" collection, "Pearls Gets Put in the Pokey: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury," featuring 18 months of daily comic strips from 2021-2022, along with reflections and strip-by-strip commentary by creator, Stephan Pastis.

Daily

Sunday

Daily & Sunday

Digital

Strip

Available in Color

Animals

Men

Pets

Women

Editor's Picks

A humorous comic strip featuring a mouse holding a can and a goat. The mouse points to an imaginary

Two cartoon characters discussing economic issues, one expressing concern about job losses to corporations, while the other comments on the power dynamics among judges and politicians in society. The background features a coffee table with newspapers, highlighting themes of socio-economic disparity and political influence.

A humorous comic strip featuring a pig and a woman discussing personal baggage in relationships. The pig jokes about having so much baggage that it requires its own baggage handler, highlighting the comedic take on emotional baggage and dating preferences.

Cartoon featuring a pig character and a woman with curly hair engaging in humorous dialogue about a television show, with the pig expressing confusion over the show's content and the woman responding with a sarcastic remark.

A cartoon featuring a pink pig and a gray mouse discussing potential health risks associated with a medical condition. The pig expresses concerns about increased risks of heart attack and stroke, while the mouse suggests consulting a doctor about treatment options.

A cartoon strip featuring a pink rabbit and a blue genie in a whimsical outdoor setting. The rabbit holds a yellow object, contemplating wishes while the genie humorously responds about ice cream making them healthier. The scene includes trees and a clear sky, emphasizing a lighthearted and imaginative theme.

Crossword puzzle with clues and answers, featuring a mix of general knowledge and pop culture references. The grid includes both horizontal and vertical entries, designed for puzzle enthusiasts seeking a challenging and engaging activity.

More Samples

About Stephan Pastis

An unusual rat and pig take center stage in "Pearls Before Swine," a quirky daily and Sunday comic strip by erstwhile litigator Stephan Pastis. Launched in 2002, the strip appears in 850 newspapers worldwide, including The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Chicago Sun-Times, and Seattle Times.

Pastis never had any formal training, but he did draw cartoons for each of his school newspapers as he grew up. He holds a degree in political science from the University of California at Berkeley. Although he always wanted to be a cartoonist, Pastis realized the odds of syndication were slim, so he went to UCLA Law School and became an attorney instead. While at UCLA, he drew a popular strip called “Rosen.” It was while was hopelessly bored in a class on the European Economic Community that Pastis first drew Rat, a character that would reappear in every comic strip he created thereafter—including "Pearls Before Swine."

Cast

Cartoon illustration of a cheerful pink pig with large eyes and a smiling expression, standing on two legs with its arms raised in excitement against a circular background.

Pig

A gentle, sweet, and naïve soul, Pig is a living rebuttal to those people who say that swine are intelligent animals. As Rat's roommate, Pig's enthusiastic, amiable nature makes him a valuable (and in Rat's case, only) friend—even as his gullibility makes him an exasperating conversation partner. Pig likes cheese.

Cartoon mouse character with exaggerated features, running with a nervous expression and large ears, set against a circular background.

Rat

If beer, fame, and himself didn't exist, Rat would hate everything. Rat is cynical, selfish, vain, quick to anger, and prone to bouts of violence. Without Pig, the world would have given up on him long ago. He sometimes writes children's books.

Goat

Goat is a long-suffering philosopher—a thoughtful type who spends his days trying to comprehend the perplexities of existence and plumb the splendid mysteries of the world. His blog is not popular, as Rat enjoys reminding him.

Cartoon character with a striped shirt and a distinctive spiky hairstyle, standing with a playful expression. The character has a round shape and is set against a circular background, emphasizing its whimsical design.

Zebra

Zebra spends most of his waking hours helping himself and others avoid being eaten by the Crocs and other neighborhood predators. It really cuts into his TV time.

Cartoon duck wearing a green helmet and holding a cigarette, featured in

Guard Duck

Pig's loyal but violent and unstable duck. He sits in a bunker on Pig's front lawn, defending the property against mailmen, Girl Scouts, and offensive neighbors.

Cartoon crocodile character holding a smartphone, expressing surprise or excitement, set against a circular background.

The Crocs

The Crocs are obsessed with eating their neighbors, especially Zebra. They make Wile E. Coyote look like Moriarty.

Cartoon pig character wearing glasses and an Inuit-style parka, sitting cross-legged with a thoughtful expression.

Wise Ass

Wise Ass is a sage donkey who offers advice to those who seek it. An older, anthropomorphic ass with glasses, he can sometimes be grumpy, even kicking people off his hill. Rat and Pig frequently visit him for counsel.

Cartoon character walking and singing, wearing a blue cap and white shirt, with a musical note in a speech bubble.

Stephan

The strip's creator deals with the shabby emptiness of his life by devising intricately fiendish puns and inflicting them upon his appalled creations. Drinking helps, too.