Viral Cartoon 'My Dog: The Paradox' Becomes Animated Short Film

Matthew Inman's personal comic about his pet dog Rambo is adapted into a 6-minute animated film.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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In 2012, artist Matthew Inman published a personal comic called 'My Dog: The Paradox' on his popular website The Oatmeal, which unexpectedly went viral. The straightforward panels featuring Inman's dog Rambo and his quirky behaviors resonated with readers. This pivotal moment led Inman to realize he didn't have to 'pander to the internet' and could create more meaningful, emotional work. Now, Inman has adapted the comic into a 6-minute animated short film, which he will premiere at a festival in Portland, Oregon. The film features some changes from the original, including a reworked ending that leans into the melancholy of Rambo's passing in 2021.

Why it matters

The success of 'My Dog: The Paradox' marked a turning point in Inman's career, showing him he could create more personal, heartfelt work that still resonated with audiences. The adaptation into an animated short film represents Inman's desire to work on more succinct, controlled projects after serving as showrunner on the 'Exploding Kittens' animated series for five years. The film also allows Inman to further explore the emotional bond between people and their pets, a theme that clearly struck a chord with readers of the original comic.

The details

Inman has made some changes to the original comic for the animated short, including adding new material, removing jokes he felt didn't work, and altering the appearance of the main character 'Matt' to more closely resemble Inman himself. The most significant change is to the ending, which Inman has reworked to be more melancholy and uplifting in light of Rambo's passing in 2021. Inman also had to cast the voices for the Narrator, Matt, and Rambo, auditioning over 40 people to find the perfect voice for the dog character.

  • Inman published the original 'My Dog: The Paradox' comic in 2012.
  • Inman's dog Rambo passed away in 2021.
  • The animated short film 'My Dog: The Paradox' will premiere on Friday, February 13, 2026 at the Newmark Theatre in Portland, Oregon.

The players

Matthew Inman

An artist who created the popular comedy website The Oatmeal and is the creator of the viral comic 'My Dog: The Paradox' as well as the Exploding Kittens card game and animated series.

Rambo

Inman's pet dog whose quirky behaviors were the inspiration for the 'My Dog: The Paradox' comic.

Elan Lee

The former Xbox designer who co-founded the Exploding Kittens gaming empire with Inman.

Eric Bryan Moore

The actor who voiced the Narrator character in Inman's animated short film 'My Dog: The Paradox'.

Allie Brosh

The author who will join Inman for a joint interview at the premiere of 'My Dog: The Paradox'.

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What they’re saying

“I'd had hits before, but this was the first one where I started to feel, 'Okay, I don't have to pander to the internet.' Prior to that, I thought every frame had to be a joke.”

— Matthew Inman (Variety)

“I didn't mean to make it emotional at all. But people were really touched by the ending – they could feel it, even if I wasn't saying it.”

— Matthew Inman (Variety)

What’s next

Inman plans to take the animated short film 'My Dog: The Paradox' on the festival circuit throughout 2026 after its premiere in Portland.

The takeaway

The success of Inman's personal comic 'My Dog: The Paradox' marked a pivotal moment in his career, showing him he could create meaningful, emotional work that resonated with audiences. The adaptation of the comic into an animated short film represents Inman's desire to work on more controlled, succinct projects and further explore the bond between people and their pets.