Dogmatix often seen doing something interesting in the background and occasionally fulfills an important part of the plot. In the words of the authors, Dogmatix is the only known "canine ecologist": he loves trees and howls in distress whenever one is damaged. Despite his small size, he is quite fearless. He has drunk the magic potion on a number of occasions, but his favourite treat is to 'chew a bone'. A dog similar to Dogmatix appeared in page 28 of Asterix & the Golden Sickle. Dogmatix first appears in "Asterix and the Banquet". Sitting outside a butcher's shop in Lutetia, he
Nero (comic book character) came true. In "Het Knalgele Koffertje" ("The Bright Yellow Case") (1958–1959) Nonkel Juul appears, head of the biggest diamond mine of Transvaal. In "De Adhemarbonbons" ("The Adhemar Pralines") (1989) Nero's grandmother turns up and in "Bompanero" (1997) his grandfather. Whether this grandfather is the same character appearing in "De Ark van Nero" ("Nero's Arc") is not made clear. As one of the most famous comic book characters in Flanders Nero received his own statue in Hoeilaart, near an old streetcar station in 1994. It was originally made in polyester, but changed to bronze in 2004. The sculptor is Luc Cauwenberghs.