The next Superman movie has been teased to feature Krypto the Superdog, a beloved pet of Superman. Fans of the comics are excited to have a chance to see this character in a live action movie, as the character has not been featured in any DC live action movies.
Krypto is the pet of Superman, and has the same powers that he does as he is also from Krypton. His characterization, appearance, and origin story may differ some in the various runs of the comic, but generally speaking he is an intelligent and playful dog with a white coat who cares for his owner. Dog owners may be interested in this character, as it is sweet to see the love of a dog for its human in these stories.
As mentioned in “Superman : the high-flying history of America's most enduring hero,” new characters were often introduced to retain the interest of the young readers. One of these characters was Krypto, and unlike some other characters, he has kept a role in the comics for quite a while.
If you aren’t familiar with this character, you may be wondering where you can learn more about him. While we don’t exactly know what direction director James Gunn will take with the character, you can start ahead by reading some of the original comics before you see him in the new upcoming movie.
Comics to read to learn more about Superman’s beloved pet
1. Adventure Comics (1938)
Adventure Comics were published in an anthology format where different characters were all grouped in the same magazine. If you were a child at the time, you could get one copy of Adventure Comics and get stories such as Aquaman, Green Arrow, and importantly, Superboy.
This comic has the first appearance of this character in Issue #210 of Adventure Comics published in 1955. In this Superboy comic, Clark notices a few strange things happening with a dog that he doesn’t recognize. With a few tests, he determines that the dog has the same powers as he does.
Krypto leads him to a crashed space rocket, which contains a note written in Krypton, the language of his home planet. This note tells Clark of Krypto’s backstory as his own family pet as a baby, and how he was sent out to space in a test rocket.
These comics are a fun and silly read. Seeing Clark as a boy being able to bond and have fun with a pet with similar powers to him makes the character feel more grounded and relatable.
2. Superboy (1949)
As interest in the character grew, Superman was able to get his own dedicated magazine. As that proved to be successful, the Superboy comics were able to get their own dedicated magazine of their own as well.
The Superboy comics follow Clark Kent as a boy in school, while he was using the moniker ‘Superboy’ as he was not yet an adult. In this comic, Krypto shows up a few times, as he’s Clark’s childhood dog. As a dog he’s prone to moments of jealousy when Clark is around other dogs, and many of us who own multiple dogs can relate to Clark’s exasperation.
3. Superman (1939)
This comic is well worth a read, as Krypto makes a few appearances. One of these appearances is in the well-known dramatic storyline by writer Alan Moore, referred to as ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' which starts in Issue #423.
In ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' Clark Kent is in a bind as all of his enemies seem to be ganging up on him, forcing him to reveal his identity. Krypto shows up to help Clark, and support him during a trying time.
While ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' is a dark and suspenseful read, there are also lighter and more fun issues in this comic where Krypto makes an appearance.
4. Action Comics (1938)
These comics are primarily focused on Superman, as he was a very popular character at the time. As such, Krypto makes a few appearances in the comic.
This comic also contains a part of the storyline ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' making it a good read to understand both Krypto and Clark’s character. Although, similarly to Superman (1939) mentioned above, this is not the only time Krypto makes an appearance.
Generally speaking, these comics have a lighter tone as appropriate to the expected younger reader base of this era. There are some very cute and silly stories in them, so it’s well worth a read.
5. Action Comics Vol. 2 (2011)
This comic has another dramatic storyline for Clark in which Krypto plays a role. Krypto, ever the loyal dog, helps Clark while he’s in a tough position. This comic also shows how Krypto wants to be by his owner’s side no matter what, showing the unconditional love that a pet has for its family.
While in earlier incarnations of this character show Krypto having a short coat and a lean frame similar to that of a Greyhound or a Dalmation, in this era Krypto has a longer, fluffier white coat similar to that of a Husky.
All in all, there are many different series from DC in which Krypto features in. What are your favorite comics with Krypto the Superdog?