As a lifelong fan of all things DC, I must say, I’ve always felt a tinge of nostalgia for Krypto the Superdog. Growing up, he was more than just a sidekick to Superman; he was the embodiment of loyalty and friendship that every kid dreamed of having in their own backyard.
I’m not an avid fan, more of a casual student of Krypton – but I’ve always found Superman’s dog perplexing. A dog with superpowers seems like it could cause quite a few issues. Does he accidentally destroy fire hydrants when he urinates? Does his playfulness have the potential to affect Earth’s rotation while he’s chasing his tail? Could he damage his owner’s red boots by chewing on them?
Now that I’ve witnessed Krypton’s canine companion in the recently released trailer for James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot, there’s one query that springs to mind regarding the Man of Steel’s faithful sidekick: Why did it take so long to bring him to the big screen?
Ever since 1955, I’ve been making appearances in the DC universe, initially introduced as a one-time character in Adventure Comics #210. However, my storyline resonated so much with readers that I quickly became a recurring figure. From then on, I’ve been regularly featured in various Superman and Superboy comic book adventures, causing chaos and bringing excitement to each tale.
The backstory of Krypto, also known as Skip while living on the Kent farm in Kansas, has become somewhat unclear due to numerous revisions by various comic book writers over the years. However, Originally an experimental subject for one of those rockets that Jor-El (Superman’s father) used to send his baby son to safety before Krypton’s destruction, something went wrong during launch causing the spaceship to veer off course. As a result, Krypto floated through space for several years until he eventually reached Earth. Here, Krypto and Superman, now a teenager, reconnected in a touching tale of friendship between a boy and his dog.
Growing up as a devoted fan of Krypto, I’ve seen him grace countless comic books and Saturday morning cartoons. Fast forward to the present day, and he’s made a remarkable leap onto primetime TV, starring in shows like Smallville, Titans, and most recently, Superman & Lois. However, his big-screen debut was an animated film, DC’s League of Super-Pets in 2022. It was peculiar that Dwayne Johnson lent his voice to him, not because of the actor himself, but because Krypto was suddenly given the power of speech. This is unusual since in the comics, his thoughts were often conveyed through text bubbles, which was already a bit strange. In the 2005 Cartoon Network series Krypto the Superdog, he even had a translator device much like the one used by Ed Asner to communicate with dogs in Up. Yet, it seems that Krypto isn’t meant to speak. Just like regular Earth dogs, he barks.
In different DC universes, the abilities of this particular animal may vary. However, there are consistent traits. He’s more intelligent than typical canines, swifter, stronger, and able to fly, essentially capable of performing tasks equivalent to his master, just on four legs. Similar to Superman, Krypto dons a red cape during crime-fighting, but unlike Superman, he also sports a gold collar and a dog tag with a large red “S” emblem. The breed of this animal is unclear; sometimes he looks like a Labrador Retriever, other times more like a Pitbull, while in the trailer by Gunn, he appears to have terrier characteristics. His fur is always as white as snow, unless he’s assuming the disguise of Skip, in which case the Kents dye a Dalmatian-style black spot on his back. This is reminiscent of Clark Kent donning glasses that serve no real purpose.
Absolutely, Krypto possesses an exceptional power that outshines all his other abilities – his adorable charm. One might go as far as calling him extraordinarily cute. This seemingly trivial attribute turns out to be quite significant. A key factor behind the positive reception of Gunn’s trailer by the fan base, such as Kevin Smith’s exclamation, “Good boy, Krypto! Great job James Gunn!” reflects this. Introducing Superdog on the big screen is a welcome shift in tone from the gloominess of Zach Snyder’s gloomy Superman films. The sight of Krypto dashing across the arctic tundra in Gunn’s trailer, sending up a cloud of snow as he sprints towards his master’s whistle call – it’s a heartwarming and touching moment that could melt even Lex Luthor’s icy disposition.
Good boy, indeed.
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2024-12-20 23:24