Review – Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton #1
Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton #1 cover, via DC Comics.
Ray: Superman is riding a hot streak like no character has at DC in a long time. Every book in the line has been good to fantastic, and that means spin-offs aplenty. Including one for comics' ultimate Good Boy! Ryan North, making his DC writing debut, is the perfect choice for this – so many of his comics have an all-ages edge to them, with funny animals aplenty. But this first issue doesn't treat Krypto as a comic book character – it treats him, very simply, as a good dog. He's the loyal pooch of Jor-El and Lara, quickly bonding with baby Kal-El, and Krypton's dog culture seems to be very similar to ours – complete with snooty society ladies bragging about their purebred's roots. Krypto is blissfully unaware of the more serious conversations happening between his masters, about the frequent Kryptonian groundquakes and the mysterious space shuttle they're building – at least, until it's time to go for a ride. Napping away. Via DC Comics.
As we all know, dogs are not at all shy about getting in the car when they're asked to! But this isn't an ordinary ride – and it makes perfect sense that Jor-El and Lara used their dog as a test pilot before putting their son in an experimental rocket. While the Science Council here doesn't seem to be as villainous or threatening as it's often portrayed (with Lara openly talking about the crisis to a friend), time is still running out. And while the rocket works, things go haywire and Krypto winds up going on a much longer journey than expected – landing on Earth before Superman did and discovering that this planet may not be all that friendly. That is, until he meets an unexpected and familiar face. This issue got off to a slightly slow start, but it has a great central concept. And of course, how could anyone dislike a comic that has a dog as loyal and friendly as Krypto at its heart?
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
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