A Short History of Krypto, Superman's Canine Companion

A Short History of Krypto, Superman's Canine Companion

      “Do you have a dog?” Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane asks David Corenswet’s Superman in the new film, echoing the confusion of millions of viewers who were surprised to see the dog, Krypto, featured in the trailer.

      Indeed, Superman does have a dog — although, as he explains to Lois, it’s more of a fostering arrangement. Krypto has been part of his life since 1955. The white dog with a red cape has often been excluded from many Superman stories due to being perceived as somewhat silly.

      However, Krypto takes a prominent role in this new Superman film because writer-director James Gunn is a filmmaker who embraces the lighter aspects of the DC Comics character. For years, Hollywood worked to reshape the notion of comics as solely for children by dressing characters in serious black leather and avoiding anything that might be deemed too enjoyable.

      Gunn, an animal lover, draws inspiration from his own dog, Ozu, in creating Krypto. His confidence in the Superman mythos allows him to utilize Krypto for both comic relief and some of the movie’s most poignant moments. The scene that truly showcases the new Superman's character is when he chooses to surrender to the government, thinking it might help him find his dog.

      Who, by the way, isn’t even his dog. Or particularly a good dog at that.

      **Background on Krypto, Superman’s Dog**

      Krypto made his debut in the Superman teaser trailer. Warner Bros.

      When Superman was first introduced by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in Action Comics #1 in 1938, he did not have a dog. Originating as an alien from the planet Krypton who crash-landed on Earth, he was raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent, growing up as Clark Kent while maintaining his Superman identity.

      In response to Superman’s popularity, Detective Comics (then referred to as DC) began publishing stories about his youth in 1944 to attract younger readers. These Superboy tales depicted Superman’s adventures during his preteen and teenage years.

      Krypto first appeared in a Superboy adventure in Adventure Comics #210 in March 1955. Originally meant to be a one-time character by writer Otto Binder and artist Curt Swan, Krypto quickly gained a fan base and became a staple in Superboy's stories.

      Since then, this flying pup has appeared in numerous superhero narratives and has seen significant resurgence in popularity in recent years. He starred in his own animated series in 2005, fifty years after his debut, and later appeared in the WB and CW series Smallville, the HBO Max series Titans, the animated film DC League of Super-Pets (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), and CW’s Superman & Lois.

      Krypto was notably absent from the original Superman films featuring Christopher Reeve in the late 1970s and 80s — perhaps because comic book films were less prevalent then, and a flying dog might have seemed too far-fetched for directors still trying to persuade audiences of a man’s ability to fly.

      He was also excluded from Bryan Singer’s 2006 film Superman Returns and from the darker interpretations of Superman by Zack Snyder in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Snyder's version of Justice League. A cute dog simply didn’t align with the serious tone of the Snyderverse.

      **Krypto in the Superman Teaser Trailer**

      In the recently released Superman teaser trailer, we were introduced to Krypto, who showcased his super speed by coming to Superman’s aid, licking his injuries while he lay face-down in the snow.

      “Take me home,” Superman says to Krypto, as the little dog grabs his cape in his mouth.

      During a press conference about the trailer, Gunn promised that the super canine would have a rich personality (as all dogs do):

      “His relationship with Krypto is complex,” Gunn stated. “He’s not exactly the best dog. There’s much more to Krypto than what you see in this trailer.”

      Now that we have seen the film, it’s clear that Gunn fulfills this promise. He explores every aspect of Krypto’s personality, reminiscent of the connection only a dog lover would understand.

      “Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, whom we adopted shortly after I began writing Superman,” Gunn tweeted in October. “Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation with 60 other dogs and had never encountered humans, was quite a handful. He came in and wreaked havoc on our home, even chewing through my laptop.

      “It took him a long time to let us touch him. I often thought about how challenging life would be if Ozu had superpowers — and that’s when Krypto was woven into the script, shaping the story just as Ozu was reshaping my life.”

      Gunn mentioned that he was introducing Ozu during Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, adding, “By the way, Ozu today is, most of the time, a very good boy.”

      **

A Short History of Krypto, Superman's Canine Companion A Short History of Krypto, Superman's Canine Companion

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A Short History of Krypto, Superman's Canine Companion

Krypto, Superman's dog, has a rich history with the Man of Steel and plays a significant part in the new trailer for James Gunn's Superman.