Krypto

Krypto
Cover for Superman #680 (November 2008). Art by Alex Ross.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Adventure Comics #210 (March 1955)
Created by	Otto Binder Curt Swan
In-story information
Species	Kryptonian equivalent of Canis lupus familiaris
Place of origin	Krypton
Team affiliations	Team Superman Space Canine Patrol Agents Legion of Super-Pets
Supporting character of	Superboy (Kal-El) Superman Superboy (Kon-El)
Notable aliases	Superdog; Skip (pre-Crisis); Air Dale (pre-Crisis); Pal
Abilities	List Super strength speed durability stamina Flight Physical invulnerability Super-breath and lung capacity (including freeze breath) expelled through bark Super-hearing Vision powers (including x-ray vision, heat vision, telescopic vision, and microscopic vision) Various other sensory powers (including the ability to see, hear, and feel the entire electromagnetic spectrum) Krypto's lung capacity and super hearing as a canine Kryptonian are somewhat greater than Superman's as well.

Krypto, also known as Superdog, is a fictional character and superhero. He is Superman's pet dog in the various Superman comic books published by DC Comics. Krypto's first appearance was in a Superboy story in Adventure Comics #210 in March 1955. Krypto's breed is never specifically given in the comic books, and he is drawn as a white dog of generic pedigree.

On Krypton, parallel evolution led to the emergence of analogous species to Terran cats, simians, birds and dogs, which were domestic companion animals as they were on Earth. As explained in his first appearance, Krypto was originally the toddler Kal-El's dog while they were on Krypton. Jor-El, testing prototypes for the rocket that would eventually send Kal-El to Earth, decided to use Krypto as a test subject. However, Krypto's rocket was knocked off-course; the rocket drifted through space for years until it eventually landed on Earth, where Krypto was reunited with the now-teenaged superhero, Superboy. Due to the environment (Earth's yellow sun and lower gravity), Krypto possessed the same powers and abilities as his master, although his physical abilities were proportionate to his smaller size and species, similar to an ordinary dog vs. a human. Certain sensory abilities of Krypto's (senses of smell and hearing) would be more acute than those of Superman, just as an ordinary dog's senses would be more acute than those of an ordinary human. Krypto also had super-canine intelligence (approximately human level, though with his canine traits and interests still present); the comics expressed this via the use of thought balloons indicating what Krypto was thinking.

Krypto was drawn as a white dog of generic pedigree. The early appearances of the character in the comics usually featured exaggerated anthropomorphic facial expressions; these were replaced in later appearances by a more generic canine face. When fighting crime, Krypto usually wore a gold collar, a miniature facsimile of the famed Superman-"S" symbol for a dog tag, and a dog-sized version of Superman's cape. Whenever he was on Earth and wanted to appear as an "ordinary" dog, Krypto would simply pull his collar and its attached cape off, pulling it back on when necessary. In one story, he was gifted with a collar which contained a retractable cape within the collar that could be unfurled or hidden by pressing a stud on the collar.