Dogs are known worldwide as man's best friend, so it comes as no surprise that the same can be said for Kryptonians. With DC's League of Super-Pets coming to theaters at the tail end of July, it feels as if now is the right time to explore the origin of Krypto the Superdog, Superman's canine companion.

The character has an expansive history, having first appeared in Adventure Comics #210 by Otto Binder and Curt Swan in 1955. He has appeared in live-action alongside Superboy in the HBO Max series Titans, and has also had his own animated show in the past. In the comics, Krypto is typically depicted as a Labrador Retriever, though, his breed is never explicitly stated and tends to change between artists. At points, he has even been depicted as wolf-like.

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Krypto and a Teenage Clark
Krypto and a Teenage Clark

Krypto's pre- and post-Crisis origins are relatively similar. He was the family dog of the House of El on Krypton and was used as a test subject for the rocket that would eventually send Superman to Earth. His rocket went off course, however, and he drifted aimlessly in space until his ship caught a signal from Kal-El's ship on Earth. Krypto arrived on Earth when Clark was a teenager and the two bonded immediately.As the years went on, Krypto was eventually passed down from Clark to Conner Kent, who had recently moved to Smallville.

Clark believed that the small town was better fitting for a dog than Metropolis or the Fortress of Solitude, and that Conner was in need of a friend. Connor was initially against the idea, however, the two eventually developed a close bond. The character's origin in the New 52 differs. Though he remains the dog of the House of El, he is instead found by Superman inside the Phantom Zone. This has since been retconned following Rebirth and the Doomsday Clock. He is currently the family dog of Lois, Clark, and their son Jon and has recently appeared in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, accompanying Kara in space.

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Krypto the super dog pulling boy

Krypto's powers mirror those of Superman, as both gain them from the Earth's yellow sun, though his powers are scaled down to fit the size of his body. He possesses super strength, flight, heat vision, super speed, and more. This made training him a great deal of trouble for the teenage Clark. During the Silver Age, he further mirrored Superman as he had his own Doghouse of Solitude, and an arch-nemesis named Destructo, who was the dog of Lex Luthor.

He has even had solo adventures, as seen in Super-Sons Annual (by Peter Tomasi, Paul Pelletier, Cam Smith, and Hi-Fi Design) where Krypto, Bat-Cow, and Titus investigate a series of animal kidnappings in Gotham. It is revealed that the super-powered animals previously had their own team, the League of Super-Pets, which featured Plastic-Bird, Bat-Hound, Clay Critter, Krypto, Bat-Cow, and Streaky the Super-Cat. The group disbanded following the death of Clay Critter, however, reunite and are able to rescue the captured animals.

Characters like Krypto are an example of the goofy nature of comic books. Whereas many comic-related movies and shows try to provide a realistic take on superheroes, comics themselves feature lighthearted elements such as a team of super-powered animals. Overall, he plays an important part in the Superman mythos, having been alongside Clark and his supporting cast through some of their darkest moments. Much like dogs on Earth, Krypto proves that dogs across the galaxy are worthy companions.