Summer hit DC League of Super-Pets is what happens when you give The Secret Life of Pets the powers of beloved DC characters. Recently released, the film is adored by children and enjoyed by adults alike. The film follows Superman and Batman's dogs, Krypto (played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and Ace the Bat-Hound (Kevin Hart), as they gather a group of unlikely heroes to save the Justice League from being kidnaped.
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It's commonly known that Krypto had his own show in 2005, which ran for two seasons and Super Pets! had a plot that followed behind Krypto. What fans might not know is that the super-powered furry friends featured in the film have been around longer than one might think, and the league has a deep history in the world of DC Comics and other media.
10 They've Been Around Longer Than You Think (pre-silver Era)
In June 1942, Sensation Comics #6 debuted Jumpa. Jumpa was Wonder Woman's pet kanga, a larger super-powered Themysciran animal. Since that release, comics would go on to feature countless super-pets. While it wouldn't be until Adventure Comics #210 in 1955 that Krypto the Super Dog would make his appearance, being around during the Golden Age of comics solidified the pet's place as comic book staples, and the Silver Age featured the pets prominently.
The Legion of Super-Pets formed in 1962, and while the lineup has changed, the staying power and intrigue that follows super-powered furry friends is timeless.
9 More Than A Few Super-Pets Were Omitted From The Film
DC's League Of Super-Pets hosts five main heroic pets, but some fan favorites from the comics have been left out. Many fans were dismayed to find the lack of cats in the film because Streaky the cat is popular in the Supergirl fandom. Streaky was a cat that had powers similar to any Earth-bound Kryptonian and, like a few other pets in DC Comics, was excluded from the film so that it could highlight other heroes in the main Justice League.
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From a super monkey named Beppo to Aquaman's pet octopus named Topo, over a dozen prominent super-pets were excluded. The choice to leave out pets with deeper backstories did make the film's plot move a lot faster, however, so perhaps it was for the best.
8 The Line-Up Changed as much as the Alliances' Name did
Like its human counterpart, the Justice League, the Legion of Super-Pets has had countless heroes at the helm. Including the cinematic lineup, the team hosts around 20 recurring pets. This number doesn't include spinoffs of the faction like the Legion of Super Familiars or The Special Canine Patrol Agents.
Krypto is one of the few constant characters on every team. Ace would be a close second, but the original iteration of the alliance featured Titus the Bat-Hound. The one constant across the team and all its spinoffs are that the Kryptonians and the Bat Family will always have a stake.
7 Everyone Needs A Companion, Even The Bad Guys
The film's main character is a hairless guinea pig named Lulu, who belongs to none other than Superman's archenemy Lex Luthor. Of course, many fans are aware that characters like Harley Quinn have their own fuzzy companions, but the DC Universe has a rogues' gallery of pets for its heroes as well as its villains.
In 2013, DC released a character encyclopedia that included every super pet to date. Among the ranks of Ace and Krypto was Bane's bear named Osito, and a crab named Lefty, whose best friend was Two-Face.
6 There Was an All Dogs Alliance
While DC has showcased pets of every shape and size, it's only natural that man's best friend is the most prominent. The dogs of the DC Universe were so popular that they formed the Special Patrol Canine Agents (or SPCA) in Superboy #131 in July 1966. This team more directly mimicked the Legion of Superheroes and featured 12 intergalactic super-powered dogs.
Some dogs like Wonder Dog and Krypto had extraordinary powers close to that of their human counterparts, while others like Paw Pooch and Bull Dog merely grew extra limbs and horns.
5 Aqua-Man Was Known For His Own League Of Pets
With his most celebrated power being that he can speak to sea creatures, it's no surprise that Aquaman undoubtedly had the largest arrangement of super pets, and all of them were water-related. One of Aquaman's most beloved pets is an Aquaman named Topo, and while he was omitted from the League of Super-Pets film, he was shown in 2018's Aquaman.
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While pet seahorses, various cephalopods, and fish aren't a surprise for a sea-bound hero to have, perhaps the most bizarre of the bunch is Aquadog. Aquadog, or Salty, is a mutt that looks like a golden retriever; he was introduced in 2012, and his inclusion shows DC's stance that no matter how many fish are in the sea, a dog is always man's best friend.
4 The Bat Family Kept a Menagerie of Their own
Ace the Bat-Hound has proven his worth as a league member, but another Wayne has many other pets to offer to the lineup. Damian Wayne has over six pets. Titus is another Bat-Hound, but Damian Wayne houses numerous pets that are as exotic as his adventures.
In the Wayne household, Damian has a cat named Alfred who has the ability to speak, a cow name Bat-Cow, a turkey, and a dragon bat named Goliath. Damian's super-pets are rescues, showing that when it comes to saving someone in need, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
3 The League Continues Far Into the Future
Many less informed viewers of the League of Super-Pets may think it's a one-off story meant to mock the human heroes and entertain kids. However, the in-depth comic lore of the pets tells another story, and in DC One Million, the descendants of previous heroic pets have continued and evolved the league. The team leader is still of Kryptonian blood, and his name is Krypto-9.
The veterans of the original team are referred to as The Justice Legion of Super-Zoomorphs, and there are even smaller factions known as Legion of Super-Familiars. They are kept in check by the Legion of Executive-Familiars. The fact that the future has several branches of super-powered pets shows their importance to their heroes, and the world of DC.
2 DC's Super-Pets Are Actually Pretty Strong
It's no secret that these pets have accomplished astounding feats. Many of the pets, on-screen and off, boast the powers of their heroic counterparts, and more than a few have Kryptonian roots. However, while viewers may be quick to brush off the pets' strength, pets like Goliath, the dragon bat, live up to their name in terms of sheer size and strength.
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More realistically, dogs like Ace or hyenas like Harley Quinn's Bud and Lou don't have any powers, but Ace protects Gotham's knight, and Lou and Bud survived getting rabies, so they definitely can stand toe to toe with the best super-pets.
1 Krypto Has The Best Marketing And Has Earned It
In the decades since his conception, Krypto has repeatedly shown that he is as valuable as some superheroes in the pages of DC Comics. Be it in his show or the comics, Krypto is the de facto leader of every pet-themed alliance and every one of their spinoffs.
The dog not only fights alongside Superman and saves him multiple times, but he's stood toe to toe with Superboy, and even won a race between Kid Flash and Superboy. Krypto has bounced his heat vision off of the moon, and his howl is heard around the world. Not only is Krypto a loyal friend to Superman and his son, but his powers are superhuman, he's proven himself to be a great leader, and he's capable of fighting alongside Earth's best defenders.
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