THIS WEEK: The exploration of the dog of steel’s origin concludes in Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton #5.
Note: the review below may contain spoilers. If you want a quick, spoiler-free buy/pass recommendation on the comics in question, check out the bottom of the article for our final verdict.
Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton #5
Writer: Ryan North
Artist: Mike Norton
Colorist: Ian Herring
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Cover Artists: Jae Lee & June Chung
Krypto has been having his most high-profile year ever, from a starring role in the blockbuster Superman movie to a plum endorsement deal with Milk-Bone. DC has capitalized on Krypto’s increased visibility as part of their Summer of Superman initiative with Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton, a five-issue series from writer Ryan North and artist Mike Norton that details the adventures of Superboy’s dog between his departure from Krypton and his reunion with Kal-El. The series wraps its run this week with an issue that’s as emotional and entertaining as those that preceded it.
Ryan North and Mike Norton have separately made careers for themselves working on stories that combine a smart sense of humor with a relatable sense of humanity and warmth. When it was announced that they would be working on a Krypto series together it seemed like the most perfect fit, and their collaboration on the series has been excellent, though the book has perhaps not been exactly what fans initially imagined. If readers (read: me) expected a fun romp through space with a carefree, playful dog, they were in for something very different, as Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton has been an absolutely harrowing, frequently heartbreaking read about a dog forcefully separated from his family and trying to find some semblance of a home in the aftermath. He’s faced the best and worst that mankind has to offer, and knowing that he eventually finds a loving family in the end is perhaps the only thing that has made this series not desperately sad all the way through. I’ve never read a comic that featured a content warning for sadness before reading the fourth issue of this series, and it definitely delivered.
All of that said, North and Norton are never manipulative with readers’ emotions. There’s an honesty to Krypto’s experiences that makes what he’s going through instantly relatable, an incredible feat with a non-human character who never speaks. So much of that comes from Norton and colorist Ian Herring’s artwork. Norton’s linework is clean, animated without being cartoonish, and his character work is strong. Crucially for the success of the series, Krypto is particularly expressive, his eyes conveying all his emotion and the weight of what he’s feeling. Herring’s coloring pairs wonderfully with Norton’s linework, a largely primary palette giving the series a classic feel that never feels dated or underdefined.
If I have any complaint about the final issue of Last Dog of Krypton, it’s that it feels like two issues truncated and combined into one. There’s essentially two stories in this issue, one in which Krypto rescues a family from an attempted murder, and the other in which he finally makes it to the Kent farm and reunites with a teenaged Clark. The heroic sequence feels of a piece with the rest of the series, and Krypto learns an important lesson about controlling his abilities. The pacing of Krypto’s arrival at the Kent farm and reunion with Clark feels very fast, though, and Jonathan and Martha instantly accept that they have a new superpowered canine member of their family. I would have liked to see that part of Krypto’s story expanded on a bit more, as it felt like a necessary catharsis after the heavy, emotional journey Krypto went on to get there.
That said, Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton is a fantastic read overall, full of strong dramatic storytelling and, yes, a very cute, very good boy. North, Norton, and company have created something special with this series, sending Krypto on a difficult and ultimately very satisfying journey. Here’s hoping there’s room for more solo Krypto stories from this creative team at some point in the future.
Final Verdict: BUY.
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English (US) · 