Most retellings of the Superman story show Clark Kent discovering Krypto as a teenager in Smallville. Few stories, however, explore what Krypto did on Earth before being reunited with his former owner. The miniseries Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton is exploring this untold history, revealing that a surprising DC villain adopted him before Clark Kent.
Written by Ryan North, with art by Mike Norton, the first chapter of Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton ended with the Dog of Steel being adopted. Unfortunately for him, the first person to show an interest in the lost dog was a young Lex Luthor. Unsurprisingly, Lex is far from a loving dog owner. Indeed, the second issue opens with a warning it contains “scenes of a bad person with a good dog.”
Rejecting everything he read about dog care in an afternoon, Lex attempts to beat and starve Krypto into submission. This seems to be a reflection of the abuse Lex experienced at the hands of his family. Indeed, despite his general unpleasantness, Lex, finds himself venting to the Dog of Steel about his problems. He also tells Krypto about the unorthodox solution he has considered to free himself of his family and build a fortune.
How Krypto stopped Lex Luthor’s first crime
Lex constructed a bomb that would emit a lethal level of carbon monoxide. It would then burn out and destroy itself, mimicking the symptoms of an electrical short. This would allow Lex to kill his aunt and uncle, establish an alibi, and claim the life insurance policy he had secretly taken out in their names.
Ironically, Lex only delayed enacting the plan because of Krypto. He realized his dog would have to die in order to sell the accidental fire theory. Luthor feared it would be too suspicious if he and his only friend both somehow survived. However, when the bomb accidentally went off early, Lex risked his life to save Krypto from his cage.
Once freed, Krypto attempts to summon help. Lex tries to silence the Dog of Steel, but is unable to do so before his neighbors help rescue Lex’s family from the fire. So even before he became Superman’s best friend, Krypto was stopping Lex Luthor’s evil schemes.
Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #2 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
