It's no secret that there's little more that I love in life than animals and Superman. Naturally, I'm a gigantic Krypto fan. Years back, in the wake of Infinite Crisis, Kurt Busiek had a Krypto-centric story that never saw print for one reason or another. Now, as an unexpected fill-in for a pulled issue of "Grounded," we finally get to read that story. One might think that a tale focused on Krypto dealing with Connor Kent's death might be a little dated at this point, perhaps even lacking emotional resonance. You'd be dead, dead wrong.
Though Busiek's story is indeed centered around Krypto, any human being that has ever had a connection with a dog – or any pet, really – will be hard pressed to fight back at least a solitary tear. Busiek nails the core of a very simple but incredibly hard to portray relationship between a dog and their owner. The story opens with Krypto waiting through the day on the front porch of the Kent home, with Ma Kent remarking, "It's like he's waiting for something." Pa Kent replies, "He is." From that moment on, we watch Krypto search in desperation for his missing loved one, his head popping up in excitement as birds and planes fly by. Ultimately he takes to the skies to sniff out his master, letting out an enormous howl of sorrow that echoes for miles when he gets a whiff of Connor's blood at the site of his death.
Busiek utilizes artist Rick Leonardi to a great degree, allowing most of the issue to be played silently. Both creators shine – Busiek's skill in constructing a story without dialog can't be undersold. The dialog that does appear is irrelevant to the book's emotional center. Instead, it serves more as a recap of the events of Infinite Crisis which could actually help readers that are unfamiliar with the tale or need a refresher. Other than that, Leonardi takes the reins and brings fantastic pacing and subtlety to a very delicate story. His ability to give Krypto a wide range of emotions is uncanny, helped in large part by Jonathan Sibal's thick, defining inks. This is Krypto's tale and every single panel he appears in is plump with heartbreak, love, and devotion.
It's no coincidence that two of my absolute favorite issues of Superman in the last ten years -- this one and the Loeb/Keown Superman #170 (pre-reverting to legacy numbering) – have Krypto at its center. The character represents a gateway for us to connect with the sometimes forgotten human aspect of the Kryptonian characters, let alone reflect on our own relationship with our four-legged loved ones.
Superman #712 is the pinnacle of what I desire in a comic book. I guess depending on your connection to certain things – animals, Superman, etc. – the experience could be different. But I can't deny that quite some time later, I'm still feeling the punch in my gut from the emotional impact of this book. Despite the fact that Superboy has been back longer than he was dead; that in the eyes of some, this story isn't going to "matter" come September's relaunch. Despite the fact that we know Krypto and Superboy were eventually reunited. Regardless of it all, Superman #712 delivers a blow straight to the heart with flawless storytelling and an intimate, personal tale about a boy and his dog.
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