The Cartoon Network has a new show that I’m pretty excited about: Krypto the Superdog, detailing the adventures of Superman’s dog.

Now, I know I’m not anywhere close to the demographic for the show: it’s primarily aimed at the pre-school set, but I’ve never let that stop me before. Many of the same people responsible for the Batman, Superman, Justice League and Teen Titans animated series are involved with this one, and it shows. Krypto boasts a strong visual style, reminiscent of the Superman animated show. Krypto is cut from the same mold as Superman: the strong jaw, the barrel chest, the never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way. The stories are a mix of both adventure and misadventure and introduce us to the various characters, including:

• Kevin, Krypto’s current master
• Streaky, the cat next door
• The Dog Star Patrol
• Ace, the Bat Hound

Krypto’s story is taken pretty much from the comics. Krypto, who was Kal-El (Superman’s) pet, is rocketed to Earth from Krypton. He meets up with normal kid Kevin and the rest is just fun fun fun.

One thing I really love about this show is the way it integrates the continuity from the Batman and Superman series. In “The Dark Hound Strikes” episode, we are introduced to Batman’s dog, Ace (who, amusingly, wears a Utility Collar). Ace and Krypto are on the trail of Joker’s trained hyenas, Bud and Lou. The great thing is that in the Batman series, the Joker did have two trained hyenas named Bud and Lou.

Later in the same episode, Ace and Krypto fight the hyenas in an arena filled with oversized props: harkening back to the great Bill Finger and Dick Sprang art, with the dogs jumping over large dog bowls and oversized dog food cans. But the kicker is that the hyenas trap the duo in a classic deathtrap: a giant magnetized frisbee. It’s these touches that make this cartoon something nearly transcendant.

There are some problems, though. The Dog Star Patrol seems a little, well, boring. I know they are based off the Space Canine Patrol, but they are a little bland to me. But, again, I’m not really the target audience. And while I always enjoy shows with Dachshunds in them, Hot Dog really didn’t do much for me.

Streaky, the cat from next door, works in terms of the show, but I think I always thought of Streaky as being a female. I don’t know why. The voice doesn’t really work for me but I suspect I’ll come to like it.

Overall, however, the show is a pleasant surprise. I expected that it would be a decent show, but the creative team has really done an above average job. I mean, if a show made for pre-schoolers can entertain a old guy like me, then it’s gotta be good. Or maybe there’s something wrong with me….

This entry was posted on Monday, April 11th, 2005 at 6:10 pm and is filed under DVDs, Television, Movies, Pets, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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