This week’s “Superman Stuff” is going to be a little different – a review, yes, but also a bit of a personal reflection. This week we’re going to look at one of DC’s young reader graphic novels, and how awesome it was not just as a book, but as an experience for my family.
Supergirl’s Zoo-Per Heroes: Krypto’s Big Break
Writer & Artist: Rob Justus
This young reader’s graphic novel starts with Supergirl and Krypto playing on the Justice League Satellite. Krypto is, of course, a good boy, but even good boys get into trouble sometimes, and his antics cause the Satellite to accidentally dump the Justice League’s laundry into space. Cosmic comic book physics happen on the way down and, when the costumes fall on some zoo animals, the animals find themselves possessing the powers of the hero whose costume they’re wearing. With the rest of the JLA trapped on the Satellite in their underwear, it’s up to Supergirl and Krypto to get their uniforms back.
It’s a silly story, with logic that wouldn’t even hold up in the goofiest of silver age comic books, and frankly, that’s kind of why I love it. The physics don’t make the slightest bit of sense, and the villain of the piece is a ridiculous caricature. There’s also a running gag about the fact that Krypto and the other animals can speak to each other, but the human characters don’t understand them, which makes Supergirl’s attempts to speak “animal” to them hilarious as they get exasperated with her gibberish barking. Justus’s characters have a simplicity that is absolutely charming, and there’s a sense of humor that appeals to the kids while winking at the parents who are reading along.
It’s that last part that makes this book particularly special to me. I didn’t read this book just for myself; I read it with my son, Eddie. Eddie is an ADHD kid, and while he’s capable of reading anything you put in front of him, he often doesn’t have the patience to do so for more than a page or two. My wife and I often try to get him to read with us, but it can be a struggle, as he’d rather be playing or watching football. But despite that, every other week I take him to the library and we check out a few books. Sometimes he reads them, sometimes he doesn’t. Picking up this one, though, turned out to be a great choice.
I sat with him and opened up the book last night (as I write this), and made a deal with him. “How about you read what Krypto is saying, and I’ll read the other characters, okay?”
And he did. He did it with zeal. He did it with APLOMB. Eddie jumped right into his role, barking and woofing when that’s what Kryto was doing, reading the lines in English when that was the case. He did it with vigour, acting out like everyone’s favorite hyperactive Kryptonian puppy, no doubt because he feels in our beloved Superdog something of a kindred spirit. As we sat together reading the book, he announced his parts gleefully to his mother, who was watching the whole thing with amusement.
I’ve been reading to my son since he was an infant. Getting him to read back to me has sometimes become a chore. But he LOVED this book.
It ended on a cliffhanger, and I’m eagerly awaiting book two. I also intend to try to track down some of Justus’s other work, including the two volumes of Superman’s Good Guy Gang, and share those with Eddie as well. It wasn’t just reading, it was sharing, and that made it all worthwhile.
Blake M. Petit is a writer, teacher, and dad from Ama, Louisiana. His most recent writing project is the superhero adventure series Other People’s Heroes: Little Stars, volume one of which is now available on Amazon. Don’t forget, you can check out earlier blogs in the Year of Superman/Superman Stuff Archive! Got a request for a future “Superman Stuff”? Drop it in the comments!
