Krypto the Superdog

Many people have asked me how I decide what to write about in the Hayfamzone Blog. (And when I write that "Many people have asked" you should feel free to parse that as meaning "Nobody has asked, but I wanted to tell you.") The answer is: I write about whatever I feel like writing about. It's great to have a blog!

Today, let's talk about cartoons on television.

I grew up watching the classic Bugs Bunny cartoons on the Ray Rayner show here in Chicago, so you know that my standards are way high. "Recent" favorites have been Batman-The Animated Series (back in the '90s) and the first season or two of Pokemon (what, five or eight years ago?). I look to see what the latest cartoon offerings are, but nothing has really snagged my interest for a few years now. That is, until two weeks ago when I got my first glimpse of Krypto the Superdog on Kids WB (that's right, that network hasn't been renamed as Kids CW).

Yes, this is the Krypto we know from the old Superboy comics, but now elevated to starring-role status. The characters in the cartoon are well-designed, the writing is wonderful in a welcome low-key way, and the voices are perfect. I'm liking this show and I find myself looking forward to it. Kids WB is showing a full hour of Krypto every week, which is a total of four stories. (Of course I watch the credits and at least one episode was written by Paul Dini, who you recall worked pure magic into Batman-The Animated Series.)

One of today's episodes is my favorite so far. It featured an aging firehouse dog named Smokey worried that he was going to be replaced by a puppy. A scheme was crafted in which Krypto, with black spots painted on him to make him resemble Smokey the dalmation, would stand in for Smokey for a day to show the firemen just how indispensible Smokey was to the firehouse. Don't worry, I won't give away the ending!

Streaky the Supercat from the old Supergirl comics is a regular supporting character. In one of today's episodes, Streaky's nephew asked why he was playing in a dumpster; Streaky replied that he wasn't playing, but that he was in his Dumpster of Solitude. There has even been an appearance by Ace the Bat-Hound.

The first issue of a DC Comics Krypto miniseries has come out, and I enjoyed the comic book very much also. For a look at Krypto on the Kids WB website, just click here.

To see what auctions I have currently running on ebay, please click here.

And I'll see you right back here next week.