REVIEW: Krypto: The Last Dog Of Krypton #2

Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton #2, “Fall” gives us a glimpse of Lex Luthor’s early days in Metropolis and how he’s definitely not a pet person. This issue may hit a little hard for some readers, but DC had the foresight to add a content warning on the title page.

The standard cover is by Jae Lee and June Chung. It’s a great depiction of how nothing Lex does for others is without cost, even in his youth. The blowing leaves also allude to the issue’s title giving the series a “Superman For All Seasons” flair.

Rafael De Latorre’s variant shows a much more care free take of Krypto as he flies above Autumn afflicted trees. He’s also drawn to resemble the version from the current “Superman” movie which just adds to the charm of the piece.

Mike Norton and Colorist Ian Herring handle the interior art. The subject matter in this issue is very heavy. These two do an outstanding job of conveying the emotional weight without getting too graphic. If the visual tone of this book doesn’t make you uncomfortable or pull at your heart strings, I’m not sure what will. In a series that doesn’t emphasize dialogue to tell the story, Norton and Herring are proving to be master storytellers with their art.

Ryan North, lettered by Lucas Gattoni, doesn’t pull punches in showing how despicable Lex Luthor can be. Even as he laments out loud to Krypto about his life situations, it’s really hard to have any sympathy for him. Since Krypto’s powers haven’t built up yet, Lex is able to mistreat him like any normal animal. Although he is a dog, North does a great job of showcasing Krypto’s extraordinary intellect which ultimately ends up saving some people and himself by issue’s end.  

(9/10) North hits hard with Krypto: The Last Dog Of Krypton #2 and really makes me hate Lex in ways no other story has done before. The art is exemplary and is such a contrast in tone from issue #1 that it’s impressive to think they’re drawn by the same team.