Dog Days of Summer #1: Mammal Mayhem!

Krypto & Superman in “The Crucible”
Writer: Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing
Artist: Cully Hamner
Colors: Dave McCaig
Letters: Andworld Design

The Crucible is one of those great reminders why we need more Krypto in Superman comics. On the surface, yeah it’s a goofy idea, superdog because Superman…so why not? But the reality of it is, Krypto is the super version of why we love dogs as pets in the first place. He loves Superman and is loyal almost to a fault. In short the perfect pet companion that everyone who loves animals really wants.The one thing I think tends to go overlooked about Superman is despite him being godlike, he’s still just a Kansas farm boy at heart. Krypto serves as this amazing physical reminder that he can always find a way to maintain the balance between “super” and Man. While being a potentially unstoppable bullet to be aimed in any direction Kal-El pleases, Krypto is also just a dog who loves his “human”: A perfect balance of Joe Schmoe and otherworldly power to help ground the Man of Steel.

The Crucible opens up with a massive War World type alien weapon descending upon the Earth. Superman prepares to dive in to meet the unknown but not without man…or in this case Superman’s best friend. The pair of them are exposed to all manner of complex death traps, each more intricate than the last. It is only their bond as pet and owner that allows them to triumph handily as they go. The last level though is one that puts their resolve truly to the test. With Superman on death’s door, it is only Krypto’s unrelenting dedication to his master that saves the day.

While short and sweet, the story is great. It brings to mind the Coming of Atlas story written by the legendary James Robinson without being a cheap repeat. If ever one needed a black and white answer to why Krypto is more than a holdover from the campy 50’s era Superman, well this is it. The Crucible is indeed the reminder that Krypto isn’t just a good boy but a Super good boy.

Review by Kenneth Bowden

Killer Croc in “Citizen Croc”
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Kyle Hotz
Colors: David Baron
Letters: Tom Napolitano

This was a dark and shocking tale set in the hot and humid swamps of Florida. We are shown the lengths that Batman will go to to close a case but also the drastic measures Killer Croc will take to prevent someone else from living the life he lived. The art beautifully depicted the characters as well as the hot, damp swamps while the story provided an emotional look at Croc with an unsuspected twist!

Review by Trey Campbell

Ferdinand in “Barbecue Season”
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Atrist: Stepan S?ji?
Colors: Stepan S?ji?
Letters: Steve Wands

A great depiction of the importance of friends and respecting others differences; this story begins with a simple superhero barbecue but ends with a bang, as well as a touching message about friendship. Depicted with S?ji?’s always stylish art, this story also gave an interesting look at inter-species relations in a world where humans are not the only intelligent species.

Review by Trey Campbell

Captain Carrot in “Crisis on Earth-26”
Writer: Andrew Marino
Artist: James Harren
Colors: Dave Stewart
Letters: Tom Napolitano

Captain Carrot teams up with Val Zod and edgy 90’s Atomic Batman to solve a Crisis on Earth 26!

I thought this was a fun story, it’s always good to see the Zoo Crew and Captain Carrot was such a perfect foil to the petulant Atomic Batman. The cartoon physics bit and some of the jokes landed but not all. I thought the art was decent but a bit overly stylized in the opposite direction from what I might like, sadly.

Review by John Jack

Animal Man in “Rio Celeste”
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Artist: Christian Duce
Colors: Luis Guerrero
Letters: Clayton Cowles

This was a truly outstanding short in all ways; filled with beautiful art and a story sure to resonate with any parent. The colors and line work come together magnificently, creating lifelike animals and expressive human characters in a wonderfully depicted deep jungle setting. All of which helps to draw more interest to the already great story of a family vacation gone wrong resulting in Animal Man doing what needs to be done to protect his “pack.”

Review by Trey Campbell

Dex-Starr in “Tourist Season”
Writer: Kenny Porter
Pencils: Paul Fry
Inks: Mick Gray
Colors: Ivan Plascencia
Letters: Andworld Design

Dex-Starr teaches the helpless to help themselves during a Khund hunting retreat!

Man, it’s no secret but the Khund are jerks! I thought this was a very Red Lantern-y story, with Dex-Starr turning these sweet little teddy bear looking aliens into killing machi- dammit, this story is just Return of the Jedi isn’t it?! Anyway it was fine, I didn’t love the art but for a short story it was fine.

Review by John Jack

Batcow in “Panic at the Midnight Rodeo!”
Writer: Dan DiDio
Artist: Tom Raney
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Travis Lanham

A load of campy fun filled with numerous references to Batman comics and movies, this story mirrored the endless struggle between Batman and Joker, but with cows. When someone decides to ride Bailey’s Rodeo’s psychotic bull Laffa, AKA “He who won’t be ridden,” who better to save the day than Batcow. This short was loads of silly fun, but felt a bit lacking in substance.

Review by Trey Campbell

Beast Boy in “All Beasts Bright and Beautiful”
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Cian Tormey
Colors: John Kalisz
Letters: Rob Leigh

‘All Beasts Bright & Beautiful’ featuring the beloved Beast Boy is a fun comic with a surprising amount of heart. Writer Mariko Tamaki uses a beach-side competition for more than just a good-natured short story by showing the many different sides of Beast Boy and the struggles – both internal and external – his powers bring.

The artwork is particularly vibrant, thanks in part to John Kalisz’s colors, which help emphasize the overall summertime aesthetic really well. Beast Boy is both funny and full of good intentions making him feel right on character. His powers make him an obviously great choice for a comic such as this, and it’s nice to see the creative team take advantage of it with a story that offers plenty of chances for transformations. Overall, it’s just too wholesome not to enjoy!

And who doesn’t love a story that ends with a beautiful sunset?

Review by Nicholas Osborn