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Along those same lines of what could have been, it would have been easy to have Krypto act more like a human to connect with what he’s feeling and thinking throughout the story, and it’s not like that would have necessarily been a wrong decision. That said, what immediately stands out about the series is how the team of writer Ryan North, artist Mike Norton, colorist Ian Herring, and letterer Lucas Gattoni made a decision to have Krypto act like the adorable puppy he is through and through, so it’s up to Krypto’s mannerisms and expressions to convey his feelings in the moment.
To say that was executed beautifully would be an understatement. Norton and Herring’s Krypto leaps off the page with lively expressions and a genuine spark of life to everything he does. This is also true of the El family that surrounds him, and even as conversations unfold that he’s not a part of directly, the artwork conveys a subtle understanding of what’s happening throughout the issue, including one moment that will melt even a Grinch’s ice-cold heart.
Gattoni’s lettering is just as important, conveying the shifts in tone between the El’s and the larger populace of Krypton, who haven’t yet come around to the reality of their situation. Gattoni’s work really shines, however, as the issue makes a big shift towards the end, with Krypto’s every move and reaction heightened as he finds himself in unknown territory, and it all feels almost overwhelming, just like it would be to Krypto.
