Superboy #131

Superboy #131 (1966)
written by unknown
pencils by George Papp
cover by Curt Swan

I could make the joke about the cover featuring Superboy being fisted, but we’re not here for that story.

It’s not exactly a masterpiece, despite being written by Otto Binder.

We’re here for the third story, for which the writer isn’t known with certainty.
The story begins with Superboy being called by the Legion; this was published the same month of Adventure Comics #346, so I like to think that this story is happening “simultaneously” with the very first Jim Shooter one.
Well, it’s set a thousand years earlier, but you know what I mean.

Which is a pity because we COULD have had Krypto meeting the new Legion recruits!
He definitely would’ve figured out Nemesis Kid was a bad guy.

But don’t feel bad for Krypto: he gets to meet the dog version of Bouncing Boy!

This is Mammoth Mutt, a member of the greatest superhero team of all time: the SCPA.

Krypto stories are shockingly hard core: we already have a dog dying on-panel!!!
List of SCPA members
??? active dogs
1 deceased dog (Mammoth Mutt)
1 dogs have been members

Looking for vengeance, Krypto reaches Planet Furry.

Where English has been adopted as the official language.

Well duh. We know from Jimmy Olsen #39 that it’s the most efficient language in the universe.
(holy crap that review was already SIX YEARS AGO???)

You know sometimes I get the impression that Krypto stories are not very serious.
And then I remember we opened with a dying dog.

Excellent disguise, Krypto, no notes.

Krypto’s plan involves getting himself captured by the villains, so that he can meet and rescue the SCPA members.

Each member of the team has one superpower, so let’s meet the pack.
We have Tail Terrier, Tusky Husky, Chameleon Collie, Hot Dog, Bull Dog and Paw Pooch.

List of SCPA members
6 active dogs
1 deceased dog (Mammoth Mutt)
7 dogs have been members

The story is very insistent that all dogs except Krypto only have ONE power; unfortunately for him, something is slowly making him weaker.

He seems to still have his super-canine intelligence, leading the SCPA to escape.

Only to be very easily distracted.

But they are saved from the trap by Krypto’s little-known power to make things invisible.
Wait, what?

I get the “one super-power rule”, but I can’t help but feeling that Chameleon Collie’s shapeshifting is on a whole other level from the others.

Also, throughout this entire storyline, Krypto has been chewing gum.
SOMEHOW.

As you might have guessed, the gum was made of Kryptonite.
Yes.
Either this is a planet of humanoid dogs who manufacture confectionery from the radioactive remains of a dead planet, or it’s standard issue for all SCPA members.

Instead of arresting the criminals, Krypto moves their base to a new planet.
Incidentally their base is called the Fido Fortress, because of course it is.

A planet that is guarded by a DIFFERENT team with the same exact initials.

List of SCPA members
3 active cats
3 cats have been members

Clearly, the Space Canine Patrol Agents are the superior team when compared to the Legion of Super-Heroes.

I should also point out that Krypto is a member of TWO super-teams, since he’s also a founding member of the Legion of Super-Pets.

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Historical significance: 1/10
Tragically, this is the last time we see the Space Cat Patrol Agents. I guess Streaky wasn’t popular enough to join. The fact that there are only a grand total of THREE SCPA stories is one of the greatest tragedies of comics.
But the Space Canine Patrol Agents do show up again, and in my headcanon Planet Furry is the homeworld of Cannus.

Silver Age-ness: 3∞/10

Does it stand the test of time?    /
Woof.

List of SCPA members
7 active dogs
1 deceased dog (Mammoth Mutt)
8 dogs have been members

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How close is this to the modern team? What modern team?

The SCPA returns in the following issue!
It’s even the first story of the book, written by Otto Binder. Which makes it VERY likely that the first SCPA story was also by Binder.

We learn that Krypto is only a HONORARY member.
That’s a bummer, but at least he gets the catchphrase “Hot diggety dog!”.

Move aside, Green Lantern, there is a much better superhero oath.
“Big dog! Big dog! Bow wow wow!”.

Despite the name, the Legion of Super-Pets didn’t have a whole lot in common with the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The SCPA, however, goes as far as having auditions!!!

DC Comics missed the mark with the SCPA. Had they debuted at the end of the Golden Age when “funny animals” comics were all the rage, they would’ve been wildly successful.

WILL YOU STOP EATING KRYPTONITE???

Considering that Red Kryptonite once turned Krypto female and giving birth and another one turned him into a cow to be milked, how is it possible that the least ridiculous effects are in an SCPA story???

It also has Kryptonite dog bones, because of course it does.

Yep, this is 100% the same writer of the original story.

The SCPA returns in Superboy #136, once again by Otto Binder, with Mammoth Miss joining.

Audition time again!!!

With Prophetic Pup now joining the team.

AND we also learn that the SCPA has a long and complex history that we never get to see.

Silver Age Krypton was typically depicted as a utopia, but every once in a while we have a glimpse of a much darker society.
Like the fact that they also jail the pets of criminals.

We even have the UPGRADED version of the oath!!!

List of SCPAmembers
9 active dogs
1 honorary dog (Krypto)
6 deceased dogs (Mammoth Mutt, Beam Beagle, plus 4 unnamed)
16 dogs have been members
2 dogs have been rejected

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Despite being the last SCPA story, it features a letters page with a lot of suggestions for future members.

That was a 1967 story. The SCPA did not survive Crisis, and would not even have a cameo until 1990’s Animal Man #25 as part of Comic Book Limbo.
They’re reference right next to the panel with an Ultra The Multi-Alien cameo, so there’s still hope they might eventually get out.

In 2013, Sandman: Overture #3 has a cameo by the “Space Canine Patrol CORPS”.

The spirit of the SCPA lives in the Dog Star Patrol that appears in 16 episodes of “Krypto the Super-Dog” animated series.
I’ve never watched it, but this is CLEARLY the SCPA.

And in 2016, the actual SCPA manages to make a proper appearance… on Scooby-Doo Team-Up, of all places.

The last place where you would expect someone to create a legacy of dog superheroes, but… we even get the Golden Age SCPA!!!

It’s 100% canon that both Krypto an Scooby-Doo are honoray SCPA members.
If it’s not, what are we even doing reading comics?

List of SCPA members
9 active dogs
2 honorary dogs (Krypto and Scooby-Doo)
6 deceased dogs (Mammoth Mutt, Beam Beagle, plus 4 unnamed)
17 dogs have been members
2 dogs have been rejected