Nearly every survivor of Krypton contained the same powers as Superman. Thanks to the rays of Earth’s yellow sun, Superman and other survivors are blessed with abilities making them some of the most powerful beings on the planet. For some, like Supergirl, this works just fine, yet with others, such as Krypto, it has mixed results.
By the time the Silver Age of Comics was in full swing, the Superman mythos had ballooned to include other, wackier survivors of Krypton’s destruction. The aforementioned Krypto opened a floodgate of superpowered animals in the DC Universe, such as Streaky the Super Cat and Comet the Super Horse. Now, one of the weirdest is on his way back.
The Super-Monkey of Krypton Has Returned
Beppo Is Going to Make a Monkey Out of Superman
DC has revealed a look at the cover to Superman Unlimited #13, which will be written by Dan Slott and drawn by Lucas Meyer. The cover, by Taurin Clarke, shows what appears to be a monkey of some kind bending two bars, with both Superboys reflecting on them. Clarke’s cover promises both menace and mayhem.
The cover does not identify the monkey, but DC’s solicitation for the issue lays its identity bare: it is none other than Beppo the Super-Monkey. DC’s synopsis reads as follows:
REIGN OF THE SUPERBOYS CONTINUES! One word should fill you with fear: Metropolis! Two syllables should have you running for your lives! Beware the wrath of Beppo! The power of a Kryptonian with the mind of an angry primal beast! Can Tomorrow Man and Superboy even hope to stop the Mad Mammal of Might… Super Monkey?! The reign of the Superboys continues… as Jon Kent’s life takes a surprising turn that super-fans won’t want to miss!
It is worth noting that this will be Beppo’s first canonical appearance in the DC Universe since Crisis on Infinite Earths.
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Both Krypto and Beppo Were Jor-El’s Test Subjects
Superman’s origin is well-known, and one of the most memorable in comics. Rocketed from the dying planet Krypton, the baby Kal-El crash-landed in a Kansas corn field. Found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, the boy grows up to be Superman. The origin has been tweaked over time, but the gist remains the same.
As Superman’s origin grew and evolved, new layers were added. Readers learned about Superman’s father Jor-El. One of Krypton’s greatest scientists, Jor-El, built the rocket that would take his son to Earth and carry on his people’s legacy. Yet before Jor-El sent his son into space, he ran a few tests.
Jor-El’s experiments in space flight needed test subjects before he was comfortable sending his son. Jor-El used his son’s pet dog Krypto as one such subject. Krypto would drift through space for years, before landing on Earth and reuniting with Kal-El, now a teenager going by Superboy. Krypto would become an integral part of the Superman mythos.
Beppo the Super-Monkey was created by Otto Binder and George Papp, and debuted in 1959’s Superboy #76.
And then came Beppo the Super-Monkey. Just like Krypto, Beppo the Super-Monkey resembles an Earth animal, thanks to convergent evolution. Beppo, also like Krypto, had been one of Jor-El’s tests for his spacecraft. Beppo hung around the DC Universe, making sporadic appearances, but has not been seen canonically since the 1980s.
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Beppo is No Goofier Than Krypto or Streaky
The concept behind Beppo the Super-Monkey is undeniably silly, a relic of a simpler time in comics. Some readers may wonder how such a goofy character can work in the modern age. The truth is, Krypto is no kookier than Krypto, and creators have made the super-powered canine work beautifully.
When Krypto was retooled in the early 2000s, DC took a different approach. In the dog’s Silver Age appearances, he was super-intelligent on top of having superpowers. However, the modern Krypto has the mind of a regular dog, and all of Superman’s powers. This has proven to be a deadly combination for Superman’s foes.
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Reading DC’s advanced synopsis for Superman Unlimited #13, readers can infer that Slott and Meyer are taking a similar approach to Beppo. The new Beppo the Super-Monkey will have Superman’s vast suite of powers, but the simple brain of an Earth primate. Just like Krypto, that much power in the hands of an animal is terrifying.
DC Is Respecting Beppo’s Silver Age Origins
Will Beppo Help Superman? Or Destroy Hiim?
DC also seems to be indicating that, like Krypto, Beppo will once again originate on Krypton. The idea that animals from another world would look like those on Earth might seem preposterous, but it is not totally out of the realm of possibility. Regardless, characters like Krypto and Beppo add color and flavor to Superman’s lore.
Regardless, characters like Krypto and Beppo add color and flavor to Superman’s lore.
DC has had a great track record of reworking “silly’ Silver Age Superman concepts, and Beppo will be no different. It might appear that Beppo is starting as a threat, making this a more grounded and realistic take on the character. Hopefully, Superboy can reason with him, and gain a new ally in the process.
Superman Unlimited #13 is on sale May 20 from DC Comics!