Review: Streaky! The Origin Of Supergirl's Cat

We have seen a lot of Krypto in the Supergirl trailer . In that story and in that cinematic universe, Krypto has always been Kara's pet, meeting him in Argo and being rocketed to Earth with him. While Kara and Krypto have become close in the comics, he has always been Kal's pet in there.

But with all that love for the pooch, it made me realize it has been a while since I talked about Supergirl's 'true' pet Streaky, the Super-Cat. A while ago, I bought the Streaky origin story book, a kid's book similar to the one I covered about Comet . It is even done by the same team, writer Steve Korte and artist Art Baltazar (of Tiny Titans fame). 

Like that book, this storybook really borrows heavily from the actual Silver Age comics that Streaky appears in. I am always appreciative when creators acknowledge Supergirl's history. What could be better! Head here to see some of the original story we get riffed on.

But seriously, poor Streaky! He has become an afterthought in the current comic world and now overlooked in the multimedia world.

Let's head to the book!

 

Supergirl finds a chunk of Kryptonite. Trying to find a cure, she hits it with heat vision and super-breath. But neither does anything to change the green K so she tosses it into the forest.

This is slightly different than the original in which Linda Lee experiments on the K with a chemistry set with the same result. Perhaps the idea of a chemistry experiment is too complicated for a little kid book? Or the writer didn't want to have kids start experimenting?

But as in the comic, Linda (here as Supergirl) finds Streaky and decides to bring him back to the orphanage to live there as her pet. 

Love this picture so much!

As in the comic, Streaky discovers the Green K from earlier, which has somehow been changed by Supergirl's experiments. Now 'X-Kryptonite', it grants Streaky powers.

And one of Streaky's first mischievous deeds is to upend a milk truck so that some bottles spill out, feeding some stray kittens nearby. 

Korte and Baltazar follow this tour of Midvale as it was in the comic. Streaky dumps some apples on an angry dog. He saves from chicks from a hunting bird. He even meows so loud Supergirl hears it.

Discovering that Streaky has powers, Kara plays with him in a super-way, using a spool of heavy cable like a ball of yarn.

I love how happy Streaky looks in this picture.

All of this is right from that first adventure. Amazing!

But we get beyond that first story.

Korte and Baltazar give us a recreation of the famous cover of Action Comics #277 .

In the book, Streaky grows in his adventures.

We even see him join the League of Super-Pets from this line of books. 

I just love the fact that we live in a world where kids have books with Comet, Streaky, Beppo, Jumpa, and Proty! We live in a world where Krypto is a big screen movie star.

While I loved that earlier page of Streaky and Supergirl at the orphanage, my favorite page was this closing image of Streaky in Linda's lap. Linda is in her civilian togs, a lightning bolt sweater completes the picture.

Yes, Streaky is a super-cat and a super-pet for Supergirl.

Too freaking cute!

But wait! There's more!

I love this page showing all the other super-pets, some of them which seem insane.

Whizzy, Sun Boy's cat??

Steel turtle? Fuzzy? Bizarro Streaky?

And villain pets! General Manx??

I am glad that Streaky isn't completely forgotten in this world. While Krypto is taking the world by storm, we should remember the super-cat for the fun part of Kara's Silver Age world.