From: Superman #677-681 (August-December 2008)
James Robinson gave Krypto a big role in his opening Superman story, but then Robinson does love old, forgotten characters. Krypto doesn't EXACTLY fit that description - certainly not as much as all the characters he brought back from First Issue Special - but no one had really used the Dog of Steel in any significant manner for a couple years. A Superman Family hanger on, something for Superman to fob off on others, and even then, they never did anything with it. At this point, he's supposed to be Jimmy Olsen's dog! But nothing came of that. Robinson resets Krypto's roles immediately by showing him doing super-dog things with his super-master.
Hal Jordan thinks this is weird, but Superman acknowledges it's fun and that Hal is a moron (ok, that's MY assessment). But it means the relationship is back on track. None of this deadbeat dad nonsense. but there's more to being a good dog than play. In the next issue, Atlas (speaking of First Issue Special morts) shows up in Metropolis and we get a sort of replay of Superman's fight with Doomsday. As Superman succumbs (and Supergirl, and Steel, and Bibbo), look who shows up:
I don't think we've heard Krypto's inner monologue since the 70s. This leads into Superman #680, which is an all-out brawl between Krypto and Atlas.
Krypto is relentless and even when blasted by whoever sent Atlas, he gets up. Atlas panics. Eventually, he's got the Super-Dog on the ropes, but by then, Superman's managed to wake up. He punches Atlas right through the asphalt. The public cheers. But Superman's all about giving credit where credit is due.
Superman tells him "good boy". Krypto thinks "happy". How can you not love that? Having had his day in the sun, Krypto then retires to the Kent Farm.
And hey, he didn't even destroy the door scratching at it! This is it folks, KRYPTO RESTORED!
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