Krypto #91: Krypto's Girlfriend, Chelsea

From: Superman Family #183-185 (May-October 1977)

Remember when Krypto returned to Metropolis after a bout of amnesia, fell in love, but was rebuffed when the love interest in question found out he was an alien mutt from outer space? (Sure you do).

Well, never let nothing stand in love's way. Krypto is keen on getting Canine Pictures' newest superstar Chelsea to be his girlfriend! And taking a cue from his master, he's of course going to trick her into it by adopting a secret identity!

That's the crux of his first Superman Family story arc, as he follows his super-nose - and his super-heart! - to Hollywood. It's a good thing too, because Chelsea's first stunt goes awry and she needs a rescue!

And like that, Chelsea gains a co-star... and a boyfriend! You know what love is like, not a care in the world, chasing butterflies and...

...wandering onto a western set. But how do you spell trouble in paradise? L.I.E.S. And yes, the lies begin:

So he races off to help a dog who mistaken put a rare dinosaur bone filled with stolen diamonds into its mouth, you know how it is, and when he returns it's all, like, MIND GAMES.

On their next outing together, they're just galivanting in the park, minding their own business, and run afoul of the local dogcatcher.

But unable to blow his secret, Krypto (he's called Jocko on set) can't prevent Chelsea's capture. Pound guy apparently has a full truck because he says he'll get Krypto later and drives off. Our Superdog follows and is caught right at the pound's door, much to the civil servant's wonderment.

Gross. The Superman Family, they get turned on by people in distress. Sort of makes sense, doesn't it?

Well of COURSE Krypto breaks them out, picking the lock with his tail, and while the pound's employees are dealing with half a dozen loose dogs, Krypto and Chelsea high-tail it out of there. Meanwhile, the place's janitor uses the confusion to free another dog kept behind closed doors, Scoodles, for some reason. This attracts Krypto's attention, so he sends his lady love back to the studio while in investigates. Well, turns out the janitor is really private eye Ed Lacy (remember that name), and that the dogcatcher was really a dogNAPPER holding wealthy owners' dogs for ransom. Krypto saves Scoodles, meets Ed, and in his way, asks him to pose as his master so Canine Pictures can be above board (no stray actors!).

And so Krypto keeps living a lie...