5 DC Heroes That Have Pets That Should Be Part of the DCU

Pets just make life better. They are a shoulder to cry on when times get tough, and even when they’re misbehaving, it’s hard to get mad at them. Superheroes are as aware of all that as regular people, which is probably why so many of them get an animal companion. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is already home to a few notable pets, including Captain Marvel’s cat, Goose, and Lucky the Pizza Dog from Hawkeye. However, the MCU fails to give its animals proper screen time if they’re not in a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. That’s why it’s no surprise that James Gunn is ensuring his DC Universe doesn’t make the same mistake.

The first DCU movie, Superman, has a heavy dose of Krypto. The Super Dog helps the Man of Steel in his fight against Lex Luthor, knocking around anyone who gets in his way. Superman is far from the only DC hero with a pet, though, so Gunn and Co. should look to incorporate a few more characters that have animals as the franchise grows.

1) Batman

While Krypto might be Superman’s best furry pal, Batman has the honor of being the hero’s human best friend. The two get along so well because they’re total opposites, with Man of Steel being all about hope, while the Dark Knight likes to see the worst in every situation. But being a big fan of brooding doesn’t mean that Batman can’t show affection now and again.

Batman’s dog Ace the Bat-Hound has been part of the hero’s life since the 1950s. While he disappears from more grounded titles, the DCU doesn’t seem all that worried about having pets around. Ace and Krypto could even team up and form the Legion of Super Pets.

2) Shazam

Years before Ace the Bat Hound arrived on the scene, Captain Marvel found an admirer in a bunny named Hoppy. The little creature wants to be just like his idol, so he says the word “Shazam!” and is shocked to learn he has powers. He travels to visit the Marvel Family and helps them take down a few villains.

Hoppy is a hero in his own right, which means he wouldn’t cause any problems if he tagged along with Shazam after he makes his DCU debut. Having the magical bunny around may even make up for the fact that the Green Lantern Chip didn’t end up being in Superman.

3) Supergirl

Gunn drops a bombshell by revealing that Krypto is actually Supergirl’s dog, not Superman’s. The dog is sure to follow Kara Zor-El as she tries to find her next part in the cosmos. However, having Krypto be Supergirl’s pet shouldn’t get in the way of her other animal appearing.

In the pages of DC Comics, Supergirl has a cat named Streaky who gains powers after being exposed to X-Kryptonite. Her transformation emboldens her to be as heroic as her owner, so she joins the Legion of Super Pets alongside Krypto and Ace. Supergirl’s solo movie could feature the Kryptonian meeting Streaky for the first time and taking her under her wing.

4) Aquaman

All of the animals on this list thus far are rather cute, but that’s not the only important part of being a sidekick. Aquaman befriends an octopus named Topo in the comics and calls on him during battle, as the sea creature is pretty handy with weapons. While Topo appears in the DC Extended Universe as Arthur Curry’s friend, there’s still room for the character to grow.

Aquaman has yet to be confirmed for the DCU, and it may be hard to follow up on what Jason Momoa did in the DCEU. There are already plenty of heroes in Gunn’s franchise, though, so if he wants to allude to Aquaman being around without showing him, that’s fine. Topo can still join the Legion of Super Pets without his owner’s blessing.

5) Robin

Out of all of the Robins, Damian Wayne is the toughest cookie. Growing up with the League of Shadows would leave anybody a little messed up, but Damian has it extra bad because Ra’s al Ghul is his grandfather. Alfred Pennyworth recognizes that his master’s son could stand to learn more about humanity, so he gets him a cat.

Damian names the cat after Alfred and cares deeply for him. With The Brave and the Bold set to feature Damian’s live-action debut, there may also be room for Alfred, who is sure to battle with Ace over who gets the comfy spot in the Bat-Cave.

Superman is in theaters now.

Would you like to see the DC pets on this list appear in the DCU? What other comic book animals should make the jump to live-action? Let us know in the comments below!

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