He is Supergirl's pet cat who gained superpowers through exposure to X-Kryptonite; such as flight, super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, and enhanced vision abilities, among other Kryptonian powers. His distinctive mark is a lightning bolt in his fur running along both sides. He is also a member of the Legion of Super-Pets, with other super-powered animals like Krypto, Beppo, and Comet.
Publication history
Streaky the Supercat first appeared in Action Comics #261 (February 1960) and was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Jim Mooney. He was the pet of Supergirl, in her identity as Linda Lee.[2]
Fictional character biography
Streaky. Art by Curt Swan.
One of a series of superpowered animals, including Krypto the Superdog, Comet the Super-Horse, and Beppo the Super-Monkey, that was popular in DC's comics of the 1960s, Streaky was Supergirl's pet cat that was given super-powers by an unusual form of kryptonite.[3]
In Action Comics #261 (February 1960),[4] Supergirl was experimenting on a piece of green kryptonite in an attempt to find a way to neutralize its deadly effects. When her experiment failed, she tossed the kryptonite (or "X-Kryptonite", as it became known) out the window. Though her experiment failed, her pet Streaky came across the X-Kryptonite and was exposed to its radiation.[5] Streaky gains powers akin to Superman and Supergirl, but on a lower level, including flight, super-strength, super-vision, super-speed, heat vision, and human-level intelligence.
Streaky made sporadic appearances in comic stories through the 1960s, and even became a member of the Legion of Super-Pets, a group consisting of the aforementioned super-powered animals.[6]
Streaky's last pre-Crisis appearance was in Adventure Comics #394 (June 1970).[7] When all kryptonite on Earth is transformed into iron,[8] Streaky's X-Kryptonite power source is eliminated as well, causing him to lose his powers. In an answer to a reader's letter in Supergirl #2 (January 1973), editor E. Nelson Bridwell stated that the now-powerless Streaky had gone to live with Supergirl's foster parents in Midvale.
Post-Crisis
An alternate, grey-furred Streaky appears in Animal Man (1990) as one of the pre-Crisis characters who were returned to reality by the Psycho-Pirate's Medusa Mask.[9][10] This alternate Streaky attacks Overman, an evil parallel universe version of Superman, with his heat vision before being hurled out of Arkham Asylum.
Various cats inspired by Streaky appear in the post-Crisis DC universe, but none of them possess superpowers. In Supergirl (vol. 4), a particular cat named Streaky, identical in appearance to the pre-Crisis version, jumps from a tree as if trying to fly before being saved by Supergirl and returned to its owner, saying the town of Leesburg is not "ready for a flying kitten".[11][12] At the 2007 New York Comic Con, when asked if Streaky would return, writer Paul Dini said that the "cat's out of the bag".[13]
In Supergirl #10 (2006),[14] it is revealed Kara has a female pet cat. In issue #14 (2007), it is revealed that the cat's name is Streaky because "she doesn't get the concept of the litter box".[15]
The original Streaky returns in Super Sons Annual #1 (2017). This version has traits of the pre- and post-Crisis versions, as Streaky is female but has the powers of the original. Streaky was a member of the Legion of Super-Pets (consisting of Krypto, Titus, Flexi the Plastic-Bird, Bat-Cow, and Clay Critter), but the group had a falling out when Clay Critter was killed in battle with Dex-Starr and Bud and Lou.[16]
Other versions
In pre-Crisis continuity, Streaky has a 30th-century descendant named Whizzy.[17]
Streaky appears in Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade.[18][19]
Streaky appears in Krypto the Superdog, voiced by Brian Drummond.[26] This version is the pet of Andrea, the neighbor of Krypto's owner Kevin Whitney, who acquires Kryptonian-like biology following a lab accident during which he is exposed to a duplicator laser's beam after it bounces off Krypto.[27] Later in the series, he joins the Dog Star Patrol.
An unnamed cat resembling Streaky appears in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Message in a Bottle" as a resident of Kandor.[28]
↑ Eury, Michael (2006). "Jim Mooney Interview". The Krypton Companion. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. p.44. ISBN1-893905-61-6. Streaky the Supercat was my design. I think the writer came up with the initial idea, but I designed him so he looked a little bit more like an animated cat.
↑ Renaud, Jeffrey (July 15, 2009). "Wednesday Comics: Jimmy Palmiotti". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012. Streaky and Krypto are acting a bit weird and taking the city along for the ride.
↑ Dini, Paul (writer); Lukic, Butch (director) (December 13, 2003). "Comfort and Joy". Justice League. Season 2. Episode 23. Cartoon Network.
1 2 "Streaky Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 1, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
↑ Evans Gardner, Jennifer and Loy, John (writers); Jeralds, Scott (director) (April 6, 2005). "The Streaky Story". Krypto the Superdog. Season 1. Episode 3. Cartoon Network.
↑ Joseph Kuhr (writer); Scott Jeralds and Brandon Vietti (directors) (December 1, 2007). "Message in a Bottle". Legion of Super Heroes. Season 2. Episode 8. Kids' WB.
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