Superman Retcon Makes DC Sidekick Canon After Decades of Obscurity

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Over the years, Superman has been helped by various companions, from friends like Jimmy Olsen to animal sidekicks like Krypto the Superdog. Recently, DC Comics brought back another of these lesser-known helpers as part of their new DC All-In universe, but they’ve also made a major change to the character’s backstory.

In issue #12 of Superman Unlimited, written by Dan Slott and Lucas Meyer, a familiar supporting character makes an appearance. A key part of the story involves a hidden laboratory in Metropolis where scientists are experimenting on animals, injecting them with different forms of Kryptonite to see if they can develop superpowers.

You won’t believe this, but one of the test animals – a monkey they called Subject #06638 – actually broke out of its cage! It was found by Bibbo, that sweet guy who runs the food truck and is a huge Superman fan. Being Bibbo, he immediately offered the monkey some food. He noticed a number on its bracelet, flipped it around, and thought it said ‘Beppo.’ Turns out, that little guy was the latest version of Beppo the Super-Monkey! It’s such a fun little detail if you know the character’s history.

DC’s Beppo the Super-Monkey explained

Beppo the Super-Monkey first appeared in 1959 as a funny character in the Superman stories. Later, it was revealed that Beppo was originally one of Jor-El’s test subjects. Like the playful Curious George, Beppo secretly climbed aboard the rocket carrying baby Superman before the planet Krypton exploded.

Beppo started out as a bit of a troublemaker, often getting into mischief by copying the actions of those around him. But after spending time under Earth’s yellow sun, he became more mature and focused in his adventures. He also created the Legion of Super-Pets, teaming up with Krypto, Comet the Super-Horse, and other super-powered animals. Although he still appears in DC comics geared towards younger readers, like the Super Pets series, Beppo hasn’t been featured in a main Superman comic book for many years.

The story also echoes past events with Beppo being discovered and named by Bibbo, mirroring how Bibbo previously reintroduced Krypto. While Krypto was just a regular dog Bibbo adopted after Superman’s supposed death, this new Beppo does have superpowers – and he isn’t from Krypton.

Superman Unlimited #12 is now available at comic shops everywhere.

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2026-04-15 19:46