Space Canine Patrol Agents

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the schools whose acronyms are also SCPA, see the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts or the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts.

The Space Canine Patrol Agents, or SCPA (not to be confused with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), is a group of fictional anthropomorphic extra-terrestrial canine superheroes that appeared in stories published by DC Comics.

The SCPA first appeared in Superboy (volume 1) # 131. The dogs were given alliterative names which also described their powers: i.e. Paws Pooch was able to increase its number of limbs, Prophetic Pup could predict the future using his "crystal ball cranium", Tail Terrier had an elastic tail, etc. (Bull Dog, who was a bulldog, and Krypto, Superboy's pet, seem to have been the exceptions.)

The team was something of a parody of the Legion of Super-Heroes, with enemies such as the "Phanty Cats".

Their battle cry and sacred oath, with which they began all meetings, was

Big dog, big dog, bow, wow, wow!

We'll stop evil, now, now, now!

The first line parodies the Yale chorus: "Bulldog, bulldog, bow-wow-wow"

[edit] Membership

Tail Terrier: Has an elastic tail that can be used as a rope. "Top Dog" of the SCPA
Mammoth Mutt: Can inflate to many times his size. Died in his first appearance.
Hot Dog: Pyrokinetic
Tusky Husky: Can turn one of his canine teeth into a long tusk, which is used as a lever
Bull Dog: Can grown horns
Paw Pooch: Can grow additional limbs
Chameleon Collie: Shapeshifter
Prophetic Pup: Clairvoyant
Krypto: Similar powers to Superman
Mammoth Miss: Mammoth Mutt's girlfriend, with the same powers
Beam Beagle: possessed "searchlight eyes". Died in the line of duty

[edit] In other media

A version of the team appears in the 2000s Krypto the Superdog animated series under the name the Dog Star Patrol. This version includes Tail Terrier, Mammoth Mutt (a female version, possibly based on Mammoth Miss), Hot Dog, Tusky Husky, Bull Dog, Paw Pooch, and Krypto, and is led by Brainy Barker (an original character similar to Marvel Comics' Professor X. She possesses powerful psychic abilities, and rides on a pillow instead of walking. However, she is always shown standing on the pillow.)