Yankee Poodle: The Journey Begins

Comic book superheroics is not unknown in the animal kingdom.  Marvel Comics has Lockjaw, Lockheed, and the other Pet Avengers.  Marvel also has neat characters like Spider-Ham and the various Marvel Apes.  DC has many, many more examples such as Krypto, the Legion of Super-Pets, Detective Chimp, and Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew.

Which brings me to my point, and it's a weird one.  Nero is a tough dog.  He's swift and strong.  He's smart.  He likes to wrestle.  He has a striking appearance.  He inspires me.  I think he would make a really cool superhero.  Or at least I think it would be cool to have a costume to dress him in for special occasions like Halloween or the Fourth of July or during special parades.  Stuff like that.  The Zoo Crew has a member named Yankee Poodle.  I think that would be a totally cool superhero name for Nero.

So I've been thinking about what kind of costume would best suit Nero.  Obviously, DC's Yankee Poodle has some gender differences that wouldn't suit him.  Plus, I don't like the star circle around his head and I doubt he'd tolerate anything around his eyes.  When I initially had the brain-wave, I began wondering how to adapt a costume similar to that on the right using a kind of "Uncle Sam" motif.  Not quite what I was looking for, but that was my initial thought.

And then I remembered last summer's county fair, when we visited the sheep barn.  The 4-H'ers shave their sheep before competition and then keep them clean with these spandex-like body-socks, as seen to the left.  That's what I'm looking to start with.  Not specifically those colors or exact design (for example, I don't like how the butts all hang out like that), but it gives me a starting look to build upon.  I'm thinking red and blue coloring.  It'd be cool if I could add a head- or neck-piece of some sort, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Anway, don't be surprised if you see pics in the future of Nero wearing an original Yankee Poodle costume in some kiddie parade or community walkathon or if I talk the boys into staging some sort of "Yankee Poodle" video play with Nero.  It's a goofy idea, but a fun one.  And those are some of the most difficult ideas to resist.  :)