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Kryptonite

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(Redirected from Kryptonium)
Not to be confused with Krypton or Kryptonium ion.
For other uses, see Kryptonite (disambiguation).
Kryptonite
Green kryptonite as seen in Superman: Secret Origin #1
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearance
In story information
TypeElement/compound
Element of stories featuring

Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a unique, poisonous radiation that can weaken and even kill Kryptonians. Kryptonite radiation can be transmitted through any element except lead. Thus, Superman has a special lead suit to protect himself from the radiation. There are other varieties of kryptonite, such as red and gold kryptonite, which have different but still generally negative effects.

Batman, Lex Luthor, Metallo, and Titano are four notable characters often presented as using kryptonite — the first carrying the substance as a last-ditch method to stop his ally (often at Superman's urging to take such precautions) if he is subject to mind control or otherwise compromised, the next two using the mineral to ward off Superman or incorporating it into weapons, and the fourth being able to project rays of kryptonite radiation from his eyes after being altered by simultaneous exposure to kryptonite and uranium.[1]

Due to Superman's popularity, kryptonite has become a byword for an extraordinary exploitable weakness, synonymous with "Achilles' heel".

History

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Superman suffering from green kryptonite poisoning, courtesy of foes Metallo and Titano, in Action Comics Annual #10 (March 2007), art by Art Adams and Alex Sinclair.

An unpublished 1940 story titled "The K-Metal from Krypton", written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel, featured a prototype of kryptonite. It was a mineral from the planet Krypton that drained Superman of his strength while giving superhuman powers to humans. This story was rejected because in it Superman reveals his identity to Lois Lane.[2]

The mineral known as kryptonite, not to be confused with the real element krypton, was first officially introduced in the radio serial The Adventures of Superman, in the story "The Meteor from Krypton", broadcast in June 1943.[3] An apocryphal story claims that kryptonite was introduced to give Superman's voice actor, Bud Collyer, the possibility to take a vacation at a time when the radio serial was performed live. In an episode where Collyer would not be present to perform, Superman would be incapacitated by kryptonite, and a substitute voice actor would make groaning sounds. This tale was recounted by Julius Schwartz in his memoir.[4] However, the historian Michael J. Hayde disputes this: in "The Meteor From Krypton", Superman is never exposed to kryptonite. If kryptonite allowed Collyer to take vacations, that was a fringe benefit discovered later. More likely, kryptonite was introduced as a plot device for Superman to discover his origin.[5] On the other hand, Hayde might have mistaken 1945's "The Meteor of Kryptonite" for 1943's "The Meteor from Krypton", as Superman was exposed in the former but not in the latter.[6]

In the radio serial, Krypton was located in the same solar system as Earth, in the same orbit, but on the opposite side of the Sun. This provided an easy explanation for how kryptonite found its way to Earth. During the comics' Silver Age, which put Krypton in another solar system light-years away, much of the kryptonite that came to Earth (along with several Kryptonian artifacts) was explained as having come through the same "space warp" that baby Kal-El's rocket traversed.

Kryptonite was incorporated into the comic mythos with Superman #61 (November 1949).[7] Editor Dorothy Woolfolk stated in an interview with Florida Today in August 1993 that she felt Superman's invulnerability was "boring".[8]

Long said to be an element in the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age comics, Kryptonite became a compound post-Crisis as revealed in Action Comics #591.

Forms and effects

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Various forms of the fictional material have been created over the years in Superman publications and programs.[9]

Type First appearance Effects Notes
Kryptonians Earthlings Bizarros or Earth-3 Kryptonians
Green The Adventures of Superman radio serial (June 1943) Severe, intensifying pain
Loss of superpowers[10]
Usual collapse
Severe muscular weakness
Fever
Eventual unconsciousness
Green blood or skin
Some degree of paralysis
Eventual fatality[11]
No cumulative effects[12]
Mitigation by long-term[13] or high short-term[14] yellow sunlight absorption 		(With extensive exposure) carcinogenesis
Possible cancer treatment[15]
Individualized superpowers (Smallville TV series) 		Perfect health Debuted in the radio serial The Adventures of Superman, in the story "The Meteor from Krypton", broadcast in June 1943.[3] While the material debuted in the comics in Superman #61 (November 1949) with a red color, it was not depicted as green until Action Comics #161 (August 1951).
Red Superman #61 (November 1949) Wanton behavior
Mutations
Unpredictable effects 		Originally, red kryptonite weakened Superman to a greater degree than green kryptonite. As of Adventure Comics #252 (September 1958), red kryptonite causes odd behavior or temporary transformations.[16] In Smallville, red kryptonite affects Clark's mind, and the effect wears off as soon as he stops being in proximity to it. In Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, red kryptonite initially makes Superman apathetic, while another piece transfers his superpowers into other humans, and a third case causes him to lose control of his powers.
Anti- Action Comics #252 (May 1959) None Same as green on Kryptonians Additional strength Anti-kryptonite resembles green kryptonite, but affects humans rather than Kryptonians. It is also the power source for one version of Ultraman, Superman's evil alternate universe counterpart.[17]
X-
/Orange 		Action Comics #261 (January 1960) None Temporary superpowers
Kryptonian consciousness (Superman & Lois TV series) 		Loss of superpowers (Superman & Lois TV series) Created by Supergirl in an unsuccessful attempt to find an antidote to green kryptonite. It is harmless to Kryptonians and gives Earth creatures superhuman abilities, as in the case of Supergirl's cat Streaky.

In Superman Family #203 (October 1980), it has a similar effect as the green variety on Kryptonians. In Krypto the Superdog #4 (February 2007), the substance is called "orange kryptonite" and provides super-abilities for 24 hours to any animal that comes into contact with it. In Superman & Lois, X-kryptonite temporarily gives humans one Kryptonian power and weakens entities from Bizarro World.

Blue Superman #140 (October 1960) Loss of superpowers (Smallville TV series) Perfect health (Smallville TV series) Same as green on Kryptonians An imperfect variety of kryptonite that is harmful to Bizarro and other Bizarro characters in the same way that green kryptonite affects Kryptonians. The only substance in the universe that its radiation cannot penetrate is imperfect lead. In the Super Friends franchise, it is also an antidote to the effects of red kryptonite. In Smallville, blue kryptonite temporarily nullifies the powers of Kryptonians, but also supercharges bodies to dangerous levels; this effect killed Bizarro. When a Kryptonian is in close proximity to blue kryptonite even as jewelry, he (or she) has no powers, but once separated by a sufficient distance, the powers return. Blue Kryptonite can also affect humans and plant life, putting them in a perfect state of health, but can cause irregularities.
White Adventure Comics #279 (December 1960) Kills plants, bacteria, and viruses
Red-green Action Comics #275 (April 1961). Mutation
Loss of superpowers 		An alloy created by the villain Brainiac, red-green kryptonite caused Superman to temporarily growing a third eye in the back of his head. In Superboy Comics #121 (June 1965), it causes Superboy to lose his superpowers before the Phantom Zone criminal Vakox unintentionally cures him.
Gold Adventure Comics #299 (August 1962) Permanent loss of superpowers Kryptonite affected by atomic radiation, capable of permanently removing a Kryptonian's ability to process yellow sunlight, thus nullifying all of their powers. In post-Crisis stories, however, it only removes a Kryptonian's powers temporarily.[18]
Red-green-blue-gold Superman #162 (July 1963). Splitting into two beings
Enhanced intelligence 		An imaginary story in which Superman combines the minerals to power an intelligence-expanding device. An explosion occurs and splits Superman into two beings ("Superman-Red" and "Superman-Blue"), both of whom possess enhanced intelligence.
Silver Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #70 (July 1963). Paranoid delusions In Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #70 (July 1963), silver kryptonite is revealed by Jimmy Olsen to be a hoax. In Smallville, silver kryptonite causes paranoid delusions, which was later incorporated into the substance's comic counterpart in post-Crisis continuity.
Jewel
/Purple 		Action Comics #310 (March 1964). Mental suggestion Made from the fragments of Krypton's Jewel Mountains, it amplifies the psychic powers of the criminals imprisoned in the Phantom Zone. In Smallville and DC Super Hero Girls, purple kryptonite can control the minds of others. In DC League of Super-Pets, it causes nightmares.
Bizarro-red Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #80 (October 1964) Wanton behavior
Mutations
Unpredictable effects 		Affects humans in the same way that red kryptonite affects Kryptonians.
Red-gold Superman #178 (July 1965) Temporary memory loss
Magno- Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #92 (April 1966). Magnetic attraction Created by the villain Mr. Nero, this variety is magnetically attracted to all substances originally from Krypton.
Red-green-gold Superman #192 (January 1967) Permanent superpower loss
Permanent memory loss 		The alloy permanently removes Superman's powers and memories of being Superman.
Slow The Brave and the Bold #175 (June 1981). Same as green on Kryptonians A modified variety of green kryptonite produced by the supervillain Metallo that affects humans in a manner similar to how green kryptonite affects Kryptonians.
Black
/Tar-based 		Superman III film (1983) Malevolence
Splitting from good self (Superman III film, Smallville TV series) 		Black kryptonite was created for Superman III, where it splits Superman into his good and evil halves. It is later incorporated into the comics continuity in Supergirl (vol. 5) #2 (October 2005). In Dark Nights: Metal – The Batman Who Laughs #1, set on the Dark Multiverse's Earth −22, a Batman corrupted by the Joker creates a modified form of black kryptonite and uses it to force Superman, Supergirl, and Superboy into committing murder.
Kryptisium The Adventures of Superman #511 (April 1994). Excessive superpowers Kryptisium, or "kryptonite-X", is a unique variant of Kryptonite created when the Eradicator filters a harmful barrage of kryptonite discharged by Cyborg Superman. The result was beneficial for Superman, supercharging him and restoring his ability to process solar radiation.
Pink Supergirl (vol. 4) #79 (April 2003) Inversion of gender-stereotyped traits Pink kryptonite turns Kryptonians into homosexuals or effeminates. It was introduced in a story that is a satire of the Silver Age's unusual stories, and is thus non-canon. In the Justice League Action short "True Colors", it instead switches a Kryptonian's physical sex.
Periwinkle Superman Family Adventures #9 (March 2013) Joy
Turns skin and clothing periwinkle 		Anger (DC Super Hero Girls TV series) In the Tiny Titans continuity, periwinkle kryptonite turns Superman's skin and costume periwinkle and increases his charm and dancing skills. In DC Super Hero Girls, it makes Kryptonians feel "giddy" and enrages Bizarros.
Platinum "True Strength", a story from Batman Secret Files #1 (December 2018) Permanent superpowers Platinum kryptonite originates from the Phantom Zone and permanently gives humans Kryptonian powers. Kong Kenan gained his powers from platinum kryptonite following the death of the New 52 Superman.
Turquoise Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 (August 2020). Similar to green A variant of Kryptonite from the Dark Multiverse. It has a similar effect to green kryptonite.
Superman and Jimmy Olsen discuss the mineral kryptonite, with the jewel variant making its debut, in Action Comics #310 (March 1964), art by Curt Swan.

In other media

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Television

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Live action

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  • Green kryptonite appears in Adventures of Superman.
  • Green and red kryptonite appears in Superboy. Additionally, an original variant of kryptonite, Bizarro white kryptonite, appears in the episode "The Battle with Bizarro".
  • Green and red kryptonite appears in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Additionally, an original, artificial variant of kryptonite, "hybrid kryptonite", appears in the episode "Dead Lois Walking".
  • Green, red, black, silver, blue, gold, and clear kryptonite appears in Smallville. Green kryptonite is the source of power for many of the series' early villains.[19]
  • Green, red, silver, and black kryptonite appears in series set in the Arrowverse.
  • X-Kryptonite appears in Superman & Lois.

Animation

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Films

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Video games

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Serials

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Columbia Pictures produced two 15-part motion picture serials that used kryptonite as a plot device: Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950).

Music

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Songs:

References

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  1. ^ Horton, Andrew; McDougal, Stuart Y.; Braudy, Leo (1998). Play it Again, Sam: Retakes on Remakes. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 287. ISBN 0520205936.
  2. ^ Jones, Gerard (2004). Men Of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book. New York: Basic Books. pp. 181–183. ISBN 0465036562.
  3. ^ a b Hayde, Michael J. (2009). Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman. BearManor Media. ISBN 9781593933449.
    "Only one arc in 1943 managed to transcend its era: "The Meteor from Krypton". Debuting on June 3, it marked the debut of kryptonite..."
  4. ^ Schwartz, Julius (2000). Man of Two Worlds: My Life in Science Fiction and Comics. HarperEntertainment. ISBN 0-380-81051-4.
    pg 132-133
  5. ^ Hayde, Michael J. (2009). Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman. BearManor Media. ISBN 9781593933449.
    "Since Superman's life isn't threatened — the meteorite never leaves the doctor’s custody — it's likely that Lowther's primary intent was to create a means for Superman to discover his own origin".
  6. ^ "Superman Homepage". Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  7. ^ Bill Finger (w), Al Pastino (p). "Superman's Return to Krypton!" Superman, vol. 1, no. 61 (November 1949). DC Comics.
  8. ^ Tippens, Norman (6 December 2000). "Dorothy Woolfolk, Superman Editor". Daily Press. WebCite. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  9. ^ Fleisher, Michael L. (2007). The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Volume Three: Superman. DC Comics. pp. 369–375. ISBN 978-1-4012-1389-3.
  10. ^ Byrne, John (w), Byrne, John (p), Kesel, Karl (i). "Bloodsport!" Superman, vol. 2, no. 4, p. 22 (April 1987). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 174–177. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  12. ^ "Superman II". Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe. 1 (22): 29. Dec 1986.
  13. ^ Mark Waid (w), Alex Ross (a). Kingdom Come, p. 129/4 (1997). New York: DC Comics, ISBN 1563893304.
  14. ^ Grant Morrison (w), Frank Quietly (p). All-Star Superman, no. 1 (January 2006). DC Comics.
  15. ^ John Byrne (w), Dick Giordano (p). "Games People Play" Action Comics, vol. 1, no. 600, p. 8 (May 1988). DC Comics.
  16. ^ Fleisher, Michael L. (2007). The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman. DC Comics. pp. 369–375. ISBN 978-1-4012-1389-3.
  17. ^ Grant Morrison (w), Frank Quietly (p). JLA: Earth 2, p. 73/1 (September 2000). DC Comics.
  18. ^ Geoff Johns, Richard Donner (w), Adam Kubert (p). "Last Son" Action Comics Annual, vol. 1, no. 11 (July 2008). DC Comics.
  19. ^ Scharping, Nathaniel (April 4, 2018). "Space Metal Has Captivated Humanity for Ages". Discover.
  20. ^ a b "'Kryptonite' discovered in mine", BBC News, 24 Apr 2007
  21. ^ "Page Unavailable". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29.
  22. ^ "CNN". Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  23. ^ "From China With Love: Tai Shan Staying Put". Washington Post. April 25, 2007.
  24. ^ Staskiewicz, Keith (2 July 2015). "'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice': 6 EW exclusive photos". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  25. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (May 3, 2022). "'DC League of Super-Pets' Domesticate Their Powers in New Trailer". Animation Magazine. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  26. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  27. ^ Storm, Ian (11 September 2005). "3 Doors Down – The Better Life (album review 4)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  28. ^ "Big Boi Presents...Got Purp?, Vol. 2 – Big Boi, Purple Ribbon All-Stars". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  29. ^ "Pocket Full of Kryptonite – Spin Doctors". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
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Look up Appendix:DC Comics/Kryptonite in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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