Kirt Niedrigh
{{short description|DC Comics character}}
{{Infobox comics character
|image=Earth-Man.jpg
|image_size=250
|caption=Earth-Man and the Justice League of Earth as depicted in Action Comics #860 (February 2008). Art by Gary Frank.
|character_name= Kirt Niedrigh
|publisher=DC Comics
|debut=as Absorbancy Boy:
Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #218 (July 1976)
as Earth-Man:
Action Comics #858 (late December 2007)
|creators=Original concept:
Cary Bates
Mike Grell
Supervillain reinvention:
Geoff Johns
Gary Frank
|species = Metahuman
|homeworld = Earth (31st century)
|alliances=Justice League of Earth
Legion of Super-Villains
Green Lantern Corps
Legion of Super-Heroes
|aliases=Absorbancy Boy, Zoraz, Earth-Man
|powers= Super-power absorption and duplication
Legion Flight Ring
Power ring allows flight, superhuman strength, and hard-light constructs with use of power ring.
}}
Kirt Niedrigh is a fictional character, a semi-reformed supervillain and former antihero in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Cary Bates and Mike Grell, Niedrigh is a former hopeful for the Legion of Super-Heroes under the guise of Absorbancy Boy. After being rejected from the team, years later he resurfaced as Earth-Man leading a group of supervillains calling themselves the "Justice League of Earth", which help to enforce a xenophobic agenda that Earth has adopted. He first appears in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #218 (July 1976), and reappeared as Earth-Man in Action Comics #858 (December 2007), the first part of the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc.
Fictional character biography
=Absorbancy Boy=
As a teenager, Kirt Niedrigh applies for membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes as Absorbancy Boy, possessing the ability to duplicate superpowers by absorbing energy. However, he is rejected, in part because Saturn Girl reads his mind and realizes that he has the potential to become evil.Action Comics #858–863 (December 2007–May 2008){{Cite web |last=Shiach |first=Kieran |date=November 18, 2016 |title=This Magazine Kills Fascists: The Justice League of Earth |url=https://comicsalliance.com/superman-vs-justice-league-of-earth/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=ComicsAlliance |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Thrash |first=Steven |date=June 26, 2017 |title=15 Supervillains You Didn't Know Wore Green Lantern Rings |url=https://screenrant.com/supervillains-wore-green-lantern-rings/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Thrash |first=Steven |date=June 19, 2017 |title=15 Humans You Forgot Wore Green Lantern Rings |url=https://screenrant.com/green-lantern-rings-humans-forgotten-wore-batman-comics/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}} Enraged at his rejection, Niedrigh becomes a villain before being defeated by the Legion.Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #218 (July 1976)
=Earth-Man=
Kirt Niedrigh resurfaces in the 2007 storyline "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes". Now calling himself Earth-Man, he sows distrust and hatred of aliens around Earth, resulting in aliens living there being captured and deported. Earth-Man allies with other Legion rejects to form the Justice League of Earth, a group purporting to uphold Superman's ideals.
In Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Earth-Man and the Justice League of Earth's members join the Legion of Super-Villains.Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #2 (November 2008) They are defeated, but Earth-Man gains a Green Lantern ring from Dyogene, a creature living inside the planet Oa.{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Jason |date=August 31, 2017 |title=Gang Green: 15 Villains Who CORRUPTED A Green Lantern Ring |url=https://www.cbr.com/gang-green-15-villains-who-corrupted-a-green-lantern-ring/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}} However, Dyogene takes the ring back after Earth-Man uses it for evil.Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 6) #1 - 5 (July - November 2010)
Brainiac 5 later manipulates Earth-Man into reforming and becoming an ally of the Legion.Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 6) #6 (December 2010) While serving in the Legion, Earth-Man sacrifices himself to stop the Bringer of Chaos.Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 6) #16 (October 2011)
Powers and abilities
Niedrigh has the ability to absorb and duplicate the superpowers of metahumans and aliens. However he is not able to copy the knowledge or skills, so it will normally take time for him to master a new power. He absorbs energies of people within a certain range of him, anywhere from several feet to a mile radius. He has shown the capacity to manifest numerous powers at the same time. The absorbed powers only last for twelve hours at a time.
As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, he is provided with a Legion Flight Ring. It allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments. Earth-Man also temporarily possessed a Green Lantern ring given to him by Dyogene.
In other media
Kirt Niedrigh appears in Smallville Season 11: Argo as a member of the EarthGov army and Minister at odds with New Krypton.Smallville: Season 11: Argo #1
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}
{{Green Lantern}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Niedrigh, Kirt}}
Category:Characters created by Geoff Johns
Category:Characters created by Mike Grell
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1976
Category:Fictional characters who can copy superpowers
Category:DC Comics male superheroes
Category:DC Comics male supervillains