Kryptonite#Gold kryptonite
{{Short description|Fictional element from Superman stories}}
{{Distinguish|Krypton|Kryptonium ion}}
{{Other}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Infobox comics elements
|image = Kryptonite (DC Comics).jpg
|caption = Green kryptonite as seen in
Superman: Secret Origin #1. Art by Gary Frank.
|publisher = DC Comics
|debut = {{ubl|Radio:
{{nowrap|The Adventures of Superman (June 1943)}}|Comics:
Superman #61 (November 1949)}}
| creators =
|type = Element/compound
|material = y
|supports = {{ubl|Superman|Superboy}}
|subcat = DC Comics
|sortkey = Kryptonite
}}
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. There are other varieties of kryptonite, such as red and gold kryptonite, which have different but still generally negative effects.
Adversaries of Superman and other characters are frequently depicted using kryptonite against Superman,{{cite book|last1=Horton|first1=Andrew|last2=McDougal|first2=Stuart Y.|last3=Braudy|first3=Leo|title=Play it Again, Sam: Retakes on Remakes|date=1998|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, California|isbn=0520205936|page=287}} with Lex Luthor incorporating it into weapons, Metallo being powered by it, and Titano being able to project rays of kryptonite radiation from his eyes after being altered by simultaneous exposure to kryptonite and uranium. Due to Superman's popularity, kryptonite has become a byword for an extraordinary exploitable weakness, synonymous with "Achilles' heel".
History
File:Kryptonite poisoning.jpg 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An unpublished 1940 story titled "The K-Metal from Krypton", written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel, featured a prototype of kryptonite.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 is a mineral from the planet Krypton that drains Superman of his strength and gives superhuman powers to humans. This story was rejected because Superman reveals his identity to Lois Lane.{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Gerard|title=Men Of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book|url=https://archive.org/details/menoftomorrowgee0000jone|url-access=registration|date=2004|publisher=Basic Books|location=New York|isbn=0465036562|pages=[https://archive.org/details/menoftomorrowgee0000jone/page/181 181–183]}}
The mineral kryptonite, not to be confused with the real element krypton, was officially introduced in the radio serial The Adventures of Superman, in the story "The Meteor from Krypton", broadcast in June 1943.{{cite book |last=Hayde |first=Michael J. |year=2009 |title=Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman |publisher=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..." An apocryphal story claims that kryptonite was introduced to give Superman's voice actor Bud Collyer time off. This tale was recounted by Julius Schwartz in his memoir.{{cite book |last=Schwartz |first=Julius |title=Man of Two Worlds: My Life in Science Fiction and Comics |year=2000 |publisher=HarperEntertainment |isbn=0-380-81051-4 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/manoftwoworldsmy00schw}}
pg 132-133 However, 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.{{cite book |last=Hayde |first=Michael J. |year=2009 |title=Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman |publisher=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". 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.{{Cite web |title=Superman Homepage |url=https://www.supermanhomepage.com/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |language=en-US}}
In the radio serial, Krypton is 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. In the comics' Silver Age, which places Krypton in a distant solar system, much of the kryptonite that came to Earth was transported by the same "space warp" that baby Kal-El's rocket traversed.
Kryptonite was incorporated into the comic mythos with Superman #61 (November 1949).{{Cite comic|writer=Bill Finger|penciller=Al Pastino|inker=|colorist=|letterer=|editor=|story=Superman's Return to Krypton!|title=Superman|volume=1|issue=#61|date=November 1949|publisher=DC Comics|location=|page=|panel=|id=}} Editor Dorothy Woolfolk stated in an interview with Florida Today in August 1993 that she felt Superman's invulnerability was "boring".{{cite web|last1=Tippens|first1=Norman|title=Dorothy Woolfolk, Superman Editor|url=https://www.dailypress.com/2000/12/06/dorothy-woolfolk-superman-editor/|website=Daily Press|publisher=WebCite|access-date=2 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404225236/http://articles.dailypress.com/2000-12-06/news/0012060120_1_superman-comics-comic-books-superman-editor|archive-date=4 April 2013|language=en|date=6 December 2000|url-status=live}}
Long said to be an element in the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age comics, Kryptonite is depicted as a compound in post-Crisis continuity.Action Comics #591 (August 1987)
Forms, effects, and other media<!-- Citations needed in the table. -->
Various forms of the fictional material have been created over the years in Superman publications and programs.{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Volume Three: Superman |date=2007 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-4012-1389-3 |pages=369–375}} This table includes forms that have not persisted in canon.
{{sticky header}}
| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header-multi" style="width:100%; font-size:84%;" id="softwarelist" |
| rowspan="4"|Type
!rowspan="4"|First appearance !rowspan="4"|Origin !colspan="3"|Effects !colspan="5"|In other media |
|---|
| rowspan="3"|Kryptonians
!rowspan="3"|Earthlings !rowspan="3"|Bizarro |
| colspan="2"|Film
!colspan="2"|Television !rowspan="2"|Video games |
| |Live-action
!|Animated !|Live-action !|Animated |
| style="background: lime; color: black;" |Green
| The Adventures of Superman radio serial, "The Meteor from Krypton" (June 1943) Action Comics #161 (August 1951) |Fragments from Krypton |Severe, intensifying pain Loss of superpowers{{Cite comic | Writer = Byrne, John | Penciller = Byrne, John | Inker = Kesel, Karl | story = Bloodsport! | Title = Superman | Volume = 2 | Issue = #4 | Date = April 1987 | Publisher = DC Comics | Page = 22}} Usual collapse Severe muscular weakness Fever Eventual unconsciousness Green blood or skin Eventual fatality{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |pages=174–177}} Non-accumulative{{cite journal |title=Superman II |journal=Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe |date=Dec 1986 |volume=1 |issue=22 |page=29}} Mitigation by long-term{{Cite comic|writer=Mark Waid|artist=Alex Ross|story=|title=Kingdom Come|volume=|issue=|date=1997|publisher=DC Comics|location=New York|page=129|panel=4|id={{ISBN|1563893304}}}} or high short-term{{Cite comic|writer=Grant Morrison|penciller=Frank Quietly|inker=|colorist=|letterer=|editor=|story=|title=All-Star Superman|volume=|issue=#1|date=January 2006|publisher=DC Comics|location=|page=|panel=|id=}} yellow sunlight absorption Blocked by lead |With prolonged exposure: carcinogenesis Possible cancer treatment{{Cite comic|writer=John Byrne|penciller=Dick Giordano|inker=|colorist=|letterer=|editor=|story=Games People Play|title=Action Comics|volume=1|issue=#600|date=May 1988|publisher=DC Comics|location=|page=8|panel=|id=}} Gene-dependent superpowers (Smallville) Scientifically alterable (Smallville) |Bizarro: perfect health Bizarro World humans: temporary superpowers (Superman & Lois) |
|
|
|
| |
| style="background: red; color: black;" |Red
| Superman #61 (November 1949) |Traversal through radiated space |Disinhibition Unpredictable effects{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman |date=2007 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-4012-1389-3 |pages=369–375}} Same as green (prior to Adventure Comics #252, September 1958 only) | | | |Justice League Action |
|
| |
| style="color: white;" |Positive Platinum |"All that Glitters", The Adventures of Superman TV series (1958) Batman Secret Files #1 (December 2018) |Impossible world (dream of Jimmy Olsen, The Adventures of Superman TV series/impossible world inside Phantom Zone, comics) |Source of superpowers (The Adventures of Superman TV series) |Permanent Kryptonian powers | | | |The Adventures of Superman TV series | | |
| style="background: gold; color: black;" |Negative Gold |"All that Glitters", The Adventures of Superman TV series (1958) Adventure Comics #299 (August 1962) |Dream of Jimmy Olsen (The Adventures of Superman TV series) Green affected by "atomic radiation" |Permanent loss of superpowers Temporary memory loss (Justice League Action) | | | | |
|
| |
| style="color: green;" |Anti- Fool's Slow Hybrid |Action Comics #252 (May 1959) |Created by Metallo (The Brave and the Bold #175, June 1981) Synthesized on Earth (Lois & Clark) |None |Same as green on Kryptonians |Ultraman: Perfect health{{Cite comic|writer=Grant Morrison|penciller=Frank Quietly|inker=|colorist=|letterer=|editor=|story=|title=JLA: Earth 2|volume=|issue=|date=September 2000|publisher=DC Comics|location=|page=73|panel=1|id=}} | | |
| |
| style="background:#fc9;"|X- Orange | Action Comics #261 (January 1960) |Experiment by Supergirl to counteract green Fragments from Krypton (Superman & Lois, DC League of Super-Pets) | None | Temporary Kryptonian powers Paranoia (DC Super Hero Girls) |Bizarro: same as green on Kryptonians (Superman & Lois) | | | | |
| style="background: blue; color: white;" |Blue
|Superman #140 (October 1960) |Green subjected to Professor Dalton's duplicator ray |None Loss of superpowers (Smallville) Counteracts red (Super Friends) |Perfect health (Smallville) |Bizarro: same as green on Kryptonians Bizarro: death (Smallville) Ultraman: perfect health{{Cite comic|writer=Grant Morrison|penciller=Frank Quietly|inker=|colorist=|letterer=|editor=|story=|title=JLA: Earth 2|volume=|issue=|date=September 2000|publisher=DC Comics|location=|page=73|panel=1|id=}} Blocked by "imperfect" lead | | |
|
|
| style="background:#FFFFFF|White
|Adventure Comics #279 (December 1960) |Fragments of Krypton |Plants, bacteria, and viruses: death |Plants, bacteria, and viruses: death | | | | | |
| style="background: lime; color: red;" |Red-green
|Action Comics #275 (April 1961) |Created by Brainiac |Mutation Loss of superpowers (Superboy Comics #121, June 1965) | | | | | | | |
| style="background: blue; color: red;" |Red-green-blue-gold
|Superman #162 (July 1963) |Invented by Superman |Splitting into red and blue beings Enhanced intelligence | | | | | | | |
| style="background: silver; color: black;" |Silver
|Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #70 (July 1963) |Hoax by Jimmy Olsen Brainiac technology (Smallville, comics following Superman/Batman #46, April 2008) |Paranoid delusions | | | | |
| |
| style="background: purple; color: white;" |Jewel Purple Purple-spotted |Action Comics #310 (March 1964) |Kryptonian mountains |Mind control powers |Nightmares (DC League of Super-Pets) | | |DC League of Super-Pets |Smallville |
| |
| style="background: red; color: white;" |Bizarro-red
|Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #80 (October 1964) | | |Same as red on Kryptonians | | | | | |
| style="background: gold; color: red;" |Red-gold
|Superman #178 (July 1965) | |Temporary memory loss | | | | | | | |
| style="background: grey; color: white;" |Magno-
|Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #92 (April 1966) |Created by Mr. Nero |Magnetic attraction | | | | | | |
| style="background: gold; color: green;" |Red-green-gold
|Superman #192 (January 1967) | | Permanent superpower loss Permanent memory loss | | | | | | | |
| style="background: black; color: white;" |Tar-based Black Harun-El |Superman III film (1983) Supergirl (vol. 5) #2 (October 2005) (comics) |Synthesized on Earth (Superman III) Superheated green (Smallville) Fragments of Krypton Kryptonian religion (Supergirl TV series) |Malevolence Splitting from good self (Superman III, Justice League Action, Supergirl TV series) First exposure: splitting from Kryptonian persona (Superman III, Smallville) Second exposure: merging with Kryptonian persona (Smallville) |First exposure: splitting from good self (Smallville) Second exposure: merging with good self (Smallville) Temporary superpowers (Supergirl TV series) Good beings: eventual fatality (Supergirl TV series) | |Superman III | |
|Justice League Action |
| style="background: crimson; color: white;" |Krimson
|Superman Volume 2 #49 (November 1990) |Created by Mister Mxyzptlk to grant one wish for as long as origin is concealed |Variable |Variable |Variable | | | | | |
| Kryptisium -X |The Adventures of Superman #511 (April 1994) |Green filtered by Eradicator |Excessive superpowers | | | | | | |
| style="background: gainsboro; color:gainsboro"|Clear
|"Visage", Smallville (January 14, 2003) |Green neutralized by Kryptonian technology |None |None |None | | |Smallville | | |
| style="background:#fce;"|Pink
|Supergirl (vol. 4) #79 (April 2003) | |Inversion of gender-stereotyped traits Reversed sex (Justice League Action) | | | | | |Justice League Action | |
| style="background:yellow;"|Yellow
|Superman Family Adventures Vol. 12 (August 2012) | |Unknown Fear (Lego DC Super Hero Girls) | | | | | |Lego DC Super Hero Girls | |
| style="background:#bbf;"|Periwinkle
|Superman Family Adventures #9 (March 2013) | |Joy Periwinkle transmutation | |Bizarro: anger (DC Super Hero Girls) | | | |DC Super Hero Girls | |
| style="background: aqua; color: black;" |Turquoise
|Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 (August 2020) |Dark Multiverse |Similar to green | | | | | | | |
File:Action Comics 310.jpg 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 popular culture
{{expand-section|date=October 2024}}
=Music=
- "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down (2000).{{cite web|last1=Storm|first1=Ian|title=3 Doors Down – The Better Life (album review 4)|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/3537/3-Doors-Down-The-Better-Life/|website=Sputnikmusic|access-date=2 October 2017|date=11 September 2005}}
- "Party Up (Up in Here)" by DMX (2000).
- "Kryptonite (I'm on It)" by rap group Purple Ribbon All-Stars (2006).{{cite web|title=Big Boi Presents...Got Purp?, Vol. 2 – Big Boi, Purple Ribbon All-Stars|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/big-boi-presentsgot-purp-vol-2-mw0000174128|website=AllMusic|access-date=2 October 2017}}
- "Kryptonite" By Mario ft. Rich Boy from his third studio album Go.
- "Fashion Is My Kryptonite" by Bella Thorne and Zendaya (2012).
- "Ready or Not" by Bridgit Mendler (2012).
- "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon (2014).
- "Get Your Cape On" by Jordyn Kane (2015).
- Pocket Full of Kryptonite, a 1991 album by Spin Doctors.{{cite web|title=Pocket Full of Kryptonite – Spin Doctors|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pocket-full-of-kryptonite-mw0000674620|website=AllMusic|access-date=2 October 2017}} The album's title is drawn from a line in the song "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", which is featured on the album.
- In the title track for his album Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, Travis Tritt sings about picking a fight when he feels like Superman "only to find my opponent is holding kryptonite".
- The 2000 song, "Superman (It's Not Easy)" by "Five for Fighting" mentions kryptonite: "...digging for kryptonite on this one way street".
- The Genesis song "The Carpet Crawlers" mentions kryptonite: "Mild-mannered Supermen are held in kryptonite...".
- "There's a Moon in the Sky" by The B-52's mentions kryptonite: "you get a mouth, a mouthful of red kryptonite".
- "Jam on It" by Newcleus features a "battle" between the band and Superman, and they "rock his butt with a 12-inch cut called disco kryptonite".
- "One Thing" by One Direction mentions kryptonite: "you're my kryptonite".
- "Pineapple Kryptonite" by ATARASHII GAKKO!
- "Kryptonita", a 1991 album by Miguel Mateos.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{wiktionary|Appendix:DC Comics/Kryptonite}}
- [http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/comics.php?topic=comics-racfaq#Kryptonite The Superman Homepage's section on kryptonite]
- [http://www.howstuffworks.com/kryptonite.htm Howstuffworks.com: "How Kryptonite Works"]
{{Authority control}}