Kryptonite

Green Kryptonite

Official Name: Kryptonite
Nicknames: Green Death; Green Plague; K-Metal; Meteor Rock
Model: Inapplicable
Version: Various

Origin

Origin of item unknown.

Lead Designer: Lead designer unknown
Additional Designers: Additional designers unknown
Place of Creation: Krypton
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman (Radio dramatization)

History

Previous Owners: Lex Luthor; Metallo
Current Owner: Batman; Kryptonite Man (K. Russell Abernathy)
History: History of item unknown.

Characteristics

Dimensions: Variable
Weight: variable

Powers

Exposure to Kryptonite can wield a wide variety of effects depending upon its color and present form.

Green Kryptonite

Green Kryptonite is the most common form of Kryptonite. It exists primarily as a metallic ore, but can also be found in crystalline forms. The most debillitating aspect of green Kryptonite does not stem so much from the unrefined ore itself, but rather from the waves of radiation that it generates. Exposure to green Kryptonite radiation will greatly weaken a Kryptonian, robbing them of their powers. Prolonged exposure to green Kryptonite proves fatal. Over time, a Kryptonian may develop a slight immunity to the effects of green Kryptonite, but ultimately, green K radiation will poison the body's cell structure resulting in death. Green Kryptonite is also deadly to normal humans, but its effects take longer to fully develop. Lex Luthor once fashioned a small piece of Kryptonite into a gemstone, which he fitted into a ring. After wearing the ring for several months, the radiation produced cancerous growths in his hand, and he was forced to amputate the diseased limb. In the continuity of the Smallville television series, green Kryptonite has the same effects on young Clark Kent as it does on his comic book counterpart. Its effects on normal Earth humans is wildly more unpredictable. A regular human exposed to green Kryptonite may suffer from any number of genetic mutations. Some develop temporary super-powers, others goes insane, and some demonstrate no side effects whatsoever.

Red Kryptonite

Red Kryptonite was once Green Kryptonite that passed through a mysterious red-hued cloud en route to Earth. Red Kryptonite inflicts random effects on Kryptonians, typically creating an initial "tingling effect" in those affected. No two chunks of Red Kryptonite have the same effect. Red Kryptonite effects typically last for 24-48 hours (though sometimes as long as 72), after which the Kryptonian in question is always immune to that specific chunk of Red Kryptonite. Superman has suffered the following effects upon exposure to various pieces of Red Kryptonite:

Transformed into a dragon
Transformed into a non-powered giant
Transformed into a dwarf
Transformed into an ant-headed humanoid
Transformed into a lunatic
Transformed into an amnesiac
Rendered temporarily blind to anything colored green
Excessive hair growth
Loss of power
Gained telepathy
Losing his invulnerability along the left side of his body
Generated an evil doppelganger (also used in the movie Superman III)
Unable to speak or write anything but Kryptonese
Growth of extra limbs
Loss of balance and manual dexterity
Mental transferrence
Rapid aging
Personality alteration

In Post-Crisis continuity, Red Kryptonite first appeared as an artificial construct of Mister Mxyzptlk. A second variety was later revealed as a synthetic variant created by Ra's al Ghul, using notes that he had stolem from Batman. The Red Kryptonite that Batman created is similar to the Red Kryptonite in the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman television series, in which Red Kryptonite causes Supeman's powers to become uncontrollable. On the TV series, Smallville, Red Kryptonite causes severe changes in Clark Kent's personality, becoming rebellious, unpredictable and acting purely on erotic and selfish emotions. In this form, he normally wears a leather jacket and rides around on a motorcycle.

Gold Kryptonite

First Appearance: Superman (Volume 1) #167
In Pre-Crisis continuity, Gold Kryptonite is one of the more rare variations of Kryptonite found in the DC Universe, and typically exists in the form of a meteor floating through space. Gold Kryptonite has an effective range of two feet, and permanently removes a Kryptonian's super-powers. ^[1] In many cases, a Kryptonian who has lost their super-powers to Gold Kryptonite may pass similar hereditary traits to their offspring. As such, their children will not develop superhuman abilities under a yellow sun, as they would had their parents still maintained their powers. This characteristic is not a constant however, and it has been theorized some victims of Gold Kryptonite may be able to sire offspring born with natural Kryptonian abilities. In some situations, the effects of Gold Kryptonite can also rob a victim of his memory, as was the case with the Phantom Zone criminal, Quex-Ul. ^[2] A temporary antidote was once developed that negated the effects of Gold Kryptonite for a short period of time. Superman once encountered Gold Kryptonite when he had to race against the Flash across the endless reaches of the Universe. ^[3] Gold Kryptonite also played key roles in several non-canon stories, including the 1986 tale Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?^[4], and later in the Superman & Batman: Generations stories.

In Post Crisis continuity, Gold Kryptonite is only lethal to Kryptonians from the Time Trapper's Pocket Universe. Superman once visited this alternate reality wherein he discovered that three Kryptonian conquerors had devastated the planet, ultimately conquering it. Although the criminals were apprehended, Superman elected to end their lives by exposing them to Gold Kryptonite.^[5]

White Kryptonite

Yellow Kryptonite

Black Kryptonite

Blue Kryptonite

Blue Kryptonite is exclusive to Pre-Crisis continuity. Superman once used a Bizarro Duplicator Ray on a piece of Green Kryptonite transforming it into Blue Kryptonite. He then used the altered Blue Kryptonite to halt an army of advancing Bizarros. Blue Kryptonite only affects Bizarros and is harmless to humans and Kryptonians. ^[6]

Jewel Kryptonite

X-Kryptonite

Slow Kryptonite

Kryptonite Plus

Magno-Kryptonite

Notes

The Kryptonite concept was first developed by Superman co-creator, Jerry Siegel for an unpublished Superman story. In Siegel's original vision, the deadly mineral was known as K-Metal.

The first use of Kryptonite was actually in an unaired episode of the Adventures of Superman radio dramatization. The first comic book appearance of Kryptonite was in Superman (Volume 1) #61.^[7]

Trivia

External Links

None

References

↑ World's Finest (Volume 1) #159
↑ Superman (Volume 1) #167
↑ Flash (Volume 1) #175
↑ Action Comics #583
↑ Superman: The Supergirl Saga
↑ Superman (Volume 1) #140
↑ Kryptonite article at Wikipedia

[1] World's Finest (Volume 1) #159

[2] Superman (Volume 1) #167

[3] Flash (Volume 1) #175

[4] Action Comics #583

[5] Superman: The Supergirl Saga

[6] Superman (Volume 1) #140

[7] Kryptonite article at Wikipedia

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