Kryptonite Man
Encyclopedia
The Kryptonite Man is the name of several supervillain
s who appears in stories published by DC Comics
. The character first appeared as Kryptonite Kid in Superboy #83 (Sep. 1960), and as Kryptonite Man in Superman
#299 (May 1976).
cloud and became imbued with the properties of Kryptonite. This incarnation is most well known pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
from his appearance and death in the non-continuity
story Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
.
A second Kryptonite Man appeared in Superman #397. He had been the ruler of a race of humanoids who inhabited Krypton eons before Superman's ancestors. When a nearby cosmic body threatens life on Krypton, the second Kryptonite Man, whose real name is never given, sends all of his people into stasis deep underground, while he himself remains on the highest mountain peak, to act as guardian. He is then placed in suspended animation for what is to be 20 years, at which time, he will awaken to determine if the planet is habitable once again. For some reason, the machinery fails, and the unnamed ruler slept for over a thousand years. Unfortunately, the very day he awoke is the day Krypton exploded. The mountain that the unnamed ruler's observatory was on is sent into space. Somehow, the king is able to feed off of the Kryptonite radiation the mountain produced. He eventually became dependent upon these energies to sustain his life at all times, weakening outside of its influence. This second Kryptonite Man blames the pink-skinned humanoid inhabitants (Superman's race) with the death of Krypton, never realising it was a natural disaster. Eventually, after the Kryptonite radiation of the mountain began to fade, the Kryptonite Man encounters a race known as the Seeders. For unknown reasons, the ships of this race produce radiation similar enough to Kryptonite radiation, that Kryptonite Man could feed off of it, and survive. Kryptonite Man discovers the existence of Kryptonians on Earth, and stealing a Seeder ship, travels there to confront and kill them. Kryptonite Man attacks Superman, but their battle was interrupted by the Seeders, who took offense to Kryptonite Man's theft.
, grown by the scientific spies Simyan and Mokkari.
A character in the ongoing series Superman/Batman
also uses the name Kryptonite Man. This version of the character is created when Captain Atom
absorbed the explosive energy from Major Force
, then went out to destroy the kryptonite meteor. The kryptonite energy somehow combined with the remaining energy from Major Force in Captain Atom to create a sentient energy force. After being syphoned from Captain Atom by Toyman
, the energy was able to jump from body to body, taking over the personality and causing the body to release kryptonite radiation.
, powerless, summons the current Supergirl
. Abernathy, in a misguided attempt to prove his energy theories, goes on a violent rampage; this includes deliberately attempting to injure Kryptonians. He is soon subdued and imprisoned.
He is taken to Stryker's Island
, Metropolis' local prison. Lex Luthor
sends insectile warriors who free Abernathy. The man is used in conjunction with large amounts of kryptonite to free an ancient Kryptonian spaceship.
He later resurfaced in Action Comics #853, having Superman on the ropes until the timely intervention of Jimmy Olsen
and Krypto
.
The second Kryptonite Man could absorb kryptonite energy, which gave him increased strength and abilities.
The third Kryptonite Man was a duplicate of Superman, with all the basic Kryptonian powers.
The fourth Kryptonite Man was a living cloud of kryptonite radiation that could possess others and could also heal the injuries of those it possessed (as evidenced when it took over a wounded Batman).
The fifth Kryptonite Man possesses a kryptonite-enhanced physiology, the ability to see radiation spectrums, and the power to fire kryptonite beams from his eyes. When he becomes angry, however, he loses his ability to think rationally, becoming a raging maniac.
, in the episode entitled "Kryptonite Kid," played by Jay Underwood
. A young man named Mike Walker, working at a military research base, was caught in a kryptonite explosion while trying to find a way to make Superboy immune to kryptonite radiation. The kryptonite entered his bloodstream, as well as his nervous system, turning his skin green and affecting his mind in vicious ways. Walker became "living, breathing kryptonite," able to fire kryptonite radiation from his hands. Superboy was able to defeat him through enlisting the aid of a human man who had been arrested for fraud
in taking advantage of his resemblance to Superboy in order to make money and attract girls. In exchange for getting the charges dropped, Superboy convinced the man to stand up to Walker, whereby Walker's kryptonite beams had no effect on him. With Mike Walker distracted as to why he was not harming the Superboy impersonator, Superboy then wrapped up Walker in a lead tarp, where eventually the kryptonite would be cleansed from Walker's body. This elaborate Superman mythology was the background for the novel The Kryptonite Kid.
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s who appears in stories published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The character first appeared as Kryptonite Kid in Superboy #83 (Sep. 1960), and as Kryptonite Man in Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
#299 (May 1976).
Pre-Crisis
The original Kryptonite Man started out as a teen-age alien criminal called the Kryptonite Kid, who flew in space through a green kryptoniteKryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
cloud and became imbued with the properties of Kryptonite. This incarnation is most well known pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
from his appearance and death in the non-continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
story Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is a 1986 comic book story featuring the DC Comics character of Superman. The story was published in two parts, beginning in Superman #423 and ending in Action Comics #583, both published in September 1986...
.
A second Kryptonite Man appeared in Superman #397. He had been the ruler of a race of humanoids who inhabited Krypton eons before Superman's ancestors. When a nearby cosmic body threatens life on Krypton, the second Kryptonite Man, whose real name is never given, sends all of his people into stasis deep underground, while he himself remains on the highest mountain peak, to act as guardian. He is then placed in suspended animation for what is to be 20 years, at which time, he will awaken to determine if the planet is habitable once again. For some reason, the machinery fails, and the unnamed ruler slept for over a thousand years. Unfortunately, the very day he awoke is the day Krypton exploded. The mountain that the unnamed ruler's observatory was on is sent into space. Somehow, the king is able to feed off of the Kryptonite radiation the mountain produced. He eventually became dependent upon these energies to sustain his life at all times, weakening outside of its influence. This second Kryptonite Man blames the pink-skinned humanoid inhabitants (Superman's race) with the death of Krypton, never realising it was a natural disaster. Eventually, after the Kryptonite radiation of the mountain began to fade, the Kryptonite Man encounters a race known as the Seeders. For unknown reasons, the ships of this race produce radiation similar enough to Kryptonite radiation, that Kryptonite Man could feed off of it, and survive. Kryptonite Man discovers the existence of Kryptonians on Earth, and stealing a Seeder ship, travels there to confront and kill them. Kryptonite Man attacks Superman, but their battle was interrupted by the Seeders, who took offense to Kryptonite Man's theft.
Post Crisis
In the post-Crisis era, the Kryptonite Man appears in Superman (Vol. 2) #43 as a green-skinned clone of SupermanSuperman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, grown by the scientific spies Simyan and Mokkari.
A character in the ongoing series Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
also uses the name Kryptonite Man. This version of the character is created when Captain Atom
Captain Atom
Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
absorbed the explosive energy from Major Force
Major Force
Major Force is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He is a supervillain that first appeared in Captain Atom vol. 3, #12 .-Early life:...
, then went out to destroy the kryptonite meteor. The kryptonite energy somehow combined with the remaining energy from Major Force in Captain Atom to create a sentient energy force. After being syphoned from Captain Atom by Toyman
Toyman
The Toyman is the name of three comic book supervillains and one adolescent superhero in the DC Comics universe. They mostly appear in Superman stories. The first Toyman appeared in Action Comics #64 . His real name is Winslow Schott.The Toyman uses toy-based or toy-themed devices and gimmicks in...
, the energy was able to jump from body to body, taking over the personality and causing the body to release kryptonite radiation.
K. Russell Abernathy
Most recently, soon after DC Comics' One Year Later jump (Superman #650, May 2006), a scientist named K. Russell Abernathy was working on an experiment to use kryptonite to develop a new energy source. The experiment explodes, infusing Abernathy's body with radiation. Clark KentClark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
, powerless, summons the current Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
. Abernathy, in a misguided attempt to prove his energy theories, goes on a violent rampage; this includes deliberately attempting to injure Kryptonians. He is soon subdued and imprisoned.
He is taken to Stryker's Island
Stryker's Island
Stryker's Island is the name of fictional prison in DC Comics. The name is a play on the similarly located Riker's Island prison in New York. It is also known as Stryker's Island Penitentiary.-Fictional history:...
, Metropolis' local prison. Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
sends insectile warriors who free Abernathy. The man is used in conjunction with large amounts of kryptonite to free an ancient Kryptonian spaceship.
He later resurfaced in Action Comics #853, having Superman on the ropes until the timely intervention of Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
and Krypto
Krypto
Krypto, also known as Krypto the Superdog, is a fictional character. He is Superman's pet dog in the various Superman comic books published by DC Comics. Krypto's first appearance was in a Superboy story in Adventure Comics #210 in March 1955...
.
Powers and abilities
The original Kryptonite Man was an alien with natural powers of telepathy. After passing through the kryptonite cloud, he gained enhanced strength and endurance.The second Kryptonite Man could absorb kryptonite energy, which gave him increased strength and abilities.
The third Kryptonite Man was a duplicate of Superman, with all the basic Kryptonian powers.
The fourth Kryptonite Man was a living cloud of kryptonite radiation that could possess others and could also heal the injuries of those it possessed (as evidenced when it took over a wounded Batman).
The fifth Kryptonite Man possesses a kryptonite-enhanced physiology, the ability to see radiation spectrums, and the power to fire kryptonite beams from his eyes. When he becomes angry, however, he loses his ability to think rationally, becoming a raging maniac.
Television
The Kryptonite Kid appeared in the fourth season of the TV series SuperboySuperboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
, in the episode entitled "Kryptonite Kid," played by Jay Underwood
Jay Underwood
Jay Underwood is an American actor.In 1983, he attended Moreau Catholic High School for one year in Hayward, California. He is married to Julie Underwood and has three children. His most recognized work includes portraying Ernest Hemingway in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, "Bug" in Uncle...
. A young man named Mike Walker, working at a military research base, was caught in a kryptonite explosion while trying to find a way to make Superboy immune to kryptonite radiation. The kryptonite entered his bloodstream, as well as his nervous system, turning his skin green and affecting his mind in vicious ways. Walker became "living, breathing kryptonite," able to fire kryptonite radiation from his hands. Superboy was able to defeat him through enlisting the aid of a human man who had been arrested for fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
in taking advantage of his resemblance to Superboy in order to make money and attract girls. In exchange for getting the charges dropped, Superboy convinced the man to stand up to Walker, whereby Walker's kryptonite beams had no effect on him. With Mike Walker distracted as to why he was not harming the Superboy impersonator, Superboy then wrapped up Walker in a lead tarp, where eventually the kryptonite would be cleansed from Walker's body. This elaborate Superman mythology was the background for the novel The Kryptonite Kid.
External links
- Supermanica: Kryptonite Kid Supermanica entry on the Pre-Crisis Kryptonite Kid
- Supermanica: Kryptonite Man Supermanica entry on the Pre-Crisis Kryptonite Men