Kryptonite
The origins of kryptonite can be traced back to the first Superman story by
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. "The Reign of the Superman" was printed in
Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization #3 (January
1933). Professor Ernest Smalley discovers a meteorite from a "Dark Planet."
After ingesting a few grains, a vagrant named William Dunn is granted vast
intelligence, telepathic powers, and the ability to "intercept intergalactic
messages." Dunn murders Smalley and plans to destroy civilization, but the
effects fade before the source element can be reached.
Krypton (Kr), atomic number 36, is a chemically inert noble gas. Krypton is
colorless, odorless, and tasteless, occurring in trace amounts in the Earth
atmosphere. The word is derived from the Greek kruptos meaning
"hidden." The element was discovered in 1898 by Scottish chemist William
Ramsay and English chemist Morris Travers. In 1904, Ramsay was awarded the
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discoveries.
The fictional planet Krypton first appeared unnamed in the opening panel
of Action Comics #1
(June 1938). The planet name was revealed in the
first Superman newspaper strip, published on January 16,
1939. The name Krypton first appeared in a comic book in the opening panel
of Superman #1 (Summer 1939).
The word "kryptonite" first appeared in an advertisement for the Daisy
Krypto-Raygun in Action Comics #8 (January 1939). "Looks exactly
like the KRYPTO-RAYGUN Superman had made of KRYPTONITE, the amazing metal from
his birthplace – the weird Planet KRYPTON!" The toy functions as a film
projector for seven different 16mm Superman comic strips. The Krypto-Raygun
was later offered as a premium from
Superman Gum.
An early prototype of kryptonite appeared in an untitled and unpublished
26-page story by
Jerry Siegel.
Professor Barnett Winton identifies "K-Metal" as a meteorite from Krypton. The
metal weakens Superman and allows him to feel pain, leading Clark to deduce
that Krypton is his home planet. Clark reveals his identity to
Lois and they
decide to become partners, but she resents him for keeping the secret. The
story would have ended the love triangle that defined early Superman
mythology. Notes from editor Whitney Ellsworth suggested specific changes to
the script, but the Lois reveal was seemingly approved.
In 1970, four finished pages of the story were published in The Steranko History of Comics, Vol. 1. A carbon copy of the script was discovered in the DC archives by Mark Waid
on Thanksgiving Eve
of 1988. The typed cover page to Jack Liebowitz contains a handwritten date of
August 7, 1940. Jerry Siegel did not remember the story, but he was known to
purchase Superman plots in 1939 and 1940. Some of the artboards by
Joe Shuster, Paul
Cassidy, and Wayne Boring have been observed in private collections.
The story has become known as "The K-Metal from Krypton" after a reference by
author Gerard Jones in 2004. Artist Alex Ross pitched a recreation
painted in the style of Shuster, but the idea was rejected by DC. The known
remnants of the story have been reconstructed by members of the
Superman Through the Ages!
website.
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The Adventures of Superman
radio series introduced kryptonite in "The Meteor from Krypton," first
broadcast June 3–11, 1943. The seven-part storyline was written and directed
by George Lowther. At the Metropolis Museum, Dr. John Whistler identified
kryptonite based on previous observations of Krypton's destruction. The metal
"glowed like a green diamond" and weakened Superman within ten feet. The
meteorite caused Superman to see visions of Krypton and his parents, Jor-el
and Lara. "I know now, for the first time, who I really am, where I came
from." The radio series established lead as the only substance able to shield
the deadly kryptonite radiation.
The original spelling of "Jor-L" is an anagram of Jerome Siegel. The name was first published in a "Federal Men" story by Siegel and Shuster in New Adventure Comics #12 (January 1937). The names Jor-L and Lora would later appear as the biological parents of Superman in the January 16, 1939, newspaper strip. The names were later spelled as Jor-el and Lara in The Adventures of Superman novel by Lowther, published on November 2, 1942.
The original spelling of "Jor-L" is an anagram of Jerome Siegel. The name was first published in a "Federal Men" story by Siegel and Shuster in New Adventure Comics #12 (January 1937). The names Jor-L and Lora would later appear as the biological parents of Superman in the January 16, 1939, newspaper strip. The names were later spelled as Jor-el and Lara in The Adventures of Superman novel by Lowther, published on November 2, 1942.
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Kryptonite first appeared on film in Superman starring Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill. The 15-part serial was released on
January 5, 1948. In chapter four, "Man of Steel," Professor Arnold Leeds
identifies a glowing meteorite as a fragment of Krypton. Exposure to
kryptonite causes Clark to collapse, leading him to reveal the secret
identity. The kryptonite is later stolen by the Spider Lady.
The sequel Atom Man vs. Superman was released on July 20, 1950. Luthor creates a synthetic
kryptonite from plutonium, radium, and other elements. Luthor studied
Krypton for years, piecing together data from astronomers. Before the planet
was destroyed, Jor-El transmitted distress messages that were later deciphered
by Luthor. After being exposed to the artificial kryptonite, Superman is
captured and teleported to an early Phantom Zone known as "The Empty Doom."
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The first comic book depiction of kryptonite is a glowing red gemstone
in Superman #61 (November–December 1949). "Superman Returns
to Krypton!" was written by Batman creator Bill Finger and illustrated by Al
Plastino. After being weakened by the red meteorite, Superman travels
backwards through time and space to trace the origin. He arrives on Krypton as
an invisible observer and learns his origin for the first time.
Jor-El predicts the uranium core of Krypton will create a critical chain
reaction. As the planet begins to collapse, Jor-El places his infant son into
a rocket ship. His wife Lara chooses to stay on Krypton. The rocket lands on
Earth and an "old couple" names the child Clark Kent. Superman concludes, "All
the atomic elements fused to become one deadly compound!" The Kryptonian
people are also referred to as "Kryptonites."
Kryptonite is first depicted as green in Action Comics #161 (October
1951). "Exit – Superman!" was written by Bill Finger, penciled by Wayne
Boring, and inked by Stan Kaye. A group of bank robbers place Superman in a
rocket ship lined with kryptonite and lead.
Kryptonite was first mentioned in the Superman Sunday strip on April 6,
1958. Cosmic rays and kryptonite gas cause a chimpanzee named Big Boy to grow
into a giant with kryptonite vision. The King Kong inspired storyline
was a prototype for "Titano, the Super Ape" in Superman #127
(February 1959).
In Adventure Comics #255 (December 1958), red kryptonite from
Mars causes Superboy to split into two beings. The duplicate is an evil Clark Kent that
later destroys himself. Red kryptonite would later produce a different random
reaction after each exposure.
The Achilles' heel plot device became a common gimmick throughout the Silver
and Bronze Ages. Petty crooks could easily acquire an irradiated chunk of
Krypton. A wide variety of kryptonite would be introduced to the Superman
titles and each color effect varied for Kryptonians, humans, and animals. In
Action Comics #261 (February, 1960), Streaky the Supercat was
accidentally exposed to X-Kryptonite and given temporary superpowers.
In Superman #233 (January 1971) by Denny O'Neil, all kryptonite on
Earth is transmuted into harmless iron. The "Kryptonite Nevermore!" era would
end in Superman #288 (June 1975), and the array of colors
would soon return. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths in
1986, kryptonite was established as a compound rather than a transuranic
element.
Kryptonite was reintroduced in Superman #1 (January 1987) by
John Byrne. After locating the Kryptonian birthing matrix, Professor Emmet
Vale discovers a glowing green meteorite. Lex Luthor later retrieved the
two-pound chunk from the body of Metallo. Fragments of the compound were used
to create bullets and a ring worn by Luthor. The radiation would eventually
cause Luthor to develop terminal cancer. Following the amputation of his right
hand, Luthor transferred his brain into a younger cloned body. The ring was
kept secure in the Batcave as a contingency plan.
In Superman #22 (October 1988), Superman uses gold kryptonite from the Pocket Universe to depower the Phantom Zone criminals. Superman exposes General Zod, Quex-Ul and Zaora to green kryptonite, causing all three to die. Overcome by guilt, Superman exiles himself from Earth.
Kryptonite is a central part of Superman Returns, released on June 21, 2006. The
Metropolis Museum of Natural History holds a meteorite specimen labeled as
sodium silicate hydroxide, lithium, boron, and fluorine. Without the addition
of fluorine, the chemical composition is similar to Jadarite.
Jadarite was found in a drill core from the Jadar Basin of Loznica, Serbia, in
December 2004. The mineral was identified by minerologists at the
London Natural History Museum in late 2006. Dr. Stanley discovered the kryptonite
coincidence while searching the formula on the internet. Jadarite is a dull
white color and it does not exhibit any odd behavior on life from Earth.
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Eury, Michael. The Krypton Companion. TwoMorrows Publishing, 2006.
Fine, Herbert S. [Jerry Siegel]. "The Reign of the Superman."
Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization, vol. 1, no.
3, January 1933, p. 4–15.
Grogan, Walt. "Liberty and Justice: The Alex Ross Interview."
Alter Ego, vol. 3, no. 30, November 2003, p. 3.
Hayde, Michael J.
Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's
Adventures of Superman. BearManor Media, 2009.
Jones, Gerard.
Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book.
Basic Books, 2004, pp. 181–183.
"'Kryptonite' discovered in mine." BBC News, 24 April 2007.
Murray, Will. "The Kryptonite Crisis." Alter Ego, vol. 3, no. 37, June
2004, pp. 18–31.
Stanley, Christopher et al. "Jadarite, LiNaSiB3O7(OH) a new lithium sodium
borosilicate mineral from the Jadar Basin, Serbia."
European Journal of Mineralogy, vol. 19, January 2007, p. 575.
Steranko, Jim. The Steranko History of Comics, Vol. 1. Supergraphics,
1970, p. 35.
Thomas, Roy. "'K' is for 'Krypton'." Alter Ego, vol. 3, no. 79,
July 2008, pp. 18–24.
Waid, Mark. "K-Metal: The 'Lost' Superman Tale." Alter Ego, vol. 3, no. 26, July 2003, pp. 34–40.