Most people are familiar with the concept of Kryptonite. The irradiated pieces of the planet Krypton are one of the few things capable of hurting Superman. Fewer people know, however, that there are different colors of Kryptonite besides green. And each of those colors has different devastating effects on the Man of Steel. This idea is the heart of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum; a new DC Black Label miniseries that introduces several new colors of Kryptonite.
The opening pages find the Man of Steel and his robot helpers recovering four new Kryptonite isotopes from deep space. He is quick to call in Batman, whom he trusts more than anyone to help him with studying the dangerous element. He also trusts Batman to step in and stop him if the new Kryptonite pieces turn him into “a doomsday monster.”
However, this discovery has not gone unnoticed, and Lex Luthor is already scheming as to how to best capitalize on it. Will he steal the new Kryptonite for himself? Or will he expose how Superman was foolish enough to test these new colors of Kryptonite on Earth if something goes wrong?
Kryptonite Spectrum is high concept, but some Superman characters are off
W. Maxwell Prince is best known for his work as a horror writer and The Kryptonite Spectrum leans heavily into the weird aspects of Silver Age Superman comics. The idea of a rock changing your body or behavior is truly terrifying and Prince does not shy away from exploring what that means to the Man of Steel. On that level, this comic works quite well.
It is less successful, however, as a Superman story. Prince deviates from the comics with some of the mythology and character portrayals. Lois Lane is a prime example of this, being less concerned with scoring scoops and more worried about having a baby now that she’s past 40. Prince’s Luthor is also a more comic figure, ranting about the Man of Steel in a manner more appropriate to J. Jonah Jameson than the greatest criminal mind of our time.
That being said, the artwork perfectly suits the subtle sense of dread that permeates the script. Martín Morazzo does a fantastic job of visually capturing the discomfort Superman experiences. The resulting artwork takes full advantage of the graphic novel format, with visuals only a comic book could manage. With colorist Chris O’Halloran and letterer Good Old Neon providing the finishes, it is easy to see why this creative team have been nominated for multiple awards for their work together.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum takes the usual Man of Steel story and gives it a kick. Franchise fans will enjoy it for the imaginative if twisted take on what Kryptonite might do. It will also appeal to fans of psychological horror and the comic Ice Cream Man.
Grade: 8/10
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on August 13, 2025.
