Summary
- Green Kryptonite weakens Kryptonians, draining them of powers, leading to death - used by Lex Luthor and Batman.
- Red Kryptonite causes mood swings and occasional mutations in Kryptonians - first appeared after green variety.
- Gold Kryptonite can permanently remove Kryptonian powers but was changed post-crisis to temporary effects.
Superman doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses in DC Comics, but the major one, which has become known through all of pop culture as a term for someone’s major weakness, is Kryptonite. This material, which is leftovers from Superman’s home world of Krypton, weakens him greatly, and some other properties from their travel across the cosmos and synthetic interference have created multiple variants of the green rock.
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Over the years in DC Comics, very surprising versions of Kryptonite, with different effects, have appeared throughout the strange and varied history of Superman. Not only these, but there have also been several cases over the years when the various types of Kryptonite have been combined to create combinations of two powers, or even three or four, making for a massive number of different Kryptonite variations.
16 Green Kryptonite
Weakens Kryptonians, Draining Them Of Their Powers
- First Appearance: Action Comics #161 (1951)
The most commonly appearing form of Kryptonite is the one that most people will recognize. Used on nearly countless occasions by everyone from Lex Luthor to Batman, this form of kryptonite produces the simple effect of slowly draining Kryptonians of their strength and most of their powers, prolonged exposure leading to inevitable death.
Because of the radiation associated with Krypton, under which Kryptonians are normal people without their strength and flight abilities, green Kryptonite drains and makes anyone from that planet feel weak, losing their abilities and eventually succumbing to death. It has been used by Lex Luthor on many occasions to fight Superman, while other characters like Batman keep it as a backup in case Superman ever turns on the Justice League.
15 Red Kryptonite
Occasional Mutations & Mood Swings
- First Appearance: Adventure Comics #255 (1958)
The second most common Kryptonite was the first introduced after the traditional green variety, and it has some slightly bizarre and varied effects that have been seen over the years. Weakening Kryptonians in the same way, the bigger focus of the red version of this material is on the mood swings it gives Kryptonians.
Giving Superman some bizarre mood changes when he was nearby, the Red Kryptonite later managed to show it was also capable of causing mutations in Kryptonians, which was an especially bizarre but thankfully temporary effect.
14 Gold Kryptonite
Can Remove The Powers Of A Kryptonian, Potentially Forever
- First Appearance: Adventure Comics #299 (1962)
Originally, gold kryptonite was a truly terrifying prospect to a Kryptonian. This material had been affected by atomic radiation and was capable of permanently removing the ability of a Kryptonian to process yellow sunlight, removing all of their powers.
However, gold kryptonite was changed post-crisis and in modern stories, it has only denied Kryptonians the ability to process yellow sunlight for a temporary time. Otherwise, gold kryptonite would be the main weapon every enemy of Superman would eternally seek and fight for.
13 Blue Kryptonite
Bizarro's Weakness, An Antidote To Red Kryptonite
- First Appearance: Superman #140 (1960)
A form of kryptonite that has changed a lot over the years, blue kryptonite in the comics was originally the way to harm Bizarro in the same way that green harmed Superman. However, in Super Friends, blue kryptonite was actually the only way to cure the effects of red kryptonite.
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In Smallville, the effects changed once again. Blue Kryptonite didn’t just nullify the abilities of Kryptonians, it also powered their bodies to an unbelievable level, which led to the death of Bizarro. The substance has also been seen to restore other forms of life to perfect health, giving it a truly bizarre list of effects.
12 Black Kryptonite
Splits Kryptonians Into Two Personalities / Turns Kryptonians Murderous
- First Appearance: Smallville Season 4, Episode 1: Crusade
One of the most original concepts for a form of Kryptonite, the black variant, didn’t actually debut in the comics, but in Smallville. In that show, it was shown to be capable of separating any Kryptonian into two separate beings, one embodying their good and the other their evil side.
This concept made its way into DC Comics and has become something of a rite of passage, which Supergirl has gone through as well as Superman on various occasions, the good version being forced to fight their evil doppelgänger.
11 White Kryptonite
Kills All Plant Life
- First Appearance: Adventure Comics #279 (1960)
White Kryptonite is one of the first completely random effects generated by a form of this substance. Instead of affecting humans or Kryptonians, this actually kills plant life. Not just Kryptonian plant life, but any found from any origin.
Additionally, white kryptonite is capable of killing bacteria and viruses in any form, giving it far more positive and useful effects than most forms of the dangerous substance found in DC Comics. White Kryptonite has appeared infrequently but remained fairly consistent over the years in what it is capable of doing.
10 X-Kryptonite
A Synthetic Kryptonite That Gives Lifeforms Superpowers
- First Appearance: Action Comics #261 (1960)
Another form of Kryptonite that has changed a great deal over the years, X-Kryptonite, didn’t come from Krypton, Supergirl created it in an attempt to find something to counteract the effects of Green Kryptonite. Unfortunately, it ended up giving other lifeforms the abilities of Kryptonians.
However, it was later changed to deliver the same effects as green to Kryptonians, and made it easier to implant a Kryptonian consciousness into a human being, which is a truly bizarre idea but one that has, infrequently, come up in DC Comics.
9 Anti-Kryptonite
Weakens Non-Powered Kryptonians
- First Appearance: Action Comics #252 (1959)
Anti-Kryptonite is exactly what it sounds like. Introduced many years ago but appearing infrequently, this substance does nothing to Kryptonians but affects humans and other lifeforms in the same way that Green Kryptonite affects those of Kryptonian descent.
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Anti-Kryptonite also once appeared in a multiversal story as a source of strength for Ultraman, the evil version of Superman from a different Earth. Though it is a fairly famous form of Kryptonite, there aren’t a lot of calls to use it across the history of Superman stories.
8 Jewel Kryptonite
Amplifies Psychic Powers Within The Phantom Zone
- First Appearance: Action Comics #310 (1964)
Another particularly strange and not commonly used form of Kryptonite which was introduced many years ago, during the Silver Age of DC Comics, Jewel Kryptonite is specifically made from the remaining pieces of Krypton’s Jewel Mountains.
This substance has been shown whenever it appears to give more psychic power to the Kryptonian criminals trapped in the Phantom Zone, such as General Zod. These beings are often attempting to break out or contact others to get assistance in escaping their prison, and Jewel Kryptonite is therefore hugely useful to them.
7 Orange Kryptonite
Gives Animals Temporary Powers / Creates Paranoia
- First Appearance: Krypto The Superdog #4 (2007)
Not every story involving Superman-related characters is overly serious, and that definitely stays true whenever a character like Krypto, Superman’s pet dog, gets his own running series. On several occasions in recent years, Orange Kryptonite has been found, and it comes with a pretty specific and bizarre use.
Orange Kryptonite is capable of giving super-abilities, similar to those of Kryptonians, to animals. The powers only last for a single day, but appear and give trouble on a rare few occasions to characters like Krypto, as those who suddenly gain powers often end up running amuck.