Red Kryptonite

Red Kryptonite

“When an atomic explosion destroyed Krypton long ago, chunks of green Kryptonite were formed and scattered throughout space as meteors! But one flock of these meteors went through a strange cosmic cloud and turned to Red Kryptonite! Ever since then, Red Kryptonite has always had peculiar, unpredictable effects on Superman!” (Act No. 283, Dec 1961: “The Red Kryptonite Menace!”)

When the mighty world of Krypton exploded into stardust as the result of a cataclysmic chain reaction originating at the planet’s core, the entire planet was transformed into “green, radioactive fragments, later to be known as kryptonite”. In the course of their endless, journey through space, however, “one flock of green kryptonite meteorites later passed through a radioactive cosmic cloud to become red kryptonite” a baleful new substance to which Superman and all other surviving natives of Krypton are vulnerable. (S No. 146, Jul 1961: “The story of Superman’s Life!”)

Red kryptonite is a great deal rarer than green kryptonite. Although “everything that existed on Krypton before it exploded is now indestructible,” red kryptonite “lost its indestructibility while traveling through that cosmic cloud” and can therefore be broken up into smaller pieces. In addition, “red kryptonite can easily be burned or melted by friction or intense heat!” (AC No. 283, Dec 1961: “The Red Kryptonite Menace!”).

It is unclear, however, whether lead shields red kryptonite radiations as it does those of green kryptonite. Superman No. 139 states flatly that “lead can’t stop red kryptonite rays”, but other texts assert just as flatly that red kryptonite radiations can be stopped by lead.