As Darwyn Cooke points out in his introduction to Superman: Kryptonite, the first official reference to kryptonite was broadcast on the Superman radio program before it made its canonical appearance in the comics. However, it was first conceived as “K-Metal” in an unpublished Superman story. Over the decades, kryptonite has gone on a long and occasionally puzzling trip through The Etch-a-Sketch Continuity of DC comics.

Pure kryptonite became ubiquitous in the Silver Age. Even a common thug could find a shard to ward off Superman. During the Bronze Age, the entirety of kryptonite was chemically altered to iron. Superman even ate a piece of transmuted kryptonite in front of a dumbstruck criminal.

When John Byrne rebooted the Man of Steel, he memorably reintroduced kryptonite as a single gem in Lex Luthor's ring. Later, that deadly memento became a symbol of trust between Batman and Superman.

Given these appearances as well as the meteor rocks of Smallville and the discovery of a real life chemical doppelganger of the kryptonite chunk in Superman Returns, one must ask: Can anything else good be added to this particular facet of Superman lore?

Each chapter of Superman: Kryptonite appears to open with a narrative of the thoughts of a large chunk of kryptonite. At first, I thought Cooke was merely using personification: giving a semblance of life to unliving objects. The Leonard Cohen/Jennifer Warnes duet "Joan of Arc" exemplifies this technique. Warnes sings the part of Joan of Arc. Cohen hauntingly speaks for the fire that literally consumes her but that also whispers to her like a lover--giving her respect in a death that history will judge harshly.

The prospect of a comic book writer actually using a rare literary narrative technique like personification excited me to no end. It turned out that my inference was incorrect, yet when Cooke revealed the true nature of the narrator, I was still not disappointed. Cooke had already hooked me through the poetry of the voice. It became unimportant whether the kryptonite was a metaphorical witness to historical events or something else.

Cooke's ability as a writer is truly amazing. He knew that his story lived and died upon the removal of the shroud from the building mystery. He knew that if he hinged his story on something cheesy, it would fail. Instead, the truth of the tale is fascinating. In fact, the discovery improves the story. It twists and ties together the threads that were running throughout the tale. Most impressive, it also provides a catalyst for defining Superman.

In addition to the singular narrative voice, Superman: Kryptonite possesses far more to laud. Cooke's Man of Steel is one of the most genuine, and his romance with Lois Lane is positively charming; Lex Luthor fits the Byrne businessman model, and his unctuous evil entertains absolutely; finally, Ma and Pa Kent’s characterization is tied to the fresh idea of Superman finding out the limits of his power.

In Superman for All Seasons with Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale was known for his Jethro Superman and a Lois Lane that was more in synch with Margot Kidder. These incarnations were mere prototypes. In Cooke's work, Sale turns his version of the Big Red S into a slimmer, more expressive hero, and Lois benefits from a softness stemming from love.

Sale provides brutal imagery when the narrative focuses on the kryptonite, and the strong black and white sensibilities of his artwork benefits greatly from Dave Stewart's minimal use of color. This merger of artistic minds functions equally well when illustrating Superman's dazzling feats of might and stamina.

The expected quality of work in comic books should be equivalent to that expected in prose novels. A writer cannot consider the submission of lesser work as acceptable because he’s “just writing for comic books.” The plot should make intrinsic sense. The narrative should flow and bear enough substance that it carries the reader without impediment through the book. There should be a unique point of view or distinctive multiple points of view. The characterization should have depth, and the characters should not begin and end in the medium. They should have such dimension that the reader believes that the characters have individual histories and lives that continue beyond the work. Superman: Kryptonite has these attributes.

---

What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

---