In the DC Universe, Red Kryptonite is one of the most dangerous known forms of Kryptonite, causing wildly unpredictable effects on Superman and other Kryptonians. While every form of Kryptonite has some effect on the Man of Steel, Red Kryptonite has done everything from erasing Superman’s memories to transforming him into an entirely different lifeform.
Created by Otto Binder and George Papp in 1958’s Adventure Comics #255, Red Kryptonite was originally green before passing through an unknown red-hued cloud while falling to Earth. The shards came out red, undoubtedly picking something from the cloud itself. And given the fact that these pieces of kryptonite can affect Superman under a red sun, it is possible that there is some kind of biological contaminant inside of them courtesy of that red cloud.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view.
Although the effects vary wildly, the most common effect of Red Kryptonite on Kryptonians is to adversely affect their personalities. Superman has been turned evil by Red Kryptonite in comics and on Smallville, and on the CW series Supergirl, his cousin Kara became cruel and less empathetic when she was exposed to the substance.
One of the most surprising effects that Red Kryptonite had on the Man of Steel involved him transforming into an entirely different species. An egg from a dragon-like species called Drangs landed on Earth. Not realizing that the egg was coated in Red Kryptonite, Superman investigated and was subsequently transformed into a Drang. The world turned on the Superman/dragon hybrid, but fortunately, Supergirl was able to protect her cousin until the effects of the altered Kryptonite wore off.
The list of effects is long and possibly endless. Superman has lost his hair, and in one instance was split into two separate individuals. There are even cases of Red Kryptonite affecting his aging process, causing him to age years in a matter of seconds. Oddly enough, there have been no known cases of the reverse happening.
However, it is also worth mentioning that Red Kryptonite can be used to help Kryptonians. The red variation was once used in conjunction with both the green and white varieties to restore Superman’s powers when they had been lost. Regardless, the use of Red Kryptonite is always a gamble, due to the infinite number of effects it can have on one of the most powerful beings in the universe.
About The Author
