From the creative team behind the acclaimed Ice Cream Man—W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo, Chris O’Halloran, and Good Old Neon—comes Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum. If you like heady, meta, high-concept superhero storytelling, you’re going to want to pick up issue #1, out now.
The Story:
Superman intercepts a meteorite only to discover that it’s harboring four new strains of Kryptonite. Afraid of it falling into the wrong hands, the Man of Steel needs to determine what effects these new strains have on him and his powers. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor is also aware of the new Kryptonites, so you know he wants to get his hands on them.
Prince, Morazzo, and company are doing something special in The Kryptonite Spectrum. They’re playing in the sandbox of Silver Age shenanigans—where you have a Fortress of Solitude manned by robot servants and Krypto is on guard dog duty—but they’re also infusing the narrative with heavier themes and experimental storytelling. The irony that the only thing that can kill Superman is a remnant of his home planet isn’t new to the mythology, but you really feel the emotional weight of that idea in this issue. You can feel the pain in Superman’s voice when someone suggests destroying the new Kryptonite. He wants to maintain a connection to his home, but he also has to keep a healthy distance for his own safety and wellbeing (and that of others).
Without saying too much, we’re introduced to a strain of Kryptonite in this issue that plays with Superman’s concept of time. This opens up a world of opportunity for Prince and Morazzo to play around with structure and layouts, and they take every advantage of that. There’s a puzzle box element to the narrative which culminates in a very satisfying manner, echoing Grant Morrison’s Animal Man (among other projects). It’s engaging as a reader, and it feels like Prince and Morazzo are trusting you to follow along without them having to hold your hand.
In terms of world design and panel layouts, Morazzo does some very interesting things with geometry throughout this issue. There’s a heavy emphasis on sharp angles, particularly in the Fortress of Solitude, which is built on a foundation of squares, triangles, and diamonds. This might be a subliminal allusion to Kryptonite, which is typically depicted as a jagged crystal, but it also adds to the retro-futuristic Silver Age design of the book. There’s also a wonderful page turn early in the issue, where one page ends on Superman in the Fortress and the following page begins with Lex in his office. From the angle to the character placements to the geometry of the backgrounds, the two panels are mirror images of one another, linking the two mortal enemies and creating a seamless transition with a sharp change of tone.
Morazzo’s character designs aren’t what you would normally expect to see in a mainstream superhero comic. He doesn’t draw perfect specimens that you’re going to see on t-shirts or lunchboxes, like those of George Pérez or Dan Mora. Morazzo’s characters have lines on their faces and bags under their beady eyes. It can be unsettling, which is perfect for a Superman story about experimenting with unknown substances and how the last remnants of your home can be the only thing to hurt you.
The unsettling element hits with the coloring as well. Don’t be misguided: O’Halloran nails the essential elements of Superman. You get your classic blues and reds, and Metropolis is bright and full of light. But, when needed, the colorist pulls out these sickly yellow-greens to suggest that not everything is sunshine and roses, and make you as the reader feel as though you’re suffering from Kryptonite yourself.
Good Old Neon’s lettering keeps everything on track, and their use of varied colors, fonts, and even opacity of word balloons adds to the fun, Silver Age vibe of the book. It leans into the theme of experimentation that permeates The Krypronite Spectrum, and it feels like this creative team and publisher are experimenting with Superman in the same way the character is experimenting himself in the story.
If you’re a fan of Grant Morrison’s work—both in and out of the realm of Superman—you’re going to enjoy The Kryptonite Spectrum. It’s a smart book dealing with weighty themes operating under the guise of a Silver Age romp. This first chapter starts things off on a high note; it will be exciting to see where the creative team takes things over the next four issues.
