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Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1-5
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum
A Spectrum of Kryptonite—And the Fractured Truth Within
Superman faces his own worst weakness in a story where Kryptonite reveals more than just physical pain.
From the acclaimed creative team behind Ice Cream Man, this DC Black Label event bends genre, tone, and form as Superman is exposed to not only green, red, and black Kryptonite—but new and never-before-seen forms like Purple, Cobalt, and Speckled. Each of the five issues serves as a boundary-pushing meditation on power, identity, and trauma. With Batman at his side and Earth at stake, Superman must confront how the shards of his broken homeworld reveal fault lines in his soul.
Includes Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1–5.
Superman faces his own worst weakness in a story where Kryptonite reveals more than just physical pain.
From the acclaimed creative team behind Ice Cream Man, this DC Black Label event bends genre, tone, and form as Superman is exposed to not only green, red, and black Kryptonite—but new and never-before-seen forms like Purple, Cobalt, and Speckled. Each of the five issues serves as a boundary-pushing meditation on power, identity, and trauma. With Batman at his side and Earth at stake, Superman must confront how the shards of his broken homeworld reveal fault lines in his soul.
Includes Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1–5.
184 pages, Hardcover
Published April 21, 2026
16 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
W. Maxwell Prince
109 books192 followersW. Maxwell Prince writes in Brooklyn and lives with his wife, daughter, and two cats called Mischief and Mayhem. He is the author of One Week in the Library, The Electric Sublime, and Judas: The Last Days. When not writing, he tries to render all of human experience in chart form.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 30, 2026
Hot diggity dang it, just let these guys do all the comics now!
One word of caution: if you are among those comics readers who really dislike when a story gets "too meta" then your mileage may vary a lot with this one.
One word of caution: if you are among those comics readers who really dislike when a story gets "too meta" then your mileage may vary a lot with this one.
April 24, 2026
I don't know what W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo are on, but I hope they never stop taking it.
Their interpretation of Superman, Lex Luthor, and the world that they inhabit is insane in the best way. These five issues examine the idea of home and belonging through the lens of different shades of Kryptonite, affecting Superman in new and unexpected ways. Each issue builds on the next until the finale unveils Lex's master plan and everything Superman has been through is needed to win the day.
There are some interesting uses of the comic medium that these two are known for, including a story told almost entirely out of order, and the trip through the Fifth Dimension is classic Ice Cream Man levels of insanity.
I had a good feeling about this book, like I do anything that Prince and Morazzo do together, and I'm pleased to report that it's just as good as I'd hoped.
Their interpretation of Superman, Lex Luthor, and the world that they inhabit is insane in the best way. These five issues examine the idea of home and belonging through the lens of different shades of Kryptonite, affecting Superman in new and unexpected ways. Each issue builds on the next until the finale unveils Lex's master plan and everything Superman has been through is needed to win the day.
There are some interesting uses of the comic medium that these two are known for, including a story told almost entirely out of order, and the trip through the Fifth Dimension is classic Ice Cream Man levels of insanity.
I had a good feeling about this book, like I do anything that Prince and Morazzo do together, and I'm pleased to report that it's just as good as I'd hoped.
January 1, 2026
Truly something special. Wacky, weird, inventive, and most importantly, full of heart. One of the best Superman stories out there.
March 30, 2026
Being completely honest here, but I have never really been a huge fan of Superman. Not that I have disliked the character, just not one of the DC characters I gravitated towards. But
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum
was must-read with the creators of
Ice Cream Man
, W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo, at the helm. A hell of a miniseries, even for those will less knowledge of the iconic character.
Superman faces his own worst weakness in a story where Kryptonite reveals more than just physical pain. Superman is exposed to not only green, red, and black Kryptonite—but new and never-before-seen forms. Each of the five issues serves as a boundary-pushing meditation on power, identity, and trauma. With Batman at his side and Earth at stake, Superman must confront how the shards of his broken homeworld reveal fault lines in his soul.
When you think of DC Comics a few characters come to mind right away, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, and Superman. However, the latter was never really my go-to when picking up a DC comic, the few times a year I grabbed one. While I never have been one to pick up many DC Comics, recently I have been diving a bit more into the universe. Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum was a great place to jump in and not feel overwhelmed.
What made this miniseries special in my book was that it felt almost as an anthology of stories, which makes sense as it is from the creative team to bring us horror anthology series Ice Cream Man at Image Comics. While there is still the connective tissue of Superman and new colors of Kryptonite, most of the chapters could be jumped into and not be super lost. I found this intriguing and a real bonus to the collected edition.
The quasi team-up of Superman and Batman was also a hit for me. The connection between the two almost felt like they were just two buddies that were hanging out with each other whilst they experiment with new kryptonites. Batman lends a hand in helping Superman at the fortress of solitude as well as his struggles in the city, but made me think that these two would just hangout on an off-day as well. Bringing some levity to the story, like Prince was having a fun time creating this series and not taking itself too seriously.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum was visually attractive as well with Morazzo brining a slightly different style to the big two. His unique illustrations made for a more grassroots feel to the iconic character. Fans of their work on Ice Cream Man can easily transition to a Superman tale. Making this team-up of Prince and Morazzo shine.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is a refreshing, fun, and unique story from W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo. A good diversion from the main DC storylines that should make longtime Superman fans as well as those new or returning to the character happy.
The hardcover collected edition of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum hits local comic shops and bookstores everywhere on April 21, 2026 from DC Comics.
Superman faces his own worst weakness in a story where Kryptonite reveals more than just physical pain. Superman is exposed to not only green, red, and black Kryptonite—but new and never-before-seen forms. Each of the five issues serves as a boundary-pushing meditation on power, identity, and trauma. With Batman at his side and Earth at stake, Superman must confront how the shards of his broken homeworld reveal fault lines in his soul.
When you think of DC Comics a few characters come to mind right away, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, and Superman. However, the latter was never really my go-to when picking up a DC comic, the few times a year I grabbed one. While I never have been one to pick up many DC Comics, recently I have been diving a bit more into the universe. Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum was a great place to jump in and not feel overwhelmed.
What made this miniseries special in my book was that it felt almost as an anthology of stories, which makes sense as it is from the creative team to bring us horror anthology series Ice Cream Man at Image Comics. While there is still the connective tissue of Superman and new colors of Kryptonite, most of the chapters could be jumped into and not be super lost. I found this intriguing and a real bonus to the collected edition.
The quasi team-up of Superman and Batman was also a hit for me. The connection between the two almost felt like they were just two buddies that were hanging out with each other whilst they experiment with new kryptonites. Batman lends a hand in helping Superman at the fortress of solitude as well as his struggles in the city, but made me think that these two would just hangout on an off-day as well. Bringing some levity to the story, like Prince was having a fun time creating this series and not taking itself too seriously.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum was visually attractive as well with Morazzo brining a slightly different style to the big two. His unique illustrations made for a more grassroots feel to the iconic character. Fans of their work on Ice Cream Man can easily transition to a Superman tale. Making this team-up of Prince and Morazzo shine.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is a refreshing, fun, and unique story from W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo. A good diversion from the main DC storylines that should make longtime Superman fans as well as those new or returning to the character happy.
The hardcover collected edition of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum hits local comic shops and bookstores everywhere on April 21, 2026 from DC Comics.
May 5, 2026
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum
New variants of kryptonite are discovered, so Clark Kent asks the Batman to help keep him - and everyone else - safe while he tests them on himself.
The artwork is assured, drawing parallels with the All-Star Superman, and the plot showcases the best of Shazam and Batman as well as Superman.
New variants of kryptonite are discovered, so Clark Kent asks the Batman to help keep him - and everyone else - safe while he tests them on himself.
The artwork is assured, drawing parallels with the All-Star Superman, and the plot showcases the best of Shazam and Batman as well as Superman.
May 7, 2026
Superman: woke addition
Gosh dang is it great
Gosh dang is it great
February 27, 2026
A true masterwork of the superhero genre and a send-up of everything special, wacky, and fun Big Blue Boy Scout. At first, it seems like nothing but a riff on All Star Superman, but throughout its 5 issues, it catapults forward into a search for the meaning of "home." For every ounce of silver age silliness, the authors add in another ounce of heart. It’s truly like nothing I’ve read before, and I’m already sure that it will only get better on rereads.
Review of advance copy
Prince and Morazzo have that ability to make books that are avant garde, clever, and unorthodox but keep that silver age fun that's all too rare in modern comics. The only thing that's a shame is that DC made the boneheaded choice to slap a rating of 17+ on this completely sexless, swearless, graphic violence-less book, ensuring no young readers get ahold of it and keep the industry alive after my generation dies out. I guess they assumed no one would want to read a fun throwback Superman story if it wasn't expressly marketed as "for adults"?
Review of advance copy
A weird, witty, Silver Age–infused love letter to Superman.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is a freaking delight and absolutely worth reading. At its core, the story follows Superman as he discovers new variations of Kryptonite, which... he decides to test on himself to learn what they do. Because as we know, if villains get their hands on them first, the consequences could be disastrous! Right? Right!?
The team behind the book includes W. Maxwell Prince (writing duties), Martín Morazzo (illustrator), and Chris O’Halloran (with the colors). If you're a fan of Image's Ice Cream Man you'll recognize these folks. I have to say, it's a bit weird seeing Batman with Riccardus's face ;) (And also, as an aside, Chris O’Halloran did the colors on Juni Ba's The Boy Wonder, which is also fantastic.)
The story in The Kryptonite Spectrum is witty and funny without ever feeling pretentious. Prince makes great use of the powers granted by DC's Black Label line and leans into the weird, playful side of storytelling that fans of Silver Age stories are used to, while also embracing the kind of boundary-pushing ideas that Ice Cream Man fans know well. And the ending is chef’s kiss*.
I think (hope) anyone who picks it up will be as delighted by its boldness and creativity as I was. Give it a try.
Btw, I’m pretty sure that the work Prince, Morazzo, and O’Halloran did with Ice Cream Man issue #17 'Cape Fear' served as a nice gateway for them to get this gig. And if you haven't read that, what are you waiting for?
Also... Goodreads, c'mon... there's such a thing as reading the issues before the book is formally 'published'. No need to receive an 'advanced copy'.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is a freaking delight and absolutely worth reading. At its core, the story follows Superman as he discovers new variations of Kryptonite, which... he decides to test on himself to learn what they do. Because as we know, if villains get their hands on them first, the consequences could be disastrous! Right? Right!?
The team behind the book includes W. Maxwell Prince (writing duties), Martín Morazzo (illustrator), and Chris O’Halloran (with the colors). If you're a fan of Image's Ice Cream Man you'll recognize these folks. I have to say, it's a bit weird seeing Batman with Riccardus's face ;) (And also, as an aside, Chris O’Halloran did the colors on Juni Ba's The Boy Wonder, which is also fantastic.)
The story in The Kryptonite Spectrum is witty and funny without ever feeling pretentious. Prince makes great use of the powers granted by DC's Black Label line and leans into the weird, playful side of storytelling that fans of Silver Age stories are used to, while also embracing the kind of boundary-pushing ideas that Ice Cream Man fans know well. And the ending is chef’s kiss*.
I think (hope) anyone who picks it up will be as delighted by its boldness and creativity as I was. Give it a try.
Btw, I’m pretty sure that the work Prince, Morazzo, and O’Halloran did with Ice Cream Man issue #17 'Cape Fear' served as a nice gateway for them to get this gig. And if you haven't read that, what are you waiting for?
Also... Goodreads, c'mon... there's such a thing as reading the issues before the book is formally 'published'. No need to receive an 'advanced copy'.
Review of advance copy
As a long-time fan of the Ice Cream Man series, I went into this series with high hopes, and while I don't think it delivered what I was hoping for, I do think that this is a well-made and thought-provoking book that explores the impact of someone's home on who they eventually become. While not as wild or zany as some ICM issues, The Kryptonite Spectrum is very playful with how it harnesses this medium, often making my smile at its unabashed childlike wonder (further promoted by an underlying motif of Alice in Wonderland). Both the writing and art promotes a whimsy and charm that helps to highlight the inner battle Superman faces, with an ending that's as silly as it is sentimental. While I can't say this book will be as impactful on a reread, I do think this is a series that any fan of Superman, or the medium at large for that matter, should take the time to read.
April 30, 2026
I bought this book blind, knowing nothing about the creators and with no expectations. While I thought the story was interesting and generally well-executed, sometimes the intrusion of the writer's thoughts, the attempts to break the fourth wall, and the wink-wink, nudge-nudge gags at the fans grew tiresome.
But the writing is the strength compared to the art, which in my opinion is poor at best. The artist lacks anatomical skills, perspective skills -- the art almost never fills the frame. The splash pages are underwhelming because the figures are so small, leaving vast empty space on the page. Even the parts of the story that are supposed to be "cartoony" (the 5th dimension), which might better fit this artist's abilities, don't work.
I really feel this could have been a significantly better product with a different artist.
But the writing is the strength compared to the art, which in my opinion is poor at best. The artist lacks anatomical skills, perspective skills -- the art almost never fills the frame. The splash pages are underwhelming because the figures are so small, leaving vast empty space on the page. Even the parts of the story that are supposed to be "cartoony" (the 5th dimension), which might better fit this artist's abilities, don't work.
I really feel this could have been a significantly better product with a different artist.
May 9, 2026
Overall the story was fine. Nothing super noteworthy. I had fun with the premise. And it does stay interesting throughout most of it. The message is a little heavy handed but it’s done well enough. It’s a little funny that they actually had some more subtle references (I liked the pink kryptonite gag, the Bizarro bots, and all the Shazam background posters) but then decided to remind the reader about Krypton exploding about 1000 times. I also feel like Batman added very little to this story and Lex was not that interesting or entertaining, which was bit of a shame.
The art was hit or miss. The drawings of character’s faces bothered me. It just looks off. But I do like the art style changes and use of color. I guess I mainly just have a problem with the character designs but the rest looks nice.
The art was hit or miss. The drawings of character’s faces bothered me. It just looks off. But I do like the art style changes and use of color. I guess I mainly just have a problem with the character designs but the rest looks nice.
April 23, 2026
What an odd, entertaining little story, mixing Silver Age weirdness and modern age storytelling with just a touch of the macabre, reminiscent of All-Star Superman (a clear influence) and Ice Cream Man, the strange horror book that these creators have made over at Image Comics.
It's premise, that Superman would call on his best bud Batman to help him test out new versions of Kryptonite so that he is prepared if his enemies get it, is a brilliant bit of Silver Age logic, and the guest stars include a lot of the Justice League, the fifth dimensional imps Mxy and Bat-Mite, Shazam a.k.a. Captain Marvel, and a few others, all used very well. And Prince's petty, cruel Lex Luthor is just dead-on perfect. Lots of fun, and beautifully illustrated by Martin Morazzo.
It's premise, that Superman would call on his best bud Batman to help him test out new versions of Kryptonite so that he is prepared if his enemies get it, is a brilliant bit of Silver Age logic, and the guest stars include a lot of the Justice League, the fifth dimensional imps Mxy and Bat-Mite, Shazam a.k.a. Captain Marvel, and a few others, all used very well. And Prince's petty, cruel Lex Luthor is just dead-on perfect. Lots of fun, and beautifully illustrated by Martin Morazzo.
April 30, 2026
Superman beslutter sig for at teste en masse Kryptonit-varianter, for at se hvordan de påvirker ham. Batman hjælper til og Lex Luthor har skumle planer i baggrunden.
Et syret superman-trip med referencer til Alice i Eventyrland og med masser af Maxwell Prince's karakteristiske meta-jokes og skæve humor.
Jeg er ikke så begejstret for Morazzos artwork der forekommer sært stationær og udynamisk hvilket understøtter gysene i deres tidligere samarbejde (Ice Cream Man), men som i mine øjne virker en smule malplaceret i denne ret goofy historie.
Var nu alligevel godt underhold hele vejen igennem.
Et syret superman-trip med referencer til Alice i Eventyrland og med masser af Maxwell Prince's karakteristiske meta-jokes og skæve humor.
Jeg er ikke så begejstret for Morazzos artwork der forekommer sært stationær og udynamisk hvilket understøtter gysene i deres tidligere samarbejde (Ice Cream Man), men som i mine øjne virker en smule malplaceret i denne ret goofy historie.
Var nu alligevel godt underhold hele vejen igennem.
May 1, 2026
The Ice Cream Man creative team does their own All-Star Superman at miniseries length, borrowing a lot from Morrison’s zany but heartfelt Golden Age DC storytelling and Quitely’s visual style but with the strong presence of Ice Cream Man’s friendly/creepy tone added in the mix as well. Pretty fun stuff that’s nice to look at too; I love when DC lets unique talent from the creator-owned world play around with their big names like this, and look forward to more.
“You know, I learned this neat little trick: if you don’t like the way a sentence sounds, add an asterisk at the end. Goodbye, Ms. Lane.*”
“You know, I learned this neat little trick: if you don’t like the way a sentence sounds, add an asterisk at the end. Goodbye, Ms. Lane.*”
Review of advance copy
Definitely a new classic. W. Maxwell's style fit surprisingly well with the Superman mythos. His inventiveness and Martín Morazzo's amazing and "cookie" art really gives this the feel of All-star Superman. I don't want to compare to take away inherent merit this book has tho, because this book is so so good.
I'd like to see the team's take on Batman, see him take on a horror similar to Ice Cream Man, or maybe get "cookie" with it as well. Either, there has never been a book of theirs that i do not like.
I'd like to see the team's take on Batman, see him take on a horror similar to Ice Cream Man, or maybe get "cookie" with it as well. Either, there has never been a book of theirs that i do not like.
Read
March 30, 2026Nice and fun.
It is curious to see Maxwell Prince and Morazzo doing something different than horror.
But Morazzo's art always leaves an unnerving twist in every panel.
It is a homage to Silver Age Superman with all its silliness and comicity.
Maxwell manages to craft a coherent story with a clear theme throughout, even though the ending is a bit too silly for my taste.
Fun to read and might bring something new to young readers.
It is curious to see Maxwell Prince and Morazzo doing something different than horror.
But Morazzo's art always leaves an unnerving twist in every panel.
It is a homage to Silver Age Superman with all its silliness and comicity.
Maxwell manages to craft a coherent story with a clear theme throughout, even though the ending is a bit too silly for my taste.
Fun to read and might bring something new to young readers.
Review of advance copy
Feels like a spiritual sequel to All-Star Superman in a lot of ways. Or, at least, a spiritual parallel. A lot of zany sci-fi hijinks and acts of Superman being the best. While I eventually left Ice Cream Man because I just didn't get it anymore, W. Maxwell Prince proves they can wear their heart on their sleeve. And Martín Morazzo's art really does remind me of Frank Quitely, even though his Lois Lane looks like Lee Geddy.
Review of advance copy
Instant classic. I don't know if this one is quite as much to my taste as something like All Star, but I'll be damned if I didn't genuinely laugh and cry while reading it, and even if it wasn't always to my taste, I genuinely can't think of a way it could be better executed. This feels like the culmination of years of skill and effort, and I'm so deeply delighted where comics are at right now.
Review of advance copy
While not quite as weird or creepy as I was expecting based on reading the creative team’s work on Ice Cream Man, this will most likely come to be considered an all time great Superman story, especially for readers who like silver age style wackiness or who wanted more All Star Superman style storytelling.
February 27, 2026
on paper, this sound like in the same veins of all-star superman but every page i turn, its story becomes distinct. It's funny, wacky like the silver age, and most importantly it's full of heart just like what superman embodies next to hope.
this is one of the most inventive
DC has put out since the absolute universe, and i cannot recommend it enough for people who loved All Star Superman.
this is one of the most inventive
DC has put out since the absolute universe, and i cannot recommend it enough for people who loved All Star Superman.
April 25, 2026
An interesting one certainly.
I wasn't overly fond of the art, though I felt that the style suited the story for the most part.
You can definitely have a little fun with thus light and quirky storyline, but I feel like its not especially important. My favourite part was the creation of Kal-Elf!
Good - 7-/10
I wasn't overly fond of the art, though I felt that the style suited the story for the most part.
You can definitely have a little fun with thus light and quirky storyline, but I feel like its not especially important. My favourite part was the creation of Kal-Elf!
Good - 7-/10
Review of advance copy
Solid art. Solid concept. Great throwbacks to the Silver Age. But overall the concept regarding the final Kryptonite shard was rough. And spiraled towards a very underwhelming and uninteresting finale.
May 11, 2026
Combining the most wacky aspects of Silver Age comics with a heart and sensibility of more modern tales, this is a real treat. Insane but does it in such a way that feels really fascinating and sincere. Great stuff.
August 14, 2025
Amo las historians tontas de Superman. Esto tiene Todo El sazón del silver age pero se asoman un par de temas dignos de la categoría Black Label.
Review of advance copy
Just finished volume 5 and it's such a brilliant end to the story. As soon as the TP comes out it'll be an easy add to my shelf, and an instant classic Superman story in my eyes.
December 19, 2025
top 5 certainly
Review of advance copy
As expected from the creators of Ice Cream Man it’s wickedly creative and inventive.
Review of advance copy
This book is insane, truly uses comics as a medium and is so unique
Review of advance copy
5.5/10
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews