Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #collected

by W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo (Illustrator)

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superman

184 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 21, 2026

About the author

W. 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.

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly something special. Wacky, weird, inventive, and most importantly, full of heart. One of the best Superman stories out there.

[James De Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

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'.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[GooglyEye Superman · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Joseph Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

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"?

[Spencer Gilliland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true masterwork of the comic 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 it’s 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.

[Valuxiea · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Tom Zilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Jonathan Herr · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Cristhian · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Ham Sandwich · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[monica morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

top 5 certainly

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

As expected from the creators of Ice Cream Man it’s wickedly creative and inventive.

[Psalm Amos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is insane, truly uses comics as a medium and is so unique

[Odo · Rating 3 out of 5]

5.5/10

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Issue #4 was my favorite, it was great. I didnt really jive with the art style but it's still solid. Really wacky story and ill probably pick this up in tpb or hc.