5 Powerful New Kryptonites and Their Strange Effects on the Superman Family

Everyone remotely familiar with Superman knows that kryptonite is one of the most dangerous things to the Man of Steel and his family. But more seasoned fans know that the irradiated space rocks actually come in several different shades, each with its own unique power. Red can cause intense anger and unpredictable transformations, gold can de-power Kryptonians, and so on. While the effects of most of these kryptonite variants are only temporary, they’re still plenty dangerous. And unfortunately, the DC Universe has just debuted several new shades, each with its own surprising powers.

Most of these new variants popped up in Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum, which has followed Clark as he’s attempted to test the different toxic minerals and their effects on Kryptonians. But strangely enough, a new variant of kryptonite also popped up in a recent issue of Supergirl. With a handful of new kryptonites, each with its own power, it’s high time to go over them all and see what kind of threat they present. Read on to discover the four new kinds of kryptonite and see how dangerous they are to the Superman Family.

5. Rainbow Kryptonite

We’re starting this off with a kryptonite variant that technically wasn’t a kryptonite at all. When Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum introduced its four new shades, the most mysterious (and pretty) variant was rainbow kryptonite. But as it turned out, it wasn’t actually genuine kryptonite; it was a Fifth-Dimensional distress signal made by Mr. Mxyzptlk to bring Superman to the realm of imagination. While rainbow kryptonite was successful in calling for Superman, it’s not something done out of malice. And with that one sliver being the only piece of rainbow kryptonite, it’s hard to rank it as a real threat.

4. Turquoise Kryptonite

Turquoise kryptonite is the newest of the new, appearing in Supergirl #7. It’s also technically not a ‘real’ kryptonite in that it was actually made by a sea witch and not native to Krypton. But magic’s just as effective as kryptonite, and it still ruined Kara’s day when she ran into it. Turquoise kryptonite can temporarily change Kryptonians into mermaids, complete with gills, making water an absolute necessity. However, they still possess their full range of powers, and the effects only last for less than a day. It was a pain in the butt for Supergirl, sure, but it’s not that dangerous.

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3. Speckled Kryptonite

Speckled kryptonite is an interesting addition to the list as it’s essentially the counterpart to cobalt, another new type of kryptonite. Speckled kryptonite was used to stop Superman, who’d grown into the size of a kaiju (and was rampaging just as much). It successfully brought him back to the right size, but when used in tandem with the chemical concoctions inside the villain Chemo, Superman regressed into a kid. It’s definitely dangerous, but the full effects of speckled kryptonite require so much additional work, it’s slightly more manageable than others.

2. Cobalt Kryptonite

As mentioned earlier, the cobalt and speckled kryptonites are natural opposites. Just as speckled can make Superman smaller, cobalt can make a Kryptonian the size of a building. What’s worse is that he’s just as vulnerable to other kryptonites while in giant mode, as Lex Luthor utilized red kryptonite to provoke intense anger in Superman, causing him to go full Godzilla on Metropolis. As Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum showed, bigger isn’t always better, and cobalt kryptonite turned out to be a massive headache for Clark and the Justice League to deal with.

1. Purple Kryptonite

Undoubtedly, the most dangerous and creative kryptonite that appeared in 2025 is purple kryptonite. It kicked off Superman’s miniseries with a bang, attacking his hippocampus, preventing Clark from perceiving time correctly. One minute, he’d be rescuing people from an attacking Solomon Grundy, the next taking a crack on the jaw from the undead villain. Superman was able to slow down and organize his thoughts, but only through intense focus and concentration. For Superman, every second is crucial, and anything that messes with his sense of time could put him and the DC Universe in danger.

Which new kryptonite do you think is the most dangerous? Let us know in the comments or tell us on the ComicBook Forum!