Yes, Superman Just Became a Baby and Here’s Why

In a twist fit for any Silver Age story, Superman has just been regressed into an infant. As a Superman fan, I’ve read a lot of comics starring the Man of Steel, and I know it’s not uncommon to see his stories go to unexpected places or have them hit us with endings that turn everything on its head. And Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum has certainly done both, with every issue being a wild, new adventure, all leading up to an ending where the most powerful hero in the DC Universe has ended up as a Baby of Steel.

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Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum saw Clark discover four new kryptonite variants, each one with a new effect on Kryptonians. Unable to destroy these pieces of his home, Superman decided to test each variant out to see what they do to him. Unfortunately, all that did was give proper test data to Lex Luthor, who used Clark’s experiment to build a new version of the Kryptonite Man, now powered by the expanded array of the Kryptonite Spectrum. But how does all of this end up with Superman becoming a baby? And more importantly, why does it end that way?

Superman Becomes a Baby to Survive a Powerful Illness

In Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #5 by W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo, Lex uses his new Kryptonite Man to kill Superman once and for all. Clark is hit by almost every strain of kryptonite, and things are looking grim. He’s able to hold off Lex and his new weapon temporarily, but mid-battle, Clark reveals he’s become covered in a mysterious rash. Superman gives his all to defeat Lex’s forces, and he does indeed eke out a victory. But the battle ends with Superman collapsing, a result of the strange illness causing the rash.

Batman discovers that Superman has contracted something called “Fifth Disease” (or ‘5D’ as Lois points out). Fifth Disease is usually caught by kids, though adults can catch it, especially since Superman’s immune system was thrown out of whack after the kryptonite exposure. The problem is that Superman’s body can’t handle Fifth Disease as an adult and is treating it like cancer. Batman only has one option to save Superman, and after making sure Lois is onboard, Batman hits Superman with speckled kryptonite and fluid from Chemo, the same cocktail that de-aged Superman back in the series’ second issue.

Months later, Batman is working on a cure for Fifth Disease, and the latest results look promising. While the Dark Knight toils, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, and a few others whose lives have been touched by Superman are gathered in an apartment. They’re all pitching in to take care of Superman, who has indeed been de-aged back into an infant. Lois tends to the now infant Clark, asking if he knows where he is, with the baby cooing that he’s home. It’s an interesting ending, but one that beautifully brings the main themes of this story together.

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is About Finding Meaning in the Home You Make

Now I know an ending like this is silly, and some who are likely to crack jokes about Superman’s predicament or give the side-eye to Lois Lane essentially becoming Clark’s ‘mom’. But this ending is so much deeper than that. This entire story kicked off because Superman felt obligated to preserve new pieces of his home. Even knowing that kryptonite has done nothing but cause him misery, he still embraces the new variants because he sees Krypton as his home. But as he struggles with that idea, Superman remains ignorant of the home he’s actually built.

While the new kryptonite shades screw up his perception of time or cause him to become kaiju-sized, it’s the people around him that keep him grounded and safe. Batman, the Justice League, Jimmy, Lois. These aren’t just people he knows. This is his family, his home. Something he doesn’t truly understand until his final battle with Lex. But it’s okay, because when Superman needs his home, everyone steps up and pitches in to make sure that Clark is taken care of. Superman’s final transformation isn’t a joke; it’s a rebirth to connect him with his chosen home.

I respect the hell out of Prince and Morazzo for going with this ending. Not everyone is going to like it or understand what they were going for, as is the case with many comics, sadly. But this ending is exactly what it needed to be. Heartfelt, creative, a little weird, but earnest. An ending that reinforces the idea that home isn’t one static thing, but rather, something that can shift and evolve and be what you make it. Baby Superman might not be everyone’s favorite, but he really brings this story together in the best possible way.

What did you think of this ending? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!