Superman

The Man of Steel's greatest weakness—gone forever? Kryptonite. The very word has become synonymous with hidden vulnerability—a modern-day Achilles' heel. The fragmentary remains of Superman's doomed home planet, this glowing green mineral has bedeviled the World's Greatest Hero since he first arrived on Earth. But what would happen if this deadly threat was completely eradicated? That was the question posed in 1971, when legendary comics editor Julius Schwartz took over the Superman family of titles at DC Comics.

In response, an up-and-coming young writer named Dennis O'Neil joined with acclaimed artists Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson to deliver what would become a milestone in the history of American comics: the saga of "Kryptonite Nevermore"! Over the course of nine issues in the monthly Superman series, this supercharged creative team turned decades of continuity on their head and transformed the Last Son of Krypton from an impossibly strong galaxy-faring adventurer into a more reasonable powered, relatable guardian of Earth.