Theme Week, Part V

Jeremy’s Sametime Status Proudly Presents:  Little-Known Batman Facts Week!   

Batman’s utility belt contains a ring made of Kryptonite to be used against Superman

Batman and Superman crossover!  Everyone loves it!  

If you take out the part where nobody actually cares about Superman, sure.  Max Landis does a better job than I'm about to of explaining why Superman is completely irrelevant in modern comic book times.  He has the same basic set of super powers that multiple other superheroes have, but he had them first, so he was original.  Once superheroes evolved, super strength and the ability to fly weren't especially noteworthy, so Superman became, in a superhero sense, boring.  If you have 15 minutes to kill, and a tolerance for some naughty language, Watch This Video called "The Death and Return of Superman" for a remarkably entertaining summary of this as well as Superman's legacy of having killed death in comics. 

Bottom line, of course, is that Superman really has only one known vulnerability (I mean...I guess....I never read the comics), and everyone knows that it's Kryptonite.  The radioactive remains of his former planet, Krypton, having fallen to earth along with his spaceship, are the only substance to be able to weaken and potentially destroy Superman.  It's normally green, but apparently comes in many colors, depending on your decorating needs.  

In June of 1990, Action Comics published a crossover comic featuring both Batman and Superman.  We established earlier that Gotham City and Metropolis were in very close proximity (which then makes you wonder why all the criminals stay there, when two of the most prominent superheroes have roots this close...but I digress), so it's not entirely unfathomable that Batman and Superman know each other.  I have no idea if Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne know each other, or any other combination thereof...it's not germane to my story here.  Superman decides that Batman is an okay guy, and someone that he can trust with the ability to destroy him should he ever run amok.  Superman gives Batman a ring made of Kryptonite in a lead case, which Batman then keeps on his person whenever he's in a comic book with Superman.  Batman now has the ability to save the day by pulling out a handy piece of kryptonite and going to town on Superman.  

Of course, should Batman ever go bat-crap, Superman's in trouble.  

Thus concludes this portion of Theme Week.  Come back on monday when Jeremy Is In The Theatre will present a rare and special gift...a spoiler-free film review of "The Dark Knight Rises."  Jeremy has to get to the theater soon...his screening starts in 4 hours.