10 Things You Didn't Know About DC's New Gods
DC's Fourth World is a saga full of depth and intrigue due to its godly inhabitants.
When Jack Kirby made the move to DC in the early 1970s, few could have predicted just how instrumental his work would be in shaping the comic company's cosmic side. The lore surrounding the denizens of the benevolent world of New Genesis and the hellscape of Apokolips is incredibly vast and emblematic of Kirby's cosmic-oriented storytelling.
Initially limited to the likes of Superman and Jimmy Olsen, the Fourth World's inhabitants have with time interacted with the entire DC Universe, and stories such as The Great Darkness Saga, Final Crisis and The Darkseid War have demonstrated that these beings' actions and abilities are capable of impacting the entire galaxy with ease.
Due to Kirby's efforts, characters such as Darkseid and tools such as Mother Boxes are gradually entering the pop-culture consciousness. This is most notable in animation (and to a lesser degree, the DCEU), where Earth-bound heroes have found themselves face-to-face with the cosmic powerhouses.
Despite a five-decade presence in various DC media, there is still a lot about the New Gods that is unfamiliar to fans. From their location, to their origins and psychological source of inspiration, there is much to appreciate about the Fourth World.
10. They Have Their Own Version Of Kryptonite
As the name would imply, a New God is incredibly powerful, even by DC standards. Beings such as Darkseid, Orion and Highfather have demonstrated feats of might that surpass nearly anything done by other high-tier DC heroes and villains, but this does not mean that they are unkillable.
Just like Superman and his famous vulnerability to Kryptonite, the rare substance Radion is the only substance that can weaken and even kill a New God.
Radion's origin is unknown (though it has been speculated that the reality-altering Element X is needed to create it), but it is potent enough to kill an average New God if properly weaponized. That said, stronger New Gods such as Metron and Darkseid can handle a few hits from the esoteric element.
The most famous use of the material was in the climax of the Final Crisis storyline, where Batman used a gun loaded with a Radion bullet to weaken Darkseid's new physical form. Although this act led to the Dark Knight's apparent demise, it gave the remaining heroes a chance to defeat the Dark Lord of Apokolips.