Minister Kirt Niedrigh is a xenophobic man leading Earth during a war with New Krypton in the 31st century.
Season Eleven[]
Kirt inside the EarthGov facility talking to his supervisors.
In the 31st century Kirt Niedrigh is the Minister of EartGov and is leading Earth to a war against New Krypton. At EarthGov holding facility he informs his superiors about wanting to transfer his prisoner off-world to a more secure location. He also tries to convince them that the Legion is a problem to their war because of the many non-earth members of the team. They respond that allowing their eclectic assortment of "xenos" to reside on Earth keeps United Planets funding come in and that also the Legion tries to stop the war with New Krypton not to fuel it. He then informs them about a Legionnaire with the Mark of El on his chest who attacked his men earlier stating that the Legion is collaborating with new Krypton and that it is only a matter of time before he comes to free the other Kryptonian he is holding hostage. Suddenly Superman arrives at the facility and requests from Kirt to give him back Kara. Minister Niedrigh orders his men to attack Superman with red sulight stylised weapons that causes him to lose his powers for a few seconds but that doesn't stop him from defeating them. When his powers come back he grabs Niedrigh and angrily asks him where is she. Then Kirt, obviously scared, tells him where he has put Kara.
Later Minister Niedrigh informs his superiors about the Kryptonian's attack and they say that he must have been working with the Legion. They also tell him that he must focus on their planned assault on New Krypton and Kirt reassures them that his agents are already in place.
Kirt gloats about his secret weapon that would destroy New Krypton: Doomsday.
On EarthGov's lab Minister Niedrigh asks his scientists to report to him about their project, Subject Zero. They respond that the sample of Faora's unborn child's genetic material they have taken from her tomb has integrated with the monster Doomsday, which they have found beneath old Metropolis. The EarthGov scientists also say they had infused the creature with solar radiation resulting in the re-constitution of its cellular structure. Then Minister Niedrigh admires their work and says that he intends to destroy the Kryptonians with a weapon of their own design, meaning the now resurrected Doomsday.
Kirt tortures Booster Gold for information.
Inside the EarthGov holding facility Minister Niedrigh has captured Booster Gold and tortures him to get more information. Kirt is wondering why the Legion would accept a human like him in their ranks. He also wonders why he can't find any information about him in their history files but Booster says that he can't answer to that either. Niedrigh then reveals his scientists have separated Skeets into pieces and have found everything they wanted to know about Booster Gold from Skeets' data. Niedrigh then calls him a liar and a thief and states that Booster Gold needed Skeets from the beginning and he is nothing without his robotic partner.
One of the scientists informs Niedrigh that they are ready to activate their plan so Niedrigh leaves the room but before he does he orders his soldiers to re-purpose the prisoners.
Later EarthGov manages to send Doomsday at New Krypton via a boom tube.
In outer space, Superman and Supergirl meet Brainiac 5 and the rest of the Legion. Brainiac 5 informs the cousins that the Kryptonians have launched an incoming gravity bomb at Earth in response to the attack by Doomsday on New Krypton. Brainiac 5 says that it is possible EarthGov did not authorize the attack on New Krypton, or, if they did, maybe Niedrigh wasn't actually clear to his superiors about what he found beneath old Metropolis.
With the gravity bomb activated in Metropolis, Booster Gold along with Skeets commandeer a transporter ship and Booster decides that he'll use the ship to rescue the levitated citizens. He is joined by Kara and the entire Legion of Super-Heroes in the rescue efforts. As Kara beings to instruct the team on their assignments, Lighting Lad notices the approaching battalion of EarthGov ships. A voice from the intercom coming from the ship declares their presence is not their to fight but to aid the Legion. He also informs the Legion that EarthGov did not actually authorized the attack on New Krypton and because of that Niedrigh is now under suspension.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Kirt Niedrigh is the main antagonist of Argo.
In the comics[]
Earth-Man as he appears in the comics.
In his youth, Kirt Niedrigh applied for membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes and called himself "Absorbancy Boy". Kirt had the power to absorb the powers of any metahuman being, but was rejected because his powers were limited. Further, Saturn Girl had analyzed his mind, and discovered his tendencies toward evil.
Angered by being rejected, Kirt found the "Zoraz" costume, which the Legionnaires used as a test for new Legionnaires. As "Zoraz", Kirt attacked the Legionnaires. After defeating them, Kirt revealed his identity, believing he had earned his place. The Legion did not agree, and Superboy attempted to take the suit from him. Kirt used the suit to project red sun radiation at Superboy, and absorbed his powers. He defeated Superboy, but Kirt himself was beaten by Legion applicant Tyroc.
Later, Kirt became known as Earth-Man, and he had claimed to have discovered the crystal artifact in the Arctic which proved that Superman was not an alien, but a human who was given abilities to protect Earth from alien invaders. Earth-Man used this information to cause distrust of aliens among the Earth people. Earth-Man was successful, as Earth seceded from the United Planets. All remaining aliens living on earth were deported or sent to prison camps. Other human Legion rejects joined Earth-Man's cause. They formed the Justice League of Earth, a group dedicated to uphold Superman's beliefs. Many Legionnaires went on the run or captured by the Justice League. Earth-Man kept many Legionnaires held prisoner in the Justice League's satellite headquarters, and he absorbed their powers for himself. Using Sun Boy, he turned Earth's yellow sun into a red one.
Earth-Man versus Superman.
Brainiac 5 sent for Superman, and brought him to the 31st century through the use of a Time Bubble. Together with other free Legionnaires, and the Legion of Substitute Heroes, they attacked the Justice League's satellite headquarters. Earth-Man took on Superman one on one, and with Superman powerless, was beating him easily. However, Brainiac 5 freed Sun Boy, and with Earth's sun yellow, Superman could fight Earth-Man equally. With Superman's powers returned, and the people of Earth viewing Earth-Man's actions, it convinced the people of Metropolis that they had been fooled. Earth-Man was doing well against Superman, but when all the freed Legionnaires arrived, he did not have a chance. Earth-Man and the Justice League of Earth were sent to Takron-Galtos.
The JLE, along with Earth-Man later joined forces with the Legion of Super-Villains, Fatal Five, Universo and Mordru. Since they had the same goal of destroying the Legion, Earth-Man agreed to join with them temporarily but the villains were once again defeated and so Earth-Man was sent back to prison.
Earth-Man still had pro-human supporters, and the government of Earth forced the Legion to accept Earth-Man into his ranks or be forced to leave Earth. Begrudgingly, the Legion offered Earth-Man membership, however, Brainiac 5 put certain 'controls' in Earth-Man's Legion Flight Ring. As Earth-Man was considering the Legion's offer, the being known as Dyogene of Oa, offered Earth-Man a Green Lantern Power Ring so that Earth-Man could be the new Green Lantern of sector 2814. Earth-Man accepts both offers, but uses his power ring to secretly disable most of the failsafes the Brainiac 5 put on his flight ring.
Earth-Man's first mission was to help the Legion in stopping an anti-alien riot. Back at headquarters, he asked the ring how it works. The ring told him, and produced the power battery for him to recharge. Earth-Man then revealed his power ring to Colossal Boy, while the power ring was prompting him to rescue sentient beings on the planet Ozifer. Earth-Man tried to aid the planet, but was overcome by the native creatures. He is saved by Sun Boy, and, with Element Lad's help, restores Ozifer's atmosphere to normal. Earth-Man throws the power ring into the swamp, and said he would not be a slave to it. He then journeyed back to Earth with the Legionnaires.
Earth-Man was later confronted by pro-human supporters, accusing him of not supporting their cause. Earth-Man assured them that he was going to save the Earth his way, and for them not to contact him again.
When the Legion face off against an ancient being known as the Bringer of Chaos, Earth-Man absorbs the powers of both his Legionnaires and the villain himself. Earth-Man kills the Bringer of Chaos, but dies himself in the confrontation. Shadow Lass takes his body back to Earth, proclaiming him to be a true champion