Superboy is a clone grafted with Superman's DNA (as opposed to a younger version of Superman), who was introduced in 1993. He was created by Project Cadmus to replace Superman following the Death of Superman story, and was artificially aged to mid-teens and implanted with the necessary knowledge of someone his biological age (in regards to general studies, such as math, reading, etc). Before the experiment could be completed (i.e. aging him to full adulthood and implanting him with safeguards to control him) he was freed by the Newsboy Legion and escaped. One of the boys gave him a leather jacket before he set out into the city (having his first brush with being Superman when he encounters Sidearm attempting to rip off an ATM).[1]
When Superboy arrived in Metropolis, he went by "Superman" and had no real name. While glibly asserting he was the original Superman, he quickly rebuked any insinuation he was the original Superman. In fact, he told anyone who'd listen that he was a clone of Superman. This revelation was first revealed to Lois Lane, but she was not entirely interested. This prompts the Kid to turn to another reporter he bumpts into, Tana Moon, who breakes the story live on WGBS. In fact, three other Supermen emerged simultaneously: "The Man of Tomorrow," really the Cyborg Superman; "The Last Son of Krypton," really the Eradicator; and "The Man of Steel," John Henry Irons. WGBS's Vinnie Edge arranges for the Kid to go into Suicide Slum and apprehend a gangster named Steelhand. After the encounter, the Kid is confronted by Guardian, who tells him to be careful--and mindful that Cadmus will not simply forget about him.[2]
Superboy loved the limelight, but was not particularly cautious at first. Steel had to have some words with the Kid about not trying to be Superman just for the glory after Superboy's carelessness inadvertently led to the death of a chopper pilot. The Kid, angry at first that Steel would tell him off, came to see the wisdom in Steel's words and helped pull Steel from a fire.[3]
Superboy is approached by Supergirl to work with her at LexCorp. While initially he's interested (much to the delight of Lex Luthor II), Tana and WGBS get to him first, convincing him to sign a contract to be represented by Rex Leech. He meets Rex's daughter Roxy Leech at this time. Vinnie Edge, eager to shore up ratings, hires a villain named Stinger to attack Superboy on live television. After a matched battle between the two, Supergirl joins the fray, but even together they are incapable of stopping Stinger from destroying the Hobsneck Bridge, one of the major bridges into Metropolis.[4] Superboy and Supergirl work together to save lives, pulling many people from cars that fell into the river, before Supergirl is left with the unhappy job of telling Luthor Superboy turned down his offer.[5]
After Coast City is destroyed, Superboy is duped by the Cyborg Superman into joining him in a mock investigation (having told everyone that the "Last Son" was responsible). It is really a ruse, and the Kid was quickly defeated and imprisoned by the Cyborg inside Engine City.[6] The Cyborg reveals his plans, and his servant, Mongul, to the Kid while being held prisoner. The Cyborg also uses Superboy's image via a video feed to trick Justice League America into going off world in a wild goose chase against the alleged destroyers of Coast City. Unknown to the Cyborg, Mongul reveals their plan to destroy Metropolis next to the Kid, hoping it will prompt the Kid to escape and lead to the downfall of Mongul's hated master.[7] Superboy is able to eventually escape and flies back to Metropolis, arriving to find Steel, Luthor, Lois Lane, and Supergirl gathered near the harbor. The Kid warns everyone that it was the Cyborg and not the Eradicator who was responsible for Coast City's destruction--and that he meant to do the same to Metropolis, even as a Kryptonian War Suit emerges from the water. [8] The warsuit opens and the REAL Superman emerges, though he is underpowered and in a black suit. While Superboy and Steel are skeptical about his claim, they joined him in an frontal attack on Engine City. They discover a huge missile, capable of wiping out all of Metropolis. Superboy clung onto a missile after the Cyborg launchs it, and managed to stray it off course before it could destroy Metropolis.[9]
Despite minor injuries, the Kid rejoins the fight in Engine City, saving the life of Steel. He acknowledges after the defeat of the Cyborg that the "man in black" is indeed the one true Superman. [10] Afterwards, he returns to Metropolis with Supergirl and Steel. Tana comes to visit him, telling him that she quit her job and is leaving Metropolis for good.[11]
With the real Superman back in action, the Kid relinquishes the rights to the name and symbol (which had been nailed down by Rex Leech during Superman's absence, and which Rex begrudgingly agrees to turn over to the real Man of Steel) and decided to leave Metropolis after finally accepting the name Superboy. It was decided that he would go on a world tour in order to establish himself in his new identity. He also went back to Cadmus and was told more about his origins--he was not in fact a direct clone of Superman's, but rather a human clone genetically engineered to look like Superman and mimic his major powers by way of tactile telekinesis. Despite Director Paul Westfield's initial protests, Cadmus agreed to stop trying to bring him back to the Project--partially because of the publicity that would come with such a move--on the terms that a "chaperon" would go with him. Dubbilex is chosen for the role, in part because Westfield was trying to hide the fact he had sent Payback D.N.Aliens against the Kid earlier that day (and Westfield did not having a mind-reader around). The last thing he takes care of before leaving is moving out of his apartment, allowing Clark Kent to move in.[12]
Karl Kesel begins the new Superboy series as the lead writer.
After a few weeks of traveling, Superboy arrived in Hawaii during his world tour. With him came Rex Leech, Roxy Leech, and Dubbilex. After a running battle with Sidearm on the beach, Superboy learned that Tana Moon had moved to Hawaii. Superboy decided to stay on the islands, stylizing himself as the "Hero of Hawaii."[13] Superboy met Knockout and the insane Scavenger early on--the former was a super strong stripper who thought of a fistfight as foreplay, the other was a crazy old man who seemed obsessed with acquiring weapons for his arsenal. Superboy's battle with the latter involved a fight over the mystical Spear of Lona.[14] After the battle with Scavenger, Superboy fell ill. His condition worsened and he had to be flown back to Metropolis after a brief fight with Silver Sword, a new would-be hero turned thug who thought he knew what was best for the islands. Superboy collapsed at the end of the battle and the Navy took custody of Silver Sword.[15]
Superboy was suffering from the Clone Plague that was ravaging most of the Underworlders and other Cadmus clones (including Lex Luthor II). Superboy was successfully cured, the first of the few survivors, thanks to Cadmus's efforts. Superboy had to help fight off some of Luthor's Team Luthor goons when they tried to steal the cure from the Project.[16] He then joined Superman and Supergirl in the Fall of Metropolis, trying to minimize the damage as much as possible, and together they apprehended Lex Luthor--although most of downtown Metropolis was destroyed.[17] Camdus had suffered major damage (and Paul Westfield had been murdered by Dabney Donovon, but most of the staff and clones survived.[18] Superboy stuck around in Metropolis for a while, battling the Parasite and getting caught up in the World's Collide storyline.[19]
Much to his chagrin, Dubbilex was asked to take in Krypto by Bibbo--he and the dog did not care for one another at all. On his way back to Hawaii, Superboy is forced to make a pit stop in Smallville, where he meets the Kents. He also meets Superboy (Pocket Universe), who was there because of the effects of the time disruption. This is just prior to Zero Hour, and the Kid had to join the heroes in that crisis.[20] About this time, Superboy learned that the DNA donor for him was in fact the late Cadmus director, Paul Westfield...or so he thought. This revelation also came with one from Robert Packard that Superboy had been the thirteenth attempt by Cadmus to clone Superboy. The first had utilized Dr. Teng's "Bizzaro" technique, resulting in a Bizzaro Superboy that was still being held by the lab. The Bizarro escapes but dies shortly thereafter. When he returns to Hawaii, Tana throws him a birthday party (one year old). [21]
After getting back to Hawaii, Superboy began to have his own rogues gallery cement. This included first appearances by King Shark, B.E.M., Techno, and the Silicon Dragons. Each of these adventures typically opened with Superboy acting immature in some way and having an "adult" moment towards the end, such as when a celebrity look-a-like of him was shot and killed by the Dragons who thought the actor was the real Superboy. [22] Superboy also clashed with Aquaman at Pearl Harbor, with the King of the Seas putting the Kid in his place with the help of a pod of blue whales.[23]
Thanks to Dr. Emil Hamilton, Superboy also acquires a visor (X-ray glasses)that simulated Superman's X-Ray, Heat, and infra-vision powers. He met Hamilton while the scientist was vacationing in Hawaii and inadvertently assisted Superboy defeat Sidearm, who had reemerged at this time.[24] Superboy also settled into a new residence called the Compound, in a secluded spot near the beach, with the Leeches and Dubbilex staying there as a well (although on their first night, he had to fight off Copperhead, who had been hired to collect a debt from Rex).[25]
At this time, Superboy also formally became involved with Tana Moon. A special agent named Sam Makoa decided to organize a task force to go after the Silicon Dragons. This ended up being Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad. Superboy forced himself onto the team, which consisted of Knockout, Sidearm, King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot. Despite the death of Sidearm and the apparent deaths of Knockout and King Shark, the mission successfully destroyed the lair of the Silicon Dragons, even though their leader, Lady Dragon, escaped after a solo battle against the Kid. Superboy lost his visor in this adventure, and saw more death than he cared to think about. [26]
Superboy was also told by the state (specially, a man named Mack Harlin that he was required to start attending school. Superboy enrolled at a local high school where me met some new friends, including Hillary Chang, and discovered that he was reaching the end of the implanted knowledge Cadmus had given him. When he wasn't trying to impress his classmates or going out with Tana (who, again, was probably seven or eight years older than him), Superboy managed to find time for some gratuitous violence--like brawling with Loose Cannon or rounding up Loophole[27] When Roxy unexpectedly left for Las Vegas, Superboy followed her, sensing there was trouble. Roxy was trying to put some things in her past to rest, since she had decided to enroll as a cop in Hawaii. This meant a confrontation with an old boyfriend, a loser who called himself Neon. After a brief battle, Neon blew himself up by detonating a gas station. Superboy and Roxy returned home.[28]
Superboy is forced to battle against Valor, who was amnesic and fighting under the name of Champion. Knockout, alive and well, decided to join in on the fight. As Valor regains his memory, he also realizes he is dying of lead poisoning. While Knockout takes care of Mr. Gamboli, who had been manipulating Valor, Superboy helps Valor escape into the Phantom Zone to save his life. [29]
Superboy also works with Green Lantern in a rematch with Scavenger and a first encounter with the horribly new mutated Black Manta.[30]
The Alpha Centurion recruits Superboy into the Superman Rescue Squad, after the Man of Steel is kidnapped by an alien Tribunal. Superboy joins the Centurion, Supergirl, the Eradicator, and Steel and leave Earth to find Superman. On the trip, Superboy admits to the others he does not trust the Centurion--in fact, he thinks he is really the Cyborg Superman in disguise. His suspicions seem to be confirmed when the Centurion seemingly abandons them in the midst of a battle--and the Cyborg Superman arrives on scene soon thereafter. The Cyborg easily defeats the entire team and turns them over to the Tribunal. While a prisoner, Superboy is put in the same cell as the Centurion, but this is not enough to convince him he is not a double agent. Only when he later escapes and sees the two actually fighting does he admit his mistake. The team frees themselves and rallies behind Superman, who confronts the Tribunal head on. The Tribunal admits an error in their reasoning, and "exonerates" Superman for his "crime." The team returns triumphantly to Earth.[31]
Superboy meets the Legion of Super-Heroes who come to the past seek to save Valor's life. Superboy explains what happens and accompanies the Legion to the 30th Century to help Valor. Valor is freed from the Phantom Zone in his own time and takes the name M'onel and decides to fight wearing Superman's costume. The Legion rewards Superboy with making him an honorary Legionnaire, complete with flight ring, before sending him home.[32]
Upon returning to the present after helping the Legion, Superboy finds Knockout waiting for him at The Compound. She wants to join him as a partner, loving the heat of battle more than anything. Together they battle Killer Frost, (part of the Underworld Unleashedsaga), the Technician, and Silver Sword. Knockout teaches Superboy how to use his powers in new and creative ways, such as extending his TK field to cover another person just by touching them. Superboy regains his visor (which had been recovered by the Technician) but destroys it, reasoning that he would just lose it again.[33]
Superboy and Knockout are then attacked by the Female Furies, revealing that Knockout was one of their lost "sisters". An intense battle ensues at SB's high school, with Superboy and Knockout (joined by Sam Makoa, Dan Turpin, and a contingent of police officers) severely outclassed. Thanks to Dubbilex, however, the Furies are driven off, leaving much of the high school in ruins (prompting the state to decide Superboy should be home schooled, thus ending his brief time in high school). During the battle, Knockout killed a police officer in the fray. Dubbilex discovered what had happened and the police--in the process of forming their own Special Crimes Unit attempt to arrest Knockout. Superboy refuses to believe the evidence, however, and after a confrontation with Snare and the SCU at the Compound, the two briefly go on the run from the law (prompting Superboy to break up with Tana Moon even). This led to a battle on the beach betweenSupergirl and Knockout. After Sparx helps separate the two women, Supergirl rips the S-shield off Superboy's costume because of his lawlessness. Still, Superboy persisted that he was in the right and everyone just did not understand KO. Knockout's true colors are revealed, however, during a meeting with Victor Volcaneum, who had risen an island for himself near Hawaii. Knockout first tried to get Superboy to kill him and then finished him off herself. In this act, Superboy realized then that she did not love him the way he thought he loved her, but that she merely was using him as her lapdog. Superboy apprehended Knockout, in part due to the training she had given him on how to use his powers, bringing her in as the island sinks back beneath the wave. Roxy, having recovered his S-shield, put it back on his costume.[34]
Superboy became one of the leading stars in a concurrent series, Superboy and the Ravers, which involved a bunch of young heroes involved in a few intergalactic adventures. The series ran 19 issues and was also mostly written by Karl Kesel. Superboy is brought by Sparx to the Event Horizon, an intergalactic rave party open to metas only. It was hosted by a being called Kindred Marx. His first night there, Superboy met Hero and got into a fight with Kaliber, which prompted the two of them to be teleported to a distant asteroid--where a police force known as I.N.T.E.R.C.E.P.T. attempted to place the two of them under arrest for being part of Event Horizon. The group was involved with the Darkstars. Superboy and Kaliber were transported back to the event before they could be arrested, and there another brawl broke out between some Khunds (and their gang, Red Shift) and Aura which spilled out onto Earth proper (the rave itself could shift between worlds).[35]
Ron Marz took over as lead writer for the regular series beginning with issue number 32.
Superboy resumed his relationship with Tana, just before Roxy revealed to him during the Final Night that she had always loved him. Despite this confession, Superboy did not reciprocate, still loving Tana. [36] Roxy nevertheless could not dismiss her feelings for SB so easily. While helping Dubbilex recover from an injury, an organization called the Agenda sends Amanda Spence to kidnap Superboy. Spence is successful, kidnapping Superboy after defeating him at the Compound.[37]
The Agenda uses Superboy to create a clone called Match, who had even greater power than Superboy. The Agenda plans on making an entire army of Match clones. The Kid manages to defeat Match, however, and destroy the Agenda's lair. Match is thought to be killed, but Spence and the Directors are all taken into custody.[38]
Unbeknown to the Kid, the Agenda infected Superboy with a virus that began to break down his DNA. It did not manifest itself at first, but lay dormant for weeks, until a rematch with Copperhead made it all too clear that he was sick. When STAR Labs cannot correct his condition, Superboy is rushed to Project Cadmus. Cadmus is able to slow the condition but not halt it. Superman, Superboy, and Steel came to his aid, each tracking down leads that might help. The Directors do not talk, however, and though Superman is able to locate Match (who might serve as a donor to Superboy) the clone is not interested in helping and flees. Amanda Spence, however, offers a solution, by explaining that he needs a DNA donor to "re-zip" the breakdown of his own DNA. Roxy Leech offers to be part of the procedure to help restructure the Kid's DNA and cure him of the virus. The plan succeeded, although a side effect was that Superboy was locked at the age of sixteen. Superboy is crushed at the news, having always dreamed of one day assuming the roll of Superman. A heart-to-heart with Superman (who was in his Energy-phase at the time) helped make the Kid feel better, though not exactly thrilled.[39]
Despite what Superman had to say, Superboy is still troubled by thoughts he will not grow up. Nightmares plague him, even as he hast to deal with Mo-o, and a married couple who are pursue thrills by trying to get their picture taken with superheroes. He finds a magic atoll where there are some "lost boys" who seemingly never grow up, and despite the temptation to stay, he leaves it.[40]
Things began to break down upon returning to Hawaii. The Legion of Super-Heroes turns up, angry that Superboy had given away his Legion Flight Ring to Roxy. Superboy manages to work things out with them as they fight Silver Sword. However, his constant flirting and "devil-may-care" attitude have been wearing on Tana (who was also uncomfortable with the thought that Superboy would stay a teenager forever). Despite trying to prove how responsible he is by having another fight with Silver Sword (and recovers the Spear of Lono, which SS had stolen), Tana breaks up with the Kid. [41]
Superboy decides to travel a bit to clear his head. He stops by Jersey City and asks Natasha Irons, Steel's niece, out on a date. Nat has fun but tells him she's not interested in a relationship because she can tell he's still very much in love with Tana.[42]
Silver Sword is finally brought down with the help of Green Lantern. He had been serving a being known as Pele, whom he believed was a native Hawaiian goddess, but during Pele's battle with SB and GL (when she threatened innocent Hawaiian bystanders), Silver Sword realized she was no benevolent goddess. He turned on her, leading to his death. Pele is defeated, but Superboy is feeling anything but heroic.[43] More than ever he feels isolated.
Superboy, after a failed publicity stunt (i.e. "Superboy: The Event") and wavering public opinion in Hawaii and abroad, disappears without a trace while flying back to Hawaii and getting caught in a storm. Superboy's cast largely left at this point: Rex was on the run from his past, Roxy goes to find him, Tana left the islands tracking down information on the Agenda, and Dubbilex is recalled to Cadmus. Krypto is left with Hillary Chang.[44]
Karl Kessel and Tom Grummett returned to lead the team with issue #50.
Superboy awoke amnesic in the Savage Lands, an island of anthropomorphic animal-men, a homage to Jack Kirby's Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth. Superboy quickly regains his memory, and briefly fears he is somehow in the distant future. After passing a test and other challengs, Superboy and some other humans stranded on the island manage to leave the Savage Land. Superboy befriends the Wild Men, who decide to explore the world at large and leave with Superboy. They quickly discover they are not in the distant future, but really only a few months have passed since Superboy's disappearance. The islands had been created by a precursor to Project Cadmus (part of an experiment in the 1940s known as the "Moreua Projet"). Superboy did have to contend with the fallout of a coup de tat that spilled out into the world at large, but managed to work it out. Back in Hawaii, Superboy learned that most of his friends were gone and decided there was nothing really left for him. [45]
He rejoins Cadmus and begins working as a field agent with Dubbilex and Guardian, after leaving Krypto with his friend, Hillary Chang (perhaps for the last time). In their first assignment, they travel to Paris and battled the Agenda once again, specifically Director Alpha. They also encounter Grokk the Living Gargoyle and a supermodel named "Hex," who claims to be Jonah Hex. They take Grokk back to Project Cadmus, where Superboy meets the new Director (Mickey "the Mechanic" Cannon, new military liason, Col. Adam Winterbourne (one of the men SB rescued from the Wild Lands), and one of the new ace scientists, Serling Roquette. Superboy is at first happy to be back at the Project, but is distraught when Mickey fires the head scientists (the original Newsboy Legion) and orders them to take their clones (the current Newsboys) with them as they leave. [46]
Superboy was a founding member of the team Young Justice, along with Robin (Tim Drake) and Impulse. The team formed after the three boys decided to have a "camp out" in the old JLA Justice Cave, where they encountered Red Tornado (who agreed to keep an eye on them).[47]
See the Young Justice entry for more details on his adventures with the team.
Superboy is interested in Serling (as she's one of the few females at the Project and the only one close to his own age) but she is oblivious at first, harboring a crush on Guardian. Superboy has to respond when someone steals the Whiz Wagon and enters the Demolition Run, a lethal cross country race involving all manner of high tech vehicles. The thief turns out to be Roxy, who is desperate for money to help her father. Even with Superboy and Mick Cannon helping her, the Whiz Wagon is totaled and Fastbak wins the race. Superboy realizes the man who set up the race, Mr. Big, set it up knowing Fastbak would win and forfeit any prize. Rather than let Mr. Big walk away with millions, he convinces Fastbak to ask for all profits Big might have made off the deal. Big honors the deal, but promises Superboy he won't forget.[48]
A defining moment in Superboy's life would come at the onset of the Superman: King of the World storyline. Superman drops by Cadmus and asks Superboy to come with him to the Fortress of Solitude. While there, Superboy visit Krypton via virtual reality. After explaining how he considers Superboy part of his family, Superman offers him the Kryptonian name Kon-El. Superboy tearfully accepts, overjoyed with the simple joy of having a real name. He would eventually accept the nickname "Conner."[49]
Superboy was one of the first to explore Hypertime, after a Superboy from an alternate reality arrived at the Watchtower, dying shortly thereafter from injuries. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all explained their recent experiences with Hypertime, and ask Superboy to volunteer for part of an experiment. During this journey, he met a villainous counterpart, Black Zero, from a reality where he had not been freed from Cadmus as a teenager, nor had Superman ever returned to life. Black Zero had become a cruel tyrant in his world, and then had set out to other worlds he had found via Hypertime. He did not understand the resistance he met from the other Superboys, but one by one he captured them and brought them to his lair. Superboy (Kon-El) led these other versions in an uprising that defeated Black Zero, and then returned to his proper time line/reality. During the trip, however, he had learned that Superman is also Clark Kent. Superboy did not reveal this at first, harboring a little shock and resentment that his closest "relative" had never told him about this.[50]
Superboy is ordered to return to the revisited the Wild Lands, taking a number of personnel from Cadmus (including Col. Winterbourne) with him via the Whiz Wagon. They land in Roam and are greeted warmly by King Tuftan (and coldly by his now bride, Nosferata. Winterbourne requests to be taken to the area were he was captured, and Tuftan leads the way to the Glowing Swamp. They find Ratsputin there--and also King Shark. Tuftan and Winterbourne are almost killed by King Shark in a tough battle. Winterbourne discovers what he had come there to find--an experimental Blackbird fighter jet that he had crashed--and uses it to impale King Shark, shortly before it detonates. Tuftan returns to Roam and Superboy and the others are recalled to Cadmus.[51]
They arrive just at the Day of Judgment event has begun. Cadmus workers had unearthed an ancient glove, Hyssa's Fist, that Guardian put on. The power of the evil glove had impaired his perceptions and he had run off into the caverns beneath the Project after attacking some guards. The Demon Etrigan emerges, explaining he is there to help them. Etrigan and Superboy manage to defeat the possessed Guardian, but SB is not wild about the idea of handing the artifact over to the Demon, who attacks him for his obstinacy. Superboy puts on the glove and easily defeats Etrigan, but Dabney Donovan (whom Guardian had freed from Cadmus's holding cells) steps out and compliments the Kid on his new look. The glove had changed SB's costume to resemble Black Zero. Horrified, Superboy destroys the glove, causing a huge cave-in. Etrigan saves Donovan before leaving. Superboy decides he wants to return to Hawaii to tie up some loose ends.[52]
About this time, Superboy decides to visit Smallville, specifically to drop by the Kents. Clark Kent arrives there, too, and Superboy hints around that he knows Clark's secret, but does not come out and say it. Clark is reluctant to come out with it too, not because he doesn't trust the Kid, but because he is afraid that eventually Superman and Clark Kent may no longer be distinguishable. Still, he does hint back to SB that he knows the Kid knows about him (while teaching Kon-El how to milk a cow).[53]
Superboy (accompanied by Serling) take the Whiz Wagon to Hawaii. Superboy discovers that he is no longer well thought of among the locals there, and that a new hero, Kana is the local favorite. Kana, however, sites Superboy as being his inspiration for being a hero. Superboy catches up with Sam Makoa and Hillary Chang, and even visits Knockout in prison (who tries unsuccessfully to manipulate the Kid into letting her go). After one last visit to The Compound, Superboy realizes nothing will ever be like it once was. He decides to take Krypto back with him to Cadmus.[54]
Still frustrated that he has not been able to come out and acknowledge to Superman he knows the truth of his dual identity, Superboy heads to Metropolis. He meets up with Lois Lane and takes her to Locomotive Park, where the Man of Steel is battling a four armed monster (but unfortunately, suffers some allergic reaction to it's skin). The two put the creature down. Afterwards, Superboy is still unable to come out with what he knows, but he is comforted when Superman tells him that of all the people who wear the S-shield, SB is the one he feels closest too. After he leaves, Superboy hints to Lois that he know, but Lois merely replies that everyone--even Superman--needs a little privacy in life.[55]
Upon arriving back at Cadmus, Superboy is quickly knocked out. The Agenda, using Simyan and Mokkari to create an army of clones, have seized control of the Project (during an arc "The Evil Factory"). Dubbilex, manipulated through a being known as the Gene Gnome, is helping the Agenda. Superboy and the rest of the good guys are placed in holding under the eye of Amanda Spence, now harboring a special hatred of the Kid. Superboy rallies the forces of Cadmus, along with Grokk the Living Gargoyle, Hex, and even Krypto, in a desperate struggle to win back Cadmus. All they can do, however, is temporarily retreat, as the Gene Gnome not only can read their minds but also coordinate the clone armies. As they flee, they run into the Wild Men (Gorr, Growler, and Howler) who had escaped the Agenda's clutches in Alaska--where they had also rescued Tana Moon, whom they have with them. Realizing the Gene Gnome cannot read the minds of non-humans, they decide to launch a counter attack on the Project, leaving Serling, Tana, and Krypto behind. After they leave, Dubbilex and the Gene Gnome emerge on the three, but Dubbilex manages to break the Gnome's control and knock him out. The strike force (Superboy, Guardian, Mick Cannon, Hex, Grokk the Living Gargoyle, Angry Charlie, and the Wild Men trio) put the Agenda's army to rout, wrestling control back from Amanda Spence. A holographic message from the Agenda's Director Beta (the Contessa Erica Alexandra del Portenza) alerts them to a contingency plan in Washington, D.C. While suspecting a trap, Superboy takes off to investigate anyway.[56]
This leads into the Young Justice: Sins of Youth. A public outcry over Young Justice's actions at Mount Rushmore[57] prompted a calling of the superhero community to come to D.C. The heroes are all shocked at how Superboy (standing with Young Justice) seems to be betraying his friends and comrades to the media, until they realize that this Superboy is in fact Match, who had infiltrated Young Justice after the real Superboy had been captured and locked up in Cadmus. The real Superboy arrives on scene, slugging it out with his clone. As the tension mounts, the Contessa and her partner, Klarion the Witch-Boy, enact their plan. Klarion's sorcery alters the ages of everyone present: the adults become kids (with the oldest heroes becoming the youngest) and the younger heroes all become adults--all except Superboy, who is still stuck at sixteen.[58]
The spell that changed everyone's age is frustrated by Superboy's stunted aging process--and as a result, his body begins to tear apart at a molecular level, at "war" with itself. Wonder Girl helps Superboy back to Cadmus, arriving just after Match (again in the guise of Superboy) and he is able to hold his own against Wonder Girl and the weakened SB. Guardian and Mic prepare to make another stand against the Agenda clones who had rallied and were coming back, but Dabney Donovan surprises everyone. Having escaped Simyan and Mokkari, he unleashes a gas that contains a virus lethal only to the newly cloned Agenda soldiers. All the evil clones disintegrate, though Match escapes by activating a teleporter. Superboy is taken to the medical bay, Tana at his side, still very much in love with him. Serling is able to cure his aging condition, and by doing so the spell ages him to a full adult. Emerging from the lab, Superboy embraces Tana. Amanda Spence, looking on, activates a device around Tana's neck that kills Tana. She gloats about how now Superboy knows the pain she knew when her father, Paul Westfield, died. Before Superboy can strike Spence down, she teleports away.[59]
Superboy is devastated over the death of Tana. He barely has time to mourn, however, as he is called in by Superman (still a teen) to help him defeat Klarion and reverse the spell. Superman finally divulges straight up about his dual identity, asking Superboy to contact Lois to assure her everything is alright. As an adult, it appears as though Superboy may have even greater power than Superman.[60] Klarion is eventually defeated and everyone is restored to their natural ages.[61]
When he was restored to youth, Superboy lost his powers as well. Guardian encourages him to take some time to grieve and see the world as a "normal" kid. He tries to do just that, though everything keeps changing around him: Tana's death, his powers gone, and Dubbilex decides to leave the Project on sabbatical. The Wild Men depart for places unknown, Hex decides to take Grokk the Living Gargoyle and become a bounty hunter, and Heat Wave is now working for Guardian. Superboy decides he still wants to continue the good fight, so he turns to the Gadget Guru to help him be Superboy once again.[62]
He still had his Legionnaire flight ring and had some special training with Guardian. Gadget Guru fashions a shield for him to use: the shield is nearly indestructible, but can shrink in size. He barely has begun his new training when Superboy (along with Mick Cannon and Gadget Guru) are kidnapped and taken into orbit by Kossak the Slaver. Superboy and his friends manage to rally the slaves in a successful uprising against their hated master. After battling all over Kossak's slave ship, the rebellion is successful. Kossak flees on a shuttle heading straight for Earth. Superboy pursues him back to the Project, where he learns Kossak's true intent for coming to Earth is to retrieve an escaped slave--one that has fused with Roxy Leech! The alien has solar/heat based powers and restores Superboy to full power, allowing the Kid to take down Kossak. Superboy gives Guardian a new shield--one that can shrink the way his could. [63]
Karl Kesel left the series as lead writer for a second and final time with issue #79.
Roxy is still bound by the alien lifeform. Using her body, it breaks free from Cadmus and arrives in the nearby town of Kurtzberg. The newly reformed Titans arrive on scene to contain the situation, but Superboy puts himself between them and Roxy. When Guardian and Heat Wave arrive, a brief battle breaks out. When the heroes all manage to cool it, the alien (identified as Pyra) breaks free of Roxy's body and flies off into space. Kon tells Roxy how he thinks of her as family, and she tells him the same. She and her dad are going off for a while to really get to know one another, but she promises to come back some day.[64]
After the battle, Guardian realized that the man he was cloned from (Jim Harper) was related to Roy Harper, the Titan now known as Arsenal. Superboy later takes Guardian to New York City to meet with Roy and Liam Harper at Warrior's. While they have their "family" reunion, Superboy takes down a villain named Negative G.[65]
Joe Kelly took over the title with issue #83, injecting his trademark humor into the series.
After being teased by some teenage girls and feeling despondent, Superboy feels like he is in a rut. A talk with Superman helps him realize he just needs to shake things up a bit. He decides to adopt a new uniform, abandoning the leather jacket and streamlining the look.[66]
Lex Luthor, recently elected President of the United States, has appointed Amanda Waller Secretary of Meta-Human Affairs and tasked her to keep an eye on the Project. After some more training with Guardian, Superboy and Serling head to Los Angeles per Waller's orders to size up a situation involving alien activity. Superboy meets up with Lobo there and deals with an alien named Scizmore that feeds off rage. Kon has to deal with some rage issues himself--when a gang war refuses to die down in front of him, he releases his powers in an incredible burst that destroys nearly every gun in L.A.[67]
Exhausted from a recent adventure with Batman and Batgirl, Superboy asks Guardian to go to Detroit to fight Shrapnel in his place. Superboy heads to a Florida bayou where he encounters Gorgeous Gilly (and is nearly forced to marry her). Fleeing the scene, he returns to Cadmus and receives startling news -- Guardian was killed in the battle with Shrapnel.[68]
Superboy arranges a team to take down Shrapnel. During the battle, he is contacted by Deadman, who tells him that the soul of Guardian cannot move on. Guardian has been re-cloned to life (but is a baby) part of a plot to create a whole army of clones based on him. The D.N.Angels are sent to recover the baby, but Superboy fights them off at a supermarket and takes the baby to a friend's house. The next day, he finds that Project Cadmus has been closed down per the President's orders. The site is empty--save for the rest of Young Justice, who insist Superboy give him some answers.[69]
After straightening things out with his teammates, Superboy is called to Metropolis by Lois Lane to join Supergirl and Steel (really Kelex) to head to Pokolikstan, after Superman insisted on heading there alone to confront a mysterious general. The team meet up with Superman and battle Faora, Ignition, and Kancer until the general arrives and sucker punches Superman hard enough to break his jaw! The team quickly retreats from the scene.[70] All is a prelude to Our Worlds at War.
Superboy learns that President Luthor is up to something involving Strange Visitor at LexCorp Towers in the newly upgraded Metropolis. Catching up with Serling and Heat Wave (and "baby" Guardian, now a boy about the age of nine or ten), Superboy leads the team on an infiltration of LexCorp. Towers. They free Strange Visitor from a a machine, but she angrily chides them that she is no prisoner, but came there willingly. Talia Head, now the head of LexCorp, enters and tells them they have broken U.S. law and stolen government property (namely, Guardian). A man named General Good arrives with the D.N.Angels and places them under military arrest.[71]
Superboy and the others are taken as prisoners to a huge spaceship in orbit. General Good explains that he plans to create an entire army of clones based on Guardian to be used as soldiers in an upcoming war--not a war between the U.S. and Pokolikstan, as many had feared was coming, but a war on a much bigger scale. Working for Good is Amanda Spence, now heavily modified into a cyborg. Superboy frees himself and battles the D.N.Angels and Spence, until the Angels decide they are on the wrong side. Spence, who boasts she no longer needs to eat or breathe, is knocked into the void by Superboy. He frees Guardian (now almost fully grown), Heat Wave, and Serling. Guardian--psychically linked to the other clones still in their pods--knows their wishes are the same as his. He did not want to be brought back, but that choice was stolen from him, but it will not be from them. The clones are destroyed. Viewing out into space, everyone notices a vast armada of alien ships--and Apokolips itself--in orbit around Earth. General Frank Rock arrives, places Good under arrest, and tells Superboy to consider himself drafted.[72]
He then got fully involved with the events of Our Worlds at War, first helping to aid injured heroes and then being recruited by President Luthor (with the rest of Young Justice) for a special assignment that takes the team to Apokolips. Things go badly and the team is briefly captured by Granny Goodness. Impulse is traumatized when one of his "scouts" is killed right in front of him. The team is eventually able to make it back to Earth, one of the last groups to be accounted for. The war deeply impacted Superboy, having witnessed much death and destruction, as well as some scarring to some of his closest friends. (See the Young Justice entry for more information regarding Superboy's exploits in the war.) Superboy decides to go to the Kent's to rest, but is troubled by nightmares for some time.[73]
A new team takes over with issue #94, but this direction was short lived, however, as the series was canceled with issue #100.
With Cadmus shut down, Superboy has no job and no place to stay. After Wonder Girl insists he has to find a place of his own, Superboy relocates to Metropolis, becoming the "super" at a tenement building called Calvin Gardens. A local gang called the Run Riot Boys keeps harassing the neighborhood. He also meets a young woman named Trixie.[74]
Superboy decides to throw a housewarming party. Wonder Girl shows up, but Superboy is enamored with Trixie, not realizing her boyfriend, Wipeout, leads the Run Riot Boys. Wipeout instructs one of the new gang members, Cooper, to kill Superboy. Cooper befriends Superboy, initially intending to betray him, but cannot go through with it when the gang attacks the building. Scavenger also resurfaces, and after a brief fight, Superboy convinces him to call a truce. Superboy agrees to meet up with him at the Ace O' Club, but the fight with Run Riot makes him miss the meeting[75] and actually involved the tenement block being destroyed in a battle. A few other loose ends were tied up--Dubbilex was still on sabbatical, though Superboy managed to finally convince Scavenger that he was not working for his enemy. Superboy was taken by Superman to stay with his parents in Smallville, which he did for some time.
After Young Justice disolves, Superboy becomes a member of the new Teen Titans, but begins to doubt himself and his abilities once he learns that Lex Luthor, not Paul Westfield, was the original donor of his DNA. He stays on the Kent farm for longer.
During Infinite Crisis, Superboy-Prime shows up, harassing Superboy about being a failure and prompting a battle. Superboy is on the losing side until he calls in some allies, resulting in a battle which causes Superboy Prime to be taken away into the Speed Force--but not without casualties. Superboy himself is injured and needs to be taken in for medical treatment.[76] Kon-El is forced to battle Superboy Prime again, but while succeeding in stopping Prime's plan to create a new multiverse, Conner is beaten to death by the planet moving power level Prime.[77] Conner is buried in Metropolis beneath his own statue (next to Kal-L's and Lois Kent's graves) and the Cult of Conner soon starts up, hoping for his return.
Later, during Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds, Superboy was reanimated in the 30th Century by the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 used the Kryptonian technology that reanimated Superman after he was killed by Doomsday, combined with a lock of Lex Luthor's hair to bring him back to life to help them in the fight against Superboy-Prime and his new Legion of Super-Villains.[78] Connor later returns to the 21st century along with Bart Allen.
The revived ongoing title Adventure Comics features Conner as the headlining character. In the first story arc entitled, "Superboy: The Boy of Steel," Conner settles back into his life in Smallville, Kansas. Returning to live with Martha Kent, who is thrilled to take the young boy in after her husband's death, Conner returns to Smallville High School and begins keeping a journal of everything Superman has done as a costumed hero, going down a checklist titled, "What Did Superman Do?" He and the also recently-returned Bart Allen supposedly rejoin the Teen Titans, and Conner symbolizes the team being "stacked" again by destroying his memorial statue outside of Titans Tower West
After visiting Lex Luthor's childhood home in Smallville, Superman arrives and talks to Conner about his desire to understand his "other father." Superman tells Conner not to worry about Luthor, saying that the madman is a problem for the Man of Steel. Conner remarks that the next time he sees Lex Luthor will be, "too soon." Soon after, Conner returns home and under a similar checklist in his notebook entitled, "What Does Lex Luthor Do?," Conner checks off, "Lies to Superman."[79]
In his attempt to confront his shared legacy, he accepts a date with Wonder Girl. Conflicted between opening his heart to his girlfriend (thus "Telling the truth" as Superman always did in his life), and deliberately lying to avoid touching delicate subjects with Cassie (thus "Lying" as Luthor would do), ultimately Conner chooses to share with Cassie his fears and desires, and his desire to find himself by exploring both his legacies, but only to find his real self. Cassie is obviously touched, and despite her initial doubts, mostly out fear that in his desire to be more like the Man of Steel eventually Conner could discard her as Clark Kent did with Lana Lang, feels compelled to admit her brief bond with Tim Drake. Conner quickly forgives her, statementing that, since he was dead and Cassie had no means to know about his future resurrection, her liaison with Robin can't be considered a true affair. As they share a reconciliation kiss, Martha Kent stares at them, remembering about her past with Johnathan and Clark[80]
In the Origins and Omens back-up story in Adventure Comics #0, the former Guardian of the Universe, Scar, who now works for Nekron, discusses Lex Luthor and his place in the forthcoming Blackest Night crossover. The Guardian also makes mention of "another" that Luthor will have control over. The character to which she is referring is revealed using a picture of Conner flying over Smallville. The only elaboration following the image of Conner is, "...But he is dead. And we control the dead. For once I bear witness to the book of the black, and I question what it shows me, the dead will save you, Luthor. From Brainiac. From Superman. And from yourself."[81]
In the Blackest Night storylines, Conner Kent has returned to the present. He is dressed in a red Smallville high sweater and is standing behind Martha Kent and Clark Kent at the tomb of her husband, the late Jonathan "Pa" Kent. Clutching his fist, Conner declares, "I ... I should've been here. It should've been me instead of ..." Martha Kent consoles him and advises Conner that Jonathan would have wanted him and Clark to "stand up straight." Unbeknownst to the Kents, the Black Lantern Corps is targeting Conner and Clark along with other resurrected characters.[82]
The Corps sends the Kal-L and Lois Lane of Earth-Two to attack the Kent family after they've reanimated them, and stated to the modern version of the Man of Steel, Conner, and Martha, that they wish for the family to be reunited with Jonathan Kent in death.[83] While Superman battles, Kal-L, Conner encounters the Black Lantern Psycho-Pirate, who manipulates him into attacking Superman.[84] Conner snaps out of it and kills Psycho-Pirate. Nekkron; the living manifestation of Death comes and begins to turn anyone who was brought back to life, into Black Lanterns including himKnown Powers:
Tactile Telekinesis: At first, Superboy's only superpower was "tactile telekinesis", a telekinetic force field that surrounds his body as a protective shield and allows him to simulate Superman-level speed, strength, flight and invulnerability. The tactile TK field also lets Superboy break free of an opponent's grip by pushing the field outward to force the opponent away. Other creative uses include rendering an opponent immobile by extending the TK field as long as they are both standing on the same ground.
Healing Factor: Superboy has a super-healing factor which allows him to recover from injury a lot faster than a normal human being would. This has helped him survive nuclear annihilation, recovering from diseases that would kill normal humans, and the ability to get up after fighting powerful metahumans such as Knockout, the Shark or Valor.
Superhuman Reflexes: Superboy's reflex action is also increased allowing him, with concentration, to knock bullets out of the air, and deflect arrows.
As his Kryptonian physiology matures, Superboy gains superpowers that don't derive from tactile telekinesis, including heat vision, x-ray vision, superhuman senses and superhuman stamina. With his Kryptonian powers, Conner no longer relies just on his telekinetic abilities for flight, superhuman strength and invulnerability.
Kryptonian Physiology: Superboy's cellular structure is more dense, resilient and biologically more effective than human tissue, now this includes even having superhuman strength without using any Tactile Telekinesis. Without exposure to solar energy after a certain period of time, his strength reduces to the level of a human of his height and weight who engages in regular physical activity. He does possess several organs whose functions are not yet disclosed or understood but are believed to be part of and perhaps even the source of his biomatrix force field and reclamation aura. Superboy's body also stores energy actively within his bio-cellular matrix as an energy pattern that is linked to his body's electromagnetic field. This energy powers most of Superboy's electromagnetic capabilities such as flight and heat vision.
Due to his kryptonian half, Conner is partially vulnerable to kryptonite and red sun radiation. But the damage seems to be less effective on him than the full Kryptonians. His tactile-telekinetic field around his body can be penetrated by heat. One of his biggest weaknesses is that since he isn't completely kryptonian, his body can't process solar energy as fast as a pure kryptonian, making his body eat itself for energy if he pushes himself too hard.
Visor--Superboy briefly had a visor, given to him by Emil Hamilton, that allowed him to simulate Superman's vision powers. He lost the visor and it was recovered by the Technician. When he got it back, Superboy destroyed it, rationalizing that he would probably lose it again somehow and then it would put others at risk.
  Superman Family member |
 This character is or was primarily a member of the younger superhero team known as the Teen Titans, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Teen Titans members" category. |
 Legion of Super-Heroes member |
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