Superboy (Kon-El)
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Superboy, also known by his Kryptonian name Kon-El and his human alias Conner Kent, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He is a hybrid human/kryptonian, cloned from Superman and his archnemesis Lex Luthor, and a modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
- See also: The Death of Superman
Superboy's origins start with Project: Superman, which is the Superman cloning project originally intended to recreate the Man of Steel. Due to the inability to replicate and stabilize Kryptonian DNA, the clones of Superman degenerate after a short period of time.[1] Upon Superman's death,[2] the project is reinstated in secrecy in conjunction with Lex Luthor and Cadmus Labs to replace the fallen hero. After 12 documented attempts[3]at recreating a Superman, human DNA, secretly that of Lex Luthor,[4] is partially used to stabilize the Kryptonian DNA. The is result: Superboy, the first successful clone of Superman.
[edit] Reign of the Supermen
- See also: John Henry Irons, Eradicator (comics), and Hank Henshaw
In his first appearance,[5] the Newsboy Legion assist Superboy in departing Cadmus. During which, his artificial aging process is halted and Superboy leaves Cadmus as a teenaged boy with implanted knowledge corresponding to that of any boy his age.
Upon his arrival in Metropolis, Superboy calls himself "Superman" and has no other identity. He tells anyone who will listen that he is a clone of Superman.
He first reveals this to Lois Lane, but it is Tana Moon breaks the story live on WGBS.[6] The Cyborg Superman, the Eradicator, and "Man of Steel" John Henry Irons make their first appearances[5] at this time as well, the first two also claiming themselves to be "Superman."
The Cyborg Superman is revealed as a villain and ally of Mongul.[7] Shortly thereafter the "real" Superman returns. Superboy joins him, Supergirl, Steel, Green Lantern and the Eradicator in a successful assault on "Engine City", built on the ruins of Coast City.[8][9][10][11]
Following the cyborg's defeat, Superboy is convinced that the returning Kal-El is the real Superman. [8][11]
After Superman's return to Metropolis, Superboy is informed that he had been created from human DNA only and genetically engineered to look like Superman and mimic his major powers by way of telekinesis.
At this time, Superman is served a cease and desist order to stop using the "Superman" trademark, which registered after his death to Superboy.
They agree to share the trademark, if some proceeds go to charity. Now nameless, Superman tells him his actions have earned him the name "Superboy".[12] At first reluctantly, Superboy accepts the new name and decides to go on a "Superboy World Tour". He gets as far as Hawaii before deciding to stay there.[13]
[edit] Superboy (1993-2002)
A Superboy series debuted in 1994 and lasted for 100 issues, ending in 2002. In it, Superboy settles in Hawaii with a supporting cast consisting of his sleazy agent Rex Leech, Rex's daughter Roxy, the being from the genetically engineered race at Cadmus called "DNAliens" known as Dubbilex, TV reporter Tana Moon, and Bibbo Bibbowski's white puppy named Krypton. Early in the series, it is revealed that Superboy is cloned from Cadmus' unscrupulous Senior Director Paul Westfield,[3] who had been killed by mad scientist Dabney Donovan. Karl Kesel was the writer for the majority of the first 30 issues, introducing many new villains. These include Sidearm, B.E.M., Silver Sword, and King Shark.
Superboy begins the series acting immature; however, by the end,[14] he becomes more serious. Superboy almost dies when he, along with the majority of Cadmus' clones, are infected by the Clone Virus. After that story, Superboy and the Suicide Squad team up to take out the lair of the Silicon Dragons, an infamous Pacific crime syndicate who maintain a base of operations at the bottom of the ocean.
In another storyline, Superboy is legally required to attend school because he is a minor. He attends public school, but is later expelled and Dubbilex telepathically tutors Superboy after the school is severely damaged in a battle.
One of Superboy's villains is Knockout, a thrill-seeking former Female Fury on the planet Apokolips, who fled while in training. After teaming up several times with Superboy, Knockout becomes his full time partner. They take down Killer Frost, the Technician, and Silver Sword. The Furies would later arrive to capture Knockout. As a result, a huge battle breaks out, with the local police involved. A police officer is killed in the fight, and an investigation concludes that Knockout herself had struck down the officer. Superboy refuses to believe that Knockout is guilty, and he and Knockout briefly became outlaws until she kills again in front of him.
Ron Marz' run featured an organization called the Agenda attempting to capture Superboy and use his DNA to create a clone army. The Agenda use an operative named Amanda Spence to capture Superboy and subsequently created the clone named Match. After a battle in the Agenda's headquarters, Superboy defeats Match and the Agenda, but the Agenda reveal it has infected Superboy with a deadly virus. The virus causes his cellular structure to breakdown, and Superboy is rushed back to Cadmus again, where an emergency transfusion of Roxy's blood stabilizes him; unfortunately, it locks him permanently at the age of 16. The news devastates Superboy, since he had always dreamt of growing up to replace Superman.
The cast soon disbands with Tana Moon breaking off her relationship with Superboy. She leaves Hawaii on a business trip. A humiliated Superboy disappears along the Pacific Ocean. Dubbilex returns to Cadmus, and Roxy leaves Hawaii in search of her fugitive father. In issue #50, Kesel and Grummett's return, Superboy is crushed to find that his friends have all left Hawaii. He returns to Cadmus, and becomes a field operative, teaming up with Dubbilex and Guardian.
Superboy finally got a real name when he and Superman visit a virtual reality Krypton. Later on, Superman gives him the Kryptonian name Kon-El, telling him that he considers Superboy family.[15]
Superboy is one of the first DC Comics characters to explore Hypertime. During a journey through Hypertime, he learns that Superman is Clark Kent. The idea that his closest "relative" had kept this from him leads to a bad feeling between them, but it soon passes.[16]
When the Agenda takes over Cadmus, they use the villains Simyan and Mokkari to create a clone army and turned the lab into the "Evil Factory." With the help of some allies, Superboy manages to regain control of Cadmus, battling his doppelganger Match along the way. When Tana Moon returns, she is brutally murdered by Amanda Spence, Paul Westfield's daughter who holds Superboy responsible for his death.[17]
During the Sins of Youth[18][19] storyline, the anomaly preventing Superboy from aging is corrected. The members of Young Justice are aged to adults by Klarion the Witch Boy, while the Justice League is turned into kids. At first, Superboy is the only one who did not have is age altered, and he became ill. Since he cannot age, his body fought with the magic manipulation trying to age him. Eventually, he becomes an adult as well. After defeating Klarion, Superboy returns to his normal age, but he is rendered powerless. When an alien slaver arrives, Superboy is forced to rely on his wits and some gadgets to succeed against the enemy before his powers are restored at the last minute. During the Our Worlds at War crossover, Superboy fights Amanda Spence, now an insane cyborg, for the last time, and Cadmus is destroyed.
At the end of his series, Superboy gets an apartment in Metropolis, working as the building superintendent to make an income for himself and make a living.[14] Superboy is later taken in by Superman's parents Jonathan and Martha Kent. Superman also sets up Superboy with a civilian identity. He became "Conner Kent", cousin to Clark Kent. Feeling that Superboy might feel lonely in Smallville, Superman entrusted Krypto the Superdog into Superboy's care.[4]
[edit] Teen Titans
- See also: Young Justice and Teen Titans (comics)
Superboy is a founding member of Peter David's Young Justice, as well as the most recent version of the Teen Titans, which is as much a sequel to Young Justice as it is to previous Titans books.[20] Following the death of Donna Troy, Superboy and former Young Justice members Robin, Impulse, Wonder Girl, along with Titans veterans Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy, become the new Titans.[20]
Superboy and Wonder Girl's relationship is developed throughout Young Justice and Teen Titans. At first, Wonder Girl's infatuation with Superboy is unnoticed.
In Teen Titans vol. 3, #5, both Wonder Girl and Superboy reveal they have feelings for each other. During their first date, Superboy is forcibly sucked through a time portal to the 30th century.[21]
When Superboy reappears, he is wearing the classic Superboy outfit (with a Legion belt buckle). It appears to Cassie as though he was only away for a couple seconds, but Superboy has spent five months in the 31st century with the Legion of Super-Heroes fighting the Fatal Five-Hundred. He returns to enlist the help of the Titans, bringing them to the future where they help the Legion to victory.[22][23]
On the return trip home, they accidentally arrive 10 years in the future instead of the present. The Teen Titans meet their adult versions of themselves. Superboy finds that he is now Superman, Tim is Batman, Cassie is Wonder Woman, and Bart is the Flash. In this alternate future, Conner has greater control of his powers, Cassie chooses him over Captain Marvel Jr., Lex Luthor is his mentor/father-figure, and the Titans are "freakin' bad guys".
They discuss the possibility of breaking up the team when they get back to the present, but Cyborg 2.0 tells them that the future developed the way it did because the team was not together during the "Crisis".[24]
During Teen Titans, it is retconned that Superboy's human DNA is not from Paul Westfield, as readers were originally told, but from the supervillain Lex Luthor. Luthor reveals that the reason he had donated his DNA to help create Superboy is to generate a sleeper agent that he can use to destroy Superman.
He had been intimately involved with Project: Man of Tomorrow (a.k.a. Project: Lionel and Experiment 13), and he had implanted verbal commands into Superboy under Cadmus director Paul Westfield's nose.[4]
Brainiac and Luthor lead an attack against the young heroes of the Teen Titans and the Outsiders using a brainwashed Superboy.
Conner manages to shake off the implanted mental command and return to his friends, but not before breaking Robin's arm and savagely beating his own girlfriend, Wonder Girl.[25][26]
Afterwards, Conner takes a leave of absence and secludes himself in the Kents' home. There, Raven shows him that he had a young soul that was stronger than his inner demons and steadily growing.[27]
[edit] Infinite Crisis
- See also: Infinite Crisis, Superboy-Prime, and Character changes during Infinite Crisis
In the DC Comics' limited series Infinite Crisis, the other-dimensional Superboy-Prime watches Conner during his seclusion in Smallville.[28][29][30] Resentful of Conner, who seemingly has the perfect life, Superboy-Prime attacks him, telling him that he would be replaced.
This vastly more powerful Superboy pulverizes Conner, badly injuring him, until the Teen Titans, Doom Patrol and Justice Society of America join the fray, leading to a climactic battle where various Flashes pull Superboy Prime into the Speed Force.[31][32]
The battle against Superboy-Prime overtaxes Conner's body. His body begins to fall apart to the point that even JSA physician Doctor Mid-Nite cannot aid him. Knowing that Lex Luthor wants to keep Superboy alive as much as the Titans do, Robin leads Speedy, Wonder Girl and Beast Boy to find a cure, while Raven keeps watch over him.
The Titans succeed, and they immediately administer the cure to Conner, who makes a complete recovery; however, Luthor informs Robin it will only work that one time.[33]
In the Teen Titans Annual, Wonder Girl volunteers to look after Conner as he recovers while the other Titans are called away to organize the relief effort in a decimated Blüdhaven, since her powers are slowly vanishing due to events in Wonder Woman and Infinite Crisis. Conner awakens, and he and Wonder Girl spend time alone, reminiscing and longing for "simpler times".
Thinking this may be their last night together, they consummate their relationship in the Kent barn.[34]
Luthor gives Conner the means to find Alexander Luthor, a sliver of the crystalline contruct[34][35][36] that Alexander is using to monitor reality. Conner and Nightwing bond as they make their way north to Alexander's fortress.[35][36] Superboy, Nightwing and Wonder Girl infiltrate Alexander Luthor's base and work together to foil his plans. They free Martian Manhunter, Power Girl, and the rest of Luthor's captives, but the tide of the battle turns with the return of Superboy-Prime.
Superboy-Prime makes short work of many of the heroes until an enraged Conner attacks him. Conner and Superboy-Prime battle intensely until Conner, realizing that he can't match Superboy-Prime in terms of power, charges Superboy-Prime, sending both of them headlong into Alexander Luthor's reality-warping apparatus.
The machine explodes, re-merging the worlds and apparently foiling Alexander Luthor's plans for good.
Superboy, fatally injured from the explosion, lies dying in the arms of Wonder Girl. When Cassie tells him that he had saved the Earth, Conner replies, "I know, Cass. Isn't it cool?" Moments later, he dies. Batman, Wonder Woman, Kal-El, and Kal-L arrive, too late to save Conner's life.[37]
[edit] Crisis Aftermath
[edit] 52
- See also: 52 (comic book), Supernova (comics), and One Year Later
Although Conner is dead, he is not forgotten. Following Superboy's death, Wonder Girl leads a memorial broadcast over the Internet, and she and hundreds of others pay their final respects to Conner in a traditional Kryptonian way. It is revealed that the mourners are part of a resurrection cult supposedly based on Kryptonian theology, which Wonder Girl and Ralph Dibny refer to as the "Cult of Conner".[38] Dibny hypothesizes that the cult and Wonder Girl are responsible for defacing the tombstone of his wife Sue Dibny with an inverted Superman insignia, the Kryptonian symbol for hope. When placed upside down, the symbol has a new meaning: resurrection.[39] Wonder Girl later encounters the strange, enigmatic hero called Supernova.[40] Cassie introduces herself but is confused that he doesn't recognize her. When Supernova flies away, she calls him "Kon-El."
Three weeks later, surveillance footage is shown to Lex Luthor by an enthusiastic scientist who assumes that Kon-El is still alive. Luthor dismisses this belief, convinced that Supernova is not Kon-El but Superman. In week 37, it is confirmed that Supernova is not, in fact, Conner but Booster Gold.
[edit] One Year Later
Superboy memorial statues are erected in Metropolis next to Superman's statue and outside of Titans Tower. One year later, Lex Luthor still mourns his son's death.[41] Meanwhile, unknown to his teammates or even Superman, Robin is attempting secretly to recreate Superboy using DNA from Superman and Luthor.[36] Robin has a glass case memorial to Conner, which contains Conner's last costume, the jeans and S-shield T-shirt, similar to the memorial Batman keeps for the second Robin, Jason Todd. Supergirl took another one of his other T-shirts from the Kent farm and gave it to Wonder Girl.
In Teen Titans v3 #41 (2007), Raven speaks with Wonder Girl. Robin suggests Raven may be able to resurrect Superboy, as she recently did for another deceased Titan. However, Raven revealed that she cannot, because she believes Kon-El's soul has already moved on to another plane of existence.
[edit] Powers, abilities, and equipment
[edit] Tactile-telekinesis
At first, Superboy's only superpower is "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. Tactile telekinesis also allows Superboy to disassemble machines and other complex constructions by pushing the field between the individual parts; alternately, he can, for short periods of time, hold such constructs together if they are coming apart. He can also manipulate aggregate solid masses such as volumes of sand or dust in the same way, causing the individual particles to fly apart in an explosive manner to create particle clouds or a forceful attack; he can also perform the same stunt with solid masses that are splintered, such as a cracked slab of concrete or fractured pane of glass. 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; a variation on this is to extend the protection of his field to another person by touching them.
The main disadvantage of tactile telekinesis is that it is less effective in blocking energy (including fire and the resulting heat) than it is against solids, leaving Superboy slightly more susceptible to energy-based attacks. It is also less effective against gaseous materials and liquids.[12][42]
[edit] Kryptonian powers
As his Kryptonian physiology matures, Superboy gains superpowers that don't derive from tactile telekinesis, including heat vision,[43] x-ray vision,[44] and super-hearing.[45] When the Titans encountered their future selves, he found he has greater telekinetic abilities (no longer limited to tactile telekinesis), he is stronger, more durable, and faster.[24] In Teen Titans Annual #1, he states that he has developed telescopic vision.
Superboy, like Superman, derives his Kryptonian powers from the absorption of solar energy from the Earth's yellow sun. Conner, however, does not process solar energy as quickly as Superman. As a result, he cannot push himself and his powers too far; if he does so, his body starts to eat itself for energy.[33][34]
Like Superman, Superboy is also highly vulnerable to Kryptonite and magic.[4]
In Titans Tomorrow, the Kon-El Superman exhibits full Kryptonian abilities and full telekinesis with greater control of his telekinetic fields. In a fight with Captain Marvel Jr., he shields himself from a magic attack, an advantage the modern Superman has never had.[24]
[edit] Costumes and equipment
In Superboy's first appearance, he has a fade haircut, a modified Superman costume, two belts, an earring, gloves and a leather jacket. His look was designed to be a pastiche of 1990s superhero costumes. His second costume is a slightly modified version of the first, with a new haircut and jacket that complements. His third outfit is a more civilian look featuring jeans and a black S-shield T-shirt, much like the time he lost his powers, but sans the special gadgets and gloves. He sports a contemporary short haircut. In the "Superboy and the Legion" storyline, he dons the classic Superman costume, but with a Legion belt buckle. During the five months he spends in the future, he grows his hair to match Superman's.
Superboy acquires "super-goggles" from Professor Emil Hamilton after helping him. The goggles mimic most of Superman's vision powers, including heat vision, x-ray vision, and telescopic vision.[42] The goggles are briefly lost and then used against Superboy by a technology-stealing criminal; after re-aquiring the goggles, Superboy decides to rely on his natural abilities, and destroys the goggles rather than risk them falling into the wrong hands again. During "Hyper-Tension", Superboy obtains a new jacket which lets him travel to various hyper-time lines. It has since been destroyed.[16]
[edit] Behind the scenes
[edit] The fight for "Superboy"
A March 23, 2006 court decision returned rights to the Superboy character to Jerry Siegel's heirs. The decision, issued six days before Superboy's death in Infinite Crisis #6 hit the shelves, states that the Siegels have owned 'Superboy' since November 17, 2004.[46]
Even though DC Comics does not own the rights to the "Superboy" name, Geoff Johns and Dan Didio claim the decision to kill off the character had nothing to do with the court case. Following Infinite Crisis, Didio compared Superboy's death to Spock's death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (who was subsequently resurrected),[47] and he also that was "as dead as Blue Beetle."
[edit] Identities
Initially, Superboy is a nameless experiment, and is only referred to as "Project 13", also known as "Project: Superman" and "Project: Lionel", after Lex Luthor's father. When he escapes from Cadmus he used the name "Superman". Those who wouldn't accept him as Superman would refer to him as the Kid. After Superman's return, he let him use the name "Superboy" and continue to wear the S-shield. Later, Superman tells Superboy he considers him family and gives him his first real name: Kon-El. Superman brings Kon-El to the care of his adoptive parents the Kents and he is given a civilian identity: Conner Kent, cousin to Clark.
[edit] See also
- Alternate versions of Superman
- Comic book death
- Infinite Crisis
- Lex Luthor
- Project Cadmus
- Superboy
- Superboy-Prime
- Superman
- Superman character and cast
- The Death of Superman
- Teen Titans
- Titans Tomorrow
- Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark)
- Young Justice
[edit] References
- ^ The Man of Steel #5 (1986) .
- ^ Superman v2 #75 (1992) .
- ^ a b Superboy Annual #2 (1995) .
- ^ a b c d Teen Titans vol. 3, #1 (2003)
- ^ a b Adventures of Superman #500 (1993)
- ^ Adventures of Superman #501 (1993)
- ^ Adventures of Superman #504 (1993)
- ^ a b Superman vol. 2, #81 (1993)
- ^ Adventures of Superman #504 (1993)
- ^ Superman vol. 2, #82 (1993)
- ^ a b Superman: The Man of Steel #24 (1993)
- ^ a b Adventures of Superman #505 (1993)
- ^ Superboy #1 (1993)
- ^ a b Superboy #100 (1999)
- ^ Superboy #59 (1997)
- ^ a b Superboy #62 (1999)
- ^ The Evil Factory":Superboy #70-75 (2000)
- ^ Sins of Youth #1-2 (2000)
- ^ Sins of Youth: Superman Jr & Superboy Sr." (2000)
- ^ a b Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day
- ^ Teen Titans v3 #15 (2004)
- ^ Teen Titans v3 #16 (2004)
- ^ Teen Titans/The Legion Special (2004)
- ^ a b c "Titans Tomorrow:" Teen Titans v3 #17-19 (2004)
- ^ "The Insiders": Teen Titans vol. 3, #24-25 (2005)
- ^ "The Insiders": Outsiders vol. 3, #24-25 (2005)
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3, #26 (2005)
- ^ Infinite Crisis Secret Files & Origins 2006
- ^ Infinite Crisis #2 (2006)
- ^ Infinite Crisis #3 (2006)
- ^ Infinite Crisis #4 (2006)
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3, #32 (2006)
- ^ a b Robin #147 (2006)
- ^ a b c Teen Titans Annual #1 (2006)
- ^ a b Infinite Crisis #5 (2006)
- ^ a b c Teen Titans vol. 3, #33 (2006)
- ^ Infinite Crisis #6 (2006)
- ^ 52: Week Thirty-One (2006)
- ^ 52: Week Two
- ^ 52: Week Nineteen
- ^ Superman #650 (2006)
- ^ a b Superboy #0 (1994)
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3, #9 (2003)
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3, #16
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3, #17 (2004)
- ^ Judge Awards 'Superboy' to Siegels, Smallville in Question
- ^ DC Nation One Year Later
[edit] External links
| Superman | |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster |
| Characters: | Superman (Clark Kent) • Lois Lane • Jimmy Olsen • Perry White • Jor-El • Ma Kent • Pa Kent • Lana Lang • Steel • Supergirl • Superboy (Kon-El) • Krypto |
| Villains: | Lex Luthor • Bizarro • Brainiac • Cyborg Superman • Darkseid • Doomsday • Eradicator • General Zod • Metallo • Mongul • Mr. Mxyzptlk • Parasite • Toyman • Ultra-Humanite • Intergang • Phantom Zone villains |
| Locations: |
Daily Planet • Fortress of Solitude • Krypton • Metropolis • Smallville |
| Storylines: | Relationship of Clark Kent and Lois Lane • The Death of Superman • Alternate versions of Superman • Publications • Superman in popular culture |
| Miscellanea: | Kryptonite • Powers • Symbol |
Categories: DC Comics characters with superhuman strength | DC Comics titles | Fictional Americans in DC Comics | Fictional characters who have been genetically engineered | Fictional characters with telekinesis | Fictional clones | Fictional doppelgängers | DC Comics characters who can fly | DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds | Fictional hybrids | Kryptonians | Spin-off comic book superheroes | DC Comics supporting characters
