History Main / SuperBoy

** Adding on to that, [[spoiler: Superboy's status as an opposite morality clone of another Superboy makes him the Nu52 version of [[EvilKnockoff Match]]. Jon Kent and the Post-Crisis Superboy were emotional and extroverted teenagers, while Match and Nu52 Superboy are their stoic and technically superior clones. Jon Kent was even mentioned as having genetic issues, a common problem for the first version of Kon-El.]]

* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl: Rose Wilson

* ExecutiveMeddling: The reason behind Conner's death in ''InfiniteCrisis''. The higher-ups wanted a sidekick attached to one of [[{{Superman}} The]] [[{{Batman}} Big]] [[WonderWoman Three]] to die, as {{Supergirl}} had in ''CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''. Originally, they picked {{Nightwing}}, but the writers were appalled at the idea of killing of Dick Grayson, one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time, and so the execs caved and settled for Superboy instead.

* Expy: While not technically an expy, this version of Superboy has attitudes more in line and a temperament much closer to the Conner Kent shown in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice,'' especially in his willingness to use overwhelming force and temper control issues, though his tendency to kill and torture is unique.

* AlreadyMetEveryone: He even met {{Batman}} and [[{{Nightwing}} the first Robin]].

** And now, we have Lori Luthor, who is actually ''disappointed'' that he sees her as a cousin.

Several alternate versions of Superboy were also seen over the years (including the aforementioned "Pocket Universe" version). The most prominent one is Superboy-Prime, a formerly heroic alternate-Earth Superboy seen in ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' who reappeared in modern continuity as an EvilTwin of Superman/Superboy. The original Superman-as-a-boy has also been restored to continuity recently.

Recently DC Comics fought a legal battle with the surviving family of Superman's creators over the rights to Superboy, which due to a quirk of copyright law can be reclaimed by them (though a subsequent ruling has stated that DC can claim rights to the concept of Superboy, the teenage clone of Superman even if the Siegel/Shuster estates have rights to the Superman-as-a-boy version of Superboy). The effect of this lawsuit has been that DC refused to use the name "Superboy", so Kon-El died, Superboy-Prime was called "Superman-Prime", and the Legion of Super-Heroes cartoon stars a "young Superman" rather than Superboy. The lawsuit is not yet over, but currently DC feels it can use the name again, so Kon-El is back, and Superboy-Prime gets to be called that again.

** With his restoration to continuity recently (though with Superboy now operating mainly in the Legion's era), Superboy/teenage Clark Kent's time-era is now TheNineties (skipping TheEighties).

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: As with his [[{{Superman}} "dad"]], he's a prime target for this trope. Happened to him when he was with the Young Justice as well as another time when Poison Ivy used him for this purpose. His entire purpose for being created by Lex Luthor was to [[spoiler:act as a [[ManchurianAgent sleeper agent]] in the superhero community]], and the Black Lanterns recently attempted to take control of him again. Fortunately, by this time, Superboy had become GenreSavvy, and trained himself to retain ''some'' measure of control even while brainwashed.

* KissingCousins: This one is complicated. Back when they first met, Kon-El and {{Supergirl}} II/(Matrix) were not related, and Superboy used to hit on Matrix with impunity. He also later enjoyed mutual flirtation with the ''Pre-Crisis'' Kara Zor-El when she was torn from time and space. Most subtext between the two was dropped when it was realized that Superboy is Superman's "offspring", but in the recent ''BlackestNight'' crossover, a Black-Lantern-ring-possessed Superboy taunts WonderGirl (his girlfriend at the time) by saying that when he's alone, it's his ''"cousin"'' [[ADateWithRosiePalms he fantasizes about]].

As shown, Superboy fought crime in and around his small home town of Smallville, and was raised by his foster parents, Ma and Pa Kent. Like his adult self, he also had a secret identity as Clark Kent. Other supporting characters included his best friend, Pete Ross,who had accidentally found Clark's secret and [[SecretKeeper aided him without his knowledge]]; his female friend next door, Lana Lang, who, like LoisLane years later, tried to become Superboy's girlfriend and/or find out his secret identity; Smallville's chief of police, Chief Parker; and [[KryptoTheSuperdog Krypto]], Superboy's pet dog from Krypton.

* TheInterregnum: Superboy first appeared late in TheGoldenAgeOfComics but really hit his peak in TheFifties where he was one of the few superheroes to thrive, holding down two titles when the superhero market generally was at its lowest ebb. Ironically he actually suffered in popularity once the Silver Age dawned and he got DemotedToExtra in the early Sixties thanks to the surge in popularity of ''The Legion of Super-Heroes''.

* TheInterregnum: Superboy first appeared in the late GoldenAgeOfComics but really hit his peak in TheFifties where he was one of the few superheroes to thrive, holding down two titles when the superhero market generally was at its lowest ebb. Ironically he actually suffered in popularity once the Silver Age dawned and he got DemotedToExtra thanks to the surge in popularity of ''The Legion of Super-Heroes''.

** According to Harvest in #15 [[spoiler: he's "the product of three unique genetic strands". Two of these are Superman and Lois Lane. The third remains unknown.]]

* TheInterregnum: Superboy first appeared in the late GoldenAgeOfComics but really hit his peak in TheFifties where he was one of the few superheroes to thrive, holding down two titles when the superhero market generally was at its lowest ebb. Ironically he actually suffered in popularity once the Silver Age dawned and he got DemotedToExtra thanks to the surge in popularity of TheLegionOfSuperheroes.

* LukeYouAreMyFather: [[spoiler:He is the clone of Jonathan Kent, the future son of Superman and Lois Lane.]]

* CloningBlues: Even more so than his pre-Flashpoint incarnation. Supergirl and H'el treat him like a monster at first because of a clone rebellion in Krypton's past. [[spoiler:The only reason he even exists is because Harvest wanted a guinea pig he could experiment on to find a cure for his "son's" (Jonathan Kent, the future son of Superman and Lois Lane) genetic problems. Having apparently done so, Harvest now wants Superboy dead.]]

* CloningBlues: Even more so than his pre-Flashpoint incarnation. Supergirl and H'el treat him like a monster at first because of a clone rebellion in Krypton's past. [[spoiler:The only reason he even exists is because Harvest wanted a guinea pig he could experiment on to find a cure for his "son's" (Jonathan Kent, the future son of Superman and Lois Lane) genetic problems. Having apparently done so, Harvest now wants Superboy dead.]]

* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl: Rose Wilson

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