History Main / Superboy

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. It should also be noted that Superman: Secret origin restored the [[PreCrisis]] Superboy to continuity, once more as the young version of [[Superman]].

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.

* KidANova: Girls whom he's dated or have been attracted to him include: Tana Moon, Roxy Leech, Knockout, Sparxx, [[TwinThreesomeFantasy all THREE of]] [[{{ComicBook/Legion of Super-Heroes}} Triad/Triplicate Girl]]'s [[MesACrowd split selves]], [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Cassandra Cain]], Dr. Sterling Roquette, Wonder Girl, [[{{Supergirl}} Kara-Zor-El]] (Pre-Crisis), and Lori Luthor.

* 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 [[WonderWoman Wonder Girl]] (his current girlfriend) by saying that when he's alone, it's his ''"cousin"'' [[ADateWithRosiePalms he fantasizes about]].

** The fight between Superboy and Wonder Girl in ''Comicbook/TeenTitans'' is even more blatant. All the two talk about is how cute they find each other while trying to smear their faces into the sidewalk.

* YouDontWantToDieAVirginDoYou: Conner and Cassandra's last night together before the conclusion of ''InfiniteCrisis''. Also counts as TheirFirstTime.

* KidANova: Girls whom he's dated or have been attracted to him include: Tana Moon, Roxy Leech, Knockout, Sparxx, [[TwinThreesomeFantasy all THREE of]] [[{{ComicBook/Legion of Super-Heroes}} Triad/Triplicate Girl]]'s [[MesACrowd split selves]], [[{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Cain]], Dr. Sterling Roquette, Wonder Girl, [[{{Supergirl}} Kara-Zor-El]] (Pre-Crisis), and Lori Luthor.

* 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 {{Young Justice}}, especially in his willingness to use overwhelming force and temper control issues, though his tendency to kill and torture is unique.

->''"The adventures of Superman when he was a boy!"''

Originally, when {{Superman}} was created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, he was shown as having debuted as a superhero as a full-grown adult. Eventually, after rejecting a few proposals for such from Siegel and Shuster, someone at DC decided to create the character of Superboy, [[RetCon Superman's adventures as a youth before becoming Superman]]. This came without input or approval from Siegel (which helped strain the relations between DC and Siegel and Shuster even further). Superboy's first appearance was in ''More Fun Comics'' #101 (January-February, 1945).

-->The original ''Superboy'' comic series' {{tagline}}.

[[caption-width-right:250:Don't worry, the two [[LetsYouAndHimFight become friends later.]][[note]]Left: Kon-El[=/=]Conner Kent. Right: Kal-El[=/=]Clark Kent]].]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:250:Don't worry, the two [[LetsYouAndHimFight become friends later]][[hottip:*:Left: Kon-El[=/=]Conner Kent. Right: Kal-El[=/=]Clark Kent]].]]

* [=~"I Know You're In There Somewhere" Fight~=]: Bart to Conner, just before ''InfiniteCrisis'', and then Cassie to Conner, during ''BlackestNight.''

* YouDontWantToDieAVirginDoYou: Conner and Cassandra's last night together before the conclusion of ''InfiniteCrisis''.

* Parents Walk In At The Worst Time: During Infinite Crisis, Conner and Cassie, expecting that would die at the end of the crisis, choose to spend one last night together.....Pa and Ma Kent find them in the morning, in the barn....with Cassie wearing Conner's shirt...and these are two characters with invulernability....and super strength...and speed....and teenagers at that.

* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl: Rose Wilson

[[caption-width-right:250:Don't worry, the two [[LetsYouAndHimFight become friends later]].]]

* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Used at first to help diferentiate him from Superman, in the new DC universe it was also used to make him look sinister in comparison to the colorful TeenTitans.

** While not a direct adaptation, ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' has a similar Super-clone called Superman X/Kell-El, who wears a costume similar to Kon-El's.

** ''{{Smallville}}'' (though this centers around a costumeless "young Clark Kent")

** [[spoiler: Season 10 of ''{{Smallville}}'']]

'''Superboy, Post-Flashpoint Reboot ([TheNew52])'''

'''Superboy, Post-Flashpoint Reboot ([=DCnU=])'''

In 1958, Superboy was invited by three youths from the 30th century to join their superhero group, [[{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}} The Legion Of Super-Heroes]], whose stories became a recurring feature (before graduating to their own comic) in Superboy and Superman comics.

Then came ''CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' and the subsequent PostCrisis Byrne revamp in 1986, which after 40+ years of existence [[RetGone retconned Superboy out of existence]]. Under Byrne's origin, Superman was once again shown as having started his career as an adult. This caused a ContinuitySnarl with the Legion comics, which was fixed by stating that a separate Superboy character was created in a "[[AlternateUniverse pocket universe]]" by the Legion villain known as the Time Trapper [[CosmicRetcon just to preserve the Legion's history]]; the Legion was redirected there everytime they traveled to what they thought was Superboy's time. The Pocket Universe became a major recurring storyline for both the Legion and for the Post-Crisis Superman. Pocket Superboy sacrificed himself to save both his universe and the Legion from the Time Trapper. Superman eventually violated ThouShaltNotKill to execute the Pocket Universe equivalents of General Zod [[TerribleTrio and his henchmen]] for killing ''[[ApocalypseHow everyone]]'' on their Earth except for the "Matrix" {{Supergirl}}. Finally, the editors decreed that the Pocket Universe and its Superboy be written out of continuity altogether (in yet another CosmicRetcon).

* TimeTravel: A constant for all Superboys, since the character is closely connected to the {{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}.

* BackFromTheDead: Killed off in ''InfiniteCrisis'', resurrected in ''FinalCrisis: [[{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} Legion of Three Worlds]]''.

* KidANova: Girls whom he's dated or have been attracted to him include: Tana Moon, Roxy Leech, Knockout, Sparxx, [[TwinThreesomeFantasy all THREE of]] [[LegionOfSuperHeroes Triad/Triplicate Girl]]'s [[MesACrowd split selves]], [[{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Cain]], Dr. Sterling Roquette, Wonder Girl, [[{{Supergirl}} Kara-Zor-El]] (Pre-Crisis), and Lori Luthor.

* TimeTravel: Like Kal-El, Conner has had many adventures with the Legion Of Superheroes.

* BecomeARealBoy: His character development seems to be headed in this direction.

* LackOfEmpathy: Superboy.

* RedAndBlackAndEvillAllOver: Used at first to help diferentiate him from Superman, in the new DC universe it was also used to make him look sinister in comparison to the colorful TeenTitans.