History ComicBook / Superboy

!!Kal-El version:

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superboy_vol_1_1.jpg]]
* DemotedToExtra: The ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes was the ''cause'' of this for him. They originally appeared as supporting characters in ''Adventure Comics #247: ComicBook/TheLegionOfSuperHeroes'', where Superboy had been the star since 1946, and afterward became recurring characters. From issue #300, the Legion began starring in their own backup feature. In issue #309 they took over the lead feature of the comic while Superboy was demoted to the backup feature, displacing him from what had been ''his'' title for the past ''27 years''. By issue #316, new solo Superboy stories stopped appearing in ''Adventure Comics'' altogether, only occasionally being included as reprints (although he continued to appear as a member of the Legion). A decade later the Legion repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''Superboy'' as a backup feature from issue #172; as they gradually took over the comic again, its cover title was changed to ''Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #197, it was officially renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' from #231, and eventually it was renamed again to just ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #259 as Superboy left the series altogether. Fortunately, this time, Superboy also gained a new solo series, though the Legion made a guest appearance late in its run.
* EscapedAnimalRampage: This happened once due to Superbaby's desire for a pet, as shown on the cover of ''Superboy'' #130.
* EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether: Clark Kent, Lana Lang, Pete Ross, and (until his turn to villainy) Lex Luthor all attended Smallville High.
* {{Expy}}:
** ComicBook/LanaLang essentially served as a teenaged Expy of ComicBook/LoisLane.
** Bash Bashford was an expy of ComicBook/SpiderMan character Flash Thompson.
* IncestSubtext: In ''Superboy'' #80, Kara travels to the past to meet Superboy, and Clark looks a tad smitten of his cousin. And then you have [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pScx8BN4h3s/SsNtkLIiqkI/AAAAAAAAFeM/T5WENser1mc/s1600-h/sb+80-07.jpg this scene]]. In the words of a reviewer "The rather phallic look of the alien ships added a little bit to my 'Clark hopes they could be kissing cousins' theory. I mean ... those ships could have been drawn any shape in the world."
* JerkJock: Bradley "Bash" Bashford.
* Letters2Numbers: Superboy does this in order to remove Luthor's fifth dimensional powers (siphoned off of Mr. Mxyzptlk) in ''Superboy'' #131.
* ManInTheIronMask: In issue #5, treacherous minister Norvello gets an iron mask locked over Queen Lucy's head and melts the key. His plan was to keep Lucy masked and locked up while he carried out a smear campaign against her, but Superboy exposes his plan and then releases and unmasks Lucy.
* MultilayerFacade: In #107, Red Kryptonite makes Clark jealous of himself as Superboy. He proceeds to reveal his superpowers and starts doing his fantastic feats openly. Some out-of-town criminals who arrived in Smallville to kill Superboy with Green Kryptonite learn of this and make plans to strike Clark at his home. Eventually the Red K's effect wears off and Clark proceeds to extricate himself from the crisis [[http://www.supermanfan.net/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/showoff-6.jpg via the trope]]. He makes up a story explaining that he knew that the criminals wanted to kill Superboy but didn't know when they'd strike, so he posed as Clark in cooperation with the Kents to force their hand.
* VerySpecialEpisode: ''Superboy'' #171 features a team-up with him and the future ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} in an issue about the dangers oil and other pollutants can cause to sea life. Aquaboy's life is endangered when the oil companies are too concerned with profit to change their ways, and while he and Superboy manage to stop one company from poisoning any further, sea creatures died and they still have a long way to go before the oceans are safe.

After ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', Clark's career as Superboy was brought back in ''ComicBook/SupermanSecretOrigin'', though only his adventures with the Legion. Then the ''ComicBook/New52'' ContinuityReboot happened and it was gone again, until it was implied to have been restored in ''ComicBook/DCRebirth''. ''ComicBook/DoomsdayClock'' restored the classic Superboy, bringing the DeconReconSwitch full circle.

** ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': He appears one of the main characters of the series.

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

* SternTeacher: The [[http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/309/ "Super-Teacher from Krypton"]], a robot designed by Jor-El to teach Superboy how to use his powers responsibly.

** ''Superboy'' (1949-1973), becomes ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' (1973-1979)

** ''The New Adventures of Superboy'' (1980-1984)

** ''The Adventures of Superman'' (1993-1994), during ''Reign of the Supermen''

* AlreadyMetEveryone: Superboy met the teenaged versions of [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]], [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Oliver Queen]], [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]], ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, and ComicBook/LoisLane. Thanks to time travel, he also met [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} the first Robin]] and ComicBook/JimmyOlsen.

** Superboy's mentioned in the 2017 WesternAnimation/BugsBunny / ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes crossover as living in the 21st century, which would put the Boy of Steel's time-era in [[TurnOfTheMillennium the 2000s]].

'''Jonathan Samuel Kent'''

!!Kal-El:

** ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' features a teenage Clark wearing the Super-costume, but because of the legal issues mentioned above he was called Superman instead of Superboy, as was originally intended.
!!Kon-El:
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice|2010}}'' (2011 animated series)
** [[spoiler:Season 10 of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'']]

!! Jonathan Samuel Kent:
** ''[[spoiler:WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice|2010}}: Outsiders]]'' (2019)

* UsefulNotes/TheInterregnum: Superboy first appeared late in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks 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 Seventies thanks to the surge in popularity of ''The Legion of Super-Heroes''.

Originally, when Franchise/{{Superman}} was created in 1938 by Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster, he was shown as having made his superhero debut 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).

* AlreadyMetEveryone: Superboy met the teenaged versions of [[Franchise/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]], [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Oliver Queen]], [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]], ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, and ComicBook/LoisLane. Thanks to time travel, he also met [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} the first Robin]] and ComicBook/JimmyOlsen.

* MysteriousProtector: In 1981's ''Superman'' #362 and #365-366, a flashback to Clark's early days at Metropolis University show he operated in secret as Superboy, to avoid anyone noticing Clark and Superboy both moving from Smallville to Metropolis. During this time, the whole country's abuzz and wondering what city Superboy had moved to. One scene even shows gamblers in UsefulNotes/LasVegas making bets on which city the Boy of Steel had picked. The cities guessed at included Metropolis, [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Gotham City]], [[BigApplesauce New York]] (future home of the ComicBook/TeenTitans), UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (future pre-Crisis home of Franchise/WonderWoman), UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}} (future home of a short-lived version of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague), UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, and UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} (a future pre-Crisis home of Supergirl). Oddly, other than Metropolis and Gotham, none of the other fictional DCU cities were guessed at by anyone. Adding to the hype, each city claimed they'd found (false) "proof" of Superboy secretly doing super-feats there. The ex-Smallville Sensation finally comes out in the open, thanks in part to then-reporter Perry White deducing the Boy of Steel was in Metropolis.

* IncestSubtext: In ''Superboy'' #80, Kara travels to the past to meet Superboy, and Clark looks a tad smitten of his cousin. And then you have [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pScx8BN4h3s/SsNtkLIiqkI/AAAAAAAAFeM/T5WENser1mc/s1600-h/sb+80-07.jpg this scene]]. In the words of [[http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com.es/2009/11/back-issue-box-superboy-80.html a reviewer]] "The rather phallic look of the alien ships added a little bit to my 'Clark hopes they could be kissing cousins' theory. I mean ... those ships could have been drawn any shape in the world."

* DemotedToExtra: The ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes was the ''cause'' of this for him. They originally appeared as supporting characters in ''Adventure Comics: ComicBook/TheLegionfSuperHeroes'', where Superboy had been the star since 1946, and afterward became recurring characters. From issue #300, the Legion began starring in their own backup feature. In issue #309 they took over the lead feature of the comic while Superboy was demoted to the backup feature, displacing him from what had been ''his'' title for the past ''27 years''. By issue #316, new solo Superboy stories stopped appearing in ''Adventure Comics'' altogether, only occasionally being included as reprints (although he continued to appear as a member of the Legion). A decade later the Legion repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''Superboy'' as a backup feature from issue #172; as they gradually took over the comic again, its cover title was changed to ''Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #197, it was officially renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' from #231, and eventually it was renamed again to just ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #259 as Superboy left the series altogether. Fortunately, this time, Superboy also gained a new solo series, though the Legion made a guest appearance late in its run.

** ''Adventure Comics'' (1977-1978)
** ''Superman Family'' (1978-1979)

** ''Adventure Comics (vol. 2)'' (2009-2010)

* DemotedToExtra: The ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes was the ''cause'' of this for him. They originally appeared as supporting characters in ''Adventure Comics'' #247, where Superboy had been the star since 1946, and afterward became recurring characters. From issue #300, the Legion began starring in their own backup feature. In issue #309 they took over the lead feature of the comic while Superboy was demoted to the backup feature, displacing him from what had been ''his'' title for the past ''27 years''. By issue #316, new solo Superboy stories stopped appearing in ''Adventure Comics'' altogether, only occasionally being included as reprints (although he continued to appear as a member of the Legion). A decade later the Legion repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''Superboy'' as a backup feature from issue #172; as they gradually took over the comic again, its cover title was changed to ''Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #197, it was officially renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' from #231, and eventually it was renamed again to just ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #259 as Superboy left the series altogether. Fortunately, this time, Superboy also gained a new solo series, though the Legion made a guest appearance late in its run.
* EscapedAnimalRampage: This happened once due to Superbaby's desire for a pet, as shown on the cover of ''Superboy'' #130 on Website/{{Superdickery}} [[http://www.superdickery.com/superbabys-search-for-a-pet/ here]].

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: ComicBook/LoisLane and ComicBook/LanaLang are 2/3rds of this.

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, Comicbook/LanaLang, who, like ComicBook/LoisLane years later, tried to become Superboy's girlfriend and/or find out his secret identity; Smallville's chief of police, Chief Parker; and [[ComicBook/KryptoTheSuperdog Krypto]], Superboy's pet dog from Krypton.

After ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', Clark's career as Superboy was brought back in ''ComicBook/SupermanSecretOrigin'', though only his adventures with the Legion. Then the ''[[ComicBook/TheNew52 New 52]]'' ContinuityReboot happened and it was gone again, until it was implied to have been restored in ''ComicBook/DCRebirth''. ''ComicBook/DoomsdayClock'' restored the classic Superboy, bringing the DeconReconSwitch full circle.

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

** ''[[spoiler: WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice|2010}}: Outsiders]]'' (2019)

** ''Adventure Comics'' (1946-1962) as the lead feature, (1962-1969) as part of the Legion of Super-Heroes feature

** ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' (2011 animated series)

** ''[[spoiler: WesternAnimation/YoungJustice: Outsiders]]'' (2019)

** While that's largely true (most of DC's Golden Age heroes officially lived on [[TheMultiverse Earth-2,]] and it was frequently lampshaded that Superboy inaugurated Earth-1's superheroic age), there were a few other early heroes, mostly ones who had to have existed on Earth-1 for their [[LegacyCharacter legacy carriers]] to make sense. An encounter with [[Comicbook/{{Zatanna}} Zatanna's]] father Zatara the Magician taught Clark that he had no special defense against magic. The original Guardian and the Newsboy Legion defended Metropolis's Suicide Slum back in the Forties, decades before the Guardian's clone and the Newsboys' sons would team with Jimmy Olsen. And the Bronze Age Airwave was the son of the Golden Age Airwave.

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Comicbook/LoisLane and Comicbook/LanaLang are 2/3rds of this.

** Comicbook/LanaLang essentially served as a teenaged Expy of ComicBook/LoisLane.

[[folder:Vol. 3]]

[[/folder]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Don't worry, the two [[LetsYouAndHimFight become friends later.]][[note]]Left: Kon-El/Conner Kent. Right: Kal-El/Clark Kent]][[/note]]

While some of Smallville's threats came from a rather high number of gangsters and bank robbers, some actual supervillains would also show up, including the Kryptonite Kid and most famously, young ComicBook/LexLuthor (who was initially friends with Superboy; however, a laboratory accident [one that rendered him bald] and a series of disastrous, humiliating attempts to improve Smallville's life with his inventions--requiring Superboy to intervene each time--made him vow that the only way he'd be able to prove his intellectual prowess to the world would be to destroy Superboy... and later, Superman).

!! Kal-El version:

!! Kal-El:

!! Kon-El:

[[folder:Vol 1]]

[[folder:Vol 2]]

* TheMultiverse: An early 80s story (1981's ''New Adventures of Superboy'' #15-16) saw Superboy accidentally end up on Earth-2 in its early 1930s, where he met the teenaged Clark Kent of Earth-2. Since the Golden Age/Earth-2 Superman didn't have a Superboy career, Clark was merely a youth living on his adoptive parents' farm outside Smallville, though he was still learning about his developing powers.

[[folder:Vol 3]]

[[folder:Vol 4]]

[[folder:Vol 5]]

[[folder:Vol 6]]

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

* DemotedToExtra: The ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} was the ''cause'' of this for him. They originally appeared as supporting characters in ''Adventure Comics'' #247, where Superboy had been the star since 1946, and afterward became recurring characters. From issue #300, the Legion began starring in their own backup feature. In issue #309 they took over the lead feature of the comic while Superboy was demoted to the backup feature, displacing him from what had been ''his'' title for the past ''27 years''. By issue #316, new solo Superboy stories stopped appearing in ''Adventure Comics'' altogether, only occasionally being included as reprints (although he continued to appear as a member of the Legion). A decade later the Legion repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''Superboy'' as a backup feature from issue #172; as they gradually took over the comic again, its cover title was changed to ''Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #197, it was officially renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' from #231, and eventually it was renamed again to just ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #259 as Superboy left the series altogether. Fortunately, this time, Superboy also gained a new solo series, though the Legion made a guest appearance late in its run.

[[quoteright:250:[[ComicBook/Superboy1994 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superboys_zero_hour.png]]]]
[[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]]

After the early [[TheNineties 1990s]]' ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'' storyline, a new version of Superboy came into existence--this one a teenage clone artificially created by Project Cadmus. The character first appeared in ''The Adventures of Superman'' #500 (June, 1993), created by Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett. Exactly who he is a clone of was {{retcon}}ned, but he is currently a combination of Superman and Lex Luthor. This version eventually was befriended by Superman, who gave him an honorary Kryptonian name, "Kon-El"; later, when staying with Ma and Pa Kent (who no longer were dead in Superman's adult years post-Crisis), he also adopted the human name "Conner Kent".

When Superman returned to life, Superboy initially settled in Hawaii and became the state's resident superhero protector. During this period he had several encounters with the (rebooted) Legion of Super-Heroes and became a reserve member, and also briefly joined a team known as [[ComicBook/SuperboyAndTheRavers the Ravers]]. Eventually he ended up going back to work at the now-reformed Project Cadmus, and also became a founding member of ComicBook/YoungJustice. After his association with Cadmus ended in the aftermath of the ''ComicBook/OurWorldsAtWar'' event, he briefly relocated to Suicide Slum in Metropolis before finally going to live on the Kent farm. Soon after, Young Justice disbanded and he became a member of the ComicBook/TeenTitans. He also had a brief stint as a regular member of the Legion while marooned in the 31st century.

Several alternate versions of Superboy were also seen over the years (including the aforementioned "Pocket Universe" version). The most prominent one is ComicBook/SuperboyPrime, a formerly heroic alternate-Earth Superboy seen in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' who reappeared in modern continuity as an EvilTwin of Superman/Superboy.

In the late 2000s, 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 ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' cartoon stars a "young Superman" rather than Superboy. The lawsuit is not yet over, but DC felt they could use the name again, so Kon-El is back, and Superboy-Prime gets to be called that again.

Kon-El was substantially rebooted following the CosmicRetcon ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'', in history and personality, to the point where he was essentially an entirely different character. When Superman's pre-''Flashpoint'' history was restored to the timeline in the aftermath of ''ComicBook/SupermanReborn'', Conner was notable for his complete absence. This became a plot point when a future Conner Kent was shown to exist in the "Titans Tomorrow" timeline (which originated pre-''Flashpoint'') but the present-day ComicBook/RedRobin didn't recognise the name "Conner", with the strong implication that everyone's memories of him had been erased. Conner finally made his return in ''ComicBook/YoungJustice2019'', which revealed he had been marooned in the alternate reality Gemworld during ''Flashpoint'' and so had missed the CosmicRetcon entirely.

Superboy was given a very different origin in the aftermath of the CrisisCrossover ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'', as part of the line-wide reboot known as either "The ComicBook/{{New 52}}" or "[[FanNickname The DCnU]]". This Superboy was a biological experiment of the conspiracy known as N.O.W.H.E.R.E, made from Superman's DNA and that of several others, both human and alien. Or so we were told: he is eventually revealed to be a clone of Superman and Lois Lane's child Jon Lane Kent from the same future the leader of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. comes from. He was used by them as a living weapon, under the supervision of both "Red", a.k.a. [[ComicBook/{{Gen13}} Dr. Caitlin Fairchild]] (the last survivor of the team of scientists working on him) and Rose Wilson, a young mercenary hired to make sure that he stays under control.

At first, this Superboy had virtually none of the empathy of his earlier incarnation; he just wanted to escape N.O.W.H.E.R.E., and was not picky about what he has to do until he could. After succeeding in his escape, a stint with the Teen Titans and undergoing a series of humbling adventures and ordeals, he became [[AllLovingHero considerably more heroic.]] Afterward, he was PutOnABus with his whereabouts and status unknown.

Clark and Lois's biological son. See the [[ComicBook/JonathanSamuelKent Jonathan Samuel Kent page]] for more details.

[[folder:Clark Kent/Kal-El]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/new_adventures_superboy_1_cover.png]]

* BathtubMermaid: Lori Lemaris, whom Clark meets in college. She is in a wheelchair, but secretly she's a mermaid and spends her time at home in the bathtub. Clark finds out when he peeks at her using his X-ray vision.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Comicbook/LoisLane and Comicbook/LanaLang are 2/3rds of this.

* DemotedToExtra: The ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} was the ''cause'' of this for him. They originally appeared as supporting characters in ''Adventure Comics'' #247, where Superboy had been the star since 1946, and afterward became recurring characters. From issue #300, the Legion began starring in their own backup feature. In issue #309 they took over the lead feature of the comic while Superboy was demoted to the backup feature, displacing him from what had been ''his'' title for the past ''27 years''. By issue #316, new solo Superboy stories stopped appearing in ''Adventure Comics'' altogether, only occasionally being included as reprints (although he continued to appear as a member of the Legion). A decade later the Legion repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''Superboy'' as a backup feature from issue #172; as they gradually took over the comic again, its cover title was changed to ''Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #197, it was officially renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' from #231, and eventually it was renamed again to just ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' with issue #259 as Superboy left the series altogether. Fortunately, this time, Superboy also gained a new solo series, though the Legion made a guest appearance late in its run.
* EscapedAnimalRampage: This happened once due to Superbaby's desire for a pet, as shown on the cover of ''Superboy'' #130 on Website/{{Superdickery}} [[http://www.superdickery.com/superbabys-search-for-a-pet/ here]].
* EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether: Clark Kent, Lana Lang, Pete Ross, and (until his turn to villainy) Lex Luthor all attended Smallville High.
* {{Expy}}:
** Comicbook/LanaLang essentially served as a teenaged Expy of ComicBook/LoisLane.
** Bash Bashford was an expy of ComicBook/SpiderMan character Flash Thompson.
* IncestSubtext: In ''Superboy'' #80, Kara travels to the past to meet Superboy, and Clark looks a tad smitten of his cousin. And then you have [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pScx8BN4h3s/SsNtkLIiqkI/AAAAAAAAFeM/T5WENser1mc/s1600-h/sb+80-07.jpg this scene]]. In the words of [[http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com.es/2009/11/back-issue-box-superboy-80.html a reviewer]] "The rather phallic look of the alien ships added a little bit to my 'Clark hopes they could be kissing cousins' theory. I mean ... those ships could have been drawn any shape in the world."

* JerkJock: Bradley "Bash" Bashford.

* Letters2Numbers: Superboy does this in order to remove Luthor's fifth dimensional powers (siphoned off of Mr. Mxyzptlk) in ''Superboy'' #131.

* MultilayerFacade: In #107, Red Kryptonite makes Clark jealous of himself as Superboy. He proceeds to reveal his superpowers and starts doing his fantastic feats openly. Some out-of-town criminals who arrived in Smallville to kill Superboy with Green Kryptonite learn of this and make plans to strike Clark at his home. Eventually the Red K's effect wears off and Clark proceeds to extricate himself from the crisis [[http://www.supermanfan.net/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/showoff-6.jpg via the trope]]. He makes up a story explaining that he knew that the criminals wanted to kill Superboy but didn't know when they'd strike, so he posed as Clark in cooperation with the Kents to force their hand.

* SiliconBasedLife: Superboy had to save a race of silicon-based aliens called the Vulxans in ''The New Adventures of Superboy #7'' (1980).

* SternTeacher: The [[http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/309/ "Super-Teacher from Krypton"]], a robot designed by Jor-El to teach Superboy how to use his powers responsibly.

* TheMultiverse: An early 80s story (1981's ''New Adventures of Superboy'' #15-16) saw Superboy accidentally end up on Earth-2 in its early 1930s, where he met the teenaged Clark Kent of Earth-2. Since the Golden Age/Earth-2 Superman didn't have a Superboy career, Clark was merely a youth living on his adoptive parents' farm outside Smallville, though he was still learning about his developing powers.

[[folder:13/Kon-El/Conner Kent]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/conner_kent_001.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see Kon's original suit:]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kon_3.png]]
[[/labelnote]]

-> "I can't say this to anyone, but there's a part of me that thinks they're all going to die — and I'm going to get kicked up into the big leagues, like it or not. I know. Thinking about promotions while they knit together Green Lantern's ribs — stepped in shallower puddles, right? But I can't help it. I keep seeing me and [[Comicbook/YoungJustice my guys]] on that front line, but the kick of it is — we don't come back either."
--->''Kon regarding the war with Imperiex on Apokolips''

* ThirteenIsUnlucky: Played with. While he's followed by quite a bit of chaos Experiment 13 is actually the luckiest of the attempted Superman clones as 01 through 12 were failed cloning attempts. There are a number of civilians who try to flee when they see him around though due to his Destructive Savior tendencies so at least early on others may feel being around him is bad luck.
* AdaptationalBadass: During ''Convergence'', Superboy is placed against ''three'' heroes from the ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' universe: Red Robin, The Flash, ''and'' Superman. He takes out the former two easily, and all three are arguably superior to their modern versions.
* AfraidOfDoctors: In Geoff Johns' ''Teen Titans'', he and Beast Boy have a phobia of doctors, due to both of them being experimented on as kids.
* AfraidOfNeedles: Superboy is afraid of needles due to his past as an experimental subject and the fact that it means he has to consciously or has unconsciously lowered his TTK field leaving him vulnerable in order to allow a needle to go through his skin. It was this fear that John's ramped up to make him afraid of doctors entirely.
* AllianceOfAlternates: Kon-El teams up with the other versions of Superboy Black Zero had captured to disable Black Zero, who is an evil alternate of the Superboys that were created at Cadmus. Not all of the alternate Superboys are alternate versions of ''Kon-El'' as some are young versions of Kal-El and at least one is an alternate Supergirl.
* AlliterativeFamily: When Superman says he considers him family and Superboy finally gets a name the name Kal gives him is Kon-El, which fits nicely with Kal-El and Kara Zor-El.
* AlternateTimelineAncestry: He and the New 52 Superboy are essentially the same person, despite his lineage coming from Superman and Lex Luthor, while the latter is a clone of a future son of Lois Lane and Superman.
* AlternateUniverse: Kon-El meets and teams up with the Kal-El version Superboy in several post-Crisis storylines, including "ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime" and "Hypertension."
* AmazonChaser: His love interests include [[Characters/NewGodsApokolips Knockout]], [[ComicBook/SuperboyAndTheRavers Sparx]], [[ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} Triad/Triplicate Girl]], [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cassandra Cain]] and ComicBook/WonderGirl.
* AnxietyDreams: Several issues of ''[[ComicBook/Superboy1994 Superboy vol. 4]]'' start with a dream of Superboy's detailing something he's anxious about, usually with the situation becoming much worse in bizarre ways than what would actually occur which wakes him up.
* AppropriatedAppellation: In his early appearances, he insisted on being called Super''man''. It wasn't until Superman returned from the dead and told Kon that he'd be honored to let Kon use the name "Superboy" that he started to take to it. And even then, the new Superboy told Big Blue, "When I turn 21... watch out."
* ArchEnemy: Superboy-Prime. He hates Conner calling him a fake Superboy.
* ArtificialHuman: Kon-El and many others in Cadmus like the young Newsboys were created by the project and Kon started out as a modified entirely human clone of Paul Westfield before his origin was retconned.
* AttentionWhore: He started out doing everything he could to stay in the limelight and on the news for the perfectly good reason that Cadmus would have made him disappear if they could have gotten away with it. They tried to quietly kidnap/kill him despite him making sure the public was well aware of his existence and only stopped when threatened by Superman after Supes had to save the kid.
* BackFromTheDead: Killed off in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', resurrected in ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis: [[ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}} Legion of Three Worlds]]''. 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.
* BaldOfEvil: In ''Teen Titans'', he shaved his head bald before going on an insane killer rampage and beating up the entire rest of the team. This was due to a mental command which was placed in his brain from after he was cloned in Cadmus.
* BlondBrunetteRedhead: He once had a LoveDodecahedron between Tana Moon (brunette), Roxy Leech (blonde) and Knockout (redhead).
* BornAsAnAdult: In his first appearances he appears to be a teen over the age of 15 but is only months old.
* 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 attempted to take control of him again. Fortunately, by this time, Superboy had trained himself to retain ''some'' measure of control even while brainwashed.
* BroadStrokes: The version of Superboy we see in ''Convergence'' is largely based on the late-90s version where he lived at Cadmus. However, there are a few alterations. Namely, he possesses a smattering of Kryptonian powers that he never possessed during that era: SuperSpeed, XRayVision and [[BreathWeapon Freeze Breath]], the latter of which was notably the ''last'' Kryptonian power he awakened during the ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' era (which itself came much later); possibly justified in that a year has passed under the dome. The InfoDump at the end of the book also glosses over exactly whom Superboy is cloned from: while Paul Westfield is mentioned, it's simply stated that he mixed Kryptonian DNA with human, which is quite different from the original story.
* BroughtDownToBadass: When he temporarily loses his powers he does not stop being a hero, he just uses gadgets instead.
* TheBusCameBack:
** During 2015's ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' event, this version of Superboy (from the era in which he lived at Cadmus and still wore the original costume, earring and shaved fade) returned as part of a multiversal crossover.
** In ''ComicBook/YoungJustice2019'' the rest of the Core Four realize their friend has been erased from history and set out to find him. They discover Kon on Gemworld after which he rejoins the reformed Young Justice.
* ByNoIMeanYes: ''We '''really''' need to get a Titans Jet or something. Not that I don't like holding your hand, Robin -- but I '''don't'''.''
* CallToAgriculture: When Conner arrived in Gemworld he became a farmer as well as [[spoiler:pretending to be the husband of the widow who took him in after he helped her]]. He even mentions what Pa Kent said.
* CharacterDevelopment: Over the years, he grows from an immature, egotistical teen into a mature and responsible young man, particularly after he learned of having Lex Luthor's DNA. Also living with John and Martha Kent turned him into a NiceGuy. Makes a lot of sense since they raised the original Superman as well.
* ChestInsignia: During one storyarc, Supergirl (Matrix) telekinetically ripped it from his chest (without damaging the costume) because he wasn't behaving like someone who deserved to wear it.
* ChivalrousPervert: Just some examples in ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman''. Once he and Supergirl (Cir-El) are caught in a "walls closing in" DeathTrap and Conner compains that would have preferred if there was ComicBook/PowerGirl with him. Another occasion, he find some sexbots of the female Teen Titans, belonging to the teenage Toyman (''not'' the original villainous version); Conner clearly enjoys...until [[Comicbook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]] (Robin) destroys them!
--> '''Superboy''': I hate you. I hate you more than anyone I've ever known.
* CivvieSpandex: Currently the trope poster boy.
* ClarkKenting: As Conner Kent since he uses the name to finally develop a secret identity but then switches to ''jeans and a t-shirt'', the same thing he wears as the civilian Conner, for his supersuit.
* CloningBlues: He falls into this occasionally, after several years of being TotallyRadical.
* ComicBookTime: One story during ''[[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman Reign of the Supermen]]'' specifically references UsefulNotes/BillClinton as POTUS. Furthermore, in the time since he was created, babies born within the same month have grown up into adults.
* CopiedTheMoralsToo: This version of Superboy was retconned to be a sleeper clone created by Lex Luthor using a combination of his own DNA as well as Superman's. Despite being conditioned to obey Luthor, Superboy desired to be a hero like Superman and rejected Luthor's purpose for him.
* CostumeCopycat: Kal-El Superboy initially accuses Kon-El Superboy of such in their ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime crossover meeting in ''ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}}'' #8, before learning the truth about what's going on.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Once he learned that he was made with ComicBook/LexLuthor's DNA, the cocky, brash hero got much angstier.
* DeadGuyJunior: Kal-El got the name Kon-El from a Kryptonian friend and honorary cousin of Jor-El's that died with the planet.
* DestructiveSaviour: Especially in his early years. He destroys so many cars and street tops that the people of Hawaii are not immediately concerned when he goes missing, thinking it might be a good thing for the islands. He was also kicked out of school after a fight on campus destroyed a good portion of it.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: ''"Y'know -- like Superman? The Last Son of Krypton! Feared and respected across the universe! C'mon -- that's supposed to intimidate you! Work with me here!"''
* EvilKnockoff: Match
* EyeBeams: He eventually develops Kryptonian heat vision.
* FadSuper: He was created to be a TotallyRadical reimagining of the "kid Superman" concept.
** In his debut, he had a buzzcut fade, a hoop earring, a leather jacket (which nearly every hero had at the time), sunglasses, and a costume that invoked TooManyBelts. He of course, used hip slang and made constant references to pop culture.
** His next costume gave his jacket a new design with a red-and-blue color scheme, redesigned his earring and shades, gave him a more fashionable haircut and replaced his large-cuffed gloves with streamlined FingerlessGloves. His slang got slightly toned down as well, but was still in use.
** The third costume (which he kept up until the reboot of the ''Comicbook/{{New 52}}'') was an extensive overhaul. It ditched the jacket, skintight costume, earring, shades and TotallyRadical attitude (the CivvieSpandex look took a heavy turn toward "civvie", with a t-shirt and jeans). Instead, he became more dark, brooding, and angsty, which became popular around the mid-2000s.
* FamilyThemeNaming: Possibly not intentional, but his civilian name, Conner, is an occupational surname, like Clark's name.
* FingerlessGloves: His second streamlined costume dropped the large full-finger gloves and instead had his sleeves end in these.
** His costume in ''ComicBook/YoungJustice2019'' is mostly based on his debut costume but has fingerless gloves, leaning into the punk aesthetic.
* FlyingBrick: His original abilities were "programmed" to mimic Franchise/{{Superman}}'s as closely as possible, including flight, deflecting bullets and mimicking SuperStrength through {{Telekinesis}} and over time he developed the usual Kryptonian power set allowing him to find more creative uses for his telekinesis.
* FreudianTrio: The Ego to Bart's Id and Tim's Superego. Lampshaded in ''Young Justice''.
* FunPersonified: Before going DarkerAndEdgier as Conner Kent.
* GoToAlias: Before adopting the name Conner Kent, he would use the name "Carl Krummet" whenever he needed to pass as a normal human. In the very first appearance of the "Conner Kent" name, in an issue of ''Batgirl'', he notes that it's more fun being Carl than being Conner.
* HalfHumanHybrid: Retconned into this during the ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' run. Originally, it was stated that he was a human clone modified to ''mimic'' Kryptonian genes.
* HateAtFirstSight: In ''Convergence'', this is how the ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' heroes see him. Where they come from, brash, arrogant young punks are the blight of the world.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With both [[Comicbook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]] and [[ComicBook/{{Impulse}} Bart Allen]].
* HomosexualReproduction: The comics version is the biological mix of [[FoeYay Superman and Lex Luthor]]. Yeah.
* HeroicBSOD: After Luthor brainwashes him just before ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''.
* HotBlooded: He is described as what happens when you take the power of Superman and give it to someone far less reserved.
* HowDoIShotWeb: He went through this during his early years concerning his Tactile Telekinesis. As he escaped Cadmus without being trained in what he had, he didn't know the extent of his powers and floundered his way through things, especially as he had no idea how to make things explode when he touched them.
* {{Hypocrite}}: In ''Teen Titans'' #100, he came to the conclusion that the only way to deal with the three clones of himself created by Superboy-Prime was to murder them with kryptonite he'd been keeping in his room as a fail safe, despite all the heartache and angst he'd been going through ever since he learned he was cloned from Lex Luthor and fearing that he may have been evil all along.
* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Bart to Conner, just before ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', and then Cassie to Conner, during ''ComicBook/BlackestNight.''
* InnateNightVision: One of his eye based powers.
* IntercontinuityCrossover: At the peak of his popularity, Conner was one of the Main Events of ''Marvel Vs DC''. He lost to Spider-man (Ben Reilly).
* 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, ComicBook/WonderGirl, [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara-Zor-El]] (Pre-Crisis), Lori Luthor, and [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGallery Poison Ivy]]. Especially when you consider that he was only ''[[CloningBlues born a few years ago.]]''
* KidAppealCharacter: His adventures were largely designed to be a cooler, hipper, HotterAndSexier version of Clark Kent's.
* KillItWithFire: Fire, electricity and other forms of intense energy were originally his biggest weaknesses, as his tactile telekinesis only worked if he was able to physically touch an object. At first, even touching a heated object could severely burn him. However, through training, he gained enough control to be able to withstand hot substances like lava, and slowly built up DamageReduction to heat and energy in general. After his Kryptonian abilities kicked in, he now had NighInvulnerability like Superman and no longer needed to worry.
* KissingCousins:
** This one is complicated. Back when they first met, Kon-El and Comicbook/{{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 ''[[Comicbook/ManyHappyReturns 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 ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' crossover, a Black-Lantern-ring-possessed Superboy taunts ComicBook/WonderGirl (his girlfriend at the time) by saying that when he's alone, it's his ''"cousin"'' [[ADateWithRosiePalms he fantasizes about]].
** Later on, there was Lori Luthor, who was actually ''disappointed'' that he saw her as a cousin.
* KryptoniteFactor: Like Superman he is as vulnerable to Kryptonite and magic.
* TheLawOfPowerProportionateToEffort: He has PsychicPowers that work both subconsciously and with effort.
** His original abilities were "programmed" to mimic Franchise/{{Superman}}'s as closely as possible, including deflecting bullets and mimicking SuperStrength through {{Telekinesis}}. They turn "off" completely when he's asleep or unconscious, making him as vulnerable as a normal human.
** He eventually takes effort to ''break'' the subconscious "rules' for his power so that he can use them in other ways, such as moving something as large a ship or as light as air vapor with his mind.
* LetsYouAndHimFight: Between Kal-El Superboy and Kon-El Superboy in the "ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime" crossover (as this page's picture indicates).
* LoopholeAbuse: ''"But Batman '''never''' said anything about your '''teammates''', right? Never a mention of ComicBook/YoungJustice steering clear of Gotham or [[Comicbook/RobinSeries you]]'d be waxing the Batmobile?"''
* LuckilyMyPowersWillProtectMe: Hey, has Kon-El mentioned that he has tactile telekinesis? Because he does.
* ManchurianAgent: Part of the arc where he [[spoiler:discovers Lex Luthor shares half of his DNA which enabled Lex to use him via this trope as well as the BrainwashedAndCrazy trope]].
* MindOverMatter: 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 "tactile telekinesis" field also lets Superboy break free of an opponent's grip by pushing the field outward to force the opponent away.
** The powers of the version from the BadFuture of the ''Titans Tomorrow'' story arc are upgraded from tactile telekinesis to full-blown telekinesis in the interim, which pretty much gives him the combined power of Superman and Phoenix.
* MixAndMatchMan: Conner is a clone made of DNA from both {{Superman}} and ComicBook/LexLuthor.
* MorallySuperiorCopy: Conner Kent falls under this, in addition to CopiedTheMoralsToo, as he is a clone of both Franchise/{{Superman}} and Lex Luthor. Luthor believed that the clone possessing his genes would be both easier to control and behave more like a "Luthor" than Superman. For added insurance, he also subconsciously conditioned the clone to act as a ManchurianAgent that he could directly control. But Superboy's desire to be a hero like Superman was far stronger than whatever was imprinted on him by Luthor.
* MustNotDieAVirgin: Conner and Cassandra's last night together before the conclusion of ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''. Also counts as TheirFirstTime.
* NatureVersusNurture: During his DarkerAndEdgier years, he's all about this trope. In the earliest years, his "daddy" was Paul Westfield and later, it was {{retcon}}ned to be ComicBook/LexLuthor instead. Neither of them are very nice people. So, Superboy constantly questions whether he was destined to become good or evil based on the genes provided by Superman or his human father.
* NeverGivenAName: While he had a designation prior to Kal-El bestowing a name on him it was never treated as a name and he never responded to it since those using it considered him disposable property rather than an individual. When Superman finally gave him a name Kon cried with joy, as it reaffirmed him as a person with his own rights and the name placed him firmly in Superman's own family.
* NotGrowingUpSucks: To clone him, a group of evil scientists "unzipped" his DNA, thus causing Superboy to slowly degenerate. The only way Cadmus's scientists could stop it was to halt his aging at [[YoungerThanTheyLook physically 16 years old]]. Afterward, they couldn't find the aging genome to turn it back on until some time later, during the Comicbook/YoungJustice CrisisCrossover "Sins of Youth," when the spell that aged the rest of his teammates to adults started tearing him apart at the genetic level once again. Cadmus reactivated Superboy's aging, only to have him [[BroughtDownToNormal lose all his powers]] when the aging spell was lifted.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Before Superman gave him a Kryptonian name and then an earth name, both of which placed Kon in his family, Superboy didn't ''have'' a name outside of a nickname or a number.
* OnlySaneMan: In ''Convergence: Superboy #1'', Dubbilex narrates that Superboy is the only person in the [[CityInABottle domed Metropolis]] who hasn't moved on and accepted their new life.
* PretenderDiss: Constantly on the receiving end of this from anyone who knows or knew of Superman. The worry of not living up to the name is Conner's biggest fear.
* ThePowerOfTheSun: Like Superman, derives his Kryptonian powers from the absorption of solar energy from the Earth's yellow sun.
* ProperlyParanoid: His concern about Cadmus wanting their incomplete experiment off the streets is brushed off as him being ridiculous, but Superman ends up rescuing him from a kidnapping attempt and Guardian makes it clear that Superman's reassurances that Cadmus isn't trying to kill or lock S.B. up don't fit with reality. Superman quickly lets Cadmus know S.B. is under his protection in response.
* PubertySuperpower: Also like Superman he develops his Kryptonian powers as he ages, starting out with only his tactile telekinesis which comes from his human DNA.
* RaisedInALab: In his ''ComicBook/New52'' origins, Superboy was raised in a lab as an ArtificialHuman with Franchise/{{Superman}}'s DNA and later released as a HumanWeapon.
* ReallyWasBornYesterday: He set out to be a superhero at a ''very'' young age, it helps that Cadmus created him as a teen.
* RetCon: Superboy was initially depicted as a genetically-engineered metahuman clone of human origin designed by Project Cadmus as a duplicate and closest genetic equivalent of Superman. The character was retconned in ''Teen Titans'' as a Kryptonian/human hybrid of Superman and Lex Luthor.
* RetGone: ComicBook/DCRebirth has made it clear that Conner has been wiped from history, though both Superman and Tim's current iterations have realized someone is missing and Tim and Steph are trying to figure out what happened to the timeline to erase someone named Conner, and Bart--whose memory was not altered with the timeline--remembers him and wants to find him. His old Young Justice pals manage to track him down in Gemworld where he'd been trapped when the timeline got mangled, and he's back as part of the reformed ComicBook/{{Young Justice|2019}}.
* SecretProjectRefugeeFamily: Kon-El is considered like a cousin to the newsboys' clones' makeshift family as a fellow Cadmus clone whom they helped escape.
* SecretPublicIdentity: Superboy initially has no secret identity and until Superman gives him a name he's just "Superboy" or "The Kid". He even goes to school as Superboy.
* ShamelessSelfPromoter: Early on, and mostly at Rex Leech's prompting, S.B. does everything he can to promote himself, in order to make himself enough a part of the public consciousness that Cadmus can't grab him and lock him back up in a lab for the rest of his life without causing a public outcry.
* SignatureMove: Kon frequently lets attackers with super strength pin him to the ground so he can use his TTK to push off it and fling them far away. He does this less and less and he further refines his control to be able to use his TTK in more effective and less direct ways, and once his Kryptonian powers come in he rarely has need to supplement his strength this way.
* SkippingSchool: In ''ComicBook/Superboy1994'' he gets detention for repeatedly skipping school in order to do hero work.
* StepfordSmiler: Long before his mopey out of left field Teen Titans days Kon-El would occasionally show that he was deeply concerned about his origin, freedom, the rights of clones and living up to Superman's legacy despite his near constant light hearted antics during the period. Heck, even before he got his own book he showed signs of his hidden turmoil when Superman had to rescue him from the underworlders and the only way for him to get answers as to his creation without being locked back up in Cadmus was for Superman to accompany him and threaten Cadmus to keep their hands off him.
* SuicideBySea: When he realizes he can't take out Knockout in a regular fight he uses his TTK to pin both of them to the sinking island they're on in order to drown. Luckily she passes out before him so he's able to hand her to the authorities for arrest instead.
* SuperPoweredDate: He's done this numerous times. Most notably for Cassandra Cain (where he built a castle in the sky made out of clouds), and Cassie Sandsmark, where he levitated a picnic bench during a romantic dinner.
* SuperpowerLottery: During ''Teen Titans'', Superboy developed Kryptonian powers including heat vision, x-ray vision and super-hearing. He also developed Kryptonian invulnerability and super strength as shown when he battled the hugely powerful Superboy-Prime.
* SuperStrength: As stated above Kon-El developed Kryptonian super strength as he aged, and could mimic super strength using his TTK before that.
* SuperToughness: Prior to developing Kryptonian powers as he aged Kon claimed to be invulnerable already, due to his use of his TTK field as a personal force field, though he was still shown to be less invulnerable than Superman. He could also wrap this field around others so long as he was touching them but was just as vulnerable as a normal human when asleep or other times the field was down.
* SurferDude: Kon-El learns to surf while living in Hawaii and incorporates some surfer lingo and local pidgin into his already odd vocabulary.
* TakingYouWithMe:
** He decides this is the only way to deal with Knockout, but since she passes out before him he's able to hand her over to the authorities for arrest instead.
** This becomes straight in the fight Conner has with Superboy-Prime where he grabs him and smash to the Anti-Monitor tower in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', also making a HeroicSacrifice.
* TearsOfJoy:
** After Kal-El bestows him with the name Kon-El he tears up out of joy at being given his own name outside of a designation (13), superhero name (Superboy), or nickname (The Kid, S.B.).
** ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'': After realizing his HeroicSacrifice of destroying the Anti-Monitor tower brings back the world and multiverse to normality.
-->'''Cassie:''' You did it, Conner. You saved Earth. You saved ''everyone.''
-->'''Conner:''' I know, Cass. (a tear falls for his cheek and smiles) [[LastWords Isn't it cool?]]
* TemporalMutability: Continuity seems to place it somewhere between Types I - IV. The modern Superboy [[spoiler:technically became a ''time traveler'', every bit as out of place in this era as Booster Gold. His "current" self is still a corpse, slowly recovering within the Fortress of Solitude. Kon-El is careful not to disturb the body resting there, as he isn't quite sure what will happen to himself if he does. Other than that, though, the DC universe's rules on time travel are malleable enough to allow Conner to exist in the present without worrying too much about screwing up the timestream.]]
* TheBusCameBack: The one true Conner Kent, not the New 52 Kon-El, is finally returning to the DC Universe and reforming Young Justice with Tim Drake, Bart Allen, and Cassie Sandsmark as part of the new Creator/WonderComics imprint.
* ThereWasADoor: Early on he had a bad habit of entering and exiting buildings through walls, though he only really did so during fights when he was in a hurry.
* TheyWouldCutYouUp: The Agenda certainly would, and does. What they do to him in order to create Match nearly kills him several times over despite Cadmus and S.T.A.R. Labs scientists working to save his life.
* ThouShaltNotKill: Kon-El believes very much in operating on this principal but comes close to breaking it to deal with Knockout, thinking the only way to do so is to take her out with himself before finding a way around it and later shows that when the situation is grave enough he follows it more closely to it's original meaning of thou shall not ''murder'' even if he detests killing.
* ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks: During the brief period Kon was without powers he used a thrown shield to destroy some slave collars and take out bad guys as trained to by Guardian. Unlike many examples that take from Captain America and return like a boomerang Kon always had to go grab the thing from wherever it landed instead.
* TimeTravel: Like Kal-El, Conner has had many adventures with the Legion of Super-Heroes.
* TotallyRadical: He started out like this, and even had good excuses like being regularly exposed to Hawaiian pidgin and surfer lingo, before he was retooled into Mr. CloningBlues.
* TheTropeKid: Before the original Superman returned while he was still refusing to be called Superboy he was called the Metropolis Kid.
* TrueCompanions: With Tim Drake, Bart Allen and Cassandra Sandsmark.
* UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny: He once tussled with Spider-man (Ben Reilly) during the ''Marvel Vs DC'' event.
* UnequalPairing: Knockout, who is much older and has inserted herself into Superboy's life as a trainer/teacher in order to [[spoiler:try to corrupt him and turn him into her lackey]], and the less than a year old "teenaged" Superboy.
* UnwittingTestSubject: Superboy finds himself being used as an unwilling experimental subject by Agenda.
* UtilityBelt: After Kon loses his powers he keeps crimefighting gadgets in a utility belt and uses his Legion ring to fly.
* ValleyGirl: Kon starts out as an unquestionable male example even though he was like grown in a jar in Metropolis and never lived in the valley. Presumably he picked up the mannerisms through the NeuralImplanting Cadmus did, and he definitely cares quite a bit about fashion.
* TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive: Kon starts to realize that this a significant downside to having no secret identity.
* WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld: S.B. was attending Ilupani High School while working as Hawaii's hero and found himself in trouble when school caught up to and surpassed the knowledge Cadmus had implanted in his brain. He got kicked out for unrelated reasons soon after but his school teachers still expect him to keep up with at home schooling. This later is also seen in vol.5 where he attends Smallville High School after being revived in ''Final Crisis''.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: The Kid does not like sharks. They're not really physically a problem for him but this interactions with King Shark have left him unnerved by actual sharks.
* WinYourFreedom: On the Wild Men's island Superboy wins his freedom in a contest.
* WorfHadTheFlu: Several of Superboy's defeats and near defeats are only able to happen because he's already injured or ill.
* WorkingThroughTheCold: While suffering degeneration from Agenda's experiments he continues to act as "Hawaii's Hero". Unfortunately this only accelerates the issue till he can't even stand on his own and has to be rushed to Cadmus to save his life.
* XRayVision: One of the last powers he develops.
* YouAreNumberSix: Conner Kent was designated "S-13" at Cadmus, in relation to being the thirteenth (and only successful) clone of Superman.
* YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood: The Kid's irritated response to realizing Knockout has been playing him for a fool.
* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: After realizing just how wrong he was about Knockout her subsequent approval of his violence while fighting her does not make him pleased.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: As a result of being made as a teenager he starts his series ''[[ReallyWasBornYesterday much]]'' younger than he looks.

[[folder:Kon-El (New 52)]]
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sb_cv4_aksdhjfas6df98asd.jpg]]

* AlternateTimelineAncestry: His ancestry is all kinds of muddled up. In addition to being the AlternateSelf of the post-Crisis Conner Kent, he's ''also'' a clone of Jon Lane Kent, who was the son of Superman and Lois Lane. And since the two of them later merge, it ''also'' means he's an AlternateSelf to ComicBook/JonathanSamuelKent, who is also Superman and Lois's son from different universes (who merged with their alternate selves).
* AmazonianBeauty:
** Dr. Caitlin Fairchild, who is drawn with far more muscular frame than back in her ComicBook/{{Gen 13}} days.
** The unnamed female antagonist in Issue #3 also counts.
* AntiHero: Initially, of the NominalHero kind. This version of Superboy has no interest in heroics beyond what it takes to survive/gain his freedom. Between the first and second issues, he kills many of his captors by reflex and feels no remorse or guilt, tortures a group of soldiers who hold him at gunpoint, and flat out threatens to kill anyone who stands in his way. Issue #4 steers him towards being a KnightInSourArmor, and he eventually becomes an AllLovingHero.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: He taught himself to talk and communicate by watching others do it.
* BaldOfEvil: Depending on how you view his "anti-hero" antics, Superboy is this when fresh out of the test tube.
* BecomeARealBoy: His character development seems to be headed in this direction. In fact, he uses these exact words in issue #6.
* BelligerentSexualTension: Superboy and Rose Wilson
** The fight between Superboy and ComicBook/WonderGirl 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.
* BizarreAlienBiology: In addition to the Kryptonian side of his DNA, Superboy states that his "brain" is, in fact, every single atom of his body.
* BloodKnight: Rose Wilson
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Superboy sometimes has trouble understanding moral issues, as he hasn't really had much time to learn about it. He honestly doesn't understand why [[spoiler:robbing a bank]] gets him complaints.
** He's been getting better about it.
* BoisterousBruiser: Definitely. Rose Wilson even moreso.
* BullyingADragon: How most N.O.W.H.E.R.E. staff and mooks treat Superboy.
* CloningBlues: The ComicBook/{{New 52}} version of ''Superboy''. 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. The name "Kon-El" is Kryptonian for "abomination of the house of El". [[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.]]
** Unlike H'El, Supergirl got over her hatred, and she even defended him during the storyline "Crucible".
* ConsummateLiar: Zaniel Templar. Superboy acknowledges it, but knows he has to play along.
* DidntSeeThatComing: [[spoiler:See "NeckLift" below.]]
* DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength: Becomes a source of angst when he realizes that he can't be around ordinary people without killing them.
* {{Expy}}: Being a HotBlooded clone/ArtificialHuman and a LivingWeapon (actually, he was [[spoiler: a guinea pig]]) with enormous PsychicPowers, occasional initial vagueness on morals when it came to things like stealing, NinetiesAntiHero morality that eventually developed into that of an AllLovingHero and a tempestuous relationship with his counterpart that mellowed out over time, he comes across rather like a version of [[ComicBook/XMan Nate Grey]].
* FakingAmnesia: Superboy's cover story in the "small town" simulation.
* FalseFlagOperation: Templar arranged for one of N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s own bases to be attacked in order to set up his agenda.
* FieryRedhead: Dr. Caitlin Fairchild. Aka, "Red".
* FunWithAcronyms: There has been no indication as to what N.O.W.H.E.R.E. stands for.
* FutureSpandex: N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s uniforms, and Superboy's "Containment Suit".
* GeniusBruiser: Superboy has shown to possess superior intellect to what humans could ever have. His mind works with incredible speeds, and combined with his TTK-powers, it might be one of his greatest assets.
* HeroicSacrifice: To blast Argo into space, allowing Kara to escape Krypton. He survives... somehow.
* HiredGuns: Rose Wilson.
* InTheBlood: Superboy's instinctual affection for farms in rural Kansas.
** Accompanied by him completely ignoring someone in a burning building. Red wonders if this means that he has a "[[ComicBook/LexLuthor Deeply pathological, megalomaniacal narcissist, the likes of which the world has never known]]" as a donor. It was, however, revealed that Superboy was aware that the people in the fire were just part of a simulation, and he was giving them the same concern that [[VideogameCrueltyPotential most people give random NPCs.]] [[spoiler:Lex Luthor isn't his donor, as he is actually a clone of Superman and Lois Lane's future child.]]
** On a physical level, he looks ''exactly'' like a young Superman.
* LackOfEmpathy: At first. Although in issue #6, he suspects that he's starting to feel a spark of it. By the time his series gets into the twenties, he's got it in full, to AllLovingHero levels.
* MindOverMatter: In this version, it seems that his tactile telekinesis is far more powerful than in previous incarnations. It now operates like regular telekinesis letting him levitate objects at a distance and also providing greater awareness of his environment akin to a type of sonar. He also uses this to simulate some Kryptonian powers.
* MindScrew: the series is perfectly straight forward at first, but the introduction of [[spoiler: Jon Lane Kent, the two Superboys switching costumes and being mistaken for one another and a considerable amount of time travel]] has led to even other characters being confused. There's actually an InUniverse flow chart.
* MixAndMatchMan: It's implied that ''this'' version of Superboy isn't just Kryptonian and human, but a ''mix'' of other alien species. He's eventually revealed to be a clone of Superman and [[spoiler:Lois Lane's future child, Jon.]]
* TheMole: Umber, who is a spy for Lois Lane.
* MoralityChain: Fairchild acts as this for Superboy early on. In fact, she insists on it.
* MythologyGag: [[spoiler: Jon Lane Kent, the son of Superman and Lois from a possible future and template for Superboy, wears a costume that looks a lot like the 90s Superboy costume]].
** 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, 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.]]
* TheNeedless: Superboy states that he doesn't need to eat or sleep.
* OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: N.O.W.H.E.R.E.
* OutlawCouple: The young couple that appear in issue 3.
* NeckLift: [[spoiler:Fairchild surprises Superboy with on of these when she [[TheReveal Reveals]] her powers for the first time.]]
* OnlySaneWoman: Dr. Caitlin Fairchild, the only one who bothers trying to treat Superboy like he's not a thing.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Used at first to help differentiate him from Superman. In the new DC universe it was intended to make him look sinister in comparison to the Comicbook/TeenTitans, but since they also wore a lot of red and black - to the point where if you take away the wings and domino mask and S-shield respectively, it can be quite hard to tell Superboy and Red Robin apart - it didn't really work.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: When using his telekinetic abilities.
* ReluctantMadScientist: Dr. Caitlin Fairchild
* RetCanon: This version of Superboy is much closer to the Conner Kent shown in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' than he is to his pre-New-52 counterpart. Both were secretly created as a LivingWeapon and have to deal with doubt about their personhood; both were shunned by Kryptonians for their status as clones; and both had very similar attitudes and temperament, especially in their willingness to use overwhelming force and temper control issues.
* SimulatedUrbanCombatArea: Where Superboy spends the majority of his time after being released from the tank.
* TheStoic: He's largely introspective and calmly rationalizes everything around him.
** NotSoStoic: When he starts getting a no-holds-barred beatdown in issue #2.
* SuperStrength: Kon-El displayed strength enough to bench press a couple tons. His upper limit has fluctuated over time however.
* SuperpowerLottery: Subverted. It seems that this Superboy has not yet obtained all of his Kryptonian powers and his only abilities are his tactile telekinesis and a degree of superhuman strength as well as a superhuman healing factor (something Harvest pointed out after Superboy's fight with Grunge) and is even able to bend light around him to turn invisible.
* {{Telepathy}}: Superboy can at least see and erase memories. Though it takes him quite a while to realise that he actually has this.
* TimeyWimeyBall: Thanks to this, Kon's pretty much become a one man [[TangledFamilyTree Grey-Summers family]]. After sort-of dying, he teamed up with [[spoiler:the original he's cloned from, who had pulled a HeelFaceTurn, after accidentally merging with that original in order to fight a past version of his original who hasn't yet pulled a HeelFaceTurn, then that original seemed to die, which altered the fight with his past self, somehow bringing Kon back to life.]]
* TookALevelInKindness: Though it takes him a while, he becomes much, much nicer as time goes by and much more heroic.
** [[spoiler: The same thing happens to Jon]].
* VitriolicBestFriends: Turns out that Rose and Fairchild are this, to the point that Fairchild left something behind for Rose to find if anything happened to her.
* WatchingTheReflectionUndress: A superpowered variation occurs in ''[=Superboy=]'' #10: Superboy calls out that he's started their campfire, but when she doesn't answer, he searches and is stunned to walk in on Wonder Girl (Cassandra Sandsmark) bathing in a lake. Wonder Girl angrily calls him a pervert and tells him to turn around. Superboy turns around, but puts his hand on the ground and smiles. Wonder Girl remembers that he can "see" through what he is touching and angrily throws a rock at the back of his head to get him to cut it out.
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Only "Red" thinks of Superboy (who is half-alien ''and'' a clone) as a human. (Although Rose may have a soft spot for him, too.)
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Rose Wilson has beautiful white hair, but is an unrepentant ProfessionalKiller and BloodKnight.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler:Harvest wants him dead for this reason.]]

* AlternateUniverse: Kon-El meets and teams up with the Kal-El version Superboy in several post-Crisis storylines, including "ComicBook/ZeroHour" and "Hypertension."

* CostumeCopycat: Kal-El Superboy initially accuses Kon-El Superboy of such in their ComicBook/ZeroHour crossover meeting in ''ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}}'' #8, before learning the truth about what's going on.

* LetsYouAndHimFight: Between Kal-El Superboy and Kon-El Superboy in the "ComicBook/ZeroHour" crossover (as this page's picture indicates).

!! ''Series/SupermanAndLois'' (2021-present) portrayed by Jordan Elsass