Kon-El
Superboy
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Contents
Reputation
Superboy is well-known to be a cloned hybrid of Kryptonian and human DNA. His link to the true Superman is a large responsibility to carry around, but one he bears willingly and openly, always striving never to let down the one he looks up to so much. Young, reckless and a little headstrong, always with a smart quip at the ready, Kon-El nevertheless takes his role as superhero seriously, even if he sometimes lets his flair for the dramatic get the better of him. He doesn't let the fame of the S shield get to his head, and as a result, he is trustworthy and liked. He is known to have a special bond with Skyboy.
Background
The Clone Years
all began with the death of Superman, the Man of Steel, at the hands of the alien menace known as Doomsday. After the Man of Steel fell in battle, his body was taken by the research scientists of the Cadamus Project, who planned on using the DNA of the Kryptonian in order to biogenetically engineer a number of "super"-clones. Unfortunately, the process did not prove successful, not until they discovered that even dead, Superman generated a biogenetic aura. Once they figured out a way of analyzing the aura, they used Superman's biogenetic aura and merged it into DNA donated by the agency's director, Paul Westfield. Finally, the Cadamus Project had created the first Superman-clone. The clone was capable of generating an aura of biokinetic energy, which when manipulated, would enable the clone to mimic many of the powers possessed by the Man of Steel.
. During the cloned incubation and initial growth period, the Cadamus Project decided to age the clone to approximately 15 years of age, figuring that a teen-ager would be easier to control than a full-grown adult. They implanted various memory routines into the developing brain of the clone, giving him the appropriate field of knowledge any 15 year old male would posses (pop culture, history, mathematics, and the like). They also led the clone to believe that he truly was the clone of Superman. Paul Westfield and the design team also began to develop special memory implants that would enable them to exert control over the clone at any time, through the use of special code words that would only be known to the director.
A group within the Cadamus Project, known as the Newsboy Legion, decided that they could not allow this to occur. After stealing a leather jacket from an unattended employee's locker, they used their skills to liberate the young clone, breaking him out during the aging process, leaving him in the form of a 15 year old boy. When they set him free, one of the Newsboys wished the young Superboy luck. Leather jacket slid onto his torso, the clone turned around and angrily claimed, "I /am/ Superman!" He then took off, heading for Metropolis...where he felt that Superman should rightfully be.
The Metropolis Kid
Flying back to Metropolis, the clone almost immediately ran afoul of a cyborg villain known as Sidearm. Equipped with powerful cybernetic arms, Sidearm engaged the clone in battle. Believing himself possessing the visual powers of the Man of Steel, the clone who would be Superboy, eagerly engaged Sidearm, thinking that he would easily defeat his foe. Unfortunately, as he did not possess the X-Ray Vision he was counting on, Sidearm almost brought about the untimely demise of the 'Metropolis Kid.' Luckily, the Metropolis Kid's aura kicked in, his tactile telekinesis flaring to life, which enabled him to bounce back and take down the cyborg, leaving him dangling from his arms as a present to the Metropolis police to find.
The following morning, rescuing a young girl from being run over by a gang of street punks who had stolen a car, suddenly thrust the Metropolis Kid into the limelight, as the story of his heroism made all the front pages; along with three others who had shown up, wearing the famed red 'S' shield on their chests. Soon meeting up with an ambitious reporter, Tana Moon, the Metropolis Kid gave her an exclusive interview that rocketed her to a position at WGBS. It was while doing a publicity stunt for GBS that the Metropolis Kid ran into Supergirl, who invited him to dine with her and Lex Luthor II. Infatuated with Supergirl, who he viewed with the giddiness of a fan meeting an idol, Superboy gladly accepted. During the dinner, Lex tried to convince the Metropolis Kid to instead join WLEX over WGBS, and once Supergirl added that she would work with him, the Metropolis Kid eagerly accepted.
After dinner, the Metropolis Kid met up with Tana and Vinnie Edge at Clark Kent's old apartment. As Clark was presumed dead during the Doomsday Incident, Vinnie had arranged for the Metropolis Kid to move in to the residence. Before 'The Kid' could tell them of his deal with Lex, Vinnie introduced him to a close, personal friend named Rex Leech. Rex would become 'The Kid's' manager, who would handle personal appearances and events, leaving the 'Metropolis Kid' free to do what he did best. Almost immediately, Rex went out and secured the copyright to the name 'Superman,' ensuring that the Metropolis Kid would be the one and only to legally bear the name.
Superman (TM)
Although the Metropolis Kid was now legally 'Superman,' he was a bit less world-wise and did not know that some of the events that Rex had arranged were set-up; one such event caused the destruction of Hobsneck Bridge. Rex had hired a supervillain known as Stinger to combat the Metropolis Kid. Stinger brought the Kid to his knees, relentlessly pounding on the young hero, until Supergirl arrived. A 'Supergirl' clause not being in his contract, Stinger decided to retreat, but when he did so, he activated a series of bombs arranged along the bridge--bringing the structure down upon the two 'Super' heroes. Luckily, Supergirl and 'Superman' managed to survive and save a number of lives in the process.
Shortly thereafter, Coast City came mysteriously under attack by a strange force. The Cyborg Superman appealed to the Metropolis Kid's ego, claiming that he really needed the help of the 'true' Superman. Meeting up with the Cyborg Superman at the ruins of the city, a WGBS helicopter flying nearby, the unfortunate Metropolis Kid realized too late that it was a trap. With his Heat Vision, the Cyborg Superman blasted the helicopter out of the sky, then overpowered the Metropolis Kid, imprisioning him within the newly redubbed 'Engine City,' built on the ashes of Coast City. The Cyborg underestimated the resourcefulness of the Metropolis Kid, however. After the Cyborg Superman gleefully told the captured Kid of his plans to make the world into a new Warworld, the Kid panicked and triggered his tactile telekinesis, blasting away his restraints. Knowing that he could not face the Cyborg alone, knowing that the JLA was in space, dealing with another threat, the Metropolis Kid flew back to Metropolis to gather help. He found the other 'Super' heroes (Steel, Supergirl, and the resurrected /true/ Superman) and lead them back to Engine City to face down the evil Cyborg Superman.
The Cyborg Superman had allied himself with the Mongul, and seeing his enemies approaching, launched a destructive missle, aimed for Metropolis. While Steel, Superman, and Supergirl dealt with the Cyborg, Mongul, and their minions, the Metropolis Kid raced after the missile, managing to deflect it into the ocean and saving the city, although he was seriously injured in the effort.
Surviving the missile crisis, the Metropolis Kid stayed in Metropolis for awhile to recupperating, dealing with a number of minor alien-related interests. When he felt more up to speed, he joined Steel, Supergirl, the real Superman, the Eradicator, and the Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) to once more assault Engine City, seeking to end the threat of the Cyborg Superman and the Mongul. Victorious in short order, when they returned to Metropolis, the Kid returned to his apartment for some well deserved rest. Not long after, Tana Moon showed up, telling the Kid that she had quit her job at WGBS and was leaving Metropolis.
As the life of a public figure superhero can never be boring, a few days after returning from dealing with Cyborg Superman and Mongul, the Metropolis Kid's apartment was attacked by the Payback DNAliens, apparently sent by Cadamus. Only Superman's timely interruption saved the Kid from being captured. Later, the Guardian caught up with the Kid, assuring him that Cadamus wasn't behind the attack. At Superman's insistance, the Kid traveled with the Guardian to the Cadamus's headquarters, escorted by Superman, who had assured the Kid that he would ensure that Cadamus didn't try to harm the Kid. At Cadamus, the three learned the truth of the Kid's origins, learning that he was not really a clone of Superman, but a clone of Paul Westfield whose DNA had been modified by what they had learned of Superman's biogenetic aura. As they were leaving, Guardian suggested that Dubbilex act as the Kid's guardian, a representative of good will between the Kid and Cadamus.
Crushed to learn that he was not, in actuality, a clone of Superman, the Kid offered to sell back the legal rights to the name 'Superman' to Kal-El for a dollar. Kal-El then offered to allow the Kid the use of the S-Shield and the name 'Superboy,' as long as half the profits went to charity. After throwing a tantrum about not being a 'kid,' the new Superboy finally realized that it was not such a bad name after all. It at least indicated that he would be the rightful 'heir' to the Superman legacy. Meanwhile, Superboy's agent, Rex, decided it was time to go on a world tour, in order to establish the new 'brand' name in the consciousness of the people. Superboy had officially arrived!
Superboy is Born!
Now going by the name Superboy, Rex and Superboy set off on a whirlwind tour of the world, playing up to the paparrazi, getting Superboy's name and face out there for maximum public recongition. It was on his world tour that Superboy came to Hawaii, where he instantly fell in love with the island. He decided to make it his home, as it would give him a presence on a coast far from Superman's shadow (although he might not have consciously realized it). With him were Rex, Roxy (Rex's daughter), and Dubbilex. It was not long after setting up homestead that Superboy discovered that Tana had also come to Hawaii and was living there as well. For a brief while, the two hit off as an on-again/off-again couple.
Unfortunately, the beautiful island proved to be less of a refuge than Superboy could have desired. In short order, Superboy found himself squaring off against an incredible array of foes, who had all decided to take on Hawaii for one reason or another. Scavanger, King Shark, Silver Sword, a rematch with Sidearm, Knockout (a powerhouse with whom Superboy played a dangerous, rather heavy handed, flirtation game with while they fought), and more villains than one can shake a stick at. For such a small island, it sure seemed to have a LOT of problems. It was during this time that Superboy formed an alliance with the Honolulu S.C.U.. Unfortunately, he also ran afoul of a truant officer, who felt that the young teenager should properly be attending school. So, Superboy had to sit down and take placement tests. Of course, a fight broke out that Superboy had to go handle during the test, but at least what he had already finished showed that he was at an appropriate High School level. Thus, he was enrolled as a Sophmore in Ilupani High School. Of course, all it took was a brawl with Apokolips's Female Furies to level the school, and get the truancy officer to allow Superboy to be home schooled by Dubbilex.
Through all of his trevails and situations and heroic efforts to live up to the S-shield he wore, Superboy managed to earn the respect of many heroes. He has briefly been a member of the JLA, joined an intergalactic/interdimensional rave and led a group of Ravers to help defeat an evil Khunds (the earth clique even dubbed themselves 'Superboy and the Ravers!'), became an honorary member of the 30th century Legion of Superheroes (more on that later), was invited to join the Teen Titans, and finally decided to become a founder of the 'junior' branch of the Justice League known as Young Justice!
Young Justice, Baby!
Shortly after his 'meltdown' crisis, Superboy met up with Robin and Impulse, who had all been offered membership in the Teen Titans, but all refused for personal reasons. The first time the three worked together, it was to face off against C.O.M.P.U.T.O., a sentient computer that had bedeviled both the JLA and the 20th-century stranded Legion of Superheroes. Not long afterwards, the three once more banded together in order to save the metahuman known as 'Secret,' a young girl who was being hunted by the anti-meta-human arm of the U.S. government, known as the Department of Extranormal Affairs. Then, one day, the three woke up in their separate cities to discover they were living in a world without grown-ups! As glamorous as that sounded at first, the three quickly realized that there was serious problems going on. Uniting as the "JLA" of "Kidworld," the three hunted down the source of the strange catastrophy, a young boy with incredible powers, a boy calling himself Bedlam. Bedlam had separated the world into two different worlds, one with only kids and the other with only adults. The three tracked down Bedlam, facing against an incredible foe that could manipulate reality. It was Impulse, of the three, who discovered Bedlam's weakness...resorting to saying 'Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat...,' causing the young supervillain to lose control of his powers, reuniting the world once again. After these numerous incidents that kept throwing the three young heroes together, the three decided to form a team of their own. A team that Impulse inadvertantly named 'Young Justice!' Thus, Young Justice was born, with Red Tornado as their self-proclaimed guardian.
Around this time, as Superboy was out flying around, he decided it was high time to find this person known as Knick Alen, who claimed to be a Kryptonian. Joining up with Superman, who was also curious about Knick Alen, the two started their search. After a few days of searching, he finally came across the young Kryptonian, who was busy building his Sanctuary. The three spent a few hours talking, one of those rare meetings that didn't immediately set two heroes at each other's throats for some misunderstanding. It was Superboy, with his usual forthrightness, who noticed and pointed out that Knick seemed to only go through the motions, that he seemed too distant and standoffish, or so he told Superman as the two were flying away. Superman casually suggested that maybe Superboy should keep tabs on Knick, for the two were of a similar age (physically). This would prove to be the beginning of a strong friendship that would eventually blossom into something much more
As a reward for defeating Bedlam, the newly formed Young Justice was given the old JLA cave in Happy Harbor, RI, to serve as their new base. The trio managed to discover an old 'Whiz Wagon,' which they promptly dubbed the Super-Cycle, which took them on a wild-world-wide ride into danger. Managing to escape from Harm (quite literally, although the Villain lost his life) and saving a Sheik from danger, not soon afterwards, the three decided to induct a few others into Young Justice: Wonder Girl, who was a match for Superboy's powers; Arrowette, a friend of Impulse's; and Secret, the young meta the trio had saved from certain death at the hands of the U.S. Government.
Around the time of Superboy's "2nd birthday," Superman invited the Teen of Steel to the Fortress of Solitude. There, Superman officially adopted Superboy as his cousin, giving him the name Kon-El, in the proper Kryptonian fashion. One of the proudest moments of his short life, Superboy gladly accepted the name as his own, although he had never felt the need for one before. Almost immediately afterwards, however, something of a far more ominous overtone occured...
Surfing the HyperTime
Apparently out of nowhere, Superboy appeares and collapsed within the headquarters of the Justice League. Big Barda carried the dying Superboy out to the others, where Wonder Woman picked up his jacket, receiving a dark vision of a "blackness that is coming." When Superman arrives on the moon base with Superboy in tow, the 'real' Superboy gets the shock of his life when he sees 'himself,' lying dead on the floor. Heading off to Cadamus, they verify that the 'dead' Superboy /is/ the real Superboy, and that the jacket given to Wonder Woman is New Gods technology, although not from either Apokolips or New Genesis. Determining to find his own killer, Superboy flies off with Cannon to consult with the Hairies at their Mountain of Judgement. There, he finds out that the jacket is coded specifically to react with Superboy's DNA and that it required a massive amount of energy to activate. Returning to Cadamus, Superboy is inducted into knowledge about "HyperTime." Superboy is told that something is moving through Hypertime, destroying one timeline after the next, and that /this/ earth was next. Deciding to face his destiny, Superboy puts on the jacket, and with the help of a nuclear explosion, Kon-El is thrust into HyperTime!
From one Hyper-reality to the next, the Hyperjacket took Kon-El to a Gotham where he had become the new 'Robin,' when the old had been killed by Knockout; to a reality where his clone was Supergirl, part of an all female Justice League; to the Hyper-reality where his (or the 'dead' Superboy's) trip had apparently started in the rubble of a destroyed Metropolis; a reality where he was Karkan, 'Lord of the Jungle'; one where he was a member of the Challengers of the Unknown; one where he was the squire to Kal-El of the Camelot era and a member of the Justice Riders; until he finally crash-landed in a familiar field outside of Smallville. Through the journey, the Hyperjacket's power reserves continued to mount to dangerous levels. When he arrived in Smallville, Kon-El tried to rid himself of the jacket, only to be stopped repeatedly by a tenacious flying white dog in a red cape: Krypto!
With help from the Clark Kent-Superboy, who Kon-El had met once before, in convincing Krypto that he wasn't a threat, they threw the jacket into orbit, where it exploded violently. As CK Superboy sent Krypto to retrieve any remnants of the jacket, he took Kon-El to the Kent's farm, where Kon received another shock...Superman was really Clark Kent! After promising the Kents that he would never reveal the secret to anyone, Kon-El reluctantly admitted that he had no way of returning to his own timeline. Meanwhile, as Krypto discovers a fragment of the jacket, but when he returns to the crash site, he finds unexpected visitors instead--Black Zero appears leading his Stormguards. Grabbing Krypto by the neck, Black Zero vows that Superboy would not escape him again. Black Zero is one of the Superboy clones from the alternate timeline in which Superman never returned from the dead. Unable to live up to the legacy of his world's Superman, faced with prejudice because of being a clone, Black Zero has set out to save the lives of every clone in every timeline, or the Genetix, as he prefers to call them.
The two Superboys, flying out to find Krypto, run across Black Zero and his henchmen, the Stormguard. As the two sides collide, Black Zero seems to be expressing regret, but as Kon-El engaged the Stormguards, Black Zero zaps CK Superboy with a bolt of white-lightning, which causes the youngster to disappear. Enraged, Kon-El attacked Black Zero, who taunted the Teen of Steel before blasting him with the same projectile that caused CK Superboy to disappear. Knocked unconscious by the blast, Kon-El awakes to find himself in Fortress Cadamus, a Hypertime mingling of Project Cadamus and the Fortress of Solitude. Black Zero reveals the power source of the HyperJacket, a mineral known as 'Hyperium,' revealing that this reality's Metron (of the New Gods) was the technological overseer here, which explained why Barda thought that the jacket was New God's technology. Then, in a typical fit of megalomanical pride, Black Zero revealed the army that he planned on unleashing throughout the HyperTimeline-an army of Doomsdays!
Still held prisoner, Kon-El is introduced to the "Directors," a group of Paul Westfields from across HyperTime. Apparently, Black Zero has gathered together the Westfields from the HyperTimes he has already conquered, as he is the 'father' of the Superboy clone(s). Superboy stuns Black Zero when he reveals that /his/ reality's Westfield was killed. Suddenly, KnockOut from this reality bursts into the Fortress, seeking to find Superboy. At her side are the Challengers of the Unknown, who had disguised themselves as Black Zero's Stormguards. Superboy tells KnockOut that her Superboy died of massive trauma due to burns from a laser. When Paul Westfield reveals that it is he that attacked this reality's "Superboy" (the one that died in Kon-El's reality...confused yet?), KnockOut lost it, leaping to attack Westfield. Running for his life, Westfield leaps towards the Hyperium reactor, expecting to escape through the HyperTimeline. However, something strange occured--Westfield sets off a chain reaction, one that ripples across all of HyperTime, instantly destroying every Westfield in every alternate timeline, wiping them away as if they had never existed. Enraged by the death of the man he viewed as his father, Black Zero captures the heroes, dragging them all to the Doomsday chamber, where the various Doomsdays are waiting to break free. As the Challengers tell Superboy of how and why they came to challenge Black Zero, Superboy and KnockOut manage to break free of the chamber. As the Doomsdays are also ready to break free, KnockOut gives Superboy a kiss before pushing him out, saying that she would remain to delay the Doomsdays in order to give Superboy and the Challengers time to escape and track down Black Zero, who leave reluctantly.
The Tides of Hyper-Tension!
As Black Zero prepares to invade Kon-El's universe, he discovers that the Doomsdays are about to break free. After sending them to a dead-time in the HyperTimelines, Black Zero goes off to deal with Superboy and the Challengers, who have bedeviled him too many times in the past. As Kon-El and the Challengers try to release the various Superboys that Black Zero has culled from the conquered timelines, they discover that if they release them, the frequencies for their various proper timelines could be lost. As they decide to send Kon-El back to his own timeline, Black Zero appears and destroys the equipment that contains the Hypertimeline codes; unwittingly releasing CK Superboy as he does so. CK Superboy releases the other Superboys, who join together to face off against Black Zero's Stormguards. The Challengers, meanwhile, go to search out and find Metron, hoping to convince him to halt Black Zero's insane rampage across the HyperTimes. As Kon-El and the Superboys face down Black Zero, they all tell him that he can have their realities, but only if he kills them; something Black Zero could not do, since they are all closer than brothers, more than just united by being clones. Just as victory seems eminent, however, suddenly all of the Superboys except for Kon-El disappear, returned to their individual timelines by Metron, who has decided, for the sake of scientific experimentation, he wished to see what would happen if he took away Black Zero's HyperTime abilities and see what occured on a world without interference from Black Zero. Metron captures Black Zero within a Mother Box, which Kon-El decides to take back to his reality. With the aid of Metron, Kon-El and the Challengers build a ship capable of traversing HyperTime. Boarding the ship, they seek to return Kon-El, and his prisoner, back to Kon's native timeline. During the trip, however, Black Zero manages to break out of the Mother Box, creating an explosion that rips through the hull of the ship. Two of the Challengers get dragged out into the vaccuum, Superboy leaping out to try and save them. Black Zero, afraid that he would too die if Superboy was lost, followed to keep Kon-El from being lost forever. Kon only managed to save one of the Challengers, and with Black Zero's powers, the two were able to make it back safely to the ship. However, just as Black Zero was about to reenter, he was caught in a crackling bolt of corsucating black and white HyperTime energy, apparently incinerated in an instant-although Superboy remained unharmed and alive. But, relief was short-lived, for a sudden HyperStorm engulfed the ship, flinging the ship through space and time.
As it reentered actual time, the ship crashes into a strangely abandoned Planet Krypton (a Kryptonian-themed restaurant), where they were met by the restaurant's owner, Carter, and a mysterious stranger. Carter revealed himself to be Rip Hunter of the Linear Men, and the stranger was Rocky, one of the first Challengers. Carter offered to allow the Challengers to convert the basement of Planet Krypton into a field office for the Challengers, where with their source of Hyperium and the HyperShip, they could study and traverse HyperTime. Superboy was offered a position with the team, but he demurred, having obligations already with Project Cadamus.
Superboy arrives back at Project Cadamus in time to discover a large number of heroes have been gathered as Cadamus seeks to find a possible replacement for Superboy, who they believed had been lost in HyperTime. However, two of the 'heroes' turn out to be Punch and Jewellee in disguise, two villains who decide to take advantage of the confusion. Superboy arrives in time to prevent Punch and Jewellee's plans from coming to fruitation, and he's received with relief and accolades as friends and associates welcome him back with obvious warmth.
Back Into the Groove
Returning from HyperTime, Kon-El tried to get back into the swing of things. He continued his duties as a Cadamus field agent, continued to work with his friends in Young Justice, and try to resume his life as normal. Of course, fate often has a different idea of how a superhero's life should be led.
Deep inside, Superboy worried that he might not have returned to the proper HyperTime, something that he confided into Superman while they were facing off against a four-armed monster in Metropolis. After being assured by the Man of Steel that regardless of whether he was the 'real' Superboy, Superman was glad Kon-El was there, explaining how he felt that Superboy was like the younger brother he never had. A bit pleased by the praise by Superman, Superboy flew back to Cadamus, where he unwittingly walked into a trap set up by two mysterious individuals who revealed themselves to be the "New Managers" of Cadamus, Simyan and Mokkari, who had somehow gained control of Guardian, Gene Gnome, Dubbilex, Director Cannon, and a number of others. Minions of the Agency, they imprisoned Superboy within Cadamus. As the 'Evil Factory's' minions unleash havoc across the world, the Wild Men show up to break Superboy out, Tana Moon in tow.
Meanwhile, Superboy's clone, Match, has been masquerading as Kon-El, fighting alongside Young Justice. While exploring the Young Justice headquarters, Young Justice came face to face with the aged, former "youthful" heroes (Old Justice). A brawl breaks out between the elders and youngsters, and of course a camera crew is present...which doesn't help YJ's already tarnished image. As Wonder Girl calls a press conference, a surprisingly large number of heroes appear...including Superboy! Of course, just then, Klarion the Witch Boy shows up, at the bequest of the Contessa (Lex Luthor's ex-wife, and Director Beta of the Agency). Klarion casts a spell that reduces the ages of the mature heroes, but Doiby Dickles (a member of Old Justice) has a device in his hat (literally) which may be able to solve the problem. Unfortunately, when his technology and Klarion's magic collide, the result is to swap the ages of all the heroes, leaving the Star-Spangled Kid and the members of Young Justice as the oldest heroes present, though Superboy remains initially unaffected, he soon begins to feel unwell. His evil clone, Match, flies off to Cadmus, to where Wonder Girl soon airlifts Superboy for treatment while the other heroes scatter, agreeing to meet up once more in the Justice Cave. The Contessa is pleased with the negative press the heroes are receiving and moves forward with her plans, while the Guardian searches out the staff of Cadmus, held in suspended animation during the Agenda's cloning programme. A battle soon breaks out between genuine and cloned Cadmus staff and between Superboy and his doppleganger Match. During the brawl, Dabney Donovan, jealous of the Contessa's success, unleashes a viral that kills all the clones, except for Match who manages to fly off and save himself, just in time. Dr. Roquette manages to analyze Superboy, realizing that Klarion's spell is fighting against Superboy's cellular structure, she reverses the effect: and suddenly, Superboy is a Superman, complete with flowing cape! Unfortunately, during all the confusion, Amanda shoots Tana in cold blood in order to cover her escape, leaving Superboy to mourn the loss of his first love.
Despite his grief, Superboy and the other heroes all gather back in the Justice Cave, but discover that the re-aging device retrived by Doiby Dickles and the JSA is not enough to restore everyone to their correct ages, so they go in search of Klarion, in order to combine magic with science, having some leverage over him since Deadman is in possession of the witch boy's familiar, Teekl. After doing battle with a cadre of l'il villains and animated poxy-monsters, the heroes arrive at the Agenda's Alaskan headquarters, where Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, Superboy and Superman are being held prisoner. The Point Men discover that they are being used by the Contessa and side with the heroes, who are eventually able to coerce Klarion into restoring the natural ages of everyone on Earth. Merry, girl of 1000 Gimmicks, a member of Old Justice, is prepared now to go on camera in tentative support of Young Justice and similar teen heroes. However, things are far from over, as the Contessa now has samples of Kryptonian and Amazonian DNA and a de-aged Lobo appears on Earth, rather annoyed with Klarion.
A little while after everyone's been restored to their natural ages, Superboy flies to Gotham to hang out with Robin, where he gets involved in a case with Batgirl against Batman's specific (remote) instructions. The two of them end up very close to getting drowned by one Doctor Sin, but survive thanks to the combination of their personalities and Superboy's powers. Batman is not pleased that Batgirl was mixing with a meta-human, but Superboy does something both brave and foolish: stands up to him and points out that it was his stupidity, not his meta-nature that got them into trouble. The two of them face punishment together, but gained a new friend in Batgirl. After a few more months of once more trying to get his life together, however, Superboy finds himself, and Young Justice swept up into a new threat...
Devastated by the loss of Tana, who he had known almost longer than anyone else, Kon flew off to be by himself, to do some serious soul searching. However, he was not left along for very long. Knick Alen showed up on the deserted island where Kon-El was hiding. The two spent an entire day just talking, opening to one another about their problems, particularly with relationships. That's when Kon decided to ask Knick something that he had noticed long ago but had decided to bring up now, since it seemed the right moment. Kon confronted Knick, and Knick admitted that he did have feelings for him, that in Kryptonian society, such friendships were perfectly acceptable. Kon was kewl with it, and with Knick's admission, and it got him to thinking. After a few weeks, Kon decided to ask Knick if he would help him learn more about Kryptonian society first hand. Startled, but pleased, Knick invited Kon to stay with him at the Sanctuary, where the two rapidly became nearly inseperable. It was amazing, but the two quickly developed a rapport, helping one another confront deep-sated personal issues-Knick helped Kon come to grips with his fears that he wasn't "real," only a clone, and one that could possibly be in the wrong HyperTime, while Kon helped Knick deal with the abandonment issues he had long suffered. Because of their close friendship with one another, it was natural for Kon to introduce Knick to his teammates and friends, Robin and Impulse in particular. Soon, Knick was occassionally seen joining the Young Justice team on numerous missions.
A little while after everyone's been restored to their natural ages, Superboy flies to Gotham to hang out with Robin, where he gets involved in a case with Batgirl against Batman's specific (remote) instructions. The two of them end up very close to getting drowned by one Doctor Sin, but survive thanks to the combination of their personalities and Superboy's powers. Batman is not pleased that Batgirl was mixing with a meta-human, but Superboy does something both brave and foolish: stands up to him and points out that it was his stupidity, not his meta-nature that got them into trouble. The two of them face punishment together, but gained a new friend in Batgirl.
Flying back from his "meeting" with Batman, Kon received an urgent cry from Knick. Racing to Metropolis, Kon was startled to see two comets streaking towards the city. Meeting up with Knick, the two raised upwards, seeking to prevent the comets from crashing into Metropolis. It was a struggle, but the two managed to bodily drag the comets into the bay, crashing into the water at high velocity. Luckily, Jon-El, Legacy, managed to show up, saving the two injured heroes and taking them to the Sanctuary for healing. Word quickly spread, however, that the two had been lost in the attempt, which set a city, if not a nation and the world, into mourning.
As the two recuperated, rumors spread and people speculated about the two missing youths. About four days later, however, the two felt a bit more like themselves. Appreciating the lull, they decided to play frisbee over New York Harbor. Of course, the sudden reappearance of the two heroes was news, news that one reporter wished to use to make her big break. Flying a news 'copter to observe the two, she remarked on the 'rumors of a gay relationship between the two handsome youths.' Overhearing this, Knick laughed with frustration, but Kon suprised him by flying closer and saying, "I've got nothing to be ashamed about, let's really give them something to talk about." Moving closer, as if to kiss, the reporter gasped and got the picture-the Kiss Heard Round the World. Unfortunately, the two didn't really get a chance to finish the kiss, as Fate chose that moment to bring an old enemy back into Knick's life.
Both Kon and Knick suffered a firestorm of bad press, resentments, and "anti-gay hysteria." Through it all, Legacy publically supported the two for their decisions, but Knick still felt the need to move Sanctuary far from New York Harbor, settling it on an island in the Azores. Eventually, some of the chaos settled down, when Knick decided to take the relationship to another level.
. Knick invited Superboy to go on a vacation with him. The two traveled to the distant pleasure planet, Tandex, where Knick surprised Superboy by proposing to go through the Kryptonian ceremony of 'life partners.' With a short detour, involving saving Tandex from a crashing spaceship, the two did go through the ritual. However, fate would conspire to keep the two apart for awhile, as there were dark shadows on the horizon
Imperiex, a galactic being who commits cosmic genocide in his quest to dominate the universe, sends numerous probes to earth; probes that devastate the landscape, wrecking horrible destruction, including the obliteration of Topeka, Kansas. Countries put aside their differences as the heroes of Earth gather to face this newest threat: an intergalactic war.
Our Worlds at War
Young Justice, of course, answers this call to arms. With a Hypership, a gift from a Sheik who YJ had saved on one of their first adventures, the young heroes agree to act as back-up during the War, removing the wounded from the battlefield (after a bit of discussion about feeling 'sidelined'). While flying over the battlefield, scanning for injured metahumans, Superboy notices that Steel has been captured, being dragged off through a gate to Apokolips, who is revealed to be Imperiex's ally in the war. Superboy wants to rescue his friend, but Robin disagrees about leaving the battlefield and their mission. The two friends actually come to blows, and Robin pins the Teen of Steel, angrily berrating Kon-El, though Superboy points out that he had not actually used his powers to 'splatter Robin across the bulkhead.' S'lobo, however, spots Black Racer (Death) heading for Apokolips as well, and deciding to get the individual who has taken so much "business" away from him, flies the HyperShip after Black Racer, plunging Young Justice into the realm of Apokolips, where they crash.
While lil'Lobo remains behind to fix the ship, Young Justice splits into two teams: Robin, Secret, and Empress go to search for spare parts for the ship while Superboy, Impulse, Wonder Girl, and the former Arrowette head off after the Black Racer in order to find Steel. Impulse splits into two beings, sending his "alternate" self ahead and track the Black Racer, while the others follow behind. When they spot a group of Parademons head out from Apokolips's fortress, they realize that the parademons are heading for Robin's group, so they send "real" Impulse to warn the Boy Wonder. "Real" Impulse finds that it is too late, Robin and the others have been captured, and it looks like Lil'Lobo was destroyed in the fight (taking out a large number of parademons with him at the same time). He races back to tell the others, as Superboy and the others are fighting to buy time by unleashing firepit eruptions against the hordes of parademons. "Real" Impulse tells Superboy and the others that Robin's group has been captured and that they have to go save him, just as the "Alternate" Impulse races back with information (Steel has been brought before Darkseid himself)...unfortunately, so focused on the news, the "Alternate" Impulse doesn't watch what's happening and is incinerated in a firepit blast, causing the "Real" Impulse to collapse in shock. Turning around, craddling the unconscious Impulse in his arms, Superboy and the others are overwhelmed. With tears streaming down his face, Superboy's last thoughts are of Robin and the fight he had with him (just as Robin's last thoughts are of Superboy...) as the team is captured
Brought before Granny Goodness and the Female Furies, the young heroes are tortured. While Secret is taken away, tempted to turn to evil by Darkseid, who says that he can recognize the darkness within her, Empress discovers she posses a hitherto-unknown teleportation ability, which she uses to rescue the other members of Young Justice. Secret, rejecting the offer of Darkseid, rejoins the team, who find themselves surrounded and about to be recaptured. Just then, an army of L'il Lobos appears, rescuing the team and fleeing together on an escape craft, escaping from Apokolips while the war comes to a decisive conclusion.
Returning to earth, the world is a much different place. Heroes died valliantly defending the earth, the earth itself has changed: Atlantis missing (sent away by Tempest's magic, but he is unable to bring them back), Hippolyta dead, and many other changes...including the possibility that the Kents died in the initial attacks made on Topeka, KS. Even the members of Young Justice feel... different. Impulse, still dealing with the aftershock of his "double's death" decides to stop running, leaving the team... Robin announces that he's going to leave the team as well... everything seemed to fall apart. Feeling oddly abandoned by his best friends, Superboy decided to take some time to himself...
The Here and Now
After Our Worlds at War, it took Superboy, Robin, and Impulse a little bit of time before they realized that apart, there was just something missing. Slowly, they began to drift back together, but things just seem different somehow. They've seen things that even they had never expected to see, but perhaps as they settle back into their lives, they'll be able to really come to grips with everything. One thing is for sure, they all have a healthy new respect for life, and Superboy in particular, have decided that life is too short not to make the most out of what one has!
