Staying close to Damian-- being a good friend in good times and bad--is the answer, not pushing him away. We only learn by making our own choices, dad. — Superboy src

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History

Birth



Jonathan Samuel Kent is born.

is the firstborn son of Kryptonian superhero Superman and news reporter Lois Lane . He now fights crime alongside his father as the young hero

Jonathan was born during a multiversal cataclysm where his mother and father had been abducted from their Earth and placed on a sentient planet to fight amongst other abductees from throughout the multitverse.

After both his and his mother's lives were jeopardized by a mentally unstable counterpart of his father, Superman managed to get his family to safety with the assistance of an alternate Batman, who had also aided Superman in the delivery of his son.[1]

When the being responsible for said cataclysm had a change of heart, Lois and Jon accompanied Superman to the first crisis in order to prevent the Multiverse from collapsing, a mission that proved successful.[2] Jon and his parents ended up stranded on a different Earth than the one they came from and had to learn to adapt. To avoid discovery, the family went undercover while adopting the surname White.

Early Childhood

Jon grew up oblivious of his parents' past while living an apparently normal life. However, with his father acting as a secret super-hero and his mother still publishing her work under the pseudonym 'Author X', he was always suspicious of their awkward behavior. This suspicion came to a head when he and his mother were kidnapped by this world's Bruno Mannheim and Intergang. This led to the discovery that Jon had inherited superpowers from his Kryptonian father.[3] After later being rescued by his father, Jon was told the truth about his family's origins.

Jon later discovered he had other superpowers, including heat vision when he accidentally killed his cat. He and his family would later encounter the Eradicator, who was intent on absorbing Jon's Kryptonian side. This battle would eventually end up in the Batcave located on the Moon. Lois would use one of Batman's suits and helped Jon and Superman to defeat the Eradicator.

Afterwards, Clark gave Jon a hat and glasses to help form Jon's secret identity. He would later travel with his father to the Justice League Watchtower and Superman introduced Jon to Batman and Wonder Woman as Superboy, making him a part of the Justice League.[4]

First Adventures as Superboy

While working on a science project for school with his father at the Fortress of Solitude, a device in the base went haywire and transported them to the dangerous Dinosaur Island, where they fought for survival alongside a marooned war veteran named Captain William Storm.[5] Storm helped the pair return home but stayed behind himself to make sure the mutated dinosaurs would never make it to the outside world.



Jon meets Damian

Later, while searching for a Christmas tree,[6] Jon accidentally torched some woodlands near a swamp in Hamilton but was rescued by Nobody and Goliath. Having been brought to the Batcave for questioning, Jon learned that Robin had been keeping him under surveillance for a long time. The two initially did not get along, and the situation was further complicated when Batman and Superman arrived, blaming each other for the conflict. A fight was averted when Jon used his freeze breath to separate the two sides and explain the situation to his father. [7]

In order to properly discipline their sons and teach them the value of working together, Superman and Batman had them undergo a series of challenges, but their lack of teamwork caused them to fail every challenge. The boys finally managed to put aside their differences and save their fathers from an apparent threat in the Batcave, which later turned out to be a ruse.[8] At this point, Alfred Pennyworth declared them to be the Super Sons.

Superman Reborn



History is rewritten

Having been posing as an alternate Clark Kent in Metropolis, Mister Mxyzptlk unveiled himself, having returned to harass Superman. This time, his plan targeted Jon.[9] The fifth-dimensional imp was angry at Superman for not rescuing him from Mr. Oz and intended to get revenge by erasing Superman's son from their minds and history. With Lois Lane already forgetting about their child, Superman desperately offered to play a game with Mxyzptlk in order to get Jon back. The imp agreed and created an obstacle course called the Infinite Planet.[10]

After Lois and Clark completed the course, Jon emerged from the top of the course, infused with red energy, which turned out to be the essence of the Prime Earth versions of his parents, who, in their reality, never had Jon and were never married. After Mxyzptlk abandoned them, Jon convinced his reality-displaced parents to merge with their alternate-reality counterparts to form one set of Superman and Lois Lane with both their histories.[11] In doing so, the Superman family history was altered.

In the new merged timeline, the circumstances of Jon's birth had been rewritten to have taken place inside the Fortress of Solitude with both Batman and Wonder Woman present, and the Kents never lived in hiding under the pseudonym "White". [12]

Super Sons Vs. Kid Amazo



Jon and Damian - Super Sons

Jonathan was unwillingly recruited by Robin to help him investigate a series of break-ins at Lexcorp, but the investigation was complicated by Lex Luthor, who tried to capture them both.[13] The two boys managed to escape and follow a lead to a secret family who still retained their powers from the Amazo Virus. However, one member by the name of Reggie Meyer was driven insane by the excessive use of his powers and took the alias Kid Amazo. He had also stolen the Amazo Armor from Lexcorp and had planned to use it to lure the Justice League into a trap.[14] Thanks to the arrival of Lex Luthor and Reggie's super-powered sister Sara, the Super Sons managed to take Kid Amazo down. Not wanting to explain themselves, Robin and Superboy quickly left the area. However, their absences from their respective homes did not go unnoticed and they were punished by their families.[15] After talking to their parents, Superboy and Robin were given permission to go adventuring on their own, as long as they always stuck together.





Black Dawn

While waiting out a big storm in the basement of their farmhouse, the Kents were paid a visit by Batman and Robin. Batman told them that his analysis on Superboy's DNA had come back inconclusive and theorized that something environmental could have been suppressing the growth of Jon's powers. He deduced that it might be the milk of a neighbor's cow but, while attaining a sample by himself after leaving, Batman was attacked by a strange alien substance within the milk.



Jon's true power revealed

When Batman did not return the following morning, Superman, Robin, and Superboy went searching for him, discovering a squid monster that Superboy was forced to kill with his heat vision in self-defense. Superman then had a talk with his son about the consequences of his actions.

It was later revealed that the true villain behind Jon's suppressed powers was Manchester Black. He had recruited a group of aliens, which included the Kent's neighbor Kathy Branden and her grandfather, in order to enact his revenge against Superman and groom Jon into his protegé.[16] Jon, while under the control of Black's mental powers, was forced to fight his own father while his powers were pushed to their limits. Eventually, Jon was able to throw off the mind-control and, with the help of his friend Kathy, defeated Manchester Black with a huge blast of psychic feedback.

Three weeks after the incident, Jon's powers returned and he finally gained the ability to fly.[17]

Moving to Metropolis

After moving to Metropolis from the countryside, Jonathan was allowed to go patrolling the city with Robin, provided that he returned home at 10:00 pm. While patrolling, they were met by the Teen Titans, who were investigating some strange energy readings. Though Starfire invited Superboy to come along, Robin denied the invitation, stating that Superboy was only ten and not a teenager like him.

Having followed their lead with Superboy, the Titans had found their culprit - Atom Master and Chun Yull - but were easily defeated and forced to return to Jon for help. [18] With the Boy of Steel on their side, the Titans managed to easily defeat the foes and redeem themselves, once again making an invitation for Jon to join and having it denied by Damian.

Superboy and Robin continued to follow the mystery of where the villains had come from and, after being sucked into an interdimensional portal, had discovered they had originated from Yggardis, the living planet. Fighting for their lives on the planet with some other survivors, Superboy and Robin successfully returned to their home planet and reported the whole thing to Superman.

Some time after the event, Superman and Batman decided to give Jon and Damian their own secret base of operations equip with Justice League and Kryptonian technology at the bottom of Morrison Bay.[19] Much to Damian's dismay, Superboy nicknamed the new base 'the Fortress of Attitude'.

Super Sons of Tomorrow



Superboy solar flaring

About 3 months later at Titans Tower, Superboy argued with Robin that the Boy Wonder had not been keeping his promise to allow him to participate in a Titans mission once a month. The conflict was interrupted by the arrival of Tim Drake from a dark alternate future, who had come back in time to kill Jon and avoid a possible cataclysm. Superboy, in a panic, flew out of the tower and suddenly exploded, having developed a new, destructive power called the 'super-flare', heavily damaging the headquarters and injuring the Titans.

On the run from Tim Drake and his Titans of Tomorrow, Jon and Damian escaped to the Fortress of Solitude where they found Superman trapped in a cage of Red Kryptonite and freed him. As the Titans of Tomorrow arrived, Jon panicked, accidentally charging up another, more dangerous super flare. With everyone working together to stop the detonation, future-Tim Drake made the final sacrifice by absorbing the energy of the blast and allowed himself to be pulled into hypertime, saving the day and ending the crisis.

With so much drama having been caused by them for the last few months, Superman threatened to disband the Super Sons, but the boys however stood up to the Man of Steel, saying they would not abandon each other. Superman yielded, respecting their friendship.

Later on, at the Justice League Watchtower, Robin put to a vote whether Jon should become a part-time member of the Titans. With Damian being the only supporter, the other members voted no, feeling that the team itself is falling apart under Robin's leadership. Jon accepts their choice, and Robin soon recasts a new team of Titans.

Exploring Space

Jon's altercation with future-Tim Drake actually affected him more than he let on. He became fearful of the possible future Savior was trying to prevent and was dejected at the Titans' refusal to let him join, believing that they saw something wrong with him.[20]

One night at the Kents' residence, the family was visited by none other than Mr. Oz - Superman's time displaced father and Jon's grandfather. Jor-El had come to take Jon on a trip through space to better educate him about the known universe.[21] Lois and Clark initially refused, but Jon tearfully revealed his insecurities to his parents, stating that this could be an opportunity to better understand himself. Convinced, Lois agreed and volunteered to go with them, much to Clark's dismay before finally letting his family go.[20]

Longest Trip to the Galaxy & Return to Earth

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Legion of Super-Heroes

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Powers and Abilities

Powers

Abilities

Heavy Machinery Operation: Superman has taught Jon how to drive the family tractor at their home, and apparently Jon can also drive a semi-truck. [26]

Superman has taught Jon how to drive the family tractor at their home, and apparently Jon can also drive a semi-truck. Indomitable Will: Superboy's force of will is strong enough to overcome Time Commander's Time Freeze.[31]

Weaknesses

Vulnerability to Kryptonite : Due to his half-Kryptonian DNA, Jon is susceptible to kryptonite radiation like his father. [35]

: Due to his half-Kryptonian DNA, Jon is susceptible to kryptonite radiation like his father. Power Instability (Formerly) : When Jon was very young, his Kryptonian powers were inconsistent, especially his invulnerability. His powers seemed to also fluctuate with his emotions. [6] It was revealed that Jon's power fluctuations were the result of Manchester Black's machinations. After Black was defeated, Jon's powers were fully recharged.

: When Jon was very young, his Kryptonian powers were inconsistent, especially his invulnerability. His powers seemed to also fluctuate with his emotions. It was revealed that Jon's power fluctuations were the result of Manchester Black's machinations. After Black was defeated, Jon's powers were fully recharged. Vulnerability to Psionics : Jon's inexperience in dealing with psychic foes leaves him wide open, especially if those psychic attacks target his powers.

: Jon's inexperience in dealing with psychic foes leaves him wide open, especially if those psychic attacks target his powers. Solar Energy Dependency: Like average Kryptonians, Jon needs to recharge his energy by absorbing solar energy from the yellow sun radiation. Lack of solar energy in long periods will gradually weaken his abilities, ultimately making him vulnerable.[36]





Notes

Trivia

Recommended Reading

Related



