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lover of Kon - El / Conner Kent ’s version ofSuperboyare thrill that the persona has beenreintroduced into current DC comical booksafter apparently being retconned out of existence . LongtimeSupermanreaders know that Conner Kent is a clon of Superman who was create in the backwash of theDeath of Superman storylineand took on the mantle of “ Superboy . ” Originally sporting a rebellious flavor , complete with sunglass and a leather jacket , Conner has since matured and involve Superman as his older pal .
What many Conner Kent fans may not cognize , however , is that a version of Conner Kent actually appeared in a 1980s live actionSuperboyTV series , twelvemonth before his debut in the comics . While this springy legal action version Conner did not have the same backstory as his comic book twin , a look back at his genesis may expose the two may have a possible tie .
Related : Superman And Superboy Conner Kent , Back Together Again
In 1988 , executive producer Ilya and Alexander Salkind , who had produced the first threeSupermanmovies asterisk Christopher Reeve and theSupergirlfilm starring Helen Slater , decide to take a small - screen attack to the Superman franchise . Existing in a separate persistence from the motion picture , theSuperboyTV series showcased Clark Kent ’s early days as a college - aged “ Superboy ” ( although the serial itself was set in the 1980s and 1990s ) .
While show ’s first season is considered substandard , with actor John Haymes Newton playing a rather wooden Boy of Steel and play along by downhearted - budget special effects , the second time of year drastically changed the serial publication . Newton was put back by Gerard Christopher as the new Superboy ( not unlike how Ruby Rose is currently being remold forBatwoman ) . The particular result budget was also increased , and doer Sherman Howard was brought on to play a menacing Modern Lex Luthor .
Most significantly , the show ’s scripts began being written by seasoned laughable book writers , include J.M. DeMatteis , Mark Evanier , Denny O’Neil , John Francis Moore , and Cary Bates . This caused the show ’s plots to reverberate comic book - style storytelling . Superboy lead off fighting live action versions of Bizarro and Metallo as well as Lex Luthor . One two - part installment even had Superboy meet aliens masquerade as his Kryptonian parent Jor - El and Lara ( act by formerJames Bondactors George Lazenby and Britt Ekland ! ) .
However , it was in Season 3 that the show , now calledThe Adventures of Superboy , began telling truly unconscionable stories . Decades before the CW ’s Arrowverse start tellingstories about the multiverse , Superboyoffered a two - part story entitle “ Roads Not Taken . ” Written by DC comic book writer John Francis Moore and Stan Berkowitz , the account had Superboy enter a dimensional portal that sent him to an alternative macrocosm where Superboy had drink down Lex Luthor , launch the world into bedlam .
Superboy later on meet his substitute ego who has take to … dress in a leather jacket and sunglasses just like Conner Kent did in his first appearance . Although this alternate Superboy ( also played by Gerard Christopher ) is not a dead ringer like Conner , he does display Conner ’s early arrogance and plain contempt for authority . Fortunately , Superboy is able to reawaken some of the other Superboy ’s humanity , and he change over back to his original costume , promise to repent for murdering Luthor and serve his own domain once again .
“ Roads Not Taken ” was released in November , 1990 – a full two years before theDeath of Supermanstoryline begin in DC Comics ( and three twelvemonth before Conner Kent made his unveiling in 1993’sThe Adventures of Superman # 500 ) . While it ’s potential that Conner and the alternate resilient - action Superboy could have developed on disjoined personal credit line , the fact that DC Comics writers were so involved in writing playscript for the show could indicate thatseveral ideasfrom the boob tube show could have influence later comics .
Tellingly , one of the episodes ’ writers , John Francis Moore , went on to write alternate reality Elseworlds stories for DC Comics . Moore ’s atomic number 27 - writer Stan Berkowitz also wrote many popular scripts for DC exalt series likeBatman Beyond , The New Batman Adventures , Superman : The Animated Series , Legion of Super Heroes , andBatman : The Brave and the Bold .
alas , The Adventures of Superboywas cancel after its quaternary season , despite offering some really innovative storytelling for its meter . While shows likeSmallvilleandThe Flashare credited with making the superhero writing style popular for television , it was actually alargely - leave show likeThe Adventures of Superboythat place much of the fundament for presently popular superhero television show today .
Conner Kent ’s version ofSuperboywould go on to make several modest screen appearance , both in living ( Young JusticeandRegin of the Supermen ) and live natural process ( SmallvilleandTitans ) , but now devotee can add another live activity appearing ( of form ) that precedes even his funny Bible launching .
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