Superboy: The One That Got Away

If you are like me, you love all things super. So whether it's Superman, Supergirl, or Marvel's Gladiator, if it flies, I am hooked.

I also love reading about the process of how characters are introduced and how writers view the heroes they are working on.

Today was a good day for both

Today I found  writer Jim Shooter's blog. In a recent post he outlines his idea to introduce a new super character, a cousin to Superman who would be introduced in his Legion of Superheroes run. Obviously this never happened, but it's still a great read.

Jim Shooter explains, (in his post) that while outlining his Legion run DC requested that he introduce a new 'super' character to the team. The reason being is that DC Comics (at the time) feared that they would loose the rights to Superboy, so "A new Super young man, cleanly owned by DC, was needed."

I love how Jim Shooter wanted to go about this character, for someone who loves Superman it's awesome to hear (read) what he wanted to do.

This is some of what he had to say about his new Super character,

"I see him as a genuine good guy.  Someone who does the right thing, who has tremendous willpower and courage, who is smart and reasonable.  Smart about using his powers, as he learns how.  The nicest, best guy you ever met.  NOBLE, in the best senses of the word.  Not that he can't make mistakes, not that he doesn't have humanity--but he's the best of humankind, one of the few survivors of his particular kind, determined, therefore, to give a good account of himself. "

"Stan (Lee) taught me this: magnify your heroes.  He meant it in the archaic sense--to glorify, to increase, to make great.  Super Lad should become THE Super.  The standard by which all others are judged."


The character, in his treatment was to be called Super Lad, I am sure (or I hope) this would have been changed if the character had ever seen the light of day. Why not Kid Krypton? or something ending in -EL, the \S/ could have remained, fans would have understood.

But that's beside the point.

Good read, and too bad. In the end DC Comics won, Superboy (Conner Kent) came back and the Legion of Superheroes was able to use Clark Kent.