Superboy - Other Versions

Other Versions

Several other versions of Superboy originating from different parts of the Multiverse have also appeared in DC Comics.

• Alternate versions of Kal-El:
  • Karkan: In a 1972 imaginary story, infant Kal-El lands in Africa and, like Tarzan, is found and raised by gorillas. As a teen, Karkan is found by an expedition to Africa and brought to Metropolis. When he finds that he can't adjust to "civilized" life, Karkan returns to the jungle. Karkan also appears in the "Hypertension" story arc (1999).
  • Superboy of Superboy's Legion: In this Elseworlds tale, the infant Kal-El is stranded in the Asteroid Belt, and he remains there, in stasis, until found in 2987 by R. J. Brande, a thousand years after Krypton's destruction. At the age of 14, "Kal Brande", also known as Superboy, joins Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl in forming "Superboy's Legion", later known as the Legion of Super-Heroes.
  • In the Superman & Batman: Generations series of stories by John Byrne, Superman gets his start as Superboy during the 1920s.
• Alternate versions of Kon-El:
  • Superboy of the Super Seven: This Elseworlds version of Kon-El is one of the "Super Seven", a group of heroes which include Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and a Lex Luthor/Metallo hybrid, who help humans fight off "The Horde", an alien race that occupies Earth.
  • Black Zero: a version of Kon-El who was grown to adulthood and lived on a world where Superman didn't return from the dead. He was the main villain in "Hypertension" and the foe of the "Legion of Superboys" (below).
• Other versions:
  • Kingdom Come: Superboy appears alongside Supergirl with the Legion of Super-Heroes in one panel. It's unclear whether this version is Kon-El, simply young Kal-El (via time travel) or possibly his son through Lois Lane.
  • Legion of Superboys: Different versions of Superboy from throughout Hypertime, including both Kon-El and Kal-El, team up in the unofficial "Legion of Superboys" to fight Black Zero in the "Hypertension" story arc. Among these Superboys are a version of Kon-El that has taken Robin's place as Batman's partner, a Kon-El cowboy, a Kon-El knight, Karkan, Superboy One Million, and a teenage clone of Supergirl from the Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl reality.
  • Superboy One Million: The one millionth clone of Kon-El, he lives in the 853rd century and is a member of Justice Legions S, which consists exclusively of Superboy clones, and T, a future version of Young Justice. Also known as Superboy OMAC, an acronym for "One Millionth Actual Clone" of Kon-El, this Superboy resembles the original OMAC (One-Man Army Corps) in appearance. He was part of 1998's DC One Million crossover event and reappeared the following year in "Hypertension".
  • Quetzal: In a distant future on the colony world of Aztlan, Quetzal becomes the designated heir to Superman, who occupies a semi-divine position in this Aztec-like society. Realizing that "Superman" is corrupt, Superboy leads a rebellion against him.
  • Superboy (presumably the original) is one of the "ghosts" in the empty "Planet Krypton" restaurant in The Kingdom: Planet Krypton #1.

In addition, Marvel Comics' Gladiator of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard is based partly on Superboy. The Shi'ar Imperial Guard, as a whole, was created as an homage/parody of the Legion of Super-Heroes.