Conner Kent/Kon-El/Superboy Appreciation 2022

[Frontier]

I got into comics right around the time Damian showed up, so I’ve never given a **** about Tim ever. Far as I can tell he’s just a boring self insert for millennials, now he’s that but for gay fans too. I’m glad YJ and Titans put Kon in Dick’s generation and I hope the upcoming mini helps re-establish him as a character who isn’t solely tied to the 90s YJ team any more. Much like the Titans that team only runs on nostalgia these days, Kon needs to move forward. New friends, new purpose, preferably a new costume, do new stuff with him. I don’t want to completely dissolve his old relationships with Tim, Cassie, and Bart, but they can’t be the only foundation he has these days. Tim’s a black hole of nothingness, Cassie and Bart are barely relevant in their respective franchises, Conner has the YJ and Titans shows bringing in new fans for him. Hopefully Porter can write something that makes fans of his portrayal in those check out a comic starring him.

I think Tim is a boring self-insert as much as, say, Peter Parker is.

I get the desire for Conner to stand on his own but I still think the YJ group is important to each other and to the character.

I think it's funny how the sidekicks are largely portrayed as being a step down from their mentors, except M'gann. J'onn J'onzz seems to j'obb a lot in animation while it seems M'gann has reached greater heights than J'onn ever has or ever will.

Kaldur was shown as being more effective and a better fighter than his mentor a few times.

[Vordan]

I think Tim is a boring self-insert as much as, say, Peter Parker is.

Heh funnily enough that’s another character who suffers from an identity crisis where Marvel doesn’t know what to do with him so they just rehash his best stories and rely on his fanbase’s preexisting attachment to carry him forward. I’d likely have more affection for Tim if he had been “my” Robin growing up but he wasn’t, Damian is, and Tim has never done anything to make me buy the hype as justified since Damian arrived. I don’t want Conner languishing in that same position.

I get the desire for Conner to stand on his own but I still think the YJ group is important to each other and to the character

I don’t want the ties completely dissolved but his purpose in life can’t just be to participate in YJ reunions or reminisce about the good ol’ days. New relationships should be built between Conner and others.

[Frontier]

Heh funnily enough that’s another character who suffers from an identity crisis where Marvel doesn’t know what to do with him so they just rehash his best stories and rely on his fanbase’s preexisting attachment to carry him forward. I’d likely have more affection for Tim if he had been “my” Robin growing up but he wasn’t, Damian is, and Tim has never done anything to make me buy the hype as justified since Damian arrived. I don’t want Conner languishing in that same position.

I get why people might prefer Damian although objectively I think it's impressive Tim was able to hold a solo book as long as he did and carried the torch of a "classic" main Robin in the modern era which Damian's never really been.

I don’t want the ties completely dissolved but his purpose in life can’t just be to participate in YJ reunions or reminisce about the good ol’ days. New relationships should be built between Conner and others.

That's fair. A part of me just wants to blame Bendis though .

[DochaDocha]

Kaldur was shown as being more effective and a better fighter than his mentor a few times.

I should clarify a few things. Kaldur studied magic more than Arthur so there were things he was always going to do better. He also grew throughout the course of the show from Aqualad to full-fledged Aquaman and JL member. Guys like Dick and Conner can stand their own, but I don't see them as ever quite being Batman and Superman's respective equals.

M'gann and J'onn? I wonder if J'onn was ever on M'gann's level. IMO, even if you take into account the mind control from Season 1, she already showed the ability to overpower him just based on their inherent powers, up to now where Dick called her a "demi-goddess."

[SuperX]

kon has done great with other characters, but he has never needed any of them to shine. everywhere he goes he meets new ppl to bounce off of,so he doesn't need to stick to a few sets of ppl all the time. kons personality and attitude are what sells him, it's not just his unique look or powers (even though they are awesome as well).

ms Martian would be cool to have him meet while out in space, but I think she is more earth bound.

Now his new 52 version of him (that really wasn't him) would be perfect for being with Ms Martian, they both feel alien in their own way, and new 52 kon has strong mental defenses plus some type of Telepathy (even if limited).

always liked their Smallville season 11 relationship (plus I like how kon used TK in the series.

megan on the show is definitely the "Jean Grey /Phoenix" of the team, her Telepathy has no peers.


Btw question for all, do you ever wish back when Geoff gave Conner the kryptonian powers thst even though he looked as physically as tough as a kryptonian thst a lot of it was his actual TTK that he already had, and was still using to amp his physicals?

[marhawkman]

kon has done great with other characters, but he has never needed any of them to shine. everywhere he goes he meets new ppl to bounce off of,so he doesn't need to stick to a few sets of ppl all the time. kons personality and attitude are what sells him, it's not just his unique look or powers (even though they are awesome as well).

ms Martian would be cool to have him meet while out in space, but I think she is more earth bound.

Now his new 52 version of him (that really wasn't him) would be perfect for being with Ms Martian, they both feel alien in their own way, and new 52 kon has strong mental defenses plus some type of Telepathy (even if limited).

always liked their Smallville season 11 relationship (plus I like how kon used TK in the series.

megan on the show is definitely the "Jean Grey /Phoenix" of the team, her Telepathy has no peers.

Btw question for all, do you ever wish back when Geoff gave Conner the kryptonian powers thst even though he looked as physically as tough as a kryptonian thst a lot of it was his actual TTK that he already had, and was still using to amp his physicals?

I like the idea of Conner being more than "nerfed Kryptonian"... that's what Jon is for.

[Vordan]

[Frontier]

Kon looking cool .

[Vordan]

Another Titans mini is coming:

Titans United: Bloodpact is a six-issue series beginning this September, inspired by the current HBO Max series Titans (and the new characters set to debut in the upcoming fourth season). But while it's inspired by the Titans show, it's not a spin-off - it's actually a sequel to the 2021 Titans United comic book series set squarely in DCU continuity.

"The Titans are back, united against a common foe...aren’t they?" reads DC's description of Titans United: Bloodpact #1. "All seems lost when Tim Drake wakes, out of uniform and seemingly out of time. Surely he was just fighting alongside Nightwing, Superboy, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Donna Troy? But where is Raven and what links her to the Fearsome Five? A blood sacrifice is coming that will change the world forever."

Titans United: Bloodpact is written by Cavan Scott (writer of the original Titans United series), and drawn by Lucas Meyer. The main cover is drawn by Eddy Barrows, with variant covers by Derrick Chew, Taurin Clarke, and Stephen Byrne. Check them out here:

[SuperX]

I like the idea of Conner being more than "nerfed Kryptonian"... that's what Jon is for.

He definitely is NOT just a nerfed kryptonian.

before his kryptonian DNA emerged, he had TTK and potential heat vision and super hearing as he got older. that by itself puts him atleast close to a kryptonian.

Now factor in his kryptonian powers.even when Geoff did this =

he made him flawed, not the road they took with Hybrids with viltrumites and humans in the Invincible universe where the viltrumite DNA takes over and you get full power as much as a full blood viltrumite. even with this he has been shown to have all the powers and at their levels, maybe only not having their endurance.

So add that with the TTK and "kryptonian like" power potential and he should be more powerful than all of them pretty easily, course DC won't let happen, but it's right on the page, titans of tomorrow, and Smallville season 11 show he is.


now

[SuperX]

Kon looking cool .

I would cut his hair a Lil, give him some kinda hybrid short cut somewhere between his YJ show hair and his undercut hair we see now in comics.

I would put on thst jacket and add gloves to the look. have him wear some glasses also(loved the idea of him having Lex's color of eyes, and he wears glasses to cover them.

he needs a hybrid look, not one way or the other, just like his powers, just like his personality and attitude.

[SuperX]

Another Titans mini is coming:

Yay us. keep the steady kon appearances coming DC.

[Frontier]

Another Titans mini is coming:

The return of the most positively received Titans book in...years, really.

[Vordan]

The return of the most positively received Titans book in...years, really.

I thought it was mediocre as hell but that’s still a high bar for modern Titans

[Frontier]

I thought it was mediocre as hell but that’s still a high bar for modern Titans

People thought it was fun, which is definitely an achievement for a modern Titans run .