Warning: Spoilers for Action Comics #1076
Superman may be the head of the Super-Family, but Superboy has just received a major promotion that gives him a new prominent role in DC lore. Conner Kent's travels through space with Kong Kenan culminate in his unexpected rise to power, differentiating Superboy from Superman as he undergoes an epic design change to complement his upgrade.
Action comics #1076 by Mark Waid, Clayton Henry, Michael Shelfer, Matt Herms and Dave Sharpe follows Superboy and the Superman of China as they embark on a wild adventure in Superman's absence. An assault on the Fortress of Solitude takes them to the Royal Space Museum, where they face a Khundian armada seeking to destroy the museum – which would also destroy the Fortress' artifacts.
To stop the Khunds, Superboy decides to fight the admiral to claim the high-ranking position for himself.thus becoming its new leader in a shocking turn of events.
Superboy’s “Super-Overadmiral” title redefines his role in DC history
Superboy assumes a leadership position, complete with his own army
When Superboy proposes his challenge to fight the Overadmiral for his position, Super-Man is quick to reject this idea. After all, the Khunds are ruthless warriors, and Conner may not have what it takes to defeat them in combat alone. However, much to Kenans' surprise, Superboy emerges victorious and appears before the Khunds as “Super-Overadmiral Conner Kent”. His modification of the admiral title is a play on his Superboy name, integrating him into his elevated role. Kenan asks how Conner beat the former admiral, and Superboy reveals that he used his tactile telekinesis, which proves that he achieved this role through strategic combat.
As Super Admiral of the Khunds, Superboy gets some upgrades. For starters, he wears a modified costume that features a royal cape befitting his new status. Although the Superman family currently wears costumes that resemble each other, this single change gives Conner his individualized appearance. The promotion to admiral is not merely cosmetic, of course, as Superboy, he also has full command over the Khundian army. When he orders them to stand down while trying to stop Kenan, they obey him without question. Superboy now has more power than ever, greatly differentiating him from Superman.
Superboy carves his own path out of Superman's shadow
Conner Kent finally stands out among the heroes of the Superman family
Superboy has been a consistent presence in the Superman family, but his membership in this clan of heroes can sometimes be detrimental. He is surrounded by other Kryptonian superheroes with powers that resemble his own, and as a result, it can be difficult for him to stand out. Plus, the fact that his title was shared by both Supermen – Clark Kent and his son Jon – makes him feel even less unique. Conner's command status as Super Admiral shows how different Superman he is, and although it is unclear how long he will maintain this position of power, Superboy I will definitely make the most of it while it lasts.
Action comics #1076 is now available from DC Comics.