Kal-El (Earth-Prime)

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Continuity-Related Comic Book Character
Kal-El
Information
AKA:	Superboy-Prime Superboy Prime Clark Kent
Species:	Kryptonian
Homeworld:	Krypton-Prime (birth world) Earth (adopted world)
Universe:	Earth-Prime
Relatives:	Jor-El (biological father) Laura (biological mother) Jerry Kent (adoptive father) Naomi Kent (adoptive mother)

Superboy-Prime is from the universe known as Earth-Prime. He was thought to be a normal child. He is the adopted son of Jerry and Naomi Kent, who named him Clark. Clark was Naomi's maiden name as well as the first name of the fictional comic book character in their world. What the Kents do not know is that the baby, found abandoned in a forest, is actually a young Kal-El, who has been teleported to Earth by his father Jor-El moments before the planet Krypton was destroyed when its red sun went supernova.

Background Information

In the parallel universe of Earth-Prime, on the planet known as Krypton, scientist Jor-El addresses the Kryptonian Science Council, with news of their planet impending doomed. Rather than take immediate action, the council members decide to deliberate in committee, in the vain hopes of reaching a solution. Enraged at their ineffectiveness, Jor-El leaves the council chambers to return home to his wife, Lara, and his infant son, Kal-El. Jor-El and Lara continue construction on a teleportation device they hope might save the doomed populace of Krypton. Without the council's support, the construction of the machine has progressed slowly, only capable of transporting objects weighing no more than 50 pounds. Before long, Krypton's red sun begins to emit intense solar flares -- each one increasingly worse than the last. Frantic, the Science Council reaches out to Jor-El for help. Jor-El, however, keeps the truth about the teleportation devices from the Council because they have waited too long to put Jor-El's plan into motion. They simply do not have the time to build the machines to save Krypton's populace. Jor-El returns to his family. Lara and he decide to teleport baby Kal-El across the universe to a world known as Earth-Prime.

On Earth-Prime, Jerry and Naomi Kent are hiking through the forests of a coastal New England when they come upon baby Kal-El. They decide to adopt him as their own and Naomi names him Clark Kent. Not only is ‘Clark’ Naomi’s maiden name, it is the name of a fictional comic book super-hero known as Superman, which is well-known on this version of earth. Unlike his comic book namesake, young Clark Kent grows up a completely normal boy, unaware of his true alien heritage. Until one fateful night when Clark, dressed in a Superman costume, is escorting his girlfriend, Laurie Lemmon, to a costume party at Hampton Beach. They meet some friends at the beach and sit around hoping to catch a glimpse of the cosmic phenomenon known as Halley's Comet. Somehow, inexplicably, the passing of Haley’of the Comet and the cosmic crisis, that threatens the whole of the multiverse, alters the very nature of this universe, allowing the young Kent to develop super-human abilities. Discovering the ability to fly, Superboy soars up into the clouds, where he encounters Superman from Earth-One.

A few hours before young Clark took to the sky, in the Earth-One universe on Earth's moon, that universes’ Superman is grieving over the death of Supergirl while the crisis of infinite proportions threatens the entire multiverse. He is seen by members of the Superman Revenge Squad. They fire an experimental extra-dimensional weapon at him, which sends him into a parallel universe. He quickly recognizes the surrounding geography as that of Earth-Prime, a parallel world that hasn’t had a genuine super-hero since Bobby Kennedy. As he flies over a small New England coastal community he finds a young boy dressed in a costume similar to his own. In fact, the boy looks just like he did when he was younger. Even more incredibly, the boy suddenly exhibits Kryptonian powers. As this Superboy takes to the sky, Superman greets him. The two Kryptonians share a brief conversation. As they talk, the boy, in addition to his new found ability of flight, demonstrates knowledge of the Crisis. Superman reveals that he is unable to return to his universe. As they talk, they see an approaching disaster, so the two head back down to Hampton beach to save it from an approaching a tidal wave. Superboy uses his new powers to stop the wave. After averting the near-disaster, Superboy sets out to help his older counterpart return to his native dimension. To accomplish this, they must first stop a small invasion force of alien Polarians from wreaking havoc on Earth. Following a brief scuffle, Superman and Superboy use the Polarian technology to create a vibrational tuning device that opens a vortex back into the Earth-One reality allowing Superman to return home.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

Main article: Crisis on Infinite Earths

Superboy-Prime is drawn into the Crisis on Infinite Earths after his universe is consumed by the Anti-Monitor’s wave of Anti-matter. However, he is not exactly sure how he survived. It is speculated that Superboy was brought into a limbo dimension by the Monitor and then summoned by the Monitor for a great battle. Even though he has lost everything, he finds peace in knowing that he fights the good fight alongside other heroes in the battle against the multiverse-destroying menace of the Anti-Monitor.

During the final battle against the Anti-Monitor, Kal-L, the Earth-Two Superman, orders Superboy-Prime to escape with Alexander Luthor, Jr. of Earth-Three and the other heroes. The young hero ignores the request and decides to stay with Kal-L, fearing that he may die in the battle without him.

After the destruction of the Anti-Monitor by Kal-L, Superboy-Prime joins Kal-L, and his wife Lois Lane-Kent in a "‘paradise dimension’" created by Alexander Luthor, Jr.

Post-Crisis

We learn from the Post-Crisis storyline that while in the "paradise dimension" Superboy-Prime does not age. He secludes himself from the others, using crystals to replay events from his life on Earth Prime. He also is able to view the post-crisis earth – a world he can never be part of. He soon comes to despise his situation. He lost his childhood, and will never grow up to be ‘Superman.’ His envy and anger boiled as he watched the world he had saved become darker. Regretting his decision, he escaped with the help of Alexander Luthor, and the two set off the chain of events which brought about the ‘Infinite Crisis’. Having been exposed to yellow sunlight and reveling in his strength, he would soon become the cause of many of the atrocities during the Infinite Crisis.

Powers and Abilities

Super Powers

Superboy-Prime possessed virtually the same powers as his Earth-One Counterpart.

See Superman of Earth-One’s Super Powers.

Abilities

• Intimidation
• Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
• Magic Immunity: Unlike most Kryptonians, Superboy was completely unaffected by magic. He claimed a blast from Black Adam only "tickled" him. The same happened when he was attacked by Mordru.
• Power Mimicry Immunity: Prime possessed an ability to nullify the effects of others trying to duplicate his powers. This was shown when fighting Amazo replying, "trying to copy my powers.....wrong!!!!"[citation needed]
• Kryptonite Immunity: Earth-Prime's Krypton was swallowed up by its sun so there was no known Kryptonite that could affect Prime. It is later revealed that Superboy-Prime, as well as Superman of Earth-Two, was immune to the Kryptonite of the New Earth. There were no known variants of Kryptonite that could affect Prime. An artificial variant was created by Element Lad which did have an effect on Prime.

Weaknesses

• Power Loss / Solar Energy Dependency: Superboy's powers all result from his ability to store, process and convert compatible energy sources in his body. His primary and most accessible energy source is yellow solar energy. In order to function at peak capacity using solar energy, Superboy must remain within the accessible area of such yellow solar radiation or his powers fade to greatly reduced levels; some disappearing entirely if his solar reserves are empty. Red solar energy also can drains his powers.
• Lead: Superboy's vision was ineffective against lead or lead-based material.
• Obsession: Superboy was utterly single-minded in his pursuit of creating what he believed to be the "Perfect Earth". As such, his judgment was severely impaired when it came to dealing with others in achieving this goal. His mania and arrested emotional maturity level led to countless deaths across the Multiverse,

Paraphernalia

Equipment

None during Pre-Crisis

Appearances

• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #7 (October 1985) [Flashback]
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #1 (April 1985)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #2 (May 1985)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #3 (June 1985)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #4 (July 1985)
• Legends of the DCU: Crisis on Infinite Earths, #1 (February 1999)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #5 (August 1985)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #6 (September 1985)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #7 (October 1985)
• Infinity, Inc., #22 (January, 1986)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #9 (December 1985)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #10 (January 1986)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #11 (February 1986)
• Crisis on Infinite Earths, #12 (March 1986)

Notes

• Superboy-Prime was created by Elliot S. Maggin and Curt Swan (who’s concept was based upon the original Superboy character by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster).
• He first appeared in DC Comics Presents, #87 (April, 1985).

Trivia

• Prime was not born with his super-abilities like most Pre-Crisis Kryptonians. For the early years of his life, he was as strong and as vulnerable as a normal human being.
• The reason for Prime's name change from "Superboy" to "Superman" was not just done as part of an in-character motivation, but as a result of the real life lawsuit between the Siegel family and DC/Time-Warner. The Siegel family filed a claim pertaining to the Superboy trademark, causing problems for all versions of characters calling themselves "Superboy". In an effort to avoid benching the character, Prime was renamed to more strongly be associated as an alternate version of Superman.
• After certain legal decisions were made concerning the trademark, the character was allowed to be called by his original title as Superboy-Prime when the character was set to return for his role in Legion of 3 Worlds with Kon-El/Conner Kent.
• The name "Superman-Prime" was first used by Grant Morrison in DC One Million (1998) for the mainstream Superman in the 853rd century (he is essentially the same Superman from the All-Star Superman storyline).
• Earth-Prime's Superboy first refers to himself as "Superboy-Prime" in Infinite Crisis, #2 (January 2006).

External Links

• Kal-El (Earth-Prime) at the DC Database
• Superboy Prime at Wikipedia