WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Action Comics #1020 by Brian Michael Bendis, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Brad Anderson and Dave Sharpe, on sale now.
In the wake of revealing his dual identity as Clark Kent to the world, Superman has faced the combined wrath of his enemies in Action Comics. An all-out war has erupted between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom, Leviathan and Red Cloud in the streets of Metropolis, with the heroes overwhelmed by Lex Luthor's coordinated attack.
Fortunately, the League receives much-needed reinforcements from the teenage superheroes of Young Justice, led by Superboy -- not the son of Clark and Lois Lane but rather Superman's clone Conner Kent. And in Action Comics #1020, Conner makes a tremendous introduction to Superman by destroying the Legion of Doom's headquarters.
Following the reality-altering events of Flashpoint, Conner was removed from the DC Universe and replaced by a much different clone of Superman who was mixed with the New 52 Lois Lane's genetic material. During the subsequent DC Rebirth era, Clark and Lois' young son Jon had taken up the role of Superboy to save the day alongside his father, with Conner remaining absent for years.
However, at the start of the Wonder Comics imprint's flagship title Young Justice, Impulse encountered the classic incarnation of Conner living within the pocket dimension of Gemworld since Flashpoint. Conner had posed as the husband of a Gemworld woman named Lophi to protect her and her son before joining Impulse in the main DCU to serve as a key member of Young Justice.
Unlike his New 52 counterpart, Conner's genetic source material is drawn from Superman and Luthor, combining the best and worst of Metropolis. Conner has long struggled with his conflicting heritage, aware of his potential for tremendous heroism or villainy. With Luthor aware of Conner's heritage, the two have an especially complicated dynamic, with Conner often rejecting Luthor's offer to join him. And, in his first meeting with Superman during the DC Rebirth era, Conner quickly reaffirms his opposition to Luthor in a spectacular way.
As DC's collected heroes and villains battle against each other, the heroes gaining their second wind with Young Justice's support, and Superboy hoists the Hall of Doom and flings it deep into the ocean. More than just a headquarters for the Legion of Doom, the facility was recently revealed in the pages of Justice League to be completely mobile and fitted with its own devastating array of weaponry. With the Legion selecting Metropolis as the site for epic showdown to intentionally keep Superman from unleashing his full potential, Superboy removing the Hall of Doom from the battlefield takes a major destructive force decisively off the playing field.
Ever since his return to the DCU at the end of the New 52, Superman's memories of his old reality have been a bit hazy. The Man of Steel had no apparent memories of the Legion of Super-Heroes or Conner Kent prior to the events of Flashpoint, leading to his first encounters with both over the course of writer Brian Michael Bendis' tenure on the character.
With the latest issue of Action Comics, Conner not only finally meets his genetic parent face-to-face for the first time during the Rebirth era but quickly establishes himself as an avowed opponent of Lex Luthor by throwing the Hall of Doom to the depths of the ocean. And while Superman and Conner haven't had much time to enjoy their reunion just yet, their meeting is sure to mark the beginning of a renewed partnership in the DCU.