DC Writer Reveals Pitch To Make Superboy A Trans Girl
Does DC Comics' Superboy need a fresh coat of paint? That's the opinion of Eisner Award-nominated comic book writer Magdalene Visaggio, who recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and detailed a story idea that would have reimagined the character as a trans girl.
The Superboy in question, Conner Kent, debuted in 1993 — right after his old man was killed at the hands of Doomsday in the "Death of Superman" storyline. He was engineered by Project Cadmus as a replacement for the fallen Man of Steel, but Conner lacked his dad's finesse and didn't live up to expectations. Over time, though, the immature clone proved his worth and was welcomed into the Kent household. Superboy experienced a hot streak in DC Comics stories throughout the '90s and early 2000s, most notably when he co-founded the Young Justice team. However, with the exception of the "Young Justice" animated series, there's a strong case to be made that the character has lost a lot of steam since those golden years.
Visaggio's "Superboy" would have seen the teenage superhero escape from his father's shadow once and for all. Her storyline involves Conner undergoing an organic transition that culminates with him becoming Constance Lara "Connie" Kent and adopting the Skyrocket alias. Unfortunately, the project never came to fruition, which is a shame as the idea is genuinely compelling.
Magdalene Visaggio's Superboy story idea
Superboy's comic book lore reveals that he's a clone whose genetic makeup contains DNA from both Superman and Lex Luthor — two polar opposites on the good-versus-evil divide. This has occasionally resulted in the character experiencing an identity crisis and trying to find a sense of belonging, which is a concept Magdalene Visaggio wanted to expand upon in her story.
According to the writer, Superboy's previous stories haven't really delved into his inner struggle in a compelling way. "He's had identity crises revolving around his origins before, but none of which led to meaningful, lasting change, all the while dealing with perpetual rage problems so common to closeted trans women," she wrote.
So, what would the acclaimed writer's story have entailed?
Visaggio's tale would have seen Conner return to Cadmus to find a cure for a condition known as neuronic decay. Along the way, he discovers another clone called Leland Leonardo Luthor, who's his brother. They both share the same genetic instability, and they must travel to the year 14,000 to be cured in a Kryptonian transformation chamber that changes Conner's appearance. However, their visit to the future leads to them overthrowing a group of tyrannical Superman clones and ends with Conner assuming the Superman mantle.
This isn't the life Conner wants, though. After the battle and a heart-to-heart with his father, Conner returns to his timeline, adopts the Skyrocket alias, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery that results in the transformation to Connie. Visaggio claims that the gender change wouldn't have been rushed, and it could have served a substantial ongoing storyline.
Why Magdalene Visaggio's Superboy deserves a chance
Conner Kent is a character who's in desperate need of a compelling storyline again. In recent years, Jon Kent has replaced him as Superman's golden child, leaving Conner without a sense of meaningful creative direction or purpose. Magdalene Visaggio's idea expands upon existential ideas pertaining to Superboy that have been touched on in the past, albeit without any memorable outcomes. What's more, it updates these ideas in a way that reflects the modern world. The beauty of comic books is that they're a vehicle for giving everyone heroes to look up to. The "Superman" lore has introduced DC Comics readers to a diverse range of Supermen, so why not extend that courtesy to Superboy as well?
Besides, how many times can we read about Conner Kent being part of a young superteam before it gets boring? Skyrocket would give readers a fresh superhero that can still be part of the Superman lineage while being so much more as well. Superboy is stagnant right now, so there's no harm in letting a visionary, Eisner Award-nominated writer do something interesting with him.