And I'm not sure what all the fuss is about how the Legion of Superheroes got "ruined" by Superboy's elimination from continuity. It wouldn't have been that hard to write him out of the stories completely... what with Mon El and Ultra Boy around. For that matter, how hard could it have been to simply postulate a Superboy and Supergirl that were later descendants of Superman?

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It would have been about the same as saying that Cyclops was never an X-Man, and just 'inserting' Havok into his role in the old stories and then later introducing him as Xavier's long-lost biological son. Would that have "ruined" the X-Men?

QUOTE: It would have been about the same as saying that Cyclops was never an X-Man, and just 'inserting' Havok into his role in the old stories and then later introducing him as Xavier's long-lost biological son. Would that have "ruined" the X-Men?

More like Xavier not being part of the X-Men.  The X-Men coming together for a completely different reason/inspiration.

You can reboot the Legion and the JLA without Superboy, Supergirl, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman.... but then you're dropping the teams down a notch.  And with the Legion, not only were they created based on the inspiration of the Superboy legend, but they served as a part of Superboy's training.  They not only lose the spark that created their team, they also lose a powerful connection to 20th century continuity and their place in the history of DC's most important character.

You can have a Legion without Superboy, but it becomes a lower tier team.

No sense of drama or suspense? With all due respect, I've got to agree with JB on this one. If you're not feeling drama or suspense because you know Superboy will eventually become Superman, it may be time for you to find a new hobby.

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The funniest thing about that is that JB has pretty much said the exact opposite, since the "Superboy Syndrome" is an exception, as described here (at least I hope I understood it correctly).

Kurt and Ron,

The elements you describe regarding Superboy's time with the Legion and its profound effect upon him (and vice versa) are integral to Geoff John's excellent storyline currently unfolding in Action Comics.  If you are a fan of Superboy and the Legion, check it out--you might enjoy it.

Young Clark did use his powers for good in Byrne's run. I recall the scrapbook Ma Kent kept. Headlines about an unkown guardian angel swooping in and saving the day.

John Byrne

Superboy was not "declared off limits". The choice to leave him out of the canon was mine. But, as noted many times, that choice was made with the assurance from the Powers That Were that I would be able to do a Superman who was still learning the ropes. Then, after the contracts were signed, they reneged on that promise.

This comes off as a situation where you got into the project to tell your stories and DC invited you in to exploit your status. Have you ever come across a situation where story elements were clearly stated in a legal agreement?