DC Comics introduced readers to two of the greatest enemies in the history of comics: Superman and Lex Luthor. Lex wasn’t the first archenemy that Supes had, but he became the most important (especially when aspects of then-archenemy the Ultra-Humanite were added to the mix). Over the years, readers have seen the two enemies in nearly every type of configuration, from blood rivals to friends to grudging partners and so on. No matter what happened between the two of them, there was always that core of enmity and distrust underlying their relationship that kept it entertaining. However, one thing that no one would have ever expected is for the two of them to be co-parents.
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20 years ago this thought to be impossible situation would happen. It all came from a crossover between two beloved books of mid ’00s DC Comics: Teen Titans (Vol. 3) and The Outsiders (Vol. 3). Teen Titans (Vol. 3), teamed up Superboy, Tim Drake, Bart Allen, and Cassie Sandsmark with New Teen Titans alums Raven, Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy. That book introduced the idea of Superboy’s genetic donors being Superman and Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, over in The Outsiders (Vol. 3), readers met Indigo, a creation of Brainiac. The whole situation came to a head in “The Insiders’, a story that would see Superman’s two greatest enemies using their children to destroy the future of the superhero community.
“The Insiders” Brought Together ’00s DC’s Two Hottest New Teams
DC Comics in the ’00s was a great place for a variety of reasons. Teen Titans (Vol. 3) and The Outsiders (Vol. 3) were perfect examples of why things were so good. Both teams took familiar names in new direction, and they were honestly a joy to read every month. The two teams were both born in the aftermath of Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day, and that link would be taken to the limit by “The Insiders”. “The Insiders” is one of those stories that works so well because of changes made to the ideas behind both teams and their members, pushing past the old boundaries.
Both books had characters that were related to Superman and his greatest enemies. Superboy had been born out of the blockbuster “Death of Superman” and was having a second renaissance in the ’00s. It had been established that the Teen of Steel was a clone of Superman, with Cadmus able to fix the problems of cloning a Kryptonian. They did this by adding in Lex Luthor’s DNA, something that Superboy and Tim Drake learned in the early days of the Titans. Meanwhile, Indigo was a sleeper agent for Brainaic 5 sent from the future to destroy the heroes. This is what led to the team’s crossover, giving readers an amazing story.
The story had both Superboy and Indigo activated by Lex and Brainiac, using them to destroy the two teams and reclaim them as powerful weapons in the wars to come. The Titans were able to defeat Luthor’s programming with the power of friendship (and lots of punches) and Indigo was killed after retaking control of her body. Conner would quit being a superhero until Infinite Crisis, where he would battle Superboy-Prime, lose his virginity in Teen Titans Annual #1, and then die stopping Prime. “The Insiders” helped put him on the road to death, showing off just how well Infinite Crisis was built.
The idea of Superboy as a son of both Superman and Lex Luthor was one of the most interesting aspects of DC Comics all those years ago. Superman had always kept Superboy at arm’s length, and had only just started to warm up to him in the early ’00s. This was contrasted with Conner and Lex; while Lex was definitely using Superboy, there was this feeling that he actually cared, as the young clone was part Luthor. He even helped save Superboy’s life after the beating he was given by Prime. It was an interesting way to show how each father treated their son, and gave both of them a tragedy that linked them. It was a strange idea, but it worked.
Superman and Lex Luthor’s Co-Parenting Stint Had Been Almost Completely Forgotten
One of the problems with the comic industry is how fast it moves and how ideas get abandoned. At the time, “The Insiders” was a major story, and the idea of Superman and Lex Luthor as Superboy’s parents was huge. It was a big change and it led to Superboy’s fears that his Luthor DNA would be disastrous being realized. However, as we’ve gotten further and further away from it, the idea has been almost completely disappeared.
In the last few years, Superman and Luthor’s relationship has changed dramatically. They’ve spent a lot of time together, and yet their child never gets brought up. How cool could it have been to get all three characters together? It was a missed opportunity, one that is inherent to the comic medium. The past is left behind and it robs us of great ideas. “The Insiders”, as good as it was, just isn’t important enough to remember, and its best idea has been left to rot in the past.
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