(Image Source: DC Comics / Dan Jurgens)
For over 40 years, Clark Kent defended Smallville as Superboy before he became Superman. That changed after Crisis on Infinite Earths, with Clark not discovering his powers until young adulthood and never being Superboy. However, what was old is new again in 2025, as the opening story of Summer of Superman Special #1 debuts the new classic Boy of Steel.

Written by Mark Waid with art by Jorge Jiménez, the first story of Summer of Superman Special #1 takes us twenty years into the past. Clark Kent is almost 16 and trying to tell Lana Lang a big secret. Not that he’s sweet on her. (That is hardly a secret to anyone!) Rather, that he has powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal man. Unfortunately, something gets in the way, requiring that Superboy and Krypto the Superdog go save the day.

The first four pages of the special may be viewed below.

New Superboy series to restore classic origin

The story opening Summer of Superman Special #1 is a preview of the newly retconned history of Superboy and Smallville. The story will begin in Action Comics #1087, which is scheduled for release in June. Mark Waid will script the series, with Skylar Patridge providing the artwork.

“I start the book with Clark as a 15-year-old boy, learning to be a superhero for the first time,” said Waid. “What is that like, learning to use your powers at that age? What kind of challenges are you facing? Skylar and I are also bringing Smallville a little more up to date. It still has that rustic feel to it, but farms don’t look like that anymore.”

(Image Source: DC / Skylar Partridge)

The Summer of Superman Special will also offer a glimpse at the rest of writing team on the upcoming Superman comics. The second story will be scripted by incoming Superman Unlimited author Dan Slott. The third and final story is written by current Superman monthly title author Joshua Williamson.

Summer of Superman Special #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on April 16, 2025.