Bart and Conner Redux

Impulse and Superboy were among the few characters created in the early ‘90s that didn’t reflect the darker tone of the era. They remained uniquely fun, at least until the end of Young Justice and their own solo titles. They developed into more “serious” characters when they became Teen Titans. Eventually, Bart Allen and Conner Kent were killed off.

I always felt that those deaths were wasteful and unnecessary. But DC’s rectifying those mistakes; the back-to-back resurrections in Legion of 3 Worlds were indeed memorable moments for fans of the two heroes.

As for other DC teens who met their doom, like Osiris and Marvin, they’ll probably be back, zombiefied, in the upcoming Blackest Night crossover. It’s resurrection season at the Big Two; Marvel’s dead mutants are expected to rise en masse in the X-Force title (where prominent mutant-hating humans were also reanimated last year).

Kid Flash and Superboy won’t be regressing into their more fun, younger selves--we just have to look at the back issues for that feelgood charm--but they’re back, after being sidetracked by mortality. Bart’s in the Flash: Rebirth mini, and Conner will be in a new title shared with the Legion. I hope that writers that understand them--Mark Waid and Joe Kelly, respectively--eventually pen new adventures, and make them grow further.