There are few things worse than being a clone in fiction. Not only does cloning give both the clone and the cloned existential dread, cloning popular characters usually doesn't lead to great stories. Marvel nearly ruined Spider-Man with the infamous clone saga and other clone centered comic storylines haven't faired much better. If there's one superhero clone who's stuck around for good reason though, it's the clone of Superman and Lex Luthor, Superboy Conner Kent. Unfortunately, as displayed by the Metal Gear Solid series, clones typically don't have a long shelf life. It's always been ambiguous whether this fate awaited Conner, but after two decades, Action Comics #1028 finally provides an answer.
The comic from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist John Romita Jr. sees Superman taking Conner to the Hall of Justice where the genius Mr. Terrific and the Atom have been working tirelessly to analyze Superboy's genetic code. They reveal that Conner will have a full lifespan. This surprises Conner, who had never even considered that he might degenerate like other clones. The two super scientists respond that some clones have a genetic kill switch and considering he was created by Lex Luthor, it was a distinct possibility that Conner had one too. It isn't all good news though, as Mr. Terrific and the Atom predict that Superboy's powers will eventually fade. They don't know whether it will take a day, a year, or several decades, but Conner's days as Superboy are numbered.
Conner doesn't take the news well, immediately flying off. Superman quickly follows to comfort his clone. With the rest of the Superman family in tow, Superman flies Conner to the Kent farm in Kansas and tells him that he'll always have a home, powers or not. Before Conner can even think to process everything he learned in the day, he's tackled by Superman's most loyal ally, Krypto. The outpouring of love is enough to make Conner feel like he's finally found his place in the multiverse, unlike so many clones before him.
In fiction, clones like the ones featured in the aforementioned Spider-Man clone saga and the politically charged Metal Gear series have degenerated due to being genetically unstable. For the main character of Metal Gear, Solid Snake, this meant a rapid aging process, which is why the series' fourth main entry featured gaming's most famous spy as an old man. In the DC Universe, the rules for cloning seem to vary wildly between characters. While Conner turned out fine, the same can't be said for the most recent incarnation of Bizzaro or Conner's own clone, Match. Both of those characters are highly unstable individuals who have little control over their own powers. In contrast, the Young Justice animated series' version of Conner doesn't age at all, leaving him forever sixteen.
Action Comics #1028 is a perfect example of what separates the Superman family from the far icier Bat-Family. Everyone from Supergirl to Krypto to Superman himself rallies around Conner while he's dealing with difficult news. He might not have the same existential dread that other clones feel, but Superboy heavily ties his identity to his powers. Regardless of whether he has powers though, the Superman family is there to reassure Superboy Conner Kent that he'll always have family and always be a hero.