Earth-404 was an alternate world in which Superboy lost his powers at age 16.
History
On September 16th 1971 at 3:30pm during a softball game between Midvale High and Smallville High Lex Luthor attacked Superboy. During this confrontation Luthor with the aid of his exoskelton was able to defeat his arch-enemy Superboy. In which the exoskelton exploded and launched Superboy out of sight. While Luthor was sent to prison to serve 20 years for his crime; Superboy, from the impact of hitting the ground went into a coma that lasted 10 years. After coming out of his coma Superboy lost all of his powers. During this time as Clark Kent maintained his residence in Smallville, he married his high school sweetheart Lana Lang and they had a son named Clark Kent Jr. He also turned his parent's General Store into a nationwide Supermarket chain called Kent Supermarket within three years after coming out of his coma. He is also the president and chairman of Kent Enterprises which oversees the chain of nationwide supermarkets.
In 1984, thirteen years after the disappearance of Superboy, GBS News ran a television special on that faithful day in 1971 hosted by James Olsen titled Superboy 13 Years Later. Luthor who was paroled out of prison devised a scheme in which he would go on a crime spree in Metropolis with a special made two legged contraption which was impervious to the Metropolis Police Department weapons. During this attack Superman shows up to confront Luthor. Superman was able to destroy Luthor's contraption and now he had to deal with Luthor who was wearing an updated exoskelton. During this confrontation it was revealed that Superman no longer has the power of flight nor x-ray vision and that his Superman uniform was invulnerable which protected the weaker form of Superman. Though Superman lost most of his powers he still had a supermind which he used to devise a way to regain some of his previous powers. Prior to the confrontation with Luthor, using Green Kryptonite, Red Kryptonite and White Kryptonite which at one time was his weakness now it could be his strength. Superman devised that by reversing the radiation flow in the kryptonite he could regain some of his lost powers. He placed the kryptonite in his yellow belt which gave him his powers to confront Luthor. Though weakened and able to feel pain Superman was able to subdue Luthor and bring him to justice.
This universe was presumably destroyed during the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, and then (presumably) retroactively saved from destruction during the Convergence event.
Residents
- Superman
- Jonathan Kent
- Martha Kent
- Lana Lang Kent
- Clark Kent Jr.
- Pete Ross
- Douglas Parker
- Lex Luthor
- Jimmy Olsen
- Lois Lane (Mentioned only)
Notes
- Unlike the Jonathan and Martha Kents who died when Clark was a teenager on other earths both parents of this earth were still alive.
- For an 11 year period Jonathan Kent served in the state legistature and was a member of various committees.
- Pete Ross was the "head man" in charge of Kent Enterprises in Los Angeles.
- Former chief of police Douglas Parker was selling books at the Book Barn in Smallville. It is unknown if he owns the store or just works there.
- Lois Lane wrote a book on the the sudden disappearance of Superboy titled "A Moment of Wonder" The Superboy Story.
- Born to Be Superman! was originally published as an imaginary story, a story outside of regular continuity. In Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium, it was retconned as having happened on another Earth, .
See Also
- Characters from Earth-404
- Other things related to Earth-404
- Earth-404's Comic Appearances
- Reality Gallery: Earth-404
Links and References