Should Superboy be brought back?

[Defender]

Yeah, Kon-El just feels like an X-Man with the serial number filed off and slapped into an 'S'-symbol t-shirt. Superboy is important to the mythology, and I think Kal should've started out as a teenager. Superboy could really tap into that once and future king kind of feel for Superman, as well as financially draw into some of that Harry Potter appeal. C'mon, it's great storytelling and sound business sense. Who are you to resist it eh? You bring back Krypto you can at least bring back the real Boy of Tomorrow. You can even keep Kon-El in the continuity, just as Superboy II.

 C'mon. . .

 -Def.

[DoctorZero]

I can buy the idea of Kal-El not wearing a costume in Smallville and operating in secret and then wearing a costume in the future.  They do a memory thing in which he forgets his future as Superman.  It works for me.

[GeorgeKirk]

OK, how's this:  Clark uses his powers in secret with no costume when he's in Smallville; but when he goes into the future to be with the Legion, he operates openly with the Superboy costume.

That's a really cool idea.

[Daybreaker]

I feel like there's something wrong with that idea, but I can't quite put my finger on what, so I guess I'll say that I like it.  

[Captain Kal]

I kind of like the idea, too.

But what I think is wrong with it is we have no compelling reason for Kal to be costumed in the future while not in the past.  It seems forced and contrived somehow that he mysteriously chooses not to be Superboy in his own time.

It's more consistent and easier to swallow that he's costumed as Superboy in the past and the future.

[DoctorZero]

It's a tough call.  The problem is it's been established that he doesn't have a career as Superboy growing up as a teenager.  In some ways, a Superboy series where he doesn't wear a costume appeals to me.
It would be a way of keeping the Legion cannon somewhat intact as well.  Their history recoginized his deeds in the past, but in the future, where the Legionnaires all wear colorful costumes, he adopts one as well.  When he returns to Smallville in the past he forgets about his future adventures. The Legion only summons him for meetings once a month or so.

[valdemar]

I don't see why he would have to forget his future adventures.  Couldn't he, along with us readers, remember (him) being Superboy in the future?  So perhaps it could be a two-way street:  The Legion was inspired by him, but he's also inspired and motivated to do the Good Work and wear a neat costume by what he sees of the future.

Just as long as he doesn't invent any transparent aluminum or something along the way.

[Daybreaker]

I know that this doesn't really answer the question of whether or not Superboy should be brought back, but what about him just calling himself Superman in the 31st century?