It must be kept in mind that before the lien there were plans for a 5th and 6th season of 'Superboy', and the Salkinds had made arrangements to ensure this would happen. There were also plans for 'occasional' Superboy TV movies. The 'Superboy' TV movies was first hinted by John Haymes Newton in his earlier interview about a 'Young Superman' (but NOT a Superman movie). The idea didn't go any further than rumor until John Haymes Newton was replaced with Gerard Christopher. The Salkinds were sure to buy back their license to Superman from Cannon films (which in fact, they later did) then they began churning ideas for a new Superman movie which would follow the continuity of the 'Superboy' series. It was titled 'Superman: The New Movie'. Both Viacom and the Salkinds never really intended the series to finish with such an abrupt, solid end. Gerard Christopher and Stacy Haiduk had often been quoted as saying "the 'Superboy' series would continue forever." In an interview with Stacy Haiduk near the end of the 4th season (Spectacular Magazine, 1992), it is clear that all believed, with good reason, the series would continue. The article states as such: [Technically, at the end of their fourth year, Lana and Clark should receive their diplomas from Shuster University. Clark should then head to Metropolis for a job with the Daily Planet, and Superboy would have to start acting his age and consider changing his name. But if the show continues to be popular, the starlet (Stacy Haiduk) is well aware of what could eventually happen; her business being what it is. "Can you see us on television with our little canes and grey hair in rocking chairs?" Stacy Haiduk laughs, even as a chill runs up her spine. "Ohh, nnooo!"]

Cannon had currently held the option for Superman during the development of 'Superman V', until the Salkind's bought back the rights. During the filmming of the second season of 'Superboy', the Salkind's announced Gerard Christopher would be the one to take over the cape as the next Superman. In early 1989, Newton had problems with the Producers. He felt he wasn't being paid enough for the role and announced this in public (read it in his interview on this website). He refused to do a "geeky" Clark like the Salkinds wanted (that was Christopher Reeve's gig, he felt). And he wanted to be different, and likewise refused to act him as such. Rather, he protrayed Clark as a vunerable youth which many have praised him for. Yet, as rumor is a rumor, Newton was walking on thin ice when he accumulated several traffic tickets on the streets of Florida. So some will say that these circumstances paved the road for Newton being fired and replaced by Gerard Christopher for the second season. Christopher's performance was well received. Geeky Clark they wanted, eh? Well, Gerard gave it to them. Full on!! Gerard decided from the start that he wouldn't make the same mistakes as Newton did--he would do everything very "correctly" (which involved long and hot hours in the Florida sun, with his face against the steaming black pavement at 200 degree temperature). Was Gerard determined to succeed in the role? With undying devotion. And it shows on the screen and it very entertaining. The Salkinds immediately proposed that he star in the next Superman movie ('Superman: The New Movie') which, overall, became their primarly focus.

Originally, 'Superman: The New Movie' would have followed the continuity from the second season of 'Superboy'. This concoction of the Salkinds appeared to drag more feet than Luthor had Kryptonite, so Viacom and it's creative team began work on an entirely new concept...kill off Superboy entirely!!! In a way, it seemed that John Byrne's revamp of eradicating the character of Superboy was going to come around the corner for a second time...but not in the way that one would expect. Just put a mental picture in your mind: remember 'The Death of Superman' comic book (Superman #75) which was released in 1993? Well, years before the development of this best-selling comic book of all time, there was going to be a Viacom distributed TV mini-series that would be resolved in a string of TV movies called 'The Death of Superboy'. This was reported as early as 09/91 in the now defunct Comics Buyer's Guide, though the idea had been planned even earlier (at least two years before the release of the 'The Death of Superman' comic book). Here's a small blurb published from the 09/13/91 Comic Buyer's Guide in Darren McNeil's Animation News column:

"[Spoiler Warning: This item gives away something about the episode you may not wish to know]. The last episode (#100) of the syndicated Adventures of Superboy finished filming recently. How does the series end? Oh, Lex Luthor just kills Superboy, that's all. Its called "Obituary For A Superhero" and its meant to be a cliffhanger series ending. Unlike Alf though, this will be resolved in the first of a series of Superboy two-hour TV movies (a la Perry Mason) that'll be made for 92-93."

USA Today also reported in early 92 that the Superboy series would end with the hero's death which would pave the way for several TV movies over which the death would be "resolved". As mentioned earlier, the final episode (after the 5th and 6th season had been blocked by WB) of the initial 100 episodes of the 'Superboy' TV series was meant to be the death of Superboy ("Obituary for a Superhero"). The series, because it had been blocked from a 5th and 6th season, would officially end with his death. It would be the TV movies that would officially bring him back. Not much is really known about the story or the plot of the planned TV movies, or if there was even a screenplay for these films. All we really do know is that Superboy would surely die by the hands of Luthor, leaving Luthor more or less free to begin his conquest of the world. There would be a funeral. Lana would vow revenge against Luthor (hinted in the intial final episode 'Obituary For A Superhero' when Lana said, "If it takes my every last breathe"...). Superboy would indeed come back to life, however, mirroring 'The Death of Superman' best-selling comic book (which was written and plotted-out by several of 'Superboy' TV series writers, like Mike Carlin). It gained a lot of heated criticism in fandom, again mirroring the reaction of 'The Death Superman' comic book only a few years later. Though, maybe not on such a large scale. But the word did get around that the Salkinds merely planned to kill off The Boy of Steel! A hoax? Well, it would have been a good one because the average viewer clearly didn't realize that Superboy wasn't really going to die. There would be a resolution in several TV movies. But for all intents and purposes, season 4 of the 'Superboy' series would end with Superboy's death, as it was reported above.

It has to be mentioned, to give due respect to the Superboy writing team, that DC had remained involved in the development of every story during all four seasons, including Mike Carlin, who, as we know, was the Editor at DC (and a focal instrument of the development of 'The Death of Superman' comic-book storyline). It is interesting to note, though there in no way is any concrete evidence, that DC could have gotten the idea, if many (and several plot elements) to kill off Superman from the earlier planned 'The Death of Superboy' TV mini-series. The coincidence is uncanny, when you think about it! WB in their wisdom had blocked the TV movies as they had months earlier blocked a renewal of the series for a 5th and 6th season. All to make way for 'Lois & Clark'. It is true that DC had talked, or even did imaginary "death" stories in the past. The official reason of course, was that it was done to delay the wedding in the comics which now had to be timed with the 'Lois & Clark' TV series wedding. Of course, DC could have gone with any number of in-between story arcs.

Interestingly enough, according to the small blurb above which was published from the 09/13/91 Comic Buyer's Guide in Darren McNeil's Animation News column, it sounds as if they actually filmed the originally planned death of Superboy episode before being forced to quash the movies! This makes perfect sense as the intended final episode "Obituary for a Superhero" is pretty cobbled together, weak and made up 60% of flashback scenes to previous episodes. Yet, the footage that would pave the road for the telemovies was indeed shot. Just where this footage is, that's the question. More than likely, it was destroyed as it was no longer necessary. In the end (as it was with "The Death of Superman" trilogy), we do know that Superboy would die but surely come back to life. The road for the next step in Superboy's life would be paved--to become Superman. Then hopefully, this would have led us into the previous planned 'Superman: The New Movie'. It is not hard to imagine just how such a TV mini-series would have flaired. If you go by the historical succes of the ground-breaking sales of "The death of Superman" comic-book, one can only predict such a series on TV could have been HUGE. If not, the longest running TV mini-series in television history. And now we see that WB is rigidly attached to the 'Death' storyline of Superman. I guess the reasoning can only be...there is always a bigger fish.

So, in retrospect, who knows how much bigger the 'Superboy' series could have been if all the supposed plans had gone through? On a humorous note, it would have been interesting to see Stacy and Gerard with "walking canes" as Stacy once joked. I do believe there is still a potential cash cow awaiting for anyone, or any network that attempts to get 'Superboy' back into syndication. 100 episodes of Superman history has been collecting dust for over 10 years! But you can always see John Haymes Newton wearing the cape in the season 1 DVD of 'Superboy', which is officially for sale in any retail store. And be sure to listen to the commentaries. Newton has a sense of humor too.

Now there is ... 'Smallville'. 'Smallville' is a whole new surging interest for the Boy of Steel. The 'Superboy' series started something on televion, that's for sure. Tom Welling has brought strength to the young Clark Kent role. A talented and charming actor, like most television, the first season had it's critical faults, mostly because of the "freaks" of Smallville. You got to love the wall of weird. Allison Mack, you can see her typing away down in the basement of the Daily Planet. And Lois Lane is young Clark's friend? Well, we get to see all of our favorite characters, some new ones and Annette O'toole (Lana Lang from 'Superman III'). Great set design, like the Luthor mansion. Great episodes, story-lines and arcs, 'Smallville' is a terrific TV show.

Brandon Routh is the new Superman. Cast as Superman in 'Superman Returns', in some respects, Routh reminds many fans of the late Christopher Reeve. Bryan Singer, the new Director holding the burning flame for the myth of Superman has done a sincere job at returning (pardon the pun) Superman to the big Screen. 'Superman Returns', a very expensive movie to make (about $200 million), proves once again that a character in tights will last longer than anyone had ever suspected. Though some will argue that SR is nothing more than a "nod" and remake of Richard Donner's 'Superman: The Movie', you can always argue that there are nods to the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics; an unncanny pose of Routh holding a leaning car, with it's front touching the ground...the classic pose of the first classic front cover...we can hope for a sequel with even more debate. One last mirror regarding the Death of Superboy, in SR, we get a touch of The Death of Superman. And yet, like the DC comic, he's back....