Match is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. He is a clone of Superboy (Conner Kent). Match appeared in the Superboy title, issues of Young Justice and the Sins of Youth and Joker's Last Laughcrossover events. Currently, he is a member of the Suicide Squad.
Match has made limited appearances in media outside comics, with Nolan North voicing him in the animated series Young Justice.
Fictional character biography
Cover to Superboy (vol. 4) #36 by Ramon Bernado. Match's original appearance, including his blond hairstyle, was later changed to resemble Bizarro.
Created using Superboy's DNA, Match was made to serve "the Agenda", a secret organization specializing in creating clone armies.[1] Agent Amanda Spence was able to kidnap Superboy and the Agenda used his DNA to create the clone Match. Match was given implanted memories, like Superboy, but they included a greater host of information that Superboy did not have. He also had improved durability as well as greater control over his powers.
In the resulting battle between the two clones, Superboy manages to come out on top and the reactor holding the Agenda's compound together explodes, destroying the base. Match is left alone and ailing.[2]
Some time later, the Agenda kidnaps Superboy again and takes over Project Cadmus, with Match infiltrating Young Justice in Superboy's place. Cadmus is also infiltrated by several clones loyal to the Agenda. Eventually, Superboy frees himself and joins the fight against Match and the Agenda to free Cadmus.[3]
During the Last Laugh event, Match infiltrates Young Justice disguised as Superboy. While Match is unable to keep his plans secret from the girls, they believe he is Superboy pretending to be Match to try to lighten the mood after Robin and Impulse quit earlier the group. Match leaves after accidentally making Wonder Girl confess her love for Superboy, causing Match to develop feelings for her as well.[4]
Titans East
The criminal mercenary Deathstroke forms his own version of Titans East, a team created explicitly to take down the Teen Titans. Though he is a powerful physical asset to the team, Match's presence is more of a psychological ploy, due to Superboy's death during the Infinite Crisis event. Match's mind and body have decayed, making him behave more like a normal Bizarro clone.[5] Match is defeated when Wonder Girl reflects his heat-vision back at him with her bracelets, after which Jericho possesses his unconscious body.
Jericho, still trapped in Match's body, seemingly escapes from S.T.A.R. Labs in visible distress and asking for his friends' help.[6] The Titans attempt to separate the two, only for Match to break free. When the two are finally separated, it is revealed that it was Match who was panicked, and that Jericho, whose mind had been corrupted by the time spent trapped inside Match, was in control of his body.[7]
Match is later tracked down and killed by Superboy-Prime, who gives his body to scientist Doctor Calligan. Calligan dissects Match's body and uses it to reverse engineer three clones.[8] During the ensuing battle, Robin and Ravager destroy the clones using a Kryptonite blade.[9]
Infinite Frontier
Following the events of Dark Nights: Death Metal, Match returns to mainstream continuity as a member of the Suicide Squad.[10] Believing himself to be the real Superboy, he eventually encounters Superboy and battles him. Afterwards, Match's squad mate Nocturna shows Match Agenda's underground lab, which contains dozens of Superboy clones. Match is shaken by this revelation, but continues to work with the Suicide Squad. Additionally, he is given medication that enables him to speak normally while leaving his appearance unaltered.[11][12]
Powers and abilities
Match have superpowers similar to Superboy, but with greater control. They include personal telekinesis, which can mimic Kryptonian powers and could be used to disassemble machinery.[4] He can also vibrate his vocal cords to speak at different frequencies, while secretly communicating with Bolt.[13]
Match appears in Young Justice, voiced by Nolan North.[15] This version is a fully Kryptonian clone of Superman who was created by Lex Luthor and Cadmus Labs as part of "Project Match" and conditioned to respond violently to the sight of the Superman logo. Due to the difficulties involved in replicating Kryptonian DNA, Match became mentally unstable, was placed in cryogenic storage, and replaced by Superboy.
Match appears in the Young Justice tie-in comic. As of these comics, he has become severely deformed and paler and joined Onslaught.[16]
↑ Thompson, Robbie(w),Pansica, Eduardo(p),Ferreira, Julio(i),Maiolo, Marcelo(col)."Assault on Arkham, Part 1"Suicide Squad,vol.7,no.1(May 2021).DC Comics.
↑ Thompson, Robbie(w),Pansica, Eduardo(p),Ferreira, Julio(i),Maiolo, Marcelo(col)."Hellbound"Suicide Squad,vol.7,no.7(November 2021).DC Comics.
↑ Thompson, Robbie(w),Pansica, Eduardo(p),Ferreira, Julio(i),Maiolo, Marcelo(col)."Need for Speed, Part 1"Suicide Squad,vol.7,no.3(July 2021).DC Comics.
↑ "Match Voice - Young Justice (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 6, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
↑ "Mild Mannered Reviews – Young Justice: Targets #4". Superman Homepage. October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2024. Entering the factory, the team find Onslaught (Devastation, Mammoth, Shimmer, and new member and failed Superboy clone Match) guarding the facilities, and a fight ensues.
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