Danny Phantom meets Superman. More accurately I should say that Danny Fenton meets Clark Kent.
Let me make this clear cause people seem to forget this: superman is smart. Clark kent is a very intelligent guy. Hes an INVESTIGATIVE journalist. He works with Lois Lane whos a multiple Pultizer prize winner and you know damn well that Lois wouldnât work with anyone that cant keep up with her in both wits and smarts. Heâs good at his job and in some comics he gets Pulitzer Prizes from some of his articles as well. Dude is dumb but heâs smart if you get what Iâm saying. High Int. Low Wis.
With that in mind, During an assignment by Perry White, Lois and Clark meet the Fentons in their Amnesty residence to get some quotes on an article that discusses âEverything we thought didnât exist is now real. Superheroes, Aliens, even Vampires, so why do we not Believe in Ghosts?â
Clark Kent spots Danny and notices instantly that MANY things are wrong with this child. His shoulders are hunched in a way that is intentional and tensed. Like he doesnât know if he should fight or flee. His eyes are darting around and constantly taking in their surroundings like heâs waiting for something to barge in. His heart is beating far slower than it should. The kid intentionally makes his chest rise and fall but heâs not breathing in any oxygen. All of those are concerning but they can happen in metas. The thing that isnât normal is that Clark canât hear any of Dannyâs other organs working. Like the kid is a revitalized corpse and his body only thought to bring back half of its needed functions.
So Clark does some digging. He doesnât want to tell any of the Justice League because this isnât a Superman job, this is a job for Clark Kent. He gets some help from Oracle and with her word that she wonât say anything to batman, He agrees to update her regularly about the kids situation.
Oracle sends over some VERY concerning documents from an organization called âThe Ghost Investigation Wardâ. Oracle tells Clark that sheâs working on tipping off the Bats and Birds so they can help dismantle the organization.
While sifting through the documents Clark comes across a profile of a âDanny Phantomâ. As I said, Clark isnât stupid. There is definitely a profile of Danny Fenton as well since heâs the son of two world renown ghost hunters. He puts the two and two together and uncovers just the horrible treatment that Phantom has been receiving from his parents, the government, and his peers. Clark is outraged and canât just stand aside and let this kid suffer. So he makes another trip to the Fenton residence under the guise of needing another quote and sits Danny and Jazz down and tells him that he knows of the terrible lab safety, the immoral experiments his parents do on the regular, the neglect of the kids in pursuit of scientific discovery. He knows and he wants to help. Clark tells Danny and Jazz that there is an apartment available right nextdoor from his and that he can help them get to a safer location and apply for emancipation.
The Fenton kids are shocked at this guy and his immensely kind heart. Danny knows something is up though. Something is up with Clark Kent. He looks like all his life would be spent in the gym when he isnât at work and yet Danny canât find a thing on Clarks interest in working out. His baggy clothes somewhat cover up his muscles but his frame is far too wide to be hidden. Clarks heartbeat is slightly faster than the average persons. No human eyes could be that startlingly sky blue. And Danny knows that he has seen Clarks face somewhere but he cant put a pin on it.
The Fenton kids agree and they get brought to metropolis and the emancipation case is no problem with the evidence Clark managed to collect. The kids get the apartment next to Clarks and Clark helps them grow and get better mentally and situationally. Clark knows that in a way heâs trying to make up for his neglect on Connor but he still knows that helping these kids is the right decision.
After a month or so, Clark and the Fenton kids have a rhythm of meeting at each others apartments, getting doted over to make sure that the fentons are well fed and have everything they need and are getting settled into their new life.
Clark hasnât told the league. Oracle keeps her promise to keep the Fentons out of Batman and the Justice Leagueâs radar. Clark knows that he will have to tell them soon eventually. He knows that things like this wont last. He tries his best to keep these kids happy and support them how an actual caring parent should act.
A few months into the Fentons stay in Metropolis on a cool autumn afternoon, Danny is sitting on a beanbag chair reading a ratty old book that Clark lent him as Clark is typing away on his computer writing up an article for the Daily Planet when Danny looks over to Clark and says,
Clark pauses typing and shoots a small smile towards danny, âI know.â
Danny nods in relieved acceptance as Clark straightens up from his hunced over position on his computer.
He pulls back his shirt collar slightly to show the blue suit and red cape. âIâm Superman.â
Danny looks at him and smiles, âI know.â
They both just sit and continue reading and writing with soft smiles on their faces. Comforted at the exchange and that itâs finally out there and eachother knew.
After a while Dannyâs obsession gets to be too much. He tells Clark about it and that he has to find a way to sate his obsession of protecting and Clark accepts that it was only a matter of time and invites him to meet the League.
When Superman brings Danny to the Watchtower, saying that the rest of his fellow superheroes were shocked would be an understatement. The Man of Steel and this ghost kid are talking like a father and son.
To say that Batman was pissed that he wasnât informed of this child is also an understatement. But there is also some amusement and respect under that frustration. Superman managed to keep this kid under wraps and didnât even alert Batman. Superman smirking and saying under his breath to him âLooks like the World's Greatest Detective isnât so great huh?â Makes Batman respect the man even more.
In the Watchtower, Danny meets up with Teen Titans/The Team/Whatever Theyâre Called Now, and meets Conner. Conner is understandably pissed and spiteful that Danny got to have Superman as a father figure.
Conner knows that Superman treating Danny this way is definitely a way of him trying to make up for the faults and breaks he had with his parental relationship with Conner. he agrees with himself that he shouldnât hate Danny for having Superman as a Dad and the two get along like tinder and matches. Connor still has a grudge against Superman donât get me wrong, just not as much as before.
Sometimes while the League is in battle, Superman likes to just look for Danny and watch him hold his own against world ending threats. Danny is now truly confident and itâs no longer a facade. Heâs no longer hunching into himself to look smaller. He laughs more often now and seems to be genuinely happy. Superman fondly looks at his son as his kids eyes flicker with green fire as he says a shitty ice pun and freezes Metallo in his tracks with ghostly ice.
