Pete Ross - Silver Age

Silver Age

In the original comics, Pete was the childhood best friend of Clark Kent in Smallville. One night when they were camping together, Pete secretly saw Clark changing into Superboy to attend to an emergency. Pete kept his knowledge of the superhero's secret identity to himself, not even telling Clark. Furthermore, Pete resolved to use this knowledge to help his friend, such as creating distractions to allow Clark to slip away without raising suspicion.

The Legion of Super-Heroes were aware of Pete's assistance to Clark and made him an honorary member during his teenage years (as shown in Superboy (volume 1) #98). During the Legion's battle with Mordru in Adventure Comics #370 ("The Devil's Jury"), it was stated that Pete Ross's knowledge of Superboy's secret identity would one day end up saving Superman's life (explaining why the Legion allowed Pete to retain that knowledge); however, no Superman story ever followed up on this detail until the very end of this continuity.

As an adult, Pete was established as a widower who had a son named Jonathan, who also learned the secret of Superman's dual identity (as shown in Action Comics #457). When Pete's son was kidnapped by an alien race (DC Comics Presents #13), Pete revealed to Clark his knowledge of his friend's dual identity, imploring Superman's help. When Clark was unable to provide this help, Pete suffered a nervous breakdown and attempted to discredit his former friend. Pete resided in a mental institution until his son was eventually saved.

In Alan Moore's story Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, Pete was captured by the Toyman and the Prankster and tortured into revealing Superman's true identity before being killed and stuffed in a toychest for Superman to find. Eventually, Superman discovered they were being manipulated by Mister Mxyzptlk.