Earlier today while scrolling on Facebook I saw the video below from the Nerdist. I follow the Nerdist quite a bit. It is my go to geek culture news site. I follow them on all my social media and when I saw the title "Bye Bye Clark Kent! Superman is Ditching His Secret Identity! " I knew I had to click on it.
Before I give my reaction, let me start by saying I am big Superman fan. He has always been one of my favorite superheroes. I even prefer him to Batman. His moral code and the responsibility he feels to his abilities to help others is something I've grown up wanting to aspire to. Its part of the reason I am an educator. I have "abilities" if you will, in art and I feel it is my job to share what I can do with the world. Hopefully my work entertains but when it can inspire it makes me feel like I am someone's Superman just for a moment.
Now for my reaction...
I'm a bit shocked and I was upset at first. You see, what I said above about Superman's moral code and responsibility to his power came from being Clark. It was instilled in him by his adoptive Earth parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent. Does losing Clark destroy the core of who Superman is? That was my first reaction. I'm still concerned about it but after some time pondering the idea it may be an interesting way to go.
I've always been much more a comic strip guy over a comic book guy but I do enjoy comic books. It comes with the job. However, in all honesty I haven't purchased a mainstream comic in a very long time. Way back in 2011 DC Comics revamped their universe with the New 52. I wasn't too impressed. The only book I really liked to come out of it was "Demon Knights" following the adventures of Etrigan the Demon was canceled kinda early. It lasted two years and if memory serves, it didn't even hit 24 issues. I've been turned off to mainstream comics for a while. The thought doesn't even cross my mind to pick up a mainstream comic until this Nerdist video.
Brian Michael Bendis is writing the Superman story. He has always been one of my favorite comic authors. I loved his run on Marvel's Daredevil. Talking with fans I've heard some haven't been happy with what Bendis has been writing lately and I can't comment on that because I haven't read any of his newer stuff. Having Bendis penning the story made me reconsider my first impression of this video. One of the reasons I stopped buying comics was because I felt most were regurgitating old stories but with a slightly updated and more adult tone. I'm not a prude. I have no issue with darker or adult tones but the comic books stopped becoming fun for me. The escapism wasn't there as creators were bringing much more realistic tones to the comics. Most superheroes fell in my opinion. They weren't characters that inspired me anymore. That's why I left reading mainstream comics. But Bendis is a great storyteller. I have faith in his work. A secret identity being exposed is not an original idea but it opens a lot of questions for me when it comes to Superman.
Like I said above, does this destroy to core of who Superman has been? How will this affect the ones close to him, both that know his secret and those that don't? Will trust issues come of this reveal? Does it put those he cares for in danger? How does it affect his work at the Daily Planet? Does any articles or help he gave police or other law enforcement agencies that helped put criminals away change their incaricration?
I have more questions but I'll hold off an see if they get answered because this is the first time in years I am adding a mainstream superhero comic to my pull list, and its all because Bendis is attached to the project. I hope you all give it a chance. Its something new that hasn't been done before with Superman.
Until next time, remember there is always time to GET IN TOON!