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Superman by Kurt Busiek #0
Superman: Secret Identity
What's in a name? Everything, if you share it with the Man of Steel!
SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY is a 208-page trade paperback collecting the critically lauded 4-issue miniseries written by Kurt Busiek (JLA/AVENGERS, ASTRO CITY) with art by Stuart Immonen (SUPERMAN: END OF THE CENTURY, THOR).
Set in the real world, SECRET IDENTITY examines the life of a young Kansas man with the unfortunate name of Clark Kent. All Clark wants is to be a writer, but his daily life is filled with the taunts and jibes of his peers, comparing him to that other Clark Kent — the one with super-powers. Until one day when Clark awakens to discover that he can fly...that he does in fact have super-strength! But where did these powers come from? And what's he going to do about it?
SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY is a 208-page trade paperback collecting the critically lauded 4-issue miniseries written by Kurt Busiek (JLA/AVENGERS, ASTRO CITY) with art by Stuart Immonen (SUPERMAN: END OF THE CENTURY, THOR).
Set in the real world, SECRET IDENTITY examines the life of a young Kansas man with the unfortunate name of Clark Kent. All Clark wants is to be a writer, but his daily life is filled with the taunts and jibes of his peers, comparing him to that other Clark Kent — the one with super-powers. Until one day when Clark awakens to discover that he can fly...that he does in fact have super-strength! But where did these powers come from? And what's he going to do about it?
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
77 people are currently reading
4091 people want to read
About the author
Kurt Busiek
1,859 books626 followersKurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 614 reviews
July 15, 2021
Re-read 2015
Ok, so I used to hate Superman, too. Like most of you out there, I thought he was just a boring do-gooder who had too many powers to make him an interesting character.
But over the years, my opinion has changed.
As opinions do...
And when I look back, I think it all started with this book.
It's just a lovely story.
Ok, in order to explain why I think this is a great story, and why I think you should read it, I'm going to talk about things that happen in it. I will try not to spoil details, but I am going to go over the major plot points. If you're already planning on reading it, you may want to skip this review. However, if you're still on the fence, I'm hoping to convince you to give this a shot.
I recently recommended this one to a friend of mine, who isn't a fan of the character, in the hopes of bringing him over toThe Dark Side play on my pro-Superman team. But then I had this panic moment, where I wondered if this was as good as I'd remembered. I mean, this comic is a little over ten years old now.
Shit, shit, shit! Better do a re-read before he gets his hands on it! If it doesn't hold up, I'll just gracefully withdraw my recommendation. Because I'm nothing if not graceful at withdrawing...
{insert your own inappropriate dick joke here}
Anyway, the point is, I grabbed a copy and read it.
So, did it stand the test of time?
Yes.
And it does so surprisingly well. Maybe it's because it's not so much the story of a Superman, but it's the story of a regular man...with superpowers.
And it's not even a real Superman story anyway. This is the story of a young man from Kansas whose parents had a horrible sense of humor.
Since their last name was Kent, they thought it would be awesome to name their son Clark.
The story begins when Clark is a teenager and is told through journal entries that he uses to make sense of his life.
At first, he writes about how hard it is to deal with the well-meaning teasing, outright bullying, and feelings of isolation that come with being the constant butt of the jokes. He's not a fan of the comics, but he wishes that he could switch lives with Superman. After all, at least Superman had friends when he was growing up...and no one made fun of him for being named Clark Kent.
You really feel for Clark as a teenager. He doesn't lash out at other kids, or even his parents. He just sort of quietly accepts that this is his fate and dreams of someday escaping from his small town to become a writer.
Then (and here is where the story takes off), one night he discovers that he really can fly! Talk about a WTF?! moment!
Super strength? Check!
Super speed? Check!
Super hearing? Check!
X-ray vision? Check!
Confused, exhilarated, scared? Check!
He spends his time fishing for information on how this happened but comes up empty. There's no alien spacecraft hidden under a tarp in the garage, waiting for him with the answers to his questions.
So, for a while, he just uses his powers to get up, up, and away.
Then, one day, he sees a man getting ready to swept away by a flood. Unable to sit by and watch someone die, he makes his first rescue. And from there on, his path is set. He continues to search for answers, and, for a while, he even thinks of revealing himself to the public.
But things happen to make him realize that may not be the best idea.
The story follows him into adulthood, shows him struggling with his career as a writer, and how/why he uses the classic Superman suit to hide from being discovered or taken seriously when he saves someone.
We see how he meets his Lois, through a prank played on them both by co-workers. Seems the joke never gets old...
With Lois, he finally finds the kind of love and acceptance he's been looking for, but still debates whether or not to let her in on his biggest secret. At the same time, he learns that the government has been tracking him.
And others that may be like him.
After a close call, he retreats into himself and shuts everyone out.
Well, he tries.
Busiek continues Clark's story into fatherhood and middle age. Where, due to his fear for his children, he eventually brokers an uneasy truce with the government.
Life marches on, his girls grow up and move out, and he and Lois continue to lead their lives as they always have. Of course, there are always surprises to be had, no matter what your age.
But I'll let you discover those for yourself.
The ending isn't some sappy Superman on his deathbed kind of thing, either.
It's all about one man looking back on how the world has changed, remembering all the things that made him who he is, and watching the sunsets...
This is a beautiful story. Really. Now go read it.
Original review: 2010
Ok, so I used to hate Superman, too. Like most of you out there, I thought he was just a boring do-gooder who had too many powers to make him an interesting character.
But over the years, my opinion has changed.
As opinions do...
And when I look back, I think it all started with this book.
It's just a lovely story.
Ok, in order to explain why I think this is a great story, and why I think you should read it, I'm going to talk about things that happen in it. I will try not to spoil details, but I am going to go over the major plot points. If you're already planning on reading it, you may want to skip this review. However, if you're still on the fence, I'm hoping to convince you to give this a shot.
I recently recommended this one to a friend of mine, who isn't a fan of the character, in the hopes of bringing him over to
Shit, shit, shit! Better do a re-read before he gets his hands on it! If it doesn't hold up, I'll just gracefully withdraw my recommendation. Because I'm nothing if not graceful at withdrawing...
{insert your own inappropriate dick joke here}
Anyway, the point is, I grabbed a copy and read it.
So, did it stand the test of time?
Yes.
And it does so surprisingly well. Maybe it's because it's not so much the story of a Superman, but it's the story of a regular man...with superpowers.
And it's not even a real Superman story anyway. This is the story of a young man from Kansas whose parents had a horrible sense of humor.
Since their last name was Kent, they thought it would be awesome to name their son Clark.
The story begins when Clark is a teenager and is told through journal entries that he uses to make sense of his life.
At first, he writes about how hard it is to deal with the well-meaning teasing, outright bullying, and feelings of isolation that come with being the constant butt of the jokes. He's not a fan of the comics, but he wishes that he could switch lives with Superman. After all, at least Superman had friends when he was growing up...and no one made fun of him for being named Clark Kent.
You really feel for Clark as a teenager. He doesn't lash out at other kids, or even his parents. He just sort of quietly accepts that this is his fate and dreams of someday escaping from his small town to become a writer.
Then (and here is where the story takes off), one night he discovers that he really can fly! Talk about a WTF?! moment!
Super strength? Check!
Super speed? Check!
Super hearing? Check!
X-ray vision? Check!
Confused, exhilarated, scared? Check!
He spends his time fishing for information on how this happened but comes up empty. There's no alien spacecraft hidden under a tarp in the garage, waiting for him with the answers to his questions.
So, for a while, he just uses his powers to get up, up, and away.
Then, one day, he sees a man getting ready to swept away by a flood. Unable to sit by and watch someone die, he makes his first rescue. And from there on, his path is set. He continues to search for answers, and, for a while, he even thinks of revealing himself to the public.
But things happen to make him realize that may not be the best idea.
The story follows him into adulthood, shows him struggling with his career as a writer, and how/why he uses the classic Superman suit to hide from being discovered or taken seriously when he saves someone.
We see how he meets his Lois, through a prank played on them both by co-workers. Seems the joke never gets old...
With Lois, he finally finds the kind of love and acceptance he's been looking for, but still debates whether or not to let her in on his biggest secret. At the same time, he learns that the government has been tracking him.
And others that may be like him.
After a close call, he retreats into himself and shuts everyone out.
Well, he tries.
Busiek continues Clark's story into fatherhood and middle age. Where, due to his fear for his children, he eventually brokers an uneasy truce with the government.
Life marches on, his girls grow up and move out, and he and Lois continue to lead their lives as they always have. Of course, there are always surprises to be had, no matter what your age.
But I'll let you discover those for yourself.
The ending isn't some sappy Superman on his deathbed kind of thing, either.
It's all about one man looking back on how the world has changed, remembering all the things that made him who he is, and watching the sunsets...
This is a beautiful story. Really. Now go read it.
Original review: 2010
March 31, 2022
4.5 stars
"All I could think of was, 'I've got a secret . . . I've got a secret!' It was just going to change everything. I could hardly stop smiling." -- Clark Kent (no, not THAT one), on page 41
Now here was an effective superhero miniseries that was helped by hitching part of its tone and influence to Superman. Secret Identity - which, despite featuring the Man of Steel in the title, only has him making fleeting appearances as a fictional character in a comic strip - is about a young man from a Kansas farming community who just happens to be named Clark Kent in a nod to that well-known alter ego. During his difficult adolescent years Kent begins to exhibit various superpowers for unknown reasons (and the storyline interestingly never explains their exact origins), and he soon becomes an altruistic if secretive globe-spanning superhero, even donning a replica costume in a respectful gesture to his make-believe inspiration. Whereas a lesser graphic novel would focus on action scenes or some sort of super-villain plot, Secret Identity wisely goes in another direction by more so depicting Kent attempting to balance his day job as a writer along with his extracurricular super-activities PLUS trying being a good and attentive son, husband, and father. (Would it surprise you that he marries a woman named Lois? While it sounds like an eye-rolling plot device it succeeds as she is a well-written character.) 'Respectful' or 'mature' may not be words associated with graphic novels, but writer Busiek and artist Immonen really have done some first-rate work here.
"All I could think of was, 'I've got a secret . . . I've got a secret!' It was just going to change everything. I could hardly stop smiling." -- Clark Kent (no, not THAT one), on page 41
Now here was an effective superhero miniseries that was helped by hitching part of its tone and influence to Superman. Secret Identity - which, despite featuring the Man of Steel in the title, only has him making fleeting appearances as a fictional character in a comic strip - is about a young man from a Kansas farming community who just happens to be named Clark Kent in a nod to that well-known alter ego. During his difficult adolescent years Kent begins to exhibit various superpowers for unknown reasons (and the storyline interestingly never explains their exact origins), and he soon becomes an altruistic if secretive globe-spanning superhero, even donning a replica costume in a respectful gesture to his make-believe inspiration. Whereas a lesser graphic novel would focus on action scenes or some sort of super-villain plot, Secret Identity wisely goes in another direction by more so depicting Kent attempting to balance his day job as a writer along with his extracurricular super-activities PLUS trying being a good and attentive son, husband, and father. (Would it surprise you that he marries a woman named Lois? While it sounds like an eye-rolling plot device it succeeds as she is a well-written character.) 'Respectful' or 'mature' may not be words associated with graphic novels, but writer Busiek and artist Immonen really have done some first-rate work here.
November 29, 2017
Wow. Wow, wow, wow! Easily on the BEST graphic novels I've ever read, 10 out of 10 wouldn't be enough, this should be a clear 11 out of 10! The characters, the plot, the prose, the storytelling, the philosophy... each and every component was absolute pitch perfect. I've been on a Superman ride for the last week. I'm a big Batman fan forever (both in comics and screen) and while I always greatly enjoyed Superman on screen from Christopher Reeve's movies to Smallville to Man of Steel, I almost never read any comics. I thought its high-time to rectify that, and have read Superman for All Seasons, Superman: Red Son, Superman: American Alien and Superman: Birthright in very quick succession, found each of them to be a delightfully brilliant 5-star read. But this... this is without a doubt the best of the bunch, it not only entertained me but touched my heart and mind, made me think about human life and its goals and destinies, shone a light on the humanity and the world in both optimistic and cynical perspectives.
The funny thing is, even though the book contains 'Superman' in it's title, how it is NOT a Superman story, literally and figuratively. Superman exists in this world only in comicbooks, as a fictional character; the world is just like ours without any superheroes. Here was a boy who had the misfortune of being named 'Clark Kent', and for that all his life he was mocked, taunted and compared with his fictional counter-part. Its an evergreen coming of age tale of that young boy, often bullied and harassed, through his adolescence to his adulthood, love-life, parenthood and beyond.
So what the boy suddenly (and inexplicably) got himself some very cool superpowers? That didn't change him as a man; his thoughts, fears, doubts are all ever so genuine and familiar to each and every one of us. We all go through those phases in life more or less in the same way, we can resonate with all of it. Well maybe not in such 'extra-ordinary' circumstances, but still. And that's the most powerful element of this wonderful graphic novel: The voice of our unfortunately named hero. Not once writer Kurt Busiek lost his focus from the main character and his countless inner struggles, he voiced him so perfectly and naturally that even though on the surface all his problems and experiences are comicbookish Supermanly, from the inside we can easily connect and empathize with him as a fellow human. Once in a while in each of our lives, who doesn't feel like an outsider, lonely and isolated from his/her own world and surroundings? Feels like an alien in his/her own home planet? Everyone thinks sometimes in life, 'There's no one else like me. No one who could truly understand.' The biggest triumph of Busiek was his intricate and careful detailing of our hero's underlying 'Man' aspect over his 'Super' persona. Coupled this with his lyrical prose and engrossing storytelling, and what we get is not just another cheap forgettable comicbook, but an unforgettable epic odyssey of a man's journey across life as a literature.
I read the most of it today on an "epic journey" through traffic jam of my own. The two and a half hours I was on the road moving on a snail's pace, I never once thought about what's happening around me, the endless crowd, the increasing restlessness, the intense heat and humidity... At that time I was flying beyond the sky, breathlessly rushing through the pages, awestruck by its ups & downs, all the while having a mile-wide stupid grin on my face. The perfect blissful contentment of reading something beautiful, spellbinding, fun. And that smile didn't disappear even after I finished it. This is why I read books, to escape the exhausts of daily realities for a while, to feel and understand me myself and my world through extra-ordinary tales of ordinary souls, and returned to face my reality reinvigorated by that. Traffic jam be damned!
11 out of 10, A+
The funny thing is, even though the book contains 'Superman' in it's title, how it is NOT a Superman story, literally and figuratively. Superman exists in this world only in comicbooks, as a fictional character; the world is just like ours without any superheroes. Here was a boy who had the misfortune of being named 'Clark Kent', and for that all his life he was mocked, taunted and compared with his fictional counter-part. Its an evergreen coming of age tale of that young boy, often bullied and harassed, through his adolescence to his adulthood, love-life, parenthood and beyond.
So what the boy suddenly (and inexplicably) got himself some very cool superpowers? That didn't change him as a man; his thoughts, fears, doubts are all ever so genuine and familiar to each and every one of us. We all go through those phases in life more or less in the same way, we can resonate with all of it. Well maybe not in such 'extra-ordinary' circumstances, but still. And that's the most powerful element of this wonderful graphic novel: The voice of our unfortunately named hero. Not once writer Kurt Busiek lost his focus from the main character and his countless inner struggles, he voiced him so perfectly and naturally that even though on the surface all his problems and experiences are comicbookish Supermanly, from the inside we can easily connect and empathize with him as a fellow human. Once in a while in each of our lives, who doesn't feel like an outsider, lonely and isolated from his/her own world and surroundings? Feels like an alien in his/her own home planet? Everyone thinks sometimes in life, 'There's no one else like me. No one who could truly understand.' The biggest triumph of Busiek was his intricate and careful detailing of our hero's underlying 'Man' aspect over his 'Super' persona. Coupled this with his lyrical prose and engrossing storytelling, and what we get is not just another cheap forgettable comicbook, but an unforgettable epic odyssey of a man's journey across life as a literature.
I read the most of it today on an "epic journey" through traffic jam of my own. The two and a half hours I was on the road moving on a snail's pace, I never once thought about what's happening around me, the endless crowd, the increasing restlessness, the intense heat and humidity... At that time I was flying beyond the sky, breathlessly rushing through the pages, awestruck by its ups & downs, all the while having a mile-wide stupid grin on my face. The perfect blissful contentment of reading something beautiful, spellbinding, fun. And that smile didn't disappear even after I finished it. This is why I read books, to escape the exhausts of daily realities for a while, to feel and understand me myself and my world through extra-ordinary tales of ordinary souls, and returned to face my reality reinvigorated by that. Traffic jam be damned!
Maybe I had a 'secret identity', but then when you think about it, don't we all? A part of ourselves very few people ever get to see. The part we think of as "me". The part that deals with the big stuff. Makes the real choices. The part everything else is a reflection of.
11 out of 10, A+
April 28, 2013
What if you grew up in a world like ours where everyone knows who Superman is, from comics, films, toys, etc? And then what if you were also named Clark Kent and lived in a small town in Kansas? It’d be a bit crappy wouldn’t it? Being teased for being so similar but clearly not having such incredible, fantastical powers? And then, what if - one day you got those powers? This is the story of another Clark Kent who becomes a Superman and navigates the choppy waters of being a superhero in a world where they exist solely in pop culture while keeping his identity secret from everyone around him.
“Secret Identity” by writer Kurt Busiek and artist Stuart Immonen is one of those books whose premise just seems too corny as hell to work and yet it does - really well. In fact, Secret Identity might be one of the best Superman books ever written.
This might be because it doesn’t read like a lot of Superman books as there’s very little action and the focus is on the characters, always. The four 48 page issues touch on different moments in Clark’s life - 1) teenage years when he discovers his powers, 2) young adulthood, 3) starting a family, 4) old age and retirement - and there is (of course) a Lois to his Clark (though she is an interior designer and Clark is a writer for the New Yorker - not a journalist!), and the bulk of the book follows their relationship from courtship to marriage to parenthood and beyond.
The Clark and Lois relationship is central to the book beyond everything else and it’s a really sweet and convincing portrayal of true love. I believed they were real people who cared about one another and their love was like what a lot of people experience - though there are a few unbelievably romantic moments like Clark and Lois smooching above the Statue of Liberty as the sun set.
There’s no Lex Luthor in the book, no real villain, though the US Government does keep bugging Clark throughout his life and there is one nightmarish sequence when Clark is young and captured by would-be vivisectionists before escaping.
But the best thing about this book? How it perfectly envisions the true nature of Superman. The best Superman writers understand Superman is an inspiring figure, someone who does the right thing always, no matter what, and when Superman destroys the government lab containing dead babies who’ve been vivisected by shadowy agent-types, he still saves these sickos from the flames even though they would’ve done everything they could to kill him just to find out how he got his powers. And he saves them without thinking about it - he just does it. He just saves them because he’s Superman and that’s what Superman does. Beautiful.
And it is a beautiful Superman book, showing up all the pretenders who think Superman is all about glowing red eyes and wearing armour (!) and the godawful representation of him in Injustice: Gods Among Us - this is instead a book that showcases why Superman means so much to so many. It shows the character’s best traits and restored the wonder of the character to this jaded Superman reader (damn you JMS!).
No, it doesn’t explain how Clark got his powers. Yes, it’s not the “real” Superman (Busiek informs us in the intro that the book was initially about Superboy Prime from Crisis on Infinite Earths). None of it matters though. It’s Superman. And that’s all that matters.
“Secret Identity” by writer Kurt Busiek and artist Stuart Immonen is one of those books whose premise just seems too corny as hell to work and yet it does - really well. In fact, Secret Identity might be one of the best Superman books ever written.
This might be because it doesn’t read like a lot of Superman books as there’s very little action and the focus is on the characters, always. The four 48 page issues touch on different moments in Clark’s life - 1) teenage years when he discovers his powers, 2) young adulthood, 3) starting a family, 4) old age and retirement - and there is (of course) a Lois to his Clark (though she is an interior designer and Clark is a writer for the New Yorker - not a journalist!), and the bulk of the book follows their relationship from courtship to marriage to parenthood and beyond.
The Clark and Lois relationship is central to the book beyond everything else and it’s a really sweet and convincing portrayal of true love. I believed they were real people who cared about one another and their love was like what a lot of people experience - though there are a few unbelievably romantic moments like Clark and Lois smooching above the Statue of Liberty as the sun set.
There’s no Lex Luthor in the book, no real villain, though the US Government does keep bugging Clark throughout his life and there is one nightmarish sequence when Clark is young and captured by would-be vivisectionists before escaping.
But the best thing about this book? How it perfectly envisions the true nature of Superman. The best Superman writers understand Superman is an inspiring figure, someone who does the right thing always, no matter what, and when Superman destroys the government lab containing dead babies who’ve been vivisected by shadowy agent-types, he still saves these sickos from the flames even though they would’ve done everything they could to kill him just to find out how he got his powers. And he saves them without thinking about it - he just does it. He just saves them because he’s Superman and that’s what Superman does. Beautiful.
And it is a beautiful Superman book, showing up all the pretenders who think Superman is all about glowing red eyes and wearing armour (!) and the godawful representation of him in Injustice: Gods Among Us - this is instead a book that showcases why Superman means so much to so many. It shows the character’s best traits and restored the wonder of the character to this jaded Superman reader (damn you JMS!).
No, it doesn’t explain how Clark got his powers. Yes, it’s not the “real” Superman (Busiek informs us in the intro that the book was initially about Superboy Prime from Crisis on Infinite Earths). None of it matters though. It’s Superman. And that’s all that matters.
November 1, 2018
Re-read: This is my favorite graphic novel. It still makes me smile and tear up and admire this beautiful tale of a man, an extraordinary man trying to belong in this world.
The artwork is more beautiful than I remembered. Sometimes there's this beautiful line and then you turn the page and there's this gorgeous double page spread that, honest to god, makes me wanna cry. I just adore this book.
Original review:
5 Stars
This may be my favorite superhero book read this year.
Superman: Secret identity is a stunning story, it's lovely and emotional, it's uplifting and it's a little sad. It's both because this is the reflection of a man's life, of his fears, his actions, his legacy.
This book is the perfect blend of a Slice of Life story, a fantastic Coming of Age tale and the Superhero genre. The artwork is beautiful, the pacing is perfect, Clark's voice is so clear, we feel his struggles, his fears, but also the happiness in his life. This comic book is like reading the perfect indie movie and I'm sure I'll come back to this story every few months. It is not the story of villains or big fights, of aliens coming from the sky, no, this is a human, intimate story. This is the story of a boy living in our world, where superheroes are characters from comics and magazines. We follow Clark Kent, not that Clark Kent, a boy from Kansas having a tough time in school. See, his parents thought naming him Clark would be a clever joke, but everyone else mocks him and laughs at him, making him feel lost and lonely. That is until he discovers he has powers, powers similar to Superman.
This is not a Superman story, but it is a superman story. This Clark Kent it's not the last son of Krypton, but it is a kid from a small town in Kansas, powerful enough, good enough and selfless enough. It is the story of a boy who has always been living under the shadow of this ideal character, a character that transcends the page, so when he finds himself being able to help, he takes Superman's identity. Superman is Clark's secret and he brings hope to the people that need it under that disguise.
This book is divided in four chapters. Each one a different stage of Clark's life.
We have his teenager years, where he feels isolated, he's bullied, but he is still trying to be the best person he can with his new abilities. His young adult years, falling in love and finding his place in the world. His adult years, forming a family and dealing and facing the realization that he's still one person, one human being and as a future father he might not be able to protect the people he loves and then his older, ''retired'' years, where he contemplates and reflects on his legacy.
Every chapter is written with so much respect to the character, to the story, that I couldn't help but fall in love with this book. Behind this super powerful man, this is a human story, one where we can relate to the character. Where we can feel for him and see ourselves a bit in these pages.
It was a great story, a wonderful surprise and, a beautiful piece of art. Like I said before, this book will be one I'll be returning every time I need a safe place. It is strangely melancholic, but strangely uplifting and hopeful.
The artwork is more beautiful than I remembered. Sometimes there's this beautiful line and then you turn the page and there's this gorgeous double page spread that, honest to god, makes me wanna cry. I just adore this book.
Original review:
5 Stars
This may be my favorite superhero book read this year.
Superman: Secret identity is a stunning story, it's lovely and emotional, it's uplifting and it's a little sad. It's both because this is the reflection of a man's life, of his fears, his actions, his legacy.
This book is the perfect blend of a Slice of Life story, a fantastic Coming of Age tale and the Superhero genre. The artwork is beautiful, the pacing is perfect, Clark's voice is so clear, we feel his struggles, his fears, but also the happiness in his life. This comic book is like reading the perfect indie movie and I'm sure I'll come back to this story every few months. It is not the story of villains or big fights, of aliens coming from the sky, no, this is a human, intimate story. This is the story of a boy living in our world, where superheroes are characters from comics and magazines. We follow Clark Kent, not that Clark Kent, a boy from Kansas having a tough time in school. See, his parents thought naming him Clark would be a clever joke, but everyone else mocks him and laughs at him, making him feel lost and lonely. That is until he discovers he has powers, powers similar to Superman.
This is not a Superman story, but it is a superman story. This Clark Kent it's not the last son of Krypton, but it is a kid from a small town in Kansas, powerful enough, good enough and selfless enough. It is the story of a boy who has always been living under the shadow of this ideal character, a character that transcends the page, so when he finds himself being able to help, he takes Superman's identity. Superman is Clark's secret and he brings hope to the people that need it under that disguise.
This book is divided in four chapters. Each one a different stage of Clark's life.
We have his teenager years, where he feels isolated, he's bullied, but he is still trying to be the best person he can with his new abilities. His young adult years, falling in love and finding his place in the world. His adult years, forming a family and dealing and facing the realization that he's still one person, one human being and as a future father he might not be able to protect the people he loves and then his older, ''retired'' years, where he contemplates and reflects on his legacy.
Every chapter is written with so much respect to the character, to the story, that I couldn't help but fall in love with this book. Behind this super powerful man, this is a human story, one where we can relate to the character. Where we can feel for him and see ourselves a bit in these pages.
It was a great story, a wonderful surprise and, a beautiful piece of art. Like I said before, this book will be one I'll be returning every time I need a safe place. It is strangely melancholic, but strangely uplifting and hopeful.
January 19, 2022
8.6/10
A very different Superman story.
The way it's written, reminds me of "Marvels" ( also by Busiek )and it gave me the same feelings. It's one of those books that makes you wanna get to the end fast, but then you get sad cause it's over.
So the story is about a boy named Clark Kent, his parents thought it would be funny name him like that. Clark almost hates Superman, because he gets the same joke over and over again.That is till the day Clark finds out that he has superhuman powers.
A very different Superman story.
The way it's written, reminds me of "Marvels" ( also by Busiek )and it gave me the same feelings. It's one of those books that makes you wanna get to the end fast, but then you get sad cause it's over.
So the story is about a boy named Clark Kent, his parents thought it would be funny name him like that. Clark almost hates Superman, because he gets the same joke over and over again.That is till the day Clark finds out that he has superhuman powers.
September 15, 2013
5.5 stars!
Introduction:
Now, I have just recently gotten into the “Superman” comics, starting with Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? and after enjoying that comic, I decided to check out more “Superman” comics! So, I finally managed to stumbled upon a “Superman” comic that my friends have strongly recommended to me and it was called “Superman: Secret Identity,” which was written by Kurt Busiek along with artwork by Stuart Immonen and I have to tell you that this is clearly one of the best modern “Superman” comics I have ever read!
What is this story about?
Imagine living in a world that is more real than anything you read about in the comics and that you have the same name as one of the world’s most iconic superheroes. Well, that is certainly the case here with Clark Kent, who unfortunately was named after the real Superman and is often teased at school about whether or not he has powers like Superman. One day however, Clark discovers that he has super powers like the real Superman and he will soon find out about the advantages and disadvantages of having powers that will go on throughout his entire life!
What I loved about this story:
Kurt Busiek’s writing: Since this is the first time I had ever read a comic book written by Kurt Busiek, I was amazed at how beautiful and emotional the writing in this story is. I loved the way that Kurt Busiek explored Clark Kent’s personal problems with being compared to Superman due to his name being similar to the real Superman and the kids at school making fun of him because of it. I was also amazed at the way that Kurt Busiek detailed the story from Clark Kent’s high school years to his adult years as we not only get to see one of the most natural story progressions for a character, but we also get to see how Clark starts discovering his powers and starts using them to protect people as he gets older. What I really loved about this comic book is that the story is kind of set in an alternative universe (well, a universe inspired by Superboy of Earth Prime) and I loved the way that Kurt Busiek gave us a universe where Superman seems to only exist in comic books and that the main character, Clark Kent, is just a regular boy who lives in Kansas who somehow develops super powers and the fact that he tries to find out how he got his powers is one of the driving forces of the story. This is story is sort of like “Kick-Ass” where the main character lives in a realistic world (except in this case, there is no blood or gore to make the story edgy). I really loved Clark Kent’s relationship with Lois Chaudhari (who also got a lot of flack for having the same name as Lois Lane) as it felt so natural and it is obvious that they clearly care for each other and they try to do what is best for each other.
Stuart Immonen’s artwork: Probably the best part of this comic book was Stuart Immonen’s artwork as it was truly gorgeous and realistic to look at! I loved the way that Stuart Immonen made the landscape and the characters look so realistic, especially of the buildings looking like they came straight out of a photograph (which is a good thing in this case)! I also loved the way that the characters’ expressions were drawn as they look truly effective and realistic to the point where I actually felt so much emotion for the characters whenever they are sad or angry.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
For anyone who does not like language in a comic book, this comic book does have some language, even though it is not as strong as something like Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” series.
*~A Little Rant~*
Okay, this is just a little rant I have on the state of relationships in superhero comics due to what I read in this comic. If this graphic novel pretty much detailed a relationship between a couple (Clark Kent and Lois) in an extremely positive and natural way, then why do they barely do that with other superhero comic books? I am not saying that there are no good relationships in superhero comics (trust me, I have seen plenty of great relationships), it is just that I keep seeing good relationships getting broken up for no apparent reason other than for the sake of drama and it is starting to get on my nerves. I just wish that there were more positive relationships like Clark and Lois’s in this graphic novel where they do not break up for illogical reasons or they just live happily together with understandings between them.
*~Rant Over~*
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Superman: Secret Identity” is easily one of the greatest modern “Superman” stories ever created and one of the greatest alternative universe stories I had ever read, next to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns! If you are a huge “Superman” fan, this graphic novel is definitely worth reading!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
I like to thank Mike for recommending me this book!
September 2, 2025
Pinche historia espectacular.
No es un 5 estrellas porque en lo personal, sentí que me debieron más explicaciones sobre dónde provenían los poderes de clark. Tampoco me gustó mucho como manejaron la relación de cooperación entre superman y el gobierno.
Pero de ahí en fuera, todo fue genial
No es un 5 estrellas porque en lo personal, sentí que me debieron más explicaciones sobre dónde provenían los poderes de clark. Tampoco me gustó mucho como manejaron la relación de cooperación entre superman y el gobierno.
Pero de ahí en fuera, todo fue genial
May 2, 2018
This was a great change from the typical superhero novel. It begins with a boy who unfortunately shares the name Clark Kent with a superhero comic character. He is bullied and picked on for this reason. However, during his teen years he develops supermans abilities. From here he deals with growing up, life stresses and personal demons, in a story which may not have all the action and explosions and excitement as other superman stories but it does pack a heavy emotional punch. The artwork is amazing, and really is something quite unique and stylistic. I really enjoyed this story that made Clark more a human and a man dealing with boyhood, adulthood and fatherhood without overcomplicating his role as a superhero. It was separated into 4 chapters, which deal with different stages of his life and family. A must read for all superman fans.
May 8, 2021
This is Superman without the bombast. A husband and father, a superhero who doesn't want the attention. A cruel joke, a kid named Clark Kent--no relation to Superman--begins developing powers. Rewarded for a lifetime of bullying and ribbing, this is Superman as Clark--quite and humble, but super.
June 19, 2016
If I didn't read American Alien earlier this year I would say this is the greatest Superman story of all time. I still enjoyed American Alien a bit more, but this story...goddamn was this a great story. So many good things about it, where the hell do I start?
So the story is about Clark Kent, but not the same one we all know from the comics. In this real world setting this boy, named after Clark Kent from the comics, begins his life as a regular kid. Then his powers form and he learns to use them through the next few pages. He's heroic, but nervous, excited, but scared. He doesn't want to be caught so he uses his powers quickly, saving people, but never sticking around after.
The story is cut into four parts of life. Kid-Teeanger/Young Adult/Adult Life/Older years.
And they're all given respectful looks at this Clark Kent, the man with the power of Superman, and how he deals with it. Watching him grow on the pages is amazing. If American Alien summed up one of the best versions of Clark Kent and the true origin to Superman. This story tells us about a man who lives his life out and begins to understand what it's all about just when he gets old enough to reflect it all.
I can't even decide on which part is my favorite. I love watching Clark as a kid, learning how to deal with these powers. Young adult is about love, about how his powers can effect everything, including the love of his life. The third part deals with family, and what you would do to protect them. It's both beautiful and scary. The final part sums up our thoughts as we get older, finding what we all hope to have, a legacy and a family to watch grow.
This is a wonderful comic, one of the best I ever read. I'll have to check out more of Kurt Busiek.
So the story is about Clark Kent, but not the same one we all know from the comics. In this real world setting this boy, named after Clark Kent from the comics, begins his life as a regular kid. Then his powers form and he learns to use them through the next few pages. He's heroic, but nervous, excited, but scared. He doesn't want to be caught so he uses his powers quickly, saving people, but never sticking around after.
The story is cut into four parts of life. Kid-Teeanger/Young Adult/Adult Life/Older years.
And they're all given respectful looks at this Clark Kent, the man with the power of Superman, and how he deals with it. Watching him grow on the pages is amazing. If American Alien summed up one of the best versions of Clark Kent and the true origin to Superman. This story tells us about a man who lives his life out and begins to understand what it's all about just when he gets old enough to reflect it all.
I can't even decide on which part is my favorite. I love watching Clark as a kid, learning how to deal with these powers. Young adult is about love, about how his powers can effect everything, including the love of his life. The third part deals with family, and what you would do to protect them. It's both beautiful and scary. The final part sums up our thoughts as we get older, finding what we all hope to have, a legacy and a family to watch grow.
This is a wonderful comic, one of the best I ever read. I'll have to check out more of Kurt Busiek.
May 25, 2016
One of the top 5 Superman books ever. So well done!
October 17, 2013
Superman: Secret Identity
First chapter, as he becomes Superboy, feels a little odd to me. Pleasant and non-threatening, like a stitch out of Andy Griffith (with a little more mayhem). Makes CK seem pretty mild and a little too controlled for a teenager with all these powers and feelings and confusion.
It actually creeped me out - like that feeling you get watching the Talented Mr. Ripley, where you just know there's something sinister under the surface of everything going so smoothly. Honestly, I had to wonder whether Busiek was writing this from the PoV of a kid revising his own history, covering over the ugly human mistakes and impulses, trying to portray himself through that revisionist lens we'd all prefer to see things through.
The second chapter is less distant, more menacing, and a little more grounded. Discovering Lois helped Clark *and* helped the story feel a little warmer, like the writer too had a better handle on how to write this. Maybe it's just the fact of there being some actual conflict, risk available to engage me as a reader - the teen years seemed terribly boring by comparison, even though the early Manhattan year was pretty mild for a Superman tale.
As he ages and softens, Clark feels a *little* less distant from us, but still way too mellow and even-keeled. On my best days I'm struggling to feel the way this dude just exudes all the time. Is this Busiek's "best of us" lesson about Clark? Not the adventures and the powers, but the attitude, the forgiveness, the acceptance?
It's a pleasant story, and sure is a helluva different approach to Supes than we usually see. Maybe the view from inside Clark's introspection is just that unique and compelling - especially over this long a stretch of the man's life, and with so many "normal" things for him to adjust to.
Immomen's art throughout this is like a Rockwell series in some ways - makes the scenes a little less sharp, a little more like we're looking through fuzzy lenses, and gives an extra sense of peace and slowness to the scenery. Almost nothing in this book feels urgent, most of it feels slow and studied.
This is a good book, maybe even a great one. It stands out to me as a very different type of storytelling about Supes, and one that took a lot of work by the creators to synthesize a point of view on/in Clark that is at once measured, kind and patient. I'm impressed, and though this isn't as exciting or hilarious as my favourite books, I'll count this among those that were very well crafted, almost poetic.
First chapter, as he becomes Superboy, feels a little odd to me. Pleasant and non-threatening, like a stitch out of Andy Griffith (with a little more mayhem). Makes CK seem pretty mild and a little too controlled for a teenager with all these powers and feelings and confusion.
It actually creeped me out - like that feeling you get watching the Talented Mr. Ripley, where you just know there's something sinister under the surface of everything going so smoothly. Honestly, I had to wonder whether Busiek was writing this from the PoV of a kid revising his own history, covering over the ugly human mistakes and impulses, trying to portray himself through that revisionist lens we'd all prefer to see things through.
The second chapter is less distant, more menacing, and a little more grounded. Discovering Lois helped Clark *and* helped the story feel a little warmer, like the writer too had a better handle on how to write this. Maybe it's just the fact of there being some actual conflict, risk available to engage me as a reader - the teen years seemed terribly boring by comparison, even though the early Manhattan year was pretty mild for a Superman tale.
As he ages and softens, Clark feels a *little* less distant from us, but still way too mellow and even-keeled. On my best days I'm struggling to feel the way this dude just exudes all the time. Is this Busiek's "best of us" lesson about Clark? Not the adventures and the powers, but the attitude, the forgiveness, the acceptance?
It's a pleasant story, and sure is a helluva different approach to Supes than we usually see. Maybe the view from inside Clark's introspection is just that unique and compelling - especially over this long a stretch of the man's life, and with so many "normal" things for him to adjust to.
Immomen's art throughout this is like a Rockwell series in some ways - makes the scenes a little less sharp, a little more like we're looking through fuzzy lenses, and gives an extra sense of peace and slowness to the scenery. Almost nothing in this book feels urgent, most of it feels slow and studied.
This is a good book, maybe even a great one. It stands out to me as a very different type of storytelling about Supes, and one that took a lot of work by the creators to synthesize a point of view on/in Clark that is at once measured, kind and patient. I'm impressed, and though this isn't as exciting or hilarious as my favourite books, I'll count this among those that were very well crafted, almost poetic.
July 19, 2017
Wow.
Such an amazing reading experience, more than anything for Father's Day as themes of family, mortality and legacy give an unexpected heft to the later chapters.
This is a big recommendation, if not a must-read, for anyone who liked Superman for All Seasons, Absolute All-Star Superman, and similar material. It may be light on the superheroics, but it more than makes up for it by means of its (super)humanity.
Such an amazing reading experience, more than anything for Father's Day as themes of family, mortality and legacy give an unexpected heft to the later chapters.
This is a big recommendation, if not a must-read, for anyone who liked Superman for All Seasons, Absolute All-Star Superman, and similar material. It may be light on the superheroics, but it more than makes up for it by means of its (super)humanity.
February 28, 2014
I asked Gian Pagnucci what was the best superhero book he had read last year and he said this one. It's terrific. great concept, great execution from the story to the art, to the tone, the humanity of it, the way we get to know this new Superman, born in Kansas Clark Kent, ha ha, butt of jokes growing up, then discovers he actually HAS the powers,,, but this isn't about saving the world so much as what it would be like to have the powers and how he deals with it emotionally, through the years, the loneliness, the isolation, the anxiety about loved ones… so well done.
June 5, 2022
6'5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
En este cómic Superman es un personaje de cómics, el superhéroe de ficción que todos conocemos. Y Clarck Kent es un chico normal y corriente al que sus padres le ponen este nombre demostrando un sentido del humor algo extraño. Tras varios años de mofas por parte de sus compañeros de instituto, descubrirá que comparte algo más que el nombre con el personaje de ficción.
Una historia diferente, algo reflexiva, con poca acción. Dividida en cuatro partes que abarcan desde la adolescencia a la vejez del protagonista. Muy buena valoración dentro de la comunidad, aunque para mí no será de mis preferidos. Aún así se disfruta y tiene su encanto.
En este cómic Superman es un personaje de cómics, el superhéroe de ficción que todos conocemos. Y Clarck Kent es un chico normal y corriente al que sus padres le ponen este nombre demostrando un sentido del humor algo extraño. Tras varios años de mofas por parte de sus compañeros de instituto, descubrirá que comparte algo más que el nombre con el personaje de ficción.
Una historia diferente, algo reflexiva, con poca acción. Dividida en cuatro partes que abarcan desde la adolescencia a la vejez del protagonista. Muy buena valoración dentro de la comunidad, aunque para mí no será de mis preferidos. Aún así se disfruta y tiene su encanto.
June 16, 2022
I thought in beginning this is going to okay, but this is such wholesome story, ending was so beautiful.
January 6, 2009
Every time that Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen have worked together, they've done something I've really enjoyed, and Superman: Secret Identity is no exception. It sounds at first like a high concept story, where a weird coincidence sees a small town boy named Clark Kent actually realizing he does have super-powers, but in reading the whole story, it becomes clear that it's as much about the central notion of Superman and the common life cycle we'll all live through as it is about a neat gimmick premise. Busiek tells a story about what it might be like to have super powers in a more real world, where the government wouldn't leave you alone and everything, from love to marriage to kids to retirement, might be affected by your super powers. With Immonen providing an unusual, painted style artwork that is realistic and yet hauntingly beautiful and otherworldly at the same time, readers will be transported to the world of "Clark Kent" even as they keep one foot in their own thoughts, dreams and wonders about the future.
The story is grounded by Clark Kent's narration, by the feeling of what might really happen to a man who developed powers. To some extent, it reads like the culmination of Busiek's work, examining the nature of celebrity and superheroes the way Busiek and Immonen did on Superstar, looking at the superhero with a more rounded approach as Busiek does in Astro City and showing a love for classic superheroes like Busiek has done in Untold Tales of Spider-Man and Avengers. I don't know if I would have enjoyed this book as much had I read it when I was single and childless, but now, as a married father of one, Secret Identity hit me just in the right spot. It's a reflection on the changes we go through in life and the world we try to build for (and with) our children and loved ones, with a very optimistic, hopeful outlook that stops just short of being pollyanna or unrealistically bright.
There's an impressive balance that Busiek maintains between superhero sense of wonder and realistic character-building. It's the easiest thing in the world when doing this type of story to apply more human frailties to the characters, giving them feet of clay or a tendency toward using their powers for selfish or ignoble purposes. Busiek sidesteps this notion by making Clark an honest, giving and noble person, but he doesn't go too far in the direction by making Clark a saint either. We see him lose his temper, we get inside his head (and his heart) thanks to his narration and falling for Lois, and we see when he's terrified of being captured by the mysterious agency that's looking for him. And while Clark does use his powers in fairly spectacular ways, they are always contrasted against a realistic backdrop, whether that is high school or the fields of Kansas or the geopolitical structure of the real world. There's no Lex Luthor or Braniac here, and just as Clark's strengths come from his humanity, so do his opponents and the dangers he must overcome.
Busiek shows the fears and joys of Clark Kent's life, and by extension, the lives we all lead. The worry that something (not necessarily a government conspiracy but maybe an accident or a violent crime) will hurt us or our loved ones is balanced by the joys that come from finding the love of your life, seeing your children grown and seeing them take the lessons you've taught them and their own intelligence and deciding to make the world a better place. Busiek's story here is one of a father truly making a difference for his children, as well as one man making a change in the world, and I can't think of a better message for a Superman story.
Though I've always been fond of Stuart Immonen's artwork, he adopted a new style for Secret Identity that is perfectly matched to the tone of the book and undeniably beautiful. It's a sort of washed out, oddly colored approach that is very realistic and yet at the same time has an unreal quality to it at the same time. The colors, with some panels sometimes done entirely in cool blues or hot reds, tend to enhance the mood of the story, and some of the pages have the same emotional punch as some of the work of Alex Ross or Tim Sale. In particular, the double-page splash of the gas main explosion is very evocative, although Immonen also does a great job on smaller moments, such as the joy on Clark's face when he first discovers he can fly or the anger visible in his burning red eyes when he discovers Case's betrayal. He also does an exceptional job with the aging of Clark throughout the series, as we watch him grow from a child to a man, from a teenager to a husband to a father. There's a reality and warmth that comes through in the Christmas celebrations, and a terrific fatherly look that Clark takes on later in the series.
Superman: Secret Identity took me by surprise. I expected it to be good, maybe even great. But what I didn't expect was to find something that not only reaffirmed my interest in the Superman character and provided some actual lessons about real life, all the while telling a kickass yarn. It is truly "mature readers" comics, not in that it features curse words or nudity or extreme violence (in fact, it features none of that) but in that it is going to appeal the most to those who want to see the story of a life, one that is different because of superpowers but also similar to the lives that many of us will go through. It's probably the best Superman story I've read in years, even though it doesn't feature the "real" Superman at all.
The story is grounded by Clark Kent's narration, by the feeling of what might really happen to a man who developed powers. To some extent, it reads like the culmination of Busiek's work, examining the nature of celebrity and superheroes the way Busiek and Immonen did on Superstar, looking at the superhero with a more rounded approach as Busiek does in Astro City and showing a love for classic superheroes like Busiek has done in Untold Tales of Spider-Man and Avengers. I don't know if I would have enjoyed this book as much had I read it when I was single and childless, but now, as a married father of one, Secret Identity hit me just in the right spot. It's a reflection on the changes we go through in life and the world we try to build for (and with) our children and loved ones, with a very optimistic, hopeful outlook that stops just short of being pollyanna or unrealistically bright.
There's an impressive balance that Busiek maintains between superhero sense of wonder and realistic character-building. It's the easiest thing in the world when doing this type of story to apply more human frailties to the characters, giving them feet of clay or a tendency toward using their powers for selfish or ignoble purposes. Busiek sidesteps this notion by making Clark an honest, giving and noble person, but he doesn't go too far in the direction by making Clark a saint either. We see him lose his temper, we get inside his head (and his heart) thanks to his narration and falling for Lois, and we see when he's terrified of being captured by the mysterious agency that's looking for him. And while Clark does use his powers in fairly spectacular ways, they are always contrasted against a realistic backdrop, whether that is high school or the fields of Kansas or the geopolitical structure of the real world. There's no Lex Luthor or Braniac here, and just as Clark's strengths come from his humanity, so do his opponents and the dangers he must overcome.
Busiek shows the fears and joys of Clark Kent's life, and by extension, the lives we all lead. The worry that something (not necessarily a government conspiracy but maybe an accident or a violent crime) will hurt us or our loved ones is balanced by the joys that come from finding the love of your life, seeing your children grown and seeing them take the lessons you've taught them and their own intelligence and deciding to make the world a better place. Busiek's story here is one of a father truly making a difference for his children, as well as one man making a change in the world, and I can't think of a better message for a Superman story.
Though I've always been fond of Stuart Immonen's artwork, he adopted a new style for Secret Identity that is perfectly matched to the tone of the book and undeniably beautiful. It's a sort of washed out, oddly colored approach that is very realistic and yet at the same time has an unreal quality to it at the same time. The colors, with some panels sometimes done entirely in cool blues or hot reds, tend to enhance the mood of the story, and some of the pages have the same emotional punch as some of the work of Alex Ross or Tim Sale. In particular, the double-page splash of the gas main explosion is very evocative, although Immonen also does a great job on smaller moments, such as the joy on Clark's face when he first discovers he can fly or the anger visible in his burning red eyes when he discovers Case's betrayal. He also does an exceptional job with the aging of Clark throughout the series, as we watch him grow from a child to a man, from a teenager to a husband to a father. There's a reality and warmth that comes through in the Christmas celebrations, and a terrific fatherly look that Clark takes on later in the series.
Superman: Secret Identity took me by surprise. I expected it to be good, maybe even great. But what I didn't expect was to find something that not only reaffirmed my interest in the Superman character and provided some actual lessons about real life, all the while telling a kickass yarn. It is truly "mature readers" comics, not in that it features curse words or nudity or extreme violence (in fact, it features none of that) but in that it is going to appeal the most to those who want to see the story of a life, one that is different because of superpowers but also similar to the lives that many of us will go through. It's probably the best Superman story I've read in years, even though it doesn't feature the "real" Superman at all.
October 12, 2013
Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. This is everything that a Superman miniseries should be. New, inventive, keeping you interested, tweaking the old familiar into something new yet respective of the original. This book breathes more life into Superman than a heck of a lot of the other stuff I've read. When they keep doing origin stories and changing one or two little things, I wonder what the point is? Here, Busiek takes an idea (from Superboy Prime as he full well admits in the intro) and fleshes it out and takes it off in a whole other and fantastic direction. If there were a real Superman, it would be something like this.
I don't want to spoil any of it, so I will suffice it to say, that between Busiek's great script (Clark's internal thoughts written down) and Stuart Immonen's fantastic art (as always), there's one of the best Superman 'what if' stories I've ever read. Makes him so human, that's the best part of it. When they go for realism, this is what they should be doing...I loved every bit of it.
If you like Superman, this is essential. If you just like good storytelling and art, this is a very solid bet.
I don't want to spoil any of it, so I will suffice it to say, that between Busiek's great script (Clark's internal thoughts written down) and Stuart Immonen's fantastic art (as always), there's one of the best Superman 'what if' stories I've ever read. Makes him so human, that's the best part of it. When they go for realism, this is what they should be doing...I loved every bit of it.
If you like Superman, this is essential. If you just like good storytelling and art, this is a very solid bet.
January 21, 2018
Book Info: This collection contains
Superman: Secret Identity
issues #1-4.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
15-year-old Clark Kent is just an ordinary kid from Picketsville, Kansas. Thanks to his parents' "Great Plains sense of humor," Clark gets smothered in Superman paraphernalia every year for his birthday, and puts up with incessant mocking from peers at school. He's an introvert who much prefers spending his time alone jotting down thoughts on an old typewriter, rather than face ostracism and ridicule from other kids his age. But one night, on a private weekend hiking trip, Clark wakes from a terrible nightmare only to find himself inexplicably suspended several feet in the air. He can fly! And what's more, the kid's suddenly got super strength and endurance, as well as enhanced physical senses. Understandably, Clark is confused and conflicted about his newfound gifts, and has no idea what to do next. However, one thing's for certain: Clark's world is about to get a whole lot bigger, and his life will never be the same again...
Hmm... At 3 stars, I'm not sure if I should be impressed or disappointed with this book: I knew that rereading it couldn't reproduce the 5-star rating I'd given it the first time around, but that 2-star difference seems kinda large. And at the same time, it's still pretty damned impressive considering how I felt about Marvels , and what little I've read of Astro City . But after having gotten a taste of all each of Busiek's top books (aside from Conan ), I think it's safe to say that Secret Identity is among the writer's most commendable works of his entire career. It's certainly good enough that I easily get why almost everyone's so crazy about it, but, for me, it just reintroduced too many of the same qualities I'd disliked about some of the other books I've read from the author.
First and foremost, it must be noted that Secret Identity is much more a diary picture book (with occasional dialogue) than it is a traditional superhero yarn with a focused plot. Anyone who's read Marvels should recognize the approach immediately. And just like Marvels, this book also tracks the growth of its protagonist over the course of several years. Though in this particular case, our protagonist (Clark) appears to age 50+ years, whereas Sheldon (of Marvels) maybe ages half that amount, since he already starts his story off as an adult. And as the book progresses, Busiek tackles a separate theme/obstacle for Clark to overcome every issue. But while I suppose the idea of writing an extended, diary-style character study on Superman might sound appealing on paper, it's a premise which ultimately presented challenges that Busiek wasn't completely equipped to handle.
Two important implications of the writer's storytelling method are that it very strictly restricts the telling of the story to the singular perspective of Clark, and it makes it so that the narrative text outnumbers the dialogue twice over (or more). This meant that readers end up spending a whole lot of time cooped up in the protagonists' head, even to the point where other aspects of the story begin to suffer as a result. Such a narration-heavy approach naturally neglects worldbuilding and the characterization of other characters – at least to some significant extent – and limits the time available to allow these aspects to independently express themselves or play out unfiltered by Clark's commentary. And although so much of the story relies on the strength of Clark's relationship with others, we're not given much of a chance get to know these people very well, and Busiek's scripting wasn't strong enough to adequately emphasize his intended humor, intimacy, etc., during the relatively few interactive moments he did manage to include. Another side-effect of these constraints was that the story couldn't really go very far: maybe only half the page count was necessary to communicate the core plotline, and the other half was comprised largely of internal exposition and wandering thoughts. That said, however, I guess none of that has to be too big a problem at all, so long as Busiek is able to produce some solid diction, and write a compelling lead character to drive the narrative, right? Some folks seem to think he did, and that's fair enough.
[Can you imagine that this is the only interaction of any consequence between Clark and his parents? And after issue one, besides being casually mentioned in the second issue, I don't think they even come up again. That's very different from both Birthright and Secret Origin, which made sure to have Clark's parents play and important role in his development and adult life. Aside from his relationship with Lois – which was decently written, at best – all of Clark's other relationships felt hollow, and/or were squeezed out by everything else.]
Unfortunately for me, I don't share that particular sentiment, and found Busiek's Clark Kent to be nearly as dull as just about all of the other renditions I've bumped into thus far. To illustrate my point, let's focus on his characterization in the very first issue, since I think his subsequent persona is just, for the most part, an extension of what has already been established there. In this opening chapter, we learn how an ordinary Clark Kent hates having to live in Superman's shadow, how he dreads the feeling of not being able to fully own his identity, and why only solitude allows him to momentarily escape from being reminded of how painfully unexceptional his life truly is. But after he discovers his abilities in the first fifth of the issue, Clark's inner conflict quickly becomes defined less and less by pain and resentment, and more and more by tedious uncertainty. Before things started going downhill, I liked how Busiek presented the irony of Clark initially envying the "fictional" Superboy for being able to live a normal (and more social) life with friends – since the name "Clark Kent" would be unremarkable to other comic book characters – even though his fictional counterpart would probably envy the "real" Clark's lack of responsibility. I also liked the irony of Clark seeking isolation as a means to escape his feelings of being alone in a crowd, and it nicely paralleled the (quite literal) alienness the comic book Superman often experiences. Sadly, this complexity didn't last, and things soon got to be a bit too easy for Clark.
[Look at each of the three pictures above. As you can see, Busiek soon just masks his laziness with a tedious series of brief scenes showing Clark's ambivalence, and expects readers to mistake this superficial tactic for depth of writing. But that's only one of a few ways the writing fails to impress.]
To further argue my point, let's now take a minute and compare Busiek's Clark with Marvel's Peter Parker – in particular, Bendis' version from Ultimate Spider-Man . One can basically think of both of these high-school-aged kids as being the epitome of "the good child" every parent wants to have: they're smart, responsible, empathetic, level-headed, reflective, patient kids. But while these are qualities that might get you to *like* both of them, they shouldn't be sufficient to get you to *care* about either one very much. Those are two different things. So the fundamental problem with Clark's character is that Busiek seems too unwilling to place him in situations that would test his moral character, and as a result, that squeaky clean persona remains intact and largely unchallenged. Peter, on the other hand, actually gets *more* interesting after he develops his powers, not less, and he's got far more on his plate to worry about than vague feelings of uncertainty or anxiety: Bendis gives Peter the space to freak out and abuse his powers a bit, uses Osborn to put his safety in clear and present danger, and naturally makes it so that he can't avoid being at odds with his well-meaning (and well-written) parents. Compared to Peter, Clark's got a whole lot less to fear, his psychological transformation (in the first issue) is not nearly as substantial, and rather than gradually developing a sense of duty towards humanity, Clark almost immediately adopts a heroic mentality with only minimal dramatic lead-up.
[...And just like that, mild-mannered Clark Kent has become Superboy! Not only is he not fazed by what should clearly be a highly alarming discovery, there's no follow-up showing his struggle to master these new abilities, and that's a needlessly missed opportunity for pathos.]
And when you look at the book more generally, there aren't any (or at least very few) real thrills or particularly memorable scenes to be found anywhere within it. I get that the intent here was to write a low-key and down-to-earth Superman story, but does that also mean that the atmosphere had to remain so consistently lukewarm throughout its entire duration? For instance, I feel like the story could have used a chance to portray his revelation in a more riveting way and then show Clark really struggling to learn how to use/control his abilities, or perhaps show a couple intimate moments between Clark and his parents/Lois. There weren't even any epic moments showing off Superman's amazing feats of heroism, and we can usually count on that if we're talking about a Superman book as popular as this. Like with Marvels – though certainly to a lesser degree – Busiek struggles to break his narrative monotone and convey danger in a way that makes it feel exciting or gripping. For this reason, there were several action scenes or twists that fell short of what I assumed to be the writer's intended attempt at arousing exhilaration in readers.
Fortunately, though, Busiek quickly begins to make more efficient use of his limited dialogue – partly by cutting down on peripheral chitchat from unimportant characters – and he gives Clark a lasting, and more tangible conflict by introducing the U.S. government as a formidable adversary early in the second issue. He also starts to address the intriguing origin behind Clark's abilities, and sensibly portrays the character as physically vulnerable enough not to be virtually impervious to harm (unlike most other incarnations). And like I said before, Clark is a likeable enough protagonist, if not a compelling one, and along with Busiek's serviceable narration, he's able to push the story along without allowing it drag to too much. It's also good that everything leads to a fairly heartwarming finale that wraps things up pretty nicely. The only thing I'd think to complain about there was how the book's final five pages kind of spoon-fed readers a thematic take-home message they could have surmised independently. More than striking me as a little patronizing, it felt somewhat amateurish, and, at one point, plainly ripped off Erickson's developmental theory in a way that reminded me just how much time Busiek had spent casually going through the motions with his storytelling all along.
[This was a nice little part of the story, but I just wish the writer capitalized more on the paranoia and sense of danger.]
Now, I want you to imagine for a second being someone who's never read or heard of this book before now. Given what I've already described, would you honestly believe me if I told you Stuart Immonen illustrated it, and actually turned out to be a perfect fit? Probably not, amiright? That's because most comic readers are probably a lot more familiar with Immonen's cartoonishly lighthearted works, including New Avengers , Nextwave , and Ultimate Spider-Man. But with Secret Identity, the artist shows a side of himself that you may not have seen before, and his work here is almost unrecognizable. It's like Daniel Acuña meets Tony Harris, with possibly just a hint of Alex Maleev. And along with his hushed coloring palette, the combination of this uncharacteristic style of pencilling gave the book a very purposeful and stately feel to it: one that was just as classy, yet more approachable, than Alex Ross' work in Marvels. But like Ross, it suffered from a similar drawback of not being able to visually stimulate during action sequences or dramatic shots. The funny thing is, action's normally Immonen's specialty, so I can only assume that failing was more a result of the writer's characteristically sedate artistic vision for the book, than it was a misstep on his part as an artist.
Of all the Superman origin stories I've ever read, Secret Identity is surely one of the best. That's one thing I think almost everyone can agree on. But unlike fans of this book might claim, Busiek's writing is nowhere as poignant or suspenseful as he probably hoped it would be. Personally, I have no inherent problem with slow and quiet comics that focus strongly on one particular character. As long as the character in question is an interesting one, I don't consider that a bad way to tell a story at all. Unfortunately for Clark, he simply isn't all that interesting. So while Secret Identity isn't exactly a book I'd ever passionately recommend, I will say that it's probably a good idea to read it if you loved Marvels and/or Astro City. However, if you're not already a fan of Busiek or Superman, I wouldn't say this book is all that likely to make you one.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
15-year-old Clark Kent is just an ordinary kid from Picketsville, Kansas. Thanks to his parents' "Great Plains sense of humor," Clark gets smothered in Superman paraphernalia every year for his birthday, and puts up with incessant mocking from peers at school. He's an introvert who much prefers spending his time alone jotting down thoughts on an old typewriter, rather than face ostracism and ridicule from other kids his age. But one night, on a private weekend hiking trip, Clark wakes from a terrible nightmare only to find himself inexplicably suspended several feet in the air. He can fly! And what's more, the kid's suddenly got super strength and endurance, as well as enhanced physical senses. Understandably, Clark is confused and conflicted about his newfound gifts, and has no idea what to do next. However, one thing's for certain: Clark's world is about to get a whole lot bigger, and his life will never be the same again...
Hmm... At 3 stars, I'm not sure if I should be impressed or disappointed with this book: I knew that rereading it couldn't reproduce the 5-star rating I'd given it the first time around, but that 2-star difference seems kinda large. And at the same time, it's still pretty damned impressive considering how I felt about Marvels , and what little I've read of Astro City . But after having gotten a taste of all each of Busiek's top books (aside from Conan ), I think it's safe to say that Secret Identity is among the writer's most commendable works of his entire career. It's certainly good enough that I easily get why almost everyone's so crazy about it, but, for me, it just reintroduced too many of the same qualities I'd disliked about some of the other books I've read from the author.
First and foremost, it must be noted that Secret Identity is much more a diary picture book (with occasional dialogue) than it is a traditional superhero yarn with a focused plot. Anyone who's read Marvels should recognize the approach immediately. And just like Marvels, this book also tracks the growth of its protagonist over the course of several years. Though in this particular case, our protagonist (Clark) appears to age 50+ years, whereas Sheldon (of Marvels) maybe ages half that amount, since he already starts his story off as an adult. And as the book progresses, Busiek tackles a separate theme/obstacle for Clark to overcome every issue. But while I suppose the idea of writing an extended, diary-style character study on Superman might sound appealing on paper, it's a premise which ultimately presented challenges that Busiek wasn't completely equipped to handle.
Two important implications of the writer's storytelling method are that it very strictly restricts the telling of the story to the singular perspective of Clark, and it makes it so that the narrative text outnumbers the dialogue twice over (or more). This meant that readers end up spending a whole lot of time cooped up in the protagonists' head, even to the point where other aspects of the story begin to suffer as a result. Such a narration-heavy approach naturally neglects worldbuilding and the characterization of other characters – at least to some significant extent – and limits the time available to allow these aspects to independently express themselves or play out unfiltered by Clark's commentary. And although so much of the story relies on the strength of Clark's relationship with others, we're not given much of a chance get to know these people very well, and Busiek's scripting wasn't strong enough to adequately emphasize his intended humor, intimacy, etc., during the relatively few interactive moments he did manage to include. Another side-effect of these constraints was that the story couldn't really go very far: maybe only half the page count was necessary to communicate the core plotline, and the other half was comprised largely of internal exposition and wandering thoughts. That said, however, I guess none of that has to be too big a problem at all, so long as Busiek is able to produce some solid diction, and write a compelling lead character to drive the narrative, right? Some folks seem to think he did, and that's fair enough.
[Can you imagine that this is the only interaction of any consequence between Clark and his parents? And after issue one, besides being casually mentioned in the second issue, I don't think they even come up again. That's very different from both Birthright and Secret Origin, which made sure to have Clark's parents play and important role in his development and adult life. Aside from his relationship with Lois – which was decently written, at best – all of Clark's other relationships felt hollow, and/or were squeezed out by everything else.]
Unfortunately for me, I don't share that particular sentiment, and found Busiek's Clark Kent to be nearly as dull as just about all of the other renditions I've bumped into thus far. To illustrate my point, let's focus on his characterization in the very first issue, since I think his subsequent persona is just, for the most part, an extension of what has already been established there. In this opening chapter, we learn how an ordinary Clark Kent hates having to live in Superman's shadow, how he dreads the feeling of not being able to fully own his identity, and why only solitude allows him to momentarily escape from being reminded of how painfully unexceptional his life truly is. But after he discovers his abilities in the first fifth of the issue, Clark's inner conflict quickly becomes defined less and less by pain and resentment, and more and more by tedious uncertainty. Before things started going downhill, I liked how Busiek presented the irony of Clark initially envying the "fictional" Superboy for being able to live a normal (and more social) life with friends – since the name "Clark Kent" would be unremarkable to other comic book characters – even though his fictional counterpart would probably envy the "real" Clark's lack of responsibility. I also liked the irony of Clark seeking isolation as a means to escape his feelings of being alone in a crowd, and it nicely paralleled the (quite literal) alienness the comic book Superman often experiences. Sadly, this complexity didn't last, and things soon got to be a bit too easy for Clark.
[Look at each of the three pictures above. As you can see, Busiek soon just masks his laziness with a tedious series of brief scenes showing Clark's ambivalence, and expects readers to mistake this superficial tactic for depth of writing. But that's only one of a few ways the writing fails to impress.]
To further argue my point, let's now take a minute and compare Busiek's Clark with Marvel's Peter Parker – in particular, Bendis' version from Ultimate Spider-Man . One can basically think of both of these high-school-aged kids as being the epitome of "the good child" every parent wants to have: they're smart, responsible, empathetic, level-headed, reflective, patient kids. But while these are qualities that might get you to *like* both of them, they shouldn't be sufficient to get you to *care* about either one very much. Those are two different things. So the fundamental problem with Clark's character is that Busiek seems too unwilling to place him in situations that would test his moral character, and as a result, that squeaky clean persona remains intact and largely unchallenged. Peter, on the other hand, actually gets *more* interesting after he develops his powers, not less, and he's got far more on his plate to worry about than vague feelings of uncertainty or anxiety: Bendis gives Peter the space to freak out and abuse his powers a bit, uses Osborn to put his safety in clear and present danger, and naturally makes it so that he can't avoid being at odds with his well-meaning (and well-written) parents. Compared to Peter, Clark's got a whole lot less to fear, his psychological transformation (in the first issue) is not nearly as substantial, and rather than gradually developing a sense of duty towards humanity, Clark almost immediately adopts a heroic mentality with only minimal dramatic lead-up.
[...And just like that, mild-mannered Clark Kent has become Superboy! Not only is he not fazed by what should clearly be a highly alarming discovery, there's no follow-up showing his struggle to master these new abilities, and that's a needlessly missed opportunity for pathos.]
And when you look at the book more generally, there aren't any (or at least very few) real thrills or particularly memorable scenes to be found anywhere within it. I get that the intent here was to write a low-key and down-to-earth Superman story, but does that also mean that the atmosphere had to remain so consistently lukewarm throughout its entire duration? For instance, I feel like the story could have used a chance to portray his revelation in a more riveting way and then show Clark really struggling to learn how to use/control his abilities, or perhaps show a couple intimate moments between Clark and his parents/Lois. There weren't even any epic moments showing off Superman's amazing feats of heroism, and we can usually count on that if we're talking about a Superman book as popular as this. Like with Marvels – though certainly to a lesser degree – Busiek struggles to break his narrative monotone and convey danger in a way that makes it feel exciting or gripping. For this reason, there were several action scenes or twists that fell short of what I assumed to be the writer's intended attempt at arousing exhilaration in readers.
Fortunately, though, Busiek quickly begins to make more efficient use of his limited dialogue – partly by cutting down on peripheral chitchat from unimportant characters – and he gives Clark a lasting, and more tangible conflict by introducing the U.S. government as a formidable adversary early in the second issue. He also starts to address the intriguing origin behind Clark's abilities, and sensibly portrays the character as physically vulnerable enough not to be virtually impervious to harm (unlike most other incarnations). And like I said before, Clark is a likeable enough protagonist, if not a compelling one, and along with Busiek's serviceable narration, he's able to push the story along without allowing it drag to too much. It's also good that everything leads to a fairly heartwarming finale that wraps things up pretty nicely. The only thing I'd think to complain about there was how the book's final five pages kind of spoon-fed readers a thematic take-home message they could have surmised independently. More than striking me as a little patronizing, it felt somewhat amateurish, and, at one point, plainly ripped off Erickson's developmental theory in a way that reminded me just how much time Busiek had spent casually going through the motions with his storytelling all along.
[This was a nice little part of the story, but I just wish the writer capitalized more on the paranoia and sense of danger.]
Now, I want you to imagine for a second being someone who's never read or heard of this book before now. Given what I've already described, would you honestly believe me if I told you Stuart Immonen illustrated it, and actually turned out to be a perfect fit? Probably not, amiright? That's because most comic readers are probably a lot more familiar with Immonen's cartoonishly lighthearted works, including New Avengers , Nextwave , and Ultimate Spider-Man. But with Secret Identity, the artist shows a side of himself that you may not have seen before, and his work here is almost unrecognizable. It's like Daniel Acuña meets Tony Harris, with possibly just a hint of Alex Maleev. And along with his hushed coloring palette, the combination of this uncharacteristic style of pencilling gave the book a very purposeful and stately feel to it: one that was just as classy, yet more approachable, than Alex Ross' work in Marvels. But like Ross, it suffered from a similar drawback of not being able to visually stimulate during action sequences or dramatic shots. The funny thing is, action's normally Immonen's specialty, so I can only assume that failing was more a result of the writer's characteristically sedate artistic vision for the book, than it was a misstep on his part as an artist.
Of all the Superman origin stories I've ever read, Secret Identity is surely one of the best. That's one thing I think almost everyone can agree on. But unlike fans of this book might claim, Busiek's writing is nowhere as poignant or suspenseful as he probably hoped it would be. Personally, I have no inherent problem with slow and quiet comics that focus strongly on one particular character. As long as the character in question is an interesting one, I don't consider that a bad way to tell a story at all. Unfortunately for Clark, he simply isn't all that interesting. So while Secret Identity isn't exactly a book I'd ever passionately recommend, I will say that it's probably a good idea to read it if you loved Marvels and/or Astro City. However, if you're not already a fan of Busiek or Superman, I wouldn't say this book is all that likely to make you one.
April 18, 2013
"A story that takes the concept of the secret identity and uses it as a metaphor for our own inner selves, the part of us that most of the world doesn't get to see, that we share with few others across a lifetime." - Kurt Busiek's own description from the forward.
Superman was never a character that really called out to me. For "normal" superhero adventures a neigh-invulnerable man never interested me much. But the potential for more was always there, and when creators really embrace the problems someone with super powers WOULD have I find the results are quite spectacular. One such story was For All Seasons, in which Loeb and Sale examine the insecurities a normal farm boy would face when he grew up to be more than normal. For years it was easily my favorite Superman story...
Until Busiek and Immonen produced a tale of a Clark Kent that READ those stories along with me. SI's Clark is a boy in the real world, who's been taunted all his life due to his parents' unfortunate sense of humor and the decision to name him after Superman. His concerns are school, bullies and the girl he likes. Then the unthinkable happens, and Clark finds his both choices and troubles multiplied a hundredfold.
The greatest fiction gives readers something to relate to. Suspension of disbelief becomes easier if the reader cares about what's happening. Secret Identity, in line with Busiek's lofty goal from the above quote, shares the journey of a man with extraordinary powers, but worries and problems common to us all. It's remarkable how genuine and real it all feels given it stars a boy who can fly. We know how Clark feels. We've been there in some way. The shared emotion pulls us in and makes us really care about what happens to Clark.
Stuart Immonen's art is an incredibly vital piece of this accomplishment. The subdued color palette and softer character designs enhance the desired atmosphere of Clark's world being our own, and the intricacies of Busiek's nuanced layers to the story would be lost without Immonen's excellent facial expressions and detail work to convey tone and meaning.
Secret Identity is one of the most resonant comic stories I've ever read, and instantly one of my favorites.
Highly recommended.
Superman was never a character that really called out to me. For "normal" superhero adventures a neigh-invulnerable man never interested me much. But the potential for more was always there, and when creators really embrace the problems someone with super powers WOULD have I find the results are quite spectacular. One such story was For All Seasons, in which Loeb and Sale examine the insecurities a normal farm boy would face when he grew up to be more than normal. For years it was easily my favorite Superman story...
Until Busiek and Immonen produced a tale of a Clark Kent that READ those stories along with me. SI's Clark is a boy in the real world, who's been taunted all his life due to his parents' unfortunate sense of humor and the decision to name him after Superman. His concerns are school, bullies and the girl he likes. Then the unthinkable happens, and Clark finds his both choices and troubles multiplied a hundredfold.
The greatest fiction gives readers something to relate to. Suspension of disbelief becomes easier if the reader cares about what's happening. Secret Identity, in line with Busiek's lofty goal from the above quote, shares the journey of a man with extraordinary powers, but worries and problems common to us all. It's remarkable how genuine and real it all feels given it stars a boy who can fly. We know how Clark feels. We've been there in some way. The shared emotion pulls us in and makes us really care about what happens to Clark.
Stuart Immonen's art is an incredibly vital piece of this accomplishment. The subdued color palette and softer character designs enhance the desired atmosphere of Clark's world being our own, and the intricacies of Busiek's nuanced layers to the story would be lost without Immonen's excellent facial expressions and detail work to convey tone and meaning.
Secret Identity is one of the most resonant comic stories I've ever read, and instantly one of my favorites.
Highly recommended.
July 27, 2014
Secret Identity is the most feel-good Superman story I have ever read. It has that uplifting story that could have made Superman: Birthright definitive and a heart that could have made All-Star Superman a timeless classic.
Take note that the one in Secret Identity is technically not the Earth-1 Superman. Clark Kent here is the "average guy"-turned Man of Steel in our very own world, a world where superheroes are just mere comic creations.
Busiek doesn't go into details, he just makes Superman soar.
Kurt Busiek doesn't bother to dig deep into the plot details but instead makes Supes soar at the sky the moment he finds out about his powers. There are no intricate stories woven across the pages. The whole story just focuses on Man of Tomorrow and how he keeps his secret identity.
I rarely read comics that ends as uplifting as Secret Identity.
Secret Identity can pass as an origin story, but it does more by following Kent's (and Lois') life through the years. The final panels about legacy and tomorrow are inspiring. I rarely read comics that ends this elevating.
Take note that the one in Secret Identity is technically not the Earth-1 Superman. Clark Kent here is the "average guy"-turned Man of Steel in our very own world, a world where superheroes are just mere comic creations.
Busiek doesn't go into details, he just makes Superman soar.
Kurt Busiek doesn't bother to dig deep into the plot details but instead makes Supes soar at the sky the moment he finds out about his powers. There are no intricate stories woven across the pages. The whole story just focuses on Man of Tomorrow and how he keeps his secret identity.
I rarely read comics that ends as uplifting as Secret Identity.
Secret Identity can pass as an origin story, but it does more by following Kent's (and Lois') life through the years. The final panels about legacy and tomorrow are inspiring. I rarely read comics that ends this elevating.
November 2, 2025
Idk guys, I just really love Clark Kent!!!
October 20, 2020
For some reason, Superman has inspired some of the best stand-alone stories and this one is one of the best. Inspired by the Earth-Prime Superboy (who ironically is now one of the DC Universe’s greatest villains), writer Kurt Busiek crafts a tale that takes place in our real world where comic books tell the fictional tale of Superman, and a young boy in small-town Kansas is given the name Clark Kent as a joke. But when he develops powers similar to the famous superhero, he must learn to live with the responsibility that comes with the great power.
The book is impressive in its writing and is a pretty fascinating and fresh twist on the overexposed Superman origin that we all know. It was pretty cool seeing the growth of a superhero with full knowledge that he’s similar to a famous comic book character and despite his lifelong apprehension of being compared to his namesake, it’s cool to see his inevitable transformation into a true superhero. This is a comic book classic with great writing and art, and definitely one of the best “Superman” stories.
The book is impressive in its writing and is a pretty fascinating and fresh twist on the overexposed Superman origin that we all know. It was pretty cool seeing the growth of a superhero with full knowledge that he’s similar to a famous comic book character and despite his lifelong apprehension of being compared to his namesake, it’s cool to see his inevitable transformation into a true superhero. This is a comic book classic with great writing and art, and definitely one of the best “Superman” stories.
August 19, 2021
I've never been much of a fan of Superman, but had to pick up this book for Immonen's art (which is superb as ever - the man is an inspiration for being a wizardly chameleon when in comes to mastering different styles best suited for the tone of various projects). And am ever glad I did!
This is not your ordinary Superman story, but something much more intimate, humane, mundane, touching and relatable. Year after year after reading this I've occasionally found myself reminiscing to the warmth of this story, and now, on a random night well over a decade after first reading this I'm writing a review, just because I remembered this again, seemingly out of the blue, and felt compelled to write down how this touched. Beautiful story, gorgeous art - must include this among my favorite superhero books of all time for this feeling to have hold on all these years.
(And I was always more of a Batman reader back then, during my graphic novel collecting years of late teens / early twenties. You couldn't write a story this sweet for Batman.
This is not your ordinary Superman story, but something much more intimate, humane, mundane, touching and relatable. Year after year after reading this I've occasionally found myself reminiscing to the warmth of this story, and now, on a random night well over a decade after first reading this I'm writing a review, just because I remembered this again, seemingly out of the blue, and felt compelled to write down how this touched. Beautiful story, gorgeous art - must include this among my favorite superhero books of all time for this feeling to have hold on all these years.
(And I was always more of a Batman reader back then, during my graphic novel collecting years of late teens / early twenties. You couldn't write a story this sweet for Batman.
October 18, 2015
One of the best things Kurt Busiek has written. Set in the real world, a young boy named Clark Kent endures constant jokes about his name. Until one day, when he discovers that he actually has Superman's powers. The four chapters of the book examine Clark at four different ages, looking at the choices he makes and how he deals with his powers. Busiek brings an emotional weight and a sense of reality to the writing. Clark doesn't feel like a comic book character but a human being. His choices are ones we can imagine ourselves making. Stuart Immonen's art rises to the challenge and merges seamlessly with the writing. His characters aren't spandex-clad models, but real people wearing real clothes. The story isn't flashy, but quiet and sincere and memorable and highly worth reading.
November 22, 2014
This book was just amazing right up there with Red Son as far as best Superman books I've read.
August 6, 2016
I've had Secret Identity sitting here for years in one of the stacks on unread graphic novels and collections. I didn't know what it was when I bought it, and I didn't know much about author Kurt Busiek. All I knew was that Stuart Immonen's art was amazing. The cover had caught my eye, so I bought the book. And now, over a decade later, I finally read it.
It is nothing short of brilliant. If you haven't read it, you should. It's about what it might be like to develop superpowers in the real world. Our world. It's about a teen named Clark Kent -- for the comic book character, because his parents had a weird sense of humor -- and how he got teased over his name. About how he always felt he was an outsider, not sure who he was or what his place in the world would be. In other words, an average teenager. And then one day, he discovered he could fly.
Everything he knew about himself changed, and part of that was not knowing who or what he was and that having more implications than ever. Finding his way in life got infinitely more complicated as he contemplated becoming a hero. The book -- originally a mini-series -- examines what it means to be a hero, what the ramifications might be if that became public. It looks at privacy and government overreaction, while at its heart, it remains a coming-of-age story, taking Clark from his teen years to a man of sixty, thereabouts. It's about making decisions and trying to live your life and it's about being human and what that means, too. And it's about hope and love and doing what is right. It's a graphic novel for the ages. And I'm very glad I got around to finally reading it.
It is nothing short of brilliant. If you haven't read it, you should. It's about what it might be like to develop superpowers in the real world. Our world. It's about a teen named Clark Kent -- for the comic book character, because his parents had a weird sense of humor -- and how he got teased over his name. About how he always felt he was an outsider, not sure who he was or what his place in the world would be. In other words, an average teenager. And then one day, he discovered he could fly.
Everything he knew about himself changed, and part of that was not knowing who or what he was and that having more implications than ever. Finding his way in life got infinitely more complicated as he contemplated becoming a hero. The book -- originally a mini-series -- examines what it means to be a hero, what the ramifications might be if that became public. It looks at privacy and government overreaction, while at its heart, it remains a coming-of-age story, taking Clark from his teen years to a man of sixty, thereabouts. It's about making decisions and trying to live your life and it's about being human and what that means, too. And it's about hope and love and doing what is right. It's a graphic novel for the ages. And I'm very glad I got around to finally reading it.
September 26, 2018
I love Superman. My personal favorite Superman story is Superman for all seasons.
And this might be a runner up. I’ve read a healthy helping of Superman, and this isn’t an in continuity Superman. And that’s one of the best things about comics, seeing different takes and ideas on beloved characters.
This isn’t the Superman you know, it’s the Superman that you’re only going to find in this story. A Superman written and drawn by only Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen. What I mean here is that this is uniquely their take and it’s marvelous. It’s one of the many reasons you should read this comic.
It’s drawn very well in something I’d compare to the haze you have of memories as you grow. And it fits perfectly.
I’ll say nothing about the plot other than this. It’s about a world without super heroes but has comic heroes, namely Superman. And a small family hold up in Kansas names there son Clark, Clark Kent.
You should really read it for yourself. It’s a labor of love to not only Superman, but growing up, having a family, and other ideas and themes that it explores.
I loved reading it and it’s so damn well done I wonder why people don’t talk about it as much as they do All Star Superman.
5 stars
And I do want to note that in issue 1 it comes off like they made Clark Kent into Peter Parker, and it still works but it’s just something I noted. Right down to the bully who is a huge fan of the hero but not the nerd.
And this might be a runner up. I’ve read a healthy helping of Superman, and this isn’t an in continuity Superman. And that’s one of the best things about comics, seeing different takes and ideas on beloved characters.
This isn’t the Superman you know, it’s the Superman that you’re only going to find in this story. A Superman written and drawn by only Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen. What I mean here is that this is uniquely their take and it’s marvelous. It’s one of the many reasons you should read this comic.
It’s drawn very well in something I’d compare to the haze you have of memories as you grow. And it fits perfectly.
I’ll say nothing about the plot other than this. It’s about a world without super heroes but has comic heroes, namely Superman. And a small family hold up in Kansas names there son Clark, Clark Kent.
You should really read it for yourself. It’s a labor of love to not only Superman, but growing up, having a family, and other ideas and themes that it explores.
I loved reading it and it’s so damn well done I wonder why people don’t talk about it as much as they do All Star Superman.
5 stars
And I do want to note that in issue 1 it comes off like they made Clark Kent into Peter Parker, and it still works but it’s just something I noted. Right down to the bully who is a huge fan of the hero but not the nerd.
May 20, 2021
Una auténtica maravilla. Clark Kent es un chaval que "odia" a Superman, y sus padres apellidado Kent le decidieron llamar Clark. A modo de diario de un viejo Clark para sus hijas, te cuenta su vida como ciudadano aguantando bromas de Superman y también, bueno, como Superman. Y eso que el no es extraterrestre. De hecho el primer capítulo trata de adolescencia y descubrimiento de su ser. El segundo nos da un Clark en sus 30, conociendo el mundo y su gran amor, Lois. En el tercero tenemos a Clark y a Lois ya establecidos. En el cuarto y último se explora desde los 50 años y su jubilación hasta ya un Clark canoso mayor. Una delicia de Superman, la verdad.
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