Another Piece of the Superman Book (Patreon)

Hey superfriends, I wrote up this next piece of the Superman book that I'm putting together and hopefully releases this year. 

Would you all read this and let me know what you think? Bear in mind, it's a first draft (Mistakes will be bountiful!), but I'm very unsure of this chapter and would love to hear what you all think. (Like "GIVE ME MORE" or "SHUT UP, FATHEAD!")

Thanks for reading!

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The Glasses of Clark Kent

Action Comics #662 has one of the most famous comic covers of all time. On it, Lois’s mouth is wide open in shock. In her hands, she holds the glasses of Clark Kent, and in their reflection we can see the shield of Superman. Lois Lane has just figured out the secret identity of the man of steel. 

Only one single pair of glasses hides the identity of the world’s greatest superhero from the world. Since Superman first debuted in Action Comics #1, his secret identity has been one of the biggest nerd debates in the world. How does no one know that Clark Kent isn’t Superman? One thin pair of black glasses can’t obscure one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, and yet it has. There are few characters that have seen through Clark Kent’s disguise. Why is that? Is it an effective disguise or is it simply a storytelling trope left over from the Golden Age of comics?

In Superman #330, a rocket hurtles towards the WGBS building, Clark’s current place of employment. As the employees all stare out the window at their oncoming doom, they motion for Clark to switch into Superman lest they be killed in a horrible accident. Clark shocked at this accusation denies everything until Jimmy blurts out, “Come on Clark-- This is no time to be coy!” His coworkers rip open his suit to reveal the classic “S” shield. Luckily, Clark wakes up suddenly in bed and the whole incident is revealed to be a dream. The dream sits with Clark and he wonders in his vanity mirror if his disguise can actually work or not. 

This is a conversation that we don’t see the last son of Krypton having very often. Many Superman issues show us consecutive scenes where Clark is talking to his co-workers and in the very next scene his workmates are conversing with Superman. None of them suddenly shout out “Clark, you’re Superman!” and the readers are meant to accept this as solid fact of how the DC Universe works. No one can see through Superman’s disguise unless the story demands it. 

The story in Superman #330 further reveals that Superman’s power of super-hypnotism is always working on a subconscious level and his glasses are not normal glasses at all. They are glasses that he constructed during his career as Superboy made from the same indestructible materials as the rocket that brought him to Earth. Clark discovers that these Kryptonian glasses help to amplify his hypnotic effect and make all the people around him see Clark as his subconscious desire to seem weaker and frailer. (This leads to a scene where Clark asks for a portrait sketch artist to draw Clark Kent revealing that people see him as a much older man with a balding hairline.) If you count Superman #330 in your comic book history of Superman then the issue of how Clark Kent’s disguise is settled. You can now stop reading this book. However, if you’re like the other superfans (like me) that don’t accept that Superman can still use powers like super-hypnosis then read on! 

Could a stranger actually figure out that Superman has a secret identity? First, one has to determine why anyone in the world would actually have a secret identity. We, the readers of Superman, have always known that he has a secret identity. One of the best examples is from John Bryne’s Man of Steel #6, by slicking back his hair, wearing glasses and stopping a bit, Pa Kent and Clark determine that no one will put two and two together as long as Superman never lets on that he has a secret identity. 

Which begs the question, why would the world think that Superman has a secret identity? If you had the powers of the man of steel, would you ever stop being Superman? Most of us wouldn’t. Many of us would fly past the Andromeda Galaxy and see everything the universe had to offer. Others would stop all wars across the world. Plus when you have the invulnerability of Superman, it basically means that you can sleep anywhere you want. Depending on what version of Superman you are, you might not even have to sleep!

This is a question that Lex Luthor tackles directly in Superman Volume 2 #2. In the issue, Lex has his team of scientists gather all of the known data of the man of steel and input into a giant super computer to determine the secrets of Superman! Lex must have had a pretty big budget back in the 1980s, because the computer is able to correctly deduce the correct secret identity. It names Clark Kent as Superman! Lex’s assistant, Amanda is immediately convinced. “It’s so logical,” she says, but Luthor fumes. He believes that cold, logical machine has gotten it completely wrong. “No one with the power of Superman would ever pretend to be a mere human!” he screams. In the mind of Lex Luthor, power is the essential goal for everyone to covet. Lex can only view power as something to be constantly exploited. Superman would never take a day off. Superman would never pretend to not be him. Superman’s power is too great to not be consistently used for one’s own personal gain. He fires his assistant for missing the obvious, and we, the readers, were finally given a modern explanation for why Lex Luthor can not figure out a secret that is constantly in front of him.

The explanations and reasons behind the workings of Superman’s secret identity must have been a high priority for legendary creator John Bryne to explain in his The Man of Steel mini-series. It’s a brilliant move as a writer and an interesting way to distinguish the new relaunch of Superman that happened after the massive event that was Crisis on Infinite Earths. Besides the Pa and Clark explanation for Clark’s posture and glasses, Bryne even introduced the idea that Superman would try to be aware of everyone taking a photograph of him. Constantly vibrating his face slightly so that no photographer could get a clear shot of Superman’s face. This is a clever addition to the ruse of Superman’s secret identity. If there is no clear picture of Superman, then how could any stranger in Metropolis ever connect Clark to Superman? No one even know what Superman looks like now! (Also, CW’s The Flash cleverly stole this idea from The Man of Steel by having Barry Allen vibrate his face to obscure his identity in public. Now, The Flash was stealing the tricks of Superman.)

The crux of the secret identity of Superman all comes down to the fact that no one would ever expect mild-mannered Clark Kent could possibly be Superman. Frank Quitely wonderfully demonstrates this with his art in All Star Superman. Every shot of Clark Kent portrays his as a clumsy man. Always looking at the floor, always talking in hushed tones, it’s a wonder that anyone in the Daily Planet talks to Clark as quiet as he is. Quitely even shows that Clark wears bulky clothes so that Clark looks more overweight than the muscular perfection that is Superman. Based on Frank Quitely’s art, there is nothing to tie Clark Kent Superman. 

Next, one has to consider the character of Clark Kent. Christopher Reeve wonderfully demonstrated the innocence of Clark in Superman the Movie. Running after Lois, trying to ask her out to dinner, and getting stuck in the revolving door of the Daily Planet. What woman would ever think that dolt is Superman? 

Many comic writers operate off the idea that Bruce Wayne is a mask and Batman is the true identity. One could say the exact same thing of Superman. The confidence, the kindness and the passion that Clark displays when he wears the red trunks is the “real” Clark Kent. It’s the same hero that this Kansas boy displayed in Smallville. The Daily Planet Clark Kent is merely a character. His kindness given physical form. Going out of his way to be as oafish and quiet as he can, so no one will notice him. We all notice Superman, but we should never notice Clark Kent. Especially when he saves a co-worker from an accident with his superspeed and then covers it up by falling on his face so no one will suspect a thing. Thinking of the man of steel in this aspect almost brings an element of sadness to his character. Here is this farmboy, who was always taught to speak up, right the wrongs, and never be a coward, but when he puts on these pair of glasses, he must bury that. Keep it all locked up for the greater good. The greater good of what Superman can do for the world. 

One could almost call Superman the greatest actor in the world. For him to hide that much of himself from the world and keep it all locked up inside would be an Oscar worthy performance. Writer Mark Waid even toyed around with the idea that Clark consistently reads acting books to ensure that he never “breaks” character in Superman: Birthright. But no matter how good Superman’s acting was, there is always one person that eventually sees right through it, the greatest investigative reporter on the planet, Lois Lane. 

Throughout the Golden and Silver Age of comics, Lois Lane has many suspicions about the real identity of Superman. Many of those issues featured Superman having to save Lois from some insane danger that she created in an attempt to out Clark Kent as Superman. These simple done in one issue stories would reveal a clever twist in which Superman made his identity secret again before the issue’s end. Lois’s main goal for most of her early history was not the big story, but to determine the identity of Superman! (And also to get Superman to fall in love with her.)

The pages and pages of these Lois stories have a clear influence on the producers and writers of the Superman movies, primarily 1981’s Superman 2. In the film, Lois manufactures danger for herself in order to rouse Superman from hiding underneath his secret identity. Eventually, when Clark retrieves his glasses after they fell in a fireplace is what reveals his identity him to Lois. Future live action adventures of Superman would still portray Lois on the prowl for the secret to Clark Kent. In Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Season 2, Lois reveals that she knows Clark is Superman while he proposes to her and Man of Steel flips the whole Lois and Clark dynamic by having Lois discover Clark’s abilities before he ever becomes Superman. It’s a credit to the character that in every version of the Superman story, that Lois Lane discovers his secret. How could she not? If she’s one of the best investigative reporters on the planet, and she can’t see the story of the century in front of her face, then she wouldn’t be a good reporter then, would she? But this event usually tends to bond these two comic characters together, uniting them as a team and a couple. However, what of the people of Smallville?

Throughout the 50’s and 60’s, Superboy has many adventures saving his hometown of Smallville from various monsters and aliens. Once that boy grows up to be Superman and Clark Kent moves to Metropolis, the home of Superman, how do the citizens of Smallville not put two and two together.

During the film Man of Steel, Clark now dressed as Superman collides into a restaurant now managed by a childhood friend, Pete Ross. Early in the film, Pete was on the bus that Clark pulled out of the river after it crashed. Now, years later, Pete comes face to face with Clark in a brand new super suit fighting an alien with super strength. There’s a brief moment of recognition, but Pete doesn’t say anything. Even later in the film, Pete doesn’t give up Clark. He just saw the most famous resident of planet Earth and knows it was a childhood friend! He could make millions of dollars from selling that story but he doesn’t. Why?

One theory could be that he recognizes the greater good of Clark as Superman. To reveal his identity would rob the private life of fellow citizen of his town, and don’t forget this fellow Smallvillian just punched an alien invasion army off of planet Earth. He’s a good guy to have around. One could also predict that more people in Smallville recognized Clark during his battle. They know he’s Superman, but none of them sell their story to the Daily Planet. If you apply this theory to the comics, the citizens of Smallville would one hundred percent realize that the son of Martha and Jonathan Kent is Superboy. However, maybe they also appreciated every time he stopped Kanjar Ro from ruining the wheat crop. His identity becomes secret because the people of his hometown realize the value of his heroism. There’s something in that idea that makes the legend of Superman stronger and more mythic. 

It’s that same idea that I like to apply to Perry White, the editor of the Daily Planet. Let’s move past the moral implications and simply focus on the idea that Perry White could know that Clark is Superman. Perry is a seasoned reporter. He’s been around the block and he’s taken down some of the biggest criminals in Metropolis. You’re telling me that a pair of glasses could make this whip smart man not realize that Superman is standing in front of him? One concrete detail that all comic readers know about Perry White is that his sense of right and wrong is steadfast and true. Perry always does the right thing. He’s what gives The Daily Planet it’s clear version of protecting the innocent and promoting truth; a value set that Superman also encourages. But I think that Perry White keeps quiet for the good of his city and its citizens. Sure, The Daily Planet would sell a million copies of the issue that reveals Clark Kent is Superman, but what do they do on the next day when Brainiac shows up and Clark left town cause his life is in shambles? Perry would keep the secret, because he knows the ideals that Superman stands for. It’s the greater good for Metropolis to not publish that story. 

When it comes down to it, the glasses of Clark Kent protect more than just Superman’s identity, they protect his moral code and his life. The comics and the movies have presented several ways that Clark Kent’s disguise can work, but the one that you pick and believe could say more about yourself than Superman. Do you wish to believe that the disguise is silly, stupid and just could never work? Fine, but I suspect that you won’t enjoy many Superman stories after that. Do you believe that Superman’s disguise is strong enough to fool everyone in the world? Or do you believe that some people know and they are secret holders for the man of steel, constantly watching him on his never ending battle for justice. It makes no difference which one you choose. The glasses of Clark Kent will always be there. Slightly, obscuring eyes that will project decency and kindness, obscuring Superman.