SPOILER: Superman 38

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

There's a big development that happens in Superman #38 -- even moreso than the new power that's been hyped (the Super Flare) and the new costume that's revealed (a slight tweak on the New 52 version, bringing it a little more in line with the pre-Flashpoint version while maintaining some of the changes, like keeping Superman out of red shorts for a while longer.But the end of the story has a bigger deal than a power that'll show up only rarely, or a cosmetic costume change that' might have escaped the notice of readers who hadn't been primed to look for it. After some spoiler space, I'll mention it.

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Clark told Jimmy Olsen that he's Superman!

Now, this is right after Jimmy does something incredibly selfless, So Clark is obviously impressed by his character. It's also after a story in which Clark needed a friend so bad he was taken in my an interdimensional mass murderer. So maybe he should talk to his pal more often, and more honestly.

I think it's a great idea. With his marriage to Lois dissolved, Clark really needs someone human he can relate to and talk to -- about everything -- and by making that person Jimmy, it puts him squarely back in the mythos. Lois, I'm sure, will learn eventually -- and it will be interesting to see what Jimmy has to say about whether Clark should tell her. 

I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. What do you think?

[Ron M.]

Why not? Doc Savage also lived in a secret headquarters (with the exact same name, Fortress of SOlitude, what a co-inkidink!) and he was always just Doc.

[John Dunbar]

You do not recall correctly.  Clark told Lois his secret at the end of Action 662.  This continued into Superman 53, where Lois is stunned by the revelation and a bit overwhelmed trying to take it all in, as anyone would be.

LL: "Look, Clark, my head's still spinning ... it's a lot to take in ... and it's not that I'm shocked -- actually, I'm kind of relieved.  It explains away a lot of your erratic behavior ... I mean it's like a puzzle that suddenly makes sense because the missing piece is finally in place.  In my heart I think I've known for a long time, but my brain would always dismiss the notion.

She goes on for a bit, asking herself and Clark how this impacts their lives.  She says she still loves him, she just needs time to process this.  Which she did.

Philip Portelli said:

IIRC, when Clark told Lois THE TRUTH before they got married, she didn't feel honored or privileged or trustworthy, she felt betrayed, humiliated and deceived. Hopefully Jimmy will react better.

Jeepers!

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Read it last night. The Clark/Jimmy relationship strikes me as being similar to the Clark/Pete Ross relationship on TV’s Smallville. Smallville forged its own mythos apart from the comics, and it’s perfectly all right (with me) if the current comics forge a mythos apart from previous comics.

[Richard Willis]

Even if Lois was peeved in some version it could have been worse. ((If someone hasn't read it, this is a SPOILER for Mark Waid's Irredeemable.)) When the Superman stand-in, Plutonian, reveals his identity to the Lois Lane stand-in she freaks that he deceived her and that he's a creepy alien, tells everyone in sight, and tips over his fragile sanity into mass-murder.

[Ron M.]

Silver Age Lois would have had it printed on the front page of the next edition of the Daily Planet in huge type. Or, possibly, blackmailed him "I won't tell anyone...if  you marry me!" Superman spends all his time hanging out with Doc Savage when he's not fighting crime.

[Philip Portelli]

That's what you get I rely on Post-Crisis memories! After reading this, I think that Lois was furious earlier when she was told that Superman and Clark "grew up together" thus explaining all of Clark's super-scoops at her expense. Or have I got that wrong too?
 
John Dunbar (the mod of maple) said:

You do not recall correctly.  Clark told Lois his secret at the end of Action 662.  This continued into Superman 53, where Lois is stunned by the revelation and a bit overwhelmed trying to take it all in, as anyone would be.

LL: "Look, Clark, my head's still spinning ... it's a lot to take in ... and it's not that I'm shocked -- actually, I'm kind of relieved.  It explains away a lot of your erratic behavior ... I mean it's like a puzzle that suddenly makes sense because the missing piece is finally in place.  In my heart I think I've known for a long time, but my brain would always dismiss the notion.

She goes on for a bit, asking herself and Clark how this impacts their lives.  She says she still loves him, she just needs time to process this.  Which she did.

Philip Portelli said:

IIRC, when Clark told Lois THE TRUTH before they got married, she didn't feel honored or privileged or trustworthy, she felt betrayed, humiliated and deceived. Hopefully Jimmy will react better.

Jeepers!

[Doctor Hmmm?]

"My Fortress of Solitude is better than yours!"

"Nuh-uh! Mine's got an interplanetary zoo!"
 
Ron M. said:

Silver Age Lois would have had it printed on the front page of the next edition of the Daily Planet in huge type. Or, possibly, blackmailed him "I won't tell anyone...if  you marry me!" Superman spends all his time hanging out with Doc Savage when he's not fighting crime.

[Captain Comics]

I'm looking forward to it. I've always pushed for the idea that Lois should know, so that she could cover for Clark and otherwise aid the never-ending battle. In this scenario, it's Jimmy who will play that role -- which, as noted above, actually gives him a reason to exist in The New 52.

[John Dunbar]

That sounds familiar, it would have to be in either Man of Steel or Byrne's Superman run.  Byrne's Lois was pretty unpleasant and after he left the book(s), the other creator softened Lois quite a bit.

Philip Portelli said:

That's what you get I rely on Post-Crisis memories! After reading this, I think that Lois was furious earlier when she was told that Superman and Clark "grew up together" thus explaining all of Clark's super-scoops at her expense. Or have I got that wrong too?

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

I think that reaction from Lois might be in Action 597 -- this issue, from Byrne.

[Ron M.]

"You let John Sunlight find yours!"

"You leave dangerous objects lying around for Jimmy Olsen to find!"

[Doctor Hmmm?]