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?
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...Hm . Interesting .
I got in first , before MSA could tell us how terrible it is !!!!!!!!!!!
Ha ha .
Actually , i am supposed to have a mail subscription to the eponymous , but it never followed me out of North-Central California - beware of Speedymags , the " subscription company " - so I have missed the JRJR epoch entirely .
Sorry to hear that about your subscription.
If Mr. Silver Age has any opinions about this development, I'm sure he can speak for himself.
...Uh , MSA needled me a bit , to-day , so I felt justified in likewise .
'Sides...I bet he will !!!!!!!!! Mort didn't do it , y'see :-) .
Hmm, I may have to give this one a read, Rob! What was Jimmy's reaction? Stuff like this is what I actually like about the New 52.
Jimmy's reaction is saved for next issue. The reveal was at the end of 38 -- aside from a cutaway epilogue.
Since I put Spoiler in the thread title, though, I'll mention what happened immediately before the reveal. Jimmy is a billionaire, apparently, and his been since the beginning of the New 52. His parents have apparently faked their death (for some reason) and are using him as a tax shelter or something -- it's all ridiculous and beside the point. What's important is that Jimmy had a ton of money, and when he saw all the people who were desperate enough to give up their lives on earth to live on another planet, he sent out a squad of investigators and accountants to track these people down and write checks to help them all -- to the point that all his money's gone, and he's back to the broke Jimmy Olsen he was always meant to be.
And it seems to me that an act that selfless is the sort of thing that would prompt Clark to tell him his secret. If you can't trust a great guy like Jimmy Olsen, who can you trust?
I love this addition to their friendship. And just think of how much he will be able to help Clark out now that he knows. I look forward to this being carried over into Action Comics as well.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
I don't know ... I'm not sure it necessarily follows that someone who would do a selfless, generous act is also someone who can keep his mouth shut about an important secret.
Heh. I posted this to the memory box as a potential "biggest surprise" for 2015 before i realized there was a thread about it. Actually, I haven't even read the issue myself yet; I discovered it just flipping through. The pacing reminded me a bit of Clark's reveal to Lois before he proposed back in the '90s. As a new status quo for the superman of the 21st century, I think it has a lot of story potential.
I'm mostly familiar with the goofball of the 60s and the Jack Larson version. Larson's Jimmy couldn't be trusted with such a secret because he wouldn't be able to remember not to blab it all over town. "Excuse me, Supe--uh, I mean Mr. Kent! Whoops!"
ClarkKent_DC said:
True, but that's not the only experience Clark's had with Jim. He's known him for years, now, so he has a pretty good handle on his character... his generosity and willingness to help just sealed the deal.
What cracks me up about the issue is that we see that Alfred knows the secret before anyone from the Superman cast does, calling him "Mr. Kent" as he recuperates in the Batcave.
And Jeff, great call on "biggest surprise!"
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