Superman Speaks His Truth *Spoilers for Superman #18*

[Superlad93]

The president thing is not. He is not democratically elected one.

I don't think we know that yet. From what it sounds like, yeah, I doubt it'll be any sort of traditional election, but it has been indicated that he will have the responsibility thrust upon him even when he doesn't want it. Sounds like he'll be appointed. And based off the fact that Supergirl will be president years down the line, I imagine it's a position that the world will recognize.

I hope that bendis shows jon to earn the title from the people like his father.

Based on what we know so far from the run, I'd say it's likely gonna be a little bit of both. Jon's character arc has been about the idea of him knowing that one day people are going to expect him to be That Guy because of who his father is. The responsibility and expectations that come with such a highly regarded legacy progenerated by The World's Best Dude. So, in that sense I'm pretty sure the passing of the title will be something akin to the passing of a crown.

But you can be sure Bendis will play up how some people aren't down with it (be it played for jest or seriously). He's done the same with Miles and Riri. But unlike Miles and Riri, Jon is coming into being Superman with a pretty stacked resume as Superboy on Earth, then in space, helping people on Earth-3, surviving Earth-3, coming up with the United Planets (I imagine Clark will mention that at least.), and serving as part of the Legion. How much of that resume along with his deeds to come will win people over remains to be seen.

[Ascended]

I think Superlad is probably on point with how Bendis will generally handle all this (details notwithstanding).

Still, I'd kinda love it if Clark just said "Look, this is happening. We need to get unified as a people. You're gonna have to roll with this one and y'all owe me some benefit of the doubt!" It wont happen, and it wouldnt make a ton of sense for this iteration of Superman, but it'd be a fun parallel if Clark, now getting into politics, tapped into a little bit of his Golden Age attitude. Not *too* much, just enough to not give a damn about what people say.

[DragonPiece]

New interview. It also weirdly spoils the last page of the next Superman issue where he tells Kara he will reveal the truth https://t.co/TAUTWssc0w

[Sacred Knight]

Ugh, so tired of the "secret identities don't matter to the younger crowd" excuse. I'm not saying its not by and large true. It is an old concept which is nowhere near as vital to the overall superhero genre as it used to be. That's absolutely true. But at the same time, that doesn't necessarily mean its always a valid excuse you can go to for every character. It should always be a case-by-case basis. Because while there's plenty of characters who can afford this, if there's one who cannot, if there's one of whom the secret identity concept is so ingrained and so important, its Superman. He's the one guy you don't do this to in a long-term scenario. You just don't. Even with Truth, it was painfully obvious it was designed to be temporary. But this "forever" type of approach is just wrong. Call me old or whatever but its not Superman. The secret identity is a major piece of the entire backbone of the concept. If you don't have it, you don't have Superman. You have something and someone else. So what if the Avengers don't have secret identities? Superman is not the Avengers. So what if "secret id" today can be strongly associated with Twitter and burner accounts and trolls and whatnot. That doesn't mean that's the reason Superman utilizes it. In fact, use that as part of an exploration into the key differences between what Superman does and what other people today to. That's a story worth telling, that's something worth exploring. Not getting rid of it for him because it can draw a comparison with the trolls of today. Its a contrast, if anything. All this not even mentioning what's even further down the road. I'm seriously concerned this could destroy Superman for a generation, not reinvigorate it.

So frustrating. Being mad over fandom stuff is exhausting, and really not worth it in the scheme of things. But logically I can tell myself that and it doesn't always help, not in the moment. Because dang it, I'm just mad.

[manwhohaseverything]

I for one think that it needs a different spin or something that can make it look cool for the newer audience.

[Tzigone]

Ugh, so tired of the "secret identities don't matter to the younger crowd" excuse.

Heh, kinda feels like the 1990s all over again to me. Really started with late 1980s, probably.

Because while there's plenty of characters who can afford this, if there's one who cannot, if there's one of whom the secret identity concept is so ingrained and so important, its Superman.

He's pretty much the trope-codifier. It existed before him, of course, but it's part of his fame. And I can't see it dropped for any other media, unless set in far future or another planet or some such.

I for one think that it needs a different spin or something that can make it look cool for the newer audience.

"No secret identity" isn't exactly new and different. It was part of "cool for the newer audience" for Superboy in 1993, over 20 years ago.

[Vordan]

You can always handwave the SI with “Kryptonian tech” or “magic” have Mxy enchant Clark’s glasses lol. But let’s see where this story goes, unlike Truth this doesn’t seem to be about bringing Clark low but instead about elevating him.

[manwhohaseverything]

You can always handwave the SI with “Kryptonian tech” or “magic” have Mxy enchant Clark’s glasses lol. But let’s see where this story goes, unlike Truth this doesn’t seem to be about bringing Clark low but instead about elevating him.

That's just bland. I would want something more interesting. But that's just me.
Edit-i meant the handwaving secret identity thing.

[Mago dos Gatos]

“People with secret identities [today] are people online who talk crap.”

I had to take a moment after reading this,because I could not believe Bendis said such thing.

[Sacred Knight]

It is indeed a silly comparison. Like I said before it could be something interesting to bring up in a story, for Superman to ponder such things. But the conclusion he would ultimately come to would be that he is in no way legitimately comparable to online trolls. He's not hiding himself so he can then go out of his way to hurt people emotionally or physically. He's hiding part of himself so he can have a bit of a private life of his own while he helps people hurt emotionally and/or physically. Its something for him yes, its not entirely selfless in nature, but he's earned having that a million times over. Bendis is reaching to legitimize taking away a key piece of Superman so he can be more like a Marvel character. But he's not a Marvel character.

[DochaDocha]

Sounds like a self-serving hot take from Bendis, especially when you consider that marginalized groups have talked about the parallels between SIs and their lives.

[Superlad93]

But the conclusion he would ultimately come to would be that he is in no way legitimately comparable to online trolls.

I recall that in the word balloon interview he brought this up for the first time, and he payed special care to say that is not how he's reflecting the idea of the secret identity in superhero fiction. He brought up the online person bit specifically in the interest of saying that that is the current prevailing expression of a secret identity in today's world.

I'd actually take it a step further and bring up the concept of coming out in terms of one's sexuality or gender identity. That sense of hiding it and keeping it just between you and a select few people in your personal life is being eroded away in the eyes of the modern world. Understanding that all of one's relationships are likely to be affected, and how strangers may approach and interact with you is a big part of that.


And then of course since Superman is a person of great power in just about every sense of the word, transparency of those we elect to protect and keep us and our ideals safe is extremely important and on-topic right now.

People are pretty starved for transparency admits lighting and properly angled "just woke up" IG pics and flat out lying of people in power. Personal identity, transparency and and accountability are exactly what we're talking about right this second.

[Frontier]

I'm 24 and I prefer secret identities. Am I not young enough :P?

I dunno about "online trolling" I think people understand that anonymity can be both a good and bad thing. I don't think young people have an issue buying into a secret identity if it's a core aspect of the character. Like, I don't see people complaining about Batman's secret identity and while the MCU makes a complete joke about it I think most young people know Spider-Man (be he white or black) has a secret identity. Even the movie Wonder Woman established Diana Prince.

I do find it interesting/concerning how for it WB corporate was.

Oh, and some of that Kara art .

[Sacred Knight]

If he explained his opinions better elsewhere than he did here in regards to the SI stuff, fair enough. But I'll still never agree with it. I get times are changing in regards to transparency and things people hid yesterday are slowing becoming something no longer necessary to hide today. That's a great thing. But to me its still not reason enough to take this part of Superman away. No matter how far society gets in acceptance of certain things, there will always by hidden aspects of people. There will always be that reliability. Its just human nature to not be entirely open all the time. I realize they have not capitalized on this properly in a long time but being rid of it entirely is not the answer. Especially considering I still believe its his dual nature that makes him so interesting in the first place. It can resound in the short-term, with the parallels of someone coming out or revealing their true selves in other ways. But I don't believe its sustainable in the long-run for the character at all. Time will tell of course.

[Superlad93]

Right, that's the debate of course. And just because I can see and even agree the validity in the stance being made here doesn't mean that the flip side isn't just as valid. The flip side is what I think of when I think Superman. And while I think there are extremely strong narrative binds that make up the argument for the secret identity, I'm very much aware that that's in part because there's been 80 years of it being told this way.