The Private Life of Clark Kent

[ironman2978]

Does anyone remember the arc of The Private Life of Clark Kent, where Pete Ross was about to take down the old Kent house in the Bronze Age, but slowly realizes the importance of Clark Kent's identity and sees he keeps the house out of nostalgia and love for the Kents. Also:

What is everyone's favorite "Private Life of Clark Kent" moment, if you read those backstories and do you think they should bring that back?

[Jim Kelly]

Yes. That was written by Elliot S! Maggin and illustrated by Murphy Anderson. And it ends with Pete referencing something from MOTHER NIGHT by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.--that goes something like we should be careful about what masks we choose to wear in life because those might just become who we really are.

It's an important story to remember when people are arguing that Clark Kent was just the mask and not the real person. Superman may have started out wearing Clark Kent as a mask, but in reality that's who he really was.

Pete just assumes that everything about Clark was a pretense--and he's trying to assure Superman that there's no danger to him in the house being destroyed. Clark/Superman isn't worried about that (he already made sure any evidence of his Superboy life had been removed), but he values the house because that's where he grew up--it holds memories of his life with Ma and Pa.

[The World]

It's a shame you can't really do stories like that anymore.

[superduperman]

I love the fact that Clark just happened to have an old cave in his backyard that just happened to have Native American markings in it. Talk about being the luckiest kid in the world!

[ironman2978]

Yes. That was written by Elliot S! Maggin and illustrated by Murphy Anderson. And it ends with Pete referencing something from MOTHER NIGHT by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.--that goes something like we should be careful about what masks we choose to wear in life because those might just become who we really are.

It's an important story to remember when people are arguing that Clark Kent was just the mask and not the real person. Superman may have started out wearing Clark Kent as a mask, but in reality that's who he really was.

Pete just assumes that everything about Clark was a pretense--and he's trying to assure Superman that there's no danger to him in the house being destroyed. Clark/Superman isn't worried about that (he already made sure any evidence of his Superboy life had been removed), but he values the house because that's where he grew up--it holds memories of his life with Ma and Pa.

Honestly that was one of my favorite stories and one I constantly go back to and reference when talking about when it comes to discussion of the importance of Clark Kent. I just don't remember the specific name or which issue it was. It was an amazing issue, as all Elliot S! Maggin Superman stories are.

I think that issue was really important because it showed something way before Post Crisis or New 52. Even if he doesn't have Ma and Pa Kent, he still holds them pretty close and dear in his life and memories. Especially using Pete as a reference was an intelligent move to (similar to how Lana was used in Superman For All Seasons). Someone who knew Clark was Superman, but assumed Clark was just a mask to hide the truth. I don't believe Clark is the mask nor Superman is the mask, but they are both equally important and valid parts of the whole that makes the hero and the man.

Honestly, it and a good argument that fights against the idea that Superman (especially silver/bronze age) is just an alien who only missed Krypton as well as that Clark is only the secret identity and has no importance to the Superman mythos. He was nostalgic over his Smallville and Kryptonian homes but he's still able to move forward and still create a life of his own with Jimmy, Perry, Lois, etc.

That was something that I feel gets lost in translation with a lot of people.

I love the fact that Clark just happened to have an old cave in his backyard that just happened to have Native American markings in it. Talk about being the luckiest kid in the world!

I feel like Clark/Superboy was the ultimate childhood fantasy. He got to have adventures with the Legion of Superheroes, was able to be open with his abilities, despite acting mild mannered and getting bullied as a kid. He was an amazing childhood in all takes.

[Kuwagaton]

It's been a long time since I've read an issue with that back up. The cool thing about the story you mention is that it was actually reprinted in the Seventies trade.

Mostly I remember the crime solving element, and I guess maybe the Neal Adams art in the one where he's babysitting for a neighbor. I was actually gonna make a separate post involving Requiem for a Hot Rod, from AC#394, which is one of my favorite Clark stories and I guess a precursor for this back up.

[Jon Clark]

I can still recall Superman dressed up in a giant bird costume terrorizing his neighbor's pet bird in a story.

Clark is pet-sitting the poor thing and the bird at one point chirps "Clark Kent is Superman". After trying everything else he can think of the remove that from the bird's vocabulary, Clark dresses as a giant bird and menaces the lil mimic everytime it repeats the phrase. Then he learns that the neighbor taught the bird the phrase as a joke on Clark. Story ends with Clark trying to coax the bird into relearning the phrase.

Now i have this weird image of a Silver Age story using the same plot but with Lois in the role of the bird.

[ironman2978]

It's been a long time since I've read an issue with that back up. The cool thing about the story you mention is that it was actually reprinted in the Seventies trade.

Mostly I remember the crime solving element, and I guess maybe the Neal Adams art in the one where he's babysitting for a neighbor. I was actually gonna make a separate post involving Requiem for a Hot Rod, from AC#394, which is one of my favorite Clark stories and I guess a precursor for this back up.

Thank you, I found it Superman#270 “ I CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN". I think one thing I miss is how in depth you get to see Clark and really get to know the man behind the S. I agree, I wish we could do more stories like that

[BBally]

I loved reading these stories growing up, one of my favorites being "Clark Kent's Lonely Christmas".

[Alpha]

Hold up, you're telling me some kid might have learned Santa Claus was fake through a comic book?

[superduperman]

Hold up, you're telling me some kid might have learned Santa Claus was fake through a comic book?

Santa Claus is fake?

[Alpha]

I heard some rumours

[Jackalope89]

I heard some rumours

All lies. He visits Darkseid every year to give him coal.

[Alpha]

hahahahaha. That's brilliant.

[Kuwagaton]

I loved reading these stories growing up, one of my favorites being "Clark Kent's Lonely Christmas".

Calnan was one of those cool artists lost to time. The thing I remember best along these lines is back up when they had Earth One Superboy show up to train young Clark on Earth Two