Superman #18
Superman reveals his identity to the world in Superman #18, by writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist Ivan Reis, inker Joe Prado, colorist Alex Sinclair, and letterer Dave Sharpe. After the last issue’s prelude, Bendis pulls the trigger on this huge idea. What will the ramifications be?
Superman has called a press conference. As he addresses a crowd of reporters, he thinks back to the events of the last few days. During a meeting of the United Planets on Thanagar, he talks to Adam Strange about secrets and how they affect him, especially after what happened with Jor-El. He goes back to Earth, and at the offices of the Daily Planet, he reveals his identity to Perry White. At a crime scene, he reveals his identity to Jimmy Olsen… only to find out Lois already did it. Back at home, he and Lois talk about his decision. At the press conference, he reveals his identity and makes a speech about why he hid his identity. At the headquarters of the Legion Of Doom, Lex Luthor and the Legion absorb the news of Superman’s real identity.
In the past, at Marvel, Bendis had a hard time with characterization. There were some characters, like Spider-Man, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Wolverine, and Norman Osborn, that he got completely right. Still, the vast majority of characters he wrote he mischaracterized, making them too flippant and quippy. It was a very noticeable problem. So far, at DC, this hasn’t been a problem; he’s had nearly as much, and one character he’s gotten it entirely right in his tenure has been Superman. This issue is no exception, and that really helps with the whole concept behind this issue and why Superman is doing what he’s doing.
Superman has learned a lot about things he always thought he knew, and one of those things is the fact his Kryptonian father was way shadier than he ever imagined. This has affected him on a fundamental, and it made him think about his secret- his life as Clark Kent- and whether it’s really necessary. Secrets have become toxic to him, no matter how innocent they may seem. This makes perfect sense. Bendis has built this up over the last year and a half, and it fits Superman to a tee. There has always been a part of Superman bothered by keeping a secret from friends and the people he protected. That it took this long for a writer to actually pull the trigger on this kind of surprising. Superman isn’t Batman; Batman keeps his identity because of how dangerous it would be for the people in his life to know the truth. Alfred would have been dead years ago if the Joker knew who Batman was. It’s not the same with Superman; he’s pretty much always keeping track of his friends, and he’s fast enough to get there in time if they are in trouble. That said, the end of this issue, with Luthor and his Legion Of Doom watching Superman’s press conference, is kind of chilling and sets the stage for what may come next.
The art by Ivan Reis is great. Reis’s art lately has sometimes suffered from a lack of detail, a sketchiness if one will, that has hurt the art a bit, but that’s at all the case here. Maybe it’s because he’s only working with long-time inking collaborator Joe Prado. Maybe it’s because of the relatively simple things he draws in this issue. It doesn’t matter, because he does some great work in this issue, his expressive pencils capturing the emotions of this rather big event.
Superman #18 is a way bigger deal than it seems. If this was a Marvel book, it would have been announced over a half year ago, have 20 variant covers, and be priced somewhere around $7.99. Bendis lays out his case for why Superman should reveal his identity and why he made that decision at this point in time, and it makes perfect sense. It’s a move that is entirely in character for the Man Of Steel, and, strangely, it never happened before now. Ivan Reis’s art really captures the emotion of the event. This is a beautiful start to a story. There’s always the chance that what comes next won’t be as good- this is Bendis, after all- but much like his Action Comics #1017, this is a near-perfect beginning to a story.
