Superman #18

   And there it is.

    I know in these modern times, having a secret identity is old-fashioned, even "square," and companies are eager to jettison the concept.

   After all, police officers don't have secret identities, right? 

   But then, the police don't have armies of super-villains chasing after them, threatening their loved ones and everyone standing close by.

   But Superman now has his identity exposed, and we'll see what changes it causes for him and his supporting cast. 

   It's touted as a chance for all-new storylines, but if they're going to stick to reality, then presumably every issue will find Superman going to the rescue of Lois or Jimmy or Perry or any other surviving friend or relative - or perhaps he'll be attending their funerals.

   The stick was that Superman doesn't lie - yet he's been lying about his secret identity since 1939. Of course, it was actually a white lie designed to protect the lives of his loved ones - but apparently that's no longer a concern, right?

   The cynic in me says this was done to generate sales - but a quick Google search shows national coverage only by NPR's Glen Weldon (and he wrote an excellent book about Superman, so he has a vested interest). 

    In comics, some heroes don't need secret identities: Iron Man, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Fantastic Four - they don't need to hide or protect anyone from their villains. 

   But for others, it's a vital part of their mythos, as Marvel found when they unmasked Spider-Man and Daredevil - both problems had to be "fixed" later. Add Batman to that list - and yes, Superman, too.

   That same cynic says they'll be "fixing" this issue's revelation at some point, too. Give them a few years to figure it out.

Grade: B

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