An Open Secret
by Mark Alfred
In 1969, a reader wrote to DC asking for a story on the
people who knew Superman’s Secret Identity.
In the letter column of Superman #219, the editors
replied: “We assume you mean those who
live on Earth in the present time. If we
were to include people of other worlds, the inhabitants of Kandor, the Phantom
Zone villains, people of the future, and so on, the result wouldn’t be a story,
but a whole library!”
Before riffling through a few pages of that library,
let’s briefly review the reasons given by Superman for so jealously guarding
his secret.
The most commonly heard reason is, he’s protecting his
family and/or associates. Many’s the
time when the Man of Steel has “regretfully” told Lois Lane that he dare not
marry her, for fear that criminals would harm her to get revenge on him.
Frankly, I wouldn’t want to run the actuarial tables on
ANY of Superman’s near-and-dear. They’re
constantly being threatened, kidnapped, and so on. Is Lois more safe from a wrathful underworld
by virtue of being only Superman’s “girl friend,” not his wife? Doubtful.
Another handy use for Clark Kent, the guy who is
DEFINITELY NOT Superman, becomes plain when a character tells the reporter
something which they wouldn’t pass along to Superman. This is similar to the concept that there are
things you’d tell your barber, but not your wife. One example of this practice is in Action
#306, when Clark feigns amnesia to uncover “The Great Superman Impersonation.”
I have always held that the most important benefit for
the Clark/Supes split is that the Daily Planet reporter may interact
with people on the same human level.
Kent is allowed preferences, likes and dislikes, and leisure time; a
24-hour Superman would encounter many problems trying to express such
views. Clark can relax with his friends
as peers, freed for a moment from (dare I say it?) the world’s dependence on
him.
For a well-written and absorbing look at the Secret
Identity question, read the fun, in-depth “Why Superman Needs a Secret
Identity,” in Action #305. (You may
read my page-by-page posting and discussion of this classic Silver Age comic
book, beginning here.)
What a secret it has been, come to think of it. One riff on the Kryptonian ode to duality is
narrated in Action Comics #371-375.
Not even Superman knows his civilian identity, after he’s been zapped by
an alien computer-ray machine. After
finally latching onto his own resemblance to Clark Kent, an exposure to Bizarro
Amnesium restores his memory.
With an eye to balance silliness with existential angst, in this article we'll survey a Bizarro’s Dozen (and more!) of my favorite Secret Identity
stories and situations.
End of Part One
See you next Monday for more!
