Superman: Secret Identity (Superman S.) - Kurt Busiek

Great alternative story

This is really worth reading. Reimagining the Superman story from the start with some nice ideas executed well. Nicely drawn, well written and I suppose makes the story of Supes that little more... human

Superlative self-referential Super-story

This non-canonical version of Superman is described by the author as the culmination of a long-delayed wish: to develop the (formerly) obscure character Superboy-Prime. Briefly created back in 1985, the teenage Clark Kent of Earth-Prime - the "real" Earth, on which DC's mainstream superheros were purely fictional - discovered that a lifetime of Superboy jokes suddenly culminated in ironic fact as he manifested genuine super powers. Unfortunately, Superboy-Prime was quickly retired to a forgotten dimension after his Earth was destroyed (only to return 20 years later as a genocidal villain!) Superman: Secret Identity could be regarded as the story of his life that might have been, had Earth-Prime endured and remained separate from the main DC Universe.

What comic book fan has not imagined secretly possessing real Superman powers, smiling slyly through the movies and soaring above the clouds unseen? With beautiful art and a lucid but poetic first-person narration, an anomalous Clark Kent goes through life hiding what he can do, though at first he did consider "going public" - and changed his mind, after a glimpse of the endless mass-media nightmare he would never escape. He knowingly accepts numerous Superman-themed birthday presents, and blind dates with women named Lois or Lana, in good humour; then irony strikes again, as he finds that one such Lois is in fact his soulmate, whom he eventually shares his secret with. His occasional slips give the FBI enough reason to pursue him for years, government agents striving tirelessly to locate and capture the elusive real superhuman (or is Clark not the only one..?)

There are none of the major battles or cosmic catastrophes which typify the lives of "normal" comic-book heroes, but this book is far from boring; as realistic as such a concept could be made, it is a story anybody can identify with, and enjoy in a thoughful kind of way. Well worth the price!

Elseworlds concept used correctly

this is a thoughtful and well balanced tale set in a world without super-heroes until young Clark Kent suddenly finds he has all the powers described in the comics his family buy for him just because of his name.

OK once you get over the 'it had to be Clark Kent' moan, the rest is beutifully written, taking the super powered teenager through life to relative old age in what is still the near-future to us.

Sounds corny but it isn't. Not as dark as Frank Miller or Alan Moore but in a lot of ways more human and believable. Not just for Superman fans.

Superman, but not as we know him.

Beautifully written, and equally beautifully drawn and inked, this Elseworld story takes the idea of Superman and asks what would happen if he were to truly exist in our world. How would humanity behave towards a real superhuman? More importantly, how would he feel towards us? The narration is superb and the character of Clark is wonderfully rounded and believable, with a thoroughly human voice, guiding the reader through his story, through his life, echoing the fears and anxieties he feels, which we all share. It is a wonderful book, utterly different to the standard superheroic fare of other Superman titles, and totally distinctive for that difference. Highly recommended.

Great alternative story

This is really worth reading. Reimagining the Superman story from the start with some nice ideas executed well. Nicely drawn, well written and I suppose makes the story of Supes that little more... human

Superlative self-referential Super-story

This non-canonical version of Superman is described by the author as the culmination of a long-delayed wish: to develop the (formerly) obscure character Superboy-Prime. Briefly created back in 1985, the teenage Clark Kent of Earth-Prime - the "real" Earth, on which DC's mainstream superheros were purely fictional - discovered that a lifetime of Superboy jokes suddenly culminated in ironic fact as he manifested genuine super powers. Unfortunately, Superboy-Prime was quickly retired to a forgotten dimension after his Earth was destroyed (only to return 20 years later as a genocidal villain!) Superman: Secret Identity could be regarded as the story of his life that might have been, had Earth-Prime endured and remained separate from the main DC Universe.

What comic book fan has not imagined secretly possessing real Superman powers, smiling slyly through the movies and soaring above the clouds unseen? With beautiful art and a lucid but poetic first-person narration, an anomalous Clark Kent goes through life hiding what he can do, though at first he did consider "going public" - and changed his mind, after a glimpse of the endless mass-media nightmare he would never escape. He knowingly accepts numerous Superman-themed birthday presents, and blind dates with women named Lois or Lana, in good humour; then irony strikes again, as he finds that one such Lois is in fact his soulmate, whom he eventually shares his secret with. His occasional slips give the FBI enough reason to pursue him for years, government agents striving tirelessly to locate and capture the elusive real superhuman (or is Clark not the only one..?)

There are none of the major battles or cosmic catastrophes which typify the lives of "normal" comic-book heroes, but this book is far from boring; as realistic as such a concept could be made, it is a story anybody can identify with, and enjoy in a thoughful kind of way. Well worth the price!

Elseworlds concept used correctly

this is a thoughtful and well balanced tale set in a world without super-heroes until young Clark Kent suddenly finds he has all the powers described in the comics his family buy for him just because of his name.

OK once you get over the 'it had to be Clark Kent' moan, the rest is beutifully written, taking the super powered teenager through life to relative old age in what is still the near-future to us.

Sounds corny but it isn't. Not as dark as Frank Miller or Alan Moore but in a lot of ways more human and believable. Not just for Superman fans.

Superman, but not as we know him.

Beautifully written, and equally beautifully drawn and inked, this Elseworld story takes the idea of Superman and asks what would happen if he were to truly exist in our world. How would humanity behave towards a real superhuman? More importantly, how would he feel towards us? The narration is superb and the character of Clark is wonderfully rounded and believable, with a thoroughly human voice, guiding the reader through his story, through his life, echoing the fears and anxieties he feels, which we all share. It is a wonderful book, utterly different to the standard superheroic fare of other Superman titles, and totally distinctive for that difference. Highly recommended.

Great alternative story

This is really worth reading. Reimagining the Superman story from the start with some nice ideas executed well. Nicely drawn, well written and I suppose makes the story of Supes that little more... human

Superlative self-referential Super-story

This non-canonical version of Superman is described by the author as the culmination of a long-delayed wish: to develop the (formerly) obscure character Superboy-Prime. Briefly created back in 1985, the teenage Clark Kent of Earth-Prime - the "real" Earth, on which DC's mainstream superheros were purely fictional - discovered that a lifetime of Superboy jokes suddenly culminated in ironic fact as he manifested genuine super powers. Unfortunately, Superboy-Prime was quickly retired to a forgotten dimension after his Earth was destroyed (only to return 20 years later as a genocidal villain!) Superman: Secret Identity could be regarded as the story of his life that might have been, had Earth-Prime endured and remained separate from the main DC Universe.

What comic book fan has not imagined secretly possessing real Superman powers, smiling slyly through the movies and soaring above the clouds unseen? With beautiful art and a lucid but poetic first-person narration, an anomalous Clark Kent goes through life hiding what he can do, though at first he did consider "going public" - and changed his mind, after a glimpse of the endless mass-media nightmare he would never escape. He knowingly accepts numerous Superman-themed birthday presents, and blind dates with women named Lois or Lana, in good humour; then irony strikes again, as he finds that one such Lois is in fact his soulmate, whom he eventually shares his secret with. His occasional slips give the FBI enough reason to pursue him for years, government agents striving tirelessly to locate and capture the elusive real superhuman (or is Clark not the only one..?)

There are none of the major battles or cosmic catastrophes which typify the lives of "normal" comic-book heroes, but this book is far from boring; as realistic as such a concept could be made, it is a story anybody can identify with, and enjoy in a thoughful kind of way. Well worth the price!

Elseworlds concept used correctly

this is a thoughtful and well balanced tale set in a world without super-heroes until young Clark Kent suddenly finds he has all the powers described in the comics his family buy for him just because of his name.

OK once you get over the 'it had to be Clark Kent' moan, the rest is beutifully written, taking the super powered teenager through life to relative old age in what is still the near-future to us.

Sounds corny but it isn't. Not as dark as Frank Miller or Alan Moore but in a lot of ways more human and believable. Not just for Superman fans.

Superman, but not as we know him.

Beautifully written, and equally beautifully drawn and inked, this Elseworld story takes the idea of Superman and asks what would happen if he were to truly exist in our world. How would humanity behave towards a real superhuman? More importantly, how would he feel towards us? The narration is superb and the character of Clark is wonderfully rounded and believable, with a thoroughly human voice, guiding the reader through his story, through his life, echoing the fears and anxieties he feels, which we all share. It is a wonderful book, utterly different to the standard superheroic fare of other Superman titles, and totally distinctive for that difference. Highly recommended.

Great alternative story

This is really worth reading. Reimagining the Superman story from the start with some nice ideas executed well. Nicely drawn, well written and I suppose makes the story of Supes that little more... human

Superlative self-referential Super-story

This non-canonical version of Superman is described by the author as the culmination of a long-delayed wish: to develop the (formerly) obscure character Superboy-Prime. Briefly created back in 1985, the teenage Clark Kent of Earth-Prime - the "real" Earth, on which DC's mainstream superheros were purely fictional - discovered that a lifetime of Superboy jokes suddenly culminated in ironic fact as he manifested genuine super powers. Unfortunately, Superboy-Prime was quickly retired to a forgotten dimension after his Earth was destroyed (only to return 20 years later as a genocidal villain!) Superman: Secret Identity could be regarded as the story of his life that might have been, had Earth-Prime endured and remained separate from the main DC Universe.

What comic book fan has not imagined secretly possessing real Superman powers, smiling slyly through the movies and soaring above the clouds unseen? With beautiful art and a lucid but poetic first-person narration, an anomalous Clark Kent goes through life hiding what he can do, though at first he did consider "going public" - and changed his mind, after a glimpse of the endless mass-media nightmare he would never escape. He knowingly accepts numerous Superman-themed birthday presents, and blind dates with women named Lois or Lana, in good humour; then irony strikes again, as he finds that one such Lois is in fact his soulmate, whom he eventually shares his secret with. His occasional slips give the FBI enough reason to pursue him for years, government agents striving tirelessly to locate and capture the elusive real superhuman (or is Clark not the only one..?)

There are none of the major battles or cosmic catastrophes which typify the lives of "normal" comic-book heroes, but this book is far from boring; as realistic as such a concept could be made, it is a story anybody can identify with, and enjoy in a thoughful kind of way. Well worth the price!

Elseworlds concept used correctly

this is a thoughtful and well balanced tale set in a world without super-heroes until young Clark Kent suddenly finds he has all the powers described in the comics his family buy for him just because of his name.

OK once you get over the 'it had to be Clark Kent' moan, the rest is beutifully written, taking the super powered teenager through life to relative old age in what is still the near-future to us.

Sounds corny but it isn't. Not as dark as Frank Miller or Alan Moore but in a lot of ways more human and believable. Not just for Superman fans.

Superman, but not as we know him.

Beautifully written, and equally beautifully drawn and inked, this Elseworld story takes the idea of Superman and asks what would happen if he were to truly exist in our world. How would humanity behave towards a real superhuman? More importantly, how would he feel towards us? The narration is superb and the character of Clark is wonderfully rounded and believable, with a thoroughly human voice, guiding the reader through his story, through his life, echoing the fears and anxieties he feels, which we all share. It is a wonderful book, utterly different to the standard superheroic fare of other Superman titles, and totally distinctive for that difference. Highly recommended.

Great alternative story

This is really worth reading. Reimagining the Superman story from the start with some nice ideas executed well. Nicely drawn, well written and I suppose makes the story of Supes that little more... human

Superlative self-referential Super-story

This non-canonical version of Superman is described by the author as the culmination of a long-delayed wish: to develop the (formerly) obscure character Superboy-Prime. Briefly created back in 1985, the teenage Clark Kent of Earth-Prime - the "real" Earth, on which DC's mainstream superheros were purely fictional - discovered that a lifetime of Superboy jokes suddenly culminated in ironic fact as he manifested genuine super powers. Unfortunately, Superboy-Prime was quickly retired to a forgotten dimension after his Earth was destroyed (only to return 20 years later as a genocidal villain!) Superman: Secret Identity could be regarded as the story of his life that might have been, had Earth-Prime endured and remained separate from the main DC Universe.

What comic book fan has not imagined secretly possessing real Superman powers, smiling slyly through the movies and soaring above the clouds unseen? With beautiful art and a lucid but poetic first-person narration, an anomalous Clark Kent goes through life hiding what he can do, though at first he did consider "going public" - and changed his mind, after a glimpse of the endless mass-media nightmare he would never escape. He knowingly accepts numerous Superman-themed birthday presents, and blind dates with women named Lois or Lana, in good humour; then irony strikes again, as he finds that one such Lois is in fact his soulmate, whom he eventually shares his secret with. His occasional slips give the FBI enough reason to pursue him for years, government agents striving tirelessly to locate and capture the elusive real superhuman (or is Clark not the only one..?)

There are none of the major battles or cosmic catastrophes which typify the lives of "normal" comic-book heroes, but this book is far from boring; as realistic as such a concept could be made, it is a story anybody can identify with, and enjoy in a thoughful kind of way. Well worth the price!

Elseworlds concept used correctly

this is a thoughtful and well balanced tale set in a world without super-heroes until young Clark Kent suddenly finds he has all the powers described in the comics his family buy for him just because of his name.

OK once you get over the 'it had to be Clark Kent' moan, the rest is beutifully written, taking the super powered teenager through life to relative old age in what is still the near-future to us.

Sounds corny but it isn't. Not as dark as Frank Miller or Alan Moore but in a lot of ways more human and believable. Not just for Superman fans.

Superman, but not as we know him.

Beautifully written, and equally beautifully drawn and inked, this Elseworld story takes the idea of Superman and asks what would happen if he were to truly exist in our world. How would humanity behave towards a real superhuman? More importantly, how would he feel towards us? The narration is superb and the character of Clark is wonderfully rounded and believable, with a thoroughly human voice, guiding the reader through his story, through his life, echoing the fears and anxieties he feels, which we all share. It is a wonderful book, utterly different to the standard superheroic fare of other Superman titles, and totally distinctive for that difference. Highly recommended.

Great alternative story

This is really worth reading. Reimagining the Superman story from the start with some nice ideas executed well. Nicely drawn, well written and I suppose makes the story of Supes that little more... human

Superlative self-referential Super-story

This non-canonical version of Superman is described by the author as the culmination of a long-delayed wish: to develop the (formerly) obscure character Superboy-Prime. Briefly created back in 1985, the teenage Clark Kent of Earth-Prime - the "real" Earth, on which DC's mainstream superheros were purely fictional - discovered that a lifetime of Superboy jokes suddenly culminated in ironic fact as he manifested genuine super powers. Unfortunately, Superboy-Prime was quickly retired to a forgotten dimension after his Earth was destroyed (only to return 20 years later as a genocidal villain!) Superman: Secret Identity could be regarded as the story of his life that might have been, had Earth-Prime endured and remained separate from the main DC Universe.

What comic book fan has not imagined secretly possessing real Superman powers, smiling slyly through the movies and soaring above the clouds unseen? With beautiful art and a lucid but poetic first-person narration, an anomalous Clark Kent goes through life hiding what he can do, though at first he did consider "going public" - and changed his mind, after a glimpse of the endless mass-media nightmare he would never escape. He knowingly accepts numerous Superman-themed birthday presents, and blind dates with women named Lois or Lana, in good humour; then irony strikes again, as he finds that one such Lois is in fact his soulmate, whom he eventually shares his secret with. His occasional slips give the FBI enough reason to pursue him for years, government agents striving tirelessly to locate and capture the elusive real superhuman (or is Clark not the only one..?)

There are none of the major battles or cosmic catastrophes which typify the lives of "normal" comic-book heroes, but this book is far from boring; as realistic as such a concept could be made, it is a story anybody can identify with, and enjoy in a thoughful kind of way. Well worth the price!

Elseworlds concept used correctly

this is a thoughtful and well balanced tale set in a world without super-heroes until young Clark Kent suddenly finds he has all the powers described in the comics his family buy for him just because of his name.

OK once you get over the 'it had to be Clark Kent' moan, the rest is beutifully written, taking the super powered teenager through life to relative old age in what is still the near-future to us.

Sounds corny but it isn't. Not as dark as Frank Miller or Alan Moore but in a lot of ways more human and believable. Not just for Superman fans.

Superman, but not as we know him.

Beautifully written, and equally beautifully drawn and inked, this Elseworld story takes the idea of Superman and asks what would happen if he were to truly exist in our world. How would humanity behave towards a real superhuman? More importantly, how would he feel towards us? The narration is superb and the character of Clark is wonderfully rounded and believable, with a thoroughly human voice, guiding the reader through his story, through his life, echoing the fears and anxieties he feels, which we all share. It is a wonderful book, utterly different to the standard superheroic fare of other Superman titles, and totally distinctive for that difference. Highly recommended.