What if Superman were to reveal his identity to the world?

[Superman \S/]

As we all know, Spider-Man revealed who he was after years of keeping it a secret. Now it being a good idea to do this still remains questionable, it could lead to a whole new side for Peter/Spidey. Fans don't like it and some think it'll be interesting. Me i have no comment. So my question is on the DC side, what if Superman were to do the same? Would you like it, thinking it'll be worth doing or keep it the same the way it has been since his creation? I hope he never reveals who he is period. But what are your thoughts? If he were to reveal himself, how do you think everyone he knows will react? Or better yet where will this idea take the Man of Steel?

Discuss.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

never reveal it. people say it'll be interesting but that really isnt true.

 

[BrianWilly]

Agreed. There's absolutely no reason for and no gain to come from a decision like that other than cheap shock. Something like that would probably just be retconned by some sort of CRISIS!!!!!!! anyway.

 

[warren_sparta27]

i don't think they'd do that. if they wanted to create interest in the superman titles i'd have him have a kid.

 

[War Lord]

He'd basically have to quit being Clark Kent, because once they knew who he was, people would never leave him alone.

 

[Tangled Web]

I'm sad about them revealing Spider-Man's identity.

 

[War Lord]

I'm sad about them revealing Spider-Man's identity.

It totally sucks, I agree.

It's as though the world of comics is about to come to a crashing halt, because there are no stories left to tell.

 

[Tangled Web]

It totally sucks, I agree.

It's as though the world of comics is about to come to a crashing halt, because there are no stories left to tell.

It's a damn shame. I wonder what Stan Lee thinks about this.

 

[War Lord]

It's a damn shame. I wonder what Stan Lee thinks about this.

I could be wrong, but I don't think he cares.

As long as he's counting his dough.

At least that's the way he's always kinda struck me.

 

[Spike_x1]

I think Stan probably cares. He seems to really love his creations from way back in the day. I think he just trusts the modern writers to do what's best, though.

 

[Spike_x1]

As for Superman, I really wouldn't want to read it if he revealed himself to be Clark Kent. Now, I probably should make the argument that his villains might attack his loved ones, but his villains' numbers seem to be quickly dwindling over the years, so that argument doesn't have much weight.

I just don't want his ID to be public. There's still plenty of stories to tell with Clark's character (for Chrissakes, he's a reporter! Tell a story where he's doing some dangerous investigative journalism, uncovers a murder, etc). And none of those stories would really be possible if people knew he was Superman.

 

[The Question]

Really, if then world knew who Superman really was, Lois would probably end up with her head twisted around at a 180 degree angle. His villains would probably show up in his apartment and beat the crap out of him. And, as Spike said, it would completely comprimise his ability to work as a reporter.

 

[Ceb-Man]

No. I hated it for Spider-Man. I would definately hate it for Superman.

 

[LibrarianThorne]

Like you said over in the RPG, Spike, Superman's villains aren't just threats to himself. They're threats capable of annihilating the planet.

I don't think Smallville could survive Darkseid. The Daily Planet would be destroyed by Metallo.

Clark's secret identity serves not only to protect his privacy but in a very real way it serves to keep the people close to him alive and happy. Even if Big Blue's rogues don't kill the people close to Clark, Lex Luthor could ruin them and make their lives absolutely miserable. Not to mention, Superman has a secret identity because not even he can be Superman 24/7/365. Humanity would come to use him as a crutch, and he simply wouldn't have the time he needs to keep himself sane.

So, unless the Daily Planet and Smallville relocate to the Justice league watchtower or New Genesis, I don't think we'll ever see Clark unmask.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, I think the scope of Clark's villains makes it a much bigger problem for him to unmask than it did for Spider-Man. Spider-Man's villains are pretty much all small-time. They range from petty crooks to megalomaniacs who want revenge on Spider-Man himself. The Shocker's not likely to destroy an entire city just to piss Spider-Man off. Metallo, Hank Henshaw, Mongul, and most of Superman's other villains are. Plus, Spider-Man's generally nearby to rescue his family. What happens to Ma or Lois or Jimmy or all of Smallville and Metropolis when Superman's off in an alternate dimension fighting an army of Starros with the JLA? That sort of thing happens to Superman and the JLA so regularly that people in 52 haven't even noticed Superman's missing from Metropolis yet, and it's been over a month.

 

[drastic_quench]

I don't think Smallville could survive Darkseid.

I'm not one for change - but that is absolutely sig-worthy.

 

[Ceb-Man]

Read Alan Moore's Whatever Happened to The Man Of Tomorrow?" imaginary Superman to see what would happen.

 

[Ceb-Man]

Again I say no.
It would be the end of Superman.
Read the imaginary story " Whatever Happened to The man of Tomorrow?" by Alan Moore and you will see that nearly everybody died.

 

[The Question]

I don't think Smallville could survive Darkseid.

I thought Darkseid already knew who Clark really was.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I think he does, but even if he didn't, I'm sure Darkseid could find out if he wanted to. The real question is: why would Darkseid care? He and Superman clash occasionally, but they're not really nemeses. I doubt Darkseid would care enough to actually go to some backwater planet and assassinate the people close to Clark.

 

[The Question]

Very true. However, if he ever actually led a full out invasion of Earth, I'm sure he'd slaughter the loved ones of everyone who he felt would pose some kind of threat (which would, undoubtably, include Superman) as a means of informing them to, for lack of a better term, "not **** with him."

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Probably. But he doesn't seem to have much interest in Earth. To be honest, Darkseid doesn't seem to have much interest in anything lately, if how often he appears in comics is any indication.

 

[The Question]

Yeah. He used to have a psychotic, stalanistic obsession with expanding his power base and making people worship him as a living god. Now, he's just kind of an ******* who shows up every couple of months to get pimp smacked by someone who should be on the receiving end of a piump smack preformed by Darkseid himself.

 

[drastic_quench]

I'm really hoping that he returns to his former badassery in the pages of 52.

 

[cyrus02pso]

i think after lois dies he would just stop being clark kent