Superman #41

Why is this weaselly faced guy wearing Superman's clothes?

I have no idea what order to read Superman's Truth books this month. Action Comics had a note to see Superman #41 but Superman #41 came out last out of all the Superman Truth books. I have a feeling it really won't matter and they'll all just wind up sort of referring to each other. But I'm going to start with Superman #41 simply because the Action Comics #41 note seemed like it was in reference to the whole Lois Lane exposing Clark's identity thing. Anyway, I've made my decision and it's too late to change my mind.

This issue is called "Before Truth" and it's Part One so it makes it sound like it'll tell the story that leads to all of Superman's troubles. But the comic begins with the caption, "After everything changed." That makes it sound like it's a story that takes place in the aftermath of all of Superman's troubles. I guess I should just get to it.

Superman is riding on the back of an airplane because he can't fly anymore. He's also wearing his Superboy costume and carrying a messenger bag. I bet Lois Lane's head is inside of it.

The second page is captioned "Before" so I guess this will be the story about Lois Lane betraying Clark. That should be fun.

Clark Kent gets a tip about illegal arms sales in Metropolis so he and Jimmy head out to get the scoop. Once there, he and Jimmy are caught so Clark has to put on the Superman outfit and bust some heads. Lois Lane was suspicious about Superman's head wound and Clark's bandaged head at the end of last issue, so she might be the anonymous source sending Clark into danger simply to see if Superman arrives. I suppose if Clark Kent wasn't Superman and he died, Lois would be able to win a Pulitzer covering that story.

When everything at the probably Intergang meet-up goes wrong, Superman is forced to use his FWASH power. For a guy who never needed that power before a month or so ago, he sure does resort to it a lot now. Plus he likes to do it for fun. I think he might have a problem. Superman is addicted to whatever rush he gets using that power. Or he just loves being powerless. I think addiction must be a part of it though because he's getting careless. Every time he's used the power before, he's blown up everything around him. Setting off the power in the middle of Metropolis just seems irresponsible.

Clark needs to learn to be more careful. He's too used to being able to hear and smell Lois whenever she's skulking about.

Lois helps Clark and Jimmy identify the man running guns which allows her to weasel her way into the byline. Perry Jameson is super excited about his people sniffing out a great story because his paper is failing because nobody reads newspapers anymore. And even though The Daily Planet broke this story, most people are going to read about the story in scrolling text on CNN or via FARK on the internet. Most people won't even hear the names of the reporters who broke the story. Jimmy might make some cash off of his pictures but that's about it. Lois and Clark are fucked.

No wonder Lois Lane is going to be desperate to ruin Clark's life! A huge story that also results in less competition? Who can blame her?

Clark hears back from his anonymous contact only to find out that the contact knows his secret! The contact even set up a webpage with proof that Superman is Clark Kent. And now the Anonymous Tipster believes that they can extort Superman to do their bidding. Has this person never heard of Superman before? As if Superman would allow himself to be manipulated like this! I mean, without first being mind-controlled or under a magic spell or poisoned by Joker toxins. Maybe revealing his identity will be Clark's idea and he'll give the scoop to Lois! Unless the Anonymous Tipster is Lois and then he'll probably never be friends with her ever again.

Clark allows himself to be manipulated by the Tipster one more time but that's before he had time to contact Batman and ask Batman to fix the problem. Clark is pissed at himself but there's not much that he can do since he currently has no powers. Once again, he really needs to stop using that stupid Solar Flare power. He's leaving himself (and the world!) completely vulnerable.

I guess Clark still has some of his powers left because he rescues the woman he just sold out to fake FBI kidnappers. But he winds up bleeding and in the back seat of Jimmy's car with the rescued girl and Lois Lane in the front seat because she's nosy and hungry. And things just get worse from there.

Superman is really getting fucking careless, isn't he?

Superman #41 Rating: No change. Well, it's not hard to see why Lois Lane figures out his secret identity so easily now. Why did she even need psychic powers to figure it out before? Clark treats his secret identity like most people treat their mortality. They'll act like it's something that must be protected at all costs but then they'll walk into traffic while texting on their phones expecting cars to stop simply because pedestrians have the right of way. The more Clark uses the Solar Flare power (which he really never has to use), the more he leaves himself helpless. The longer he's without powers, the more people he won't be able to save, or the greater chance somebody discovers his secret because he has no special powers to help maintain it. I would think Superman would consider his secret identity a luxury that he enjoyed but he would discard the moment it endangered anybody's life. He can't allow himself to be manipulated by somebody who knows his identity. So he should abandon it immediately. Or ask Batman how to devise a scheme to convince everybody that Clark Kent and Superman can't be the same person. Like, um, getting Martian Manhunter to disguise himself as Clark Kent and having him fall off of a building and be rescued by Superman. I have a feeling the whole Lois exposing Clark's identity thing might wind up being something they come up with together.