Superman: Secret Identity is shaping up to be the best thing Kurt Busiek's ever writter since Marvels or maybe the earlier issues of Astro City. He's tapped into the universal reach of the Superman legend and crafted a thoroughly realistic and emotional story. It's much easier to see oneself in Busiek's Clark Kent than that of DC Comics. While the conspiracy theory riff is an entertaining one and compelling plot, and though the writer's examination of a super-powered life is incredibly realistic, what Busiek's really up to here is an exploration of key milestones in life, milestones we all experience, cape or not.
Life is good for Lois and Clark Kent. Lois's work has her travelling the world, and Clark's books are selling well. They're even building their dream house in a quiet coastside community in Maine. The years have taught Clark how to keep his super secret incredibly well, and he's managed to evade capture and most detection efforts by the government. One day, though, some news comes along that changes everything: Lois is pregnant. Clark is jubilant, but in time, concerns arise. What if the government becomes aware of his children? What if he's captured and forever parted from his family? Clark decides to take steps to ensure such scenarios never arise, but they require certain sacrifices.
Immonen's work here boasts its usual softness, and it suits the tenderness that's at the heart of this episode. The body language and facial expressions he brings to Clark and Lois here really sell their happiness. Some of the linework here puts me in mind of George Perez's style, at least in terms of the detail and realism. There's a sketchiness at play in the art as well, though, that reinforces the maturity in the atmosphere and the tension in the plot. Immonen's colors back up those efforts solidly as well.
There are a couple of things that strike me about this script. First of all, Clark comes off as incredibly smart, even devious. He's no by-the-rulebook Boy Scout. One gets the impression that if his family were threatened directly, it wouldn't take much for him to cross a certain line. At the same time, though, Clark is an emotional being. His fears threaten to get the better of him; he teeters on the brink of paranoia. I also enjoyed how Busiek touches upon how some of Superman's powers -- such as super-hearing -- are technically impossible as they were originally conceived. He doesn't offer answers, but the acknowledgement of the leap in logic brings even more credibility to the story.
The first issue of this series is about adolescence, about being an outsider and about the realization of self and identity. The second episode is about love, about that special connection we all hope for. And this episode is clearly about family. Busiek isn't telling a story about Superman in the real world. He's telling us of emotions. How a teen feels. How a person feels when he finds that person who makes him feel like a real, complete man. And how a man feels when he helps to create life, when he discovers there was a piece missing from his life he knew nothing about. Secret Identity isn't about life as a Superman. It's just about life.
