Today, we look at the FIRST time that Superman tried to replace his Clark Kent secret identity.
This is "Just Like the Time Before," a feature where I examine instances from comic book history where comic book creators did early versions of later, notable comic book characters and plot ideas. Essentially, the "test runs" for later, more famous characters and stories.
This edition of "Just Like the Time Before" is a bit different, as this really is more a case of DC simply recycling a story a dozen years later. You see, in the early days of comic books, the theory was that there was a so-called "comic book cycle." A kid would start reading comic books at, say, I dunno, seven years old. Then he or she would read comic books for the next four-five years and then stop as they developed new interests. As a a result, that means that you could retell the same story twice so long as it didn't occur at the same time in that "cycle," as you would have an entirely different audience for each story! The Superman titles, in particular, used that approach a few times. Here is one of those times.
CLARK KENT IS DEAD! LONG LIVE...KENNETH CLARKSON?
In July 1946's Superman #42's "The Death of Clark Kent!" (by Alvin Schwartz, Ira Yarbrough and Stan Kaye), Superman has to think of a new secret identity when Clark Kent is seemingly killed. The story opens with a dramatic splash page by Yarbrough, who was one of the very first artists to join Joe Shuster's studio and draw the Man of Steel's comic book adventures, but because of the timing of his career (being one of Shuster's ghosts), Yarbrough is still very little known as an artist, which is a shame, as he was a very talented guy.
The story opens with Clark Kent on an arctic adventure when Clark had to pretend that he was being cowardly so that he could turn into Superman and save the day. Hilariously, Clark's seemingly cowardly actions had an actual ramification this time around, as he was banished from the expedition because he couldn't be trusted due to his cowardice. He was presumably going to take a three week trip home, but Superman obviously just flew himself, figuring he would then explain to everyone that Superman simply flew "Clark" home. The problem came when Clark showed up back in Metropolis and then was caught in an explosion that logically should have killed Clark...
Superman takes the identity of Kenneth Clarkson, along with a new mustache and slicked back hair. He goes off and gets a job as a reporter at one of the lesser-established Metropolis newspapers. For some reason, no one had to provide references back in those days, I guess. "Kenneth" is assigned to cover Clark Kent's memorial, but he overhears that they plan to reveal a fake story just to mess with Clark's memorial. Superman doesn't like that, so he then uses his powers to make it so that their "fake" story is actually true and every newspaper BUT them covers the story! I love the idea of Metropolis having multiple newspapers. Why would anyone read anything but the Daily Planet?
Superman then gets a job as a waiter, and uses that job to upstage an acquittance who talks down Clark Kent to Lois Lane...
Kenneth Clarkson then sells vacuum cleaners door to door and, of course, discovers a criminal enterprise. Man, doesn't this almost suggest that Superman SHOULD take a door to door job, so he could overhear all sorts of stuff he normally would never hear...
Anyhow, the explorers finally get the news of Clark's death and explain that he couldn't be dead, since they only left him a week ago and he would take two weeks to get back to Metropolis and he couldn't have been back home that same day. So Superman then goes to get "Clark" and I guess we just assume that some Clark lookalike (of which there are many in Metropolis) died and really, who cares about some John Doe?
Not Lois Lane, that's for sure!
THIS TIME, SUPERMAN TRIES TO DITCH THE SECRET IDENTITY ENTIRELY!
Thirteen years later, Jerry Coleman, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley retold a lot of this story in Superman #127, only with one major twist!
This time around, Clark Kent decides that a fun idea for a story would be to go into a giant bottle on top of a building and write a story from inside a bottle, so it could be like a letter from a bottle. That's not clever at all, Clark. Be ashamed of yourself. Of course, the bottle then exploded and Clark is presumed dead...
Superman is so hilariously nonchalant about the death of "Clark." "Whatever, it's just a secret identity. Why are people sad?"
So Superman then decides to just ditch a secret identity and reveal that he was Clark Kent's secret roommate all of these years (ah, 1959, when that would not have obviously sounded like Clark and Superman were secretly dating. "Oh, yeah, there's only one bed, but that's because we're...ahem....secretly living together. Yeah, that's the ticket.") and offers Jimmy Olsen the same setup and Jimmy is all over that idea...
Of course, right away, the idea is obviously terrible, as Superman living in an apartment in the middle of Metropolis becomes a whole THING...
And now crooks, who always seem to be able to get a hold of kryptonite at a moment's notice, now know precisely where to send their deadly rock....
Superman barely survives, but he comes up with an idea to reveal that Clark actually survived the explosion and the bottle just sent him far away, still stuck in the bottle...
Gotta love Clark writing an article about the fictional events of what happened to Clark Kent. Talk about fake news!
Okay, folks, you MUST have some suggestions for other characters and/or plots that fit into this theme! So drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com for future installments!