This is "Always Kind of Wondered," a feature spotlighting instances from comics where a comic book writer has clearly said, "Hey, why doesn't Character X ever do Action Y?" The sort of things that typically occur when comic book fans grow up to become comic book writers, which wasn't really a thing until the mid-1960s.

Today, we continue our surprisingly extensive look at Pete Ross and his knowledge of Superman's secret identity by revealing when a writer finally had Superman discover that Pete knew his secret identity.

To recap, in Superboy #90 (by Robert Bernstein and George Papp), Pete Ross discovered Superboy's secret identity...

Pete investigates further and proves that what he saw wasn't a dream...

Using some specious logic as to why he shouldn't tell Clark, Pete sets out to help Clark in a way that will allow him to keep his knowledge of Clark's identity a secret...

He even fills in for a malfunctioning Superboy robot!

That was 1961 (later, we learned that Pete was destined to save Superman's life by knowing his secret identity - that never actually happpened)

In 1976, adult Pete Ross turns to Superman for help in Action COmics #457 (by Gerry Conway, Curt Swan and Tex Blaisdell). His son has given up all hope for life and the only thing that can save him is if Superman reveals his secret identity to young Jon. Superman agrees...

Of course, Jon thinks that they're just pitying him and pretending to let him on Superman's secret.

By the end of the issue, though, Superman convinces Jon and now both Pete and Jon know Superman's secret, but Superman only knows about Jon's knowledge of his secret.

That changed three years later in DC Comics Presents #13 (by Paul Levitz and Dicks Dillin and Giordano), when Pete needs Superman's help to rescue a kidnapped Jon and he can't wait for Clark to turn into Superman...

That story is bonkers, in and of itself, and I'll feature that in yet ANOTHER Pete Ross article in the future! As my pal Sam noted the other day, Pete is the Skier of 2020 and if you get that reference, you (like Sam, apparently) have been following my work for way too long.

If anyone has a suggestion for an unresolved comic book plot, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!