You'll notice that the title of this review doesn't say "How Clark Kent was exposed." That's on purpose, because having read Superman #41 – the first issue in the much-hyped "Truth" arc – we still don't know.
Gene Luen Yang makes a bold impression in his DC debut, tackling the biggest superhero of them all with confidence. After a very brief flash-forward to the de-powered Superman we've seen in other recent titles, Yang rewinds to begin his tale of how Superman's identity was exposed to the world, along with how he lost his powers. (He's still super-strong, but he's lost everything else.)
If you've read other titles this month like Action Comics and Superman/Batman, or those "DC YOU" sneak peeks, you may be wondering why this is still a mystery. Based on things said and seen in those titles, all signs point to Clark's secret being exposed by Lois Lane, after she somehow figures out that her writing partner-slash-competitor is Superman. Yet in #41, that explanation is all but rendered moot. Either Clark's secret will be exposed in a complicated series of events (that may somehow involve Lois), or DC has been playing us.
As for the superpowers, the flashback story reveals that Clark has learned to control his new "superflare" ability so he can regulate the blast radius, which corresponds with how long he has to go without his powers afterwards. Clues dropped by those "other comics" have pointed to the superflare's use as the culprit behind Supes' de-powering. Superman #41 is the first time it feels like — maybe that's not the case. Maybe it's something else.
The crux of Issue #41 revolves around an anonymous tip Clark receives about a major crime/scandal. It's a tip that pays off big time, but when the unknown source contacts him a second time, everything in Clark's world is upended.
It's an exciting, compelling read, and I couldn't put it down until I'd reached the last page. For the first time in a long time, Superman feels fresh and unpredictable.
The only negative about the issue – and it pains me to say it because I'm a fan of this kinetic style – is a certain sequence of art from John Romita, Jr. Without giving too much away... There's a scene early in the book that finds a huge robot on the attack. Romita's odd angles and the small bits of the robot that he lets us see make this scene terribly confusing. Minus a throwaway line of dialogue, it would have been impossible to tell how big the robot is or what shape/form it takes.
The big story that's going to be told in "Truth" is how the greatest superhero of all time reacts when everything – even his one small slice of a "normal" life – is taken from him. But before we get there, Yang takes his time to reveal how Superman got into this mess in the first place.
We don't mind how long it takes, if it stays this entertaining.
Story:
★★★★★
Art:
★★★☆☆
Overall:
★★★★☆
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