You know how comic book covers are often a drastically heightened representation of an issue's storyline? And you can't take them literally in regard to what a book is about?
Superman #42 is not one of those comics. This is the rare instance when the image on the cover matches the book's contents. So it's not really a spoiler to say that this issue is the one in which Lois Lane finds out the truth about Clark Kent/Superman. Just like in John Romita Jr.'s cover art, Lois really does at one point rip Clark's shirt off to discover his Superman suit underneath.
And she ain't happy about it.
Since the DC universe was rebooted with the "New 52" comics, Lois' knowledge of Clark's secret (not to mention their longtime romance and marriage) was removed from continuity. This new timeline gave DC a chance to refresh Clark and Lois' relationship, but readers have been waiting and wondering how much longer we'd have to watch Lois be oblivious to the fact that her coworker and friend is really the Man of Steel.
Wonder no longer. In Superman #42, writer Gene Luen Yang reveals that not only does Lois know, she's suspected for a long time. The thing is, the way Yang writes Lois makes her kind of a jerk — and not just because of her harsh reaction to discovering Clark's secret. She's simply not a very likeable character right now. The reader's foreknowledge that Lois is going to be the person responsible for revealing Superman's identity to the world makes Yang's job an uphill battle, admittedly. But he does nothing to paint Lois sympathetically and soften the blow we know is coming.
On the other hand, after all the cloak-and-dagger of the last issue, having everything out in the open – including meeting the villain who texted Clark last month – is kind of refreshing. Everybody's cards are on the table, so now the story can move forward into new and uncharted territory.
Yang's writing is consistently strong so far, and his additions to Superman's world are pretty fascinating. His big bad, a data-trafficking hacker on steroids called HORDR_ROOT, is frightening precisely because of everything he knows about our heroes — and how little they know about him.
The issue contains its share of big fights, but as you'd expect with an issue of this magnitude, it's the human drama that's most interesting. It's also where Romita does his finest work, perfectly conveying the emotional roller coaster of the story's three main characters.
Superman #42 is only chapter two of a very big story — so it's far too early to say if "Truth" is a worthy addition to Superman's myth. But it's been mighty entertaining so far.
Story:
★★★★☆
Art:
★★★★★
Overall:
★★★★☆
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