Wednesday saw the release of Action Comics #45, the first issue in the series to deal with the aftermath of Superman's cracked-open facade — namely, the reveal that Clark Kent and the caped superhero are one and the same. Superman's reaction to the fallout? To adopt a new identity, of course. His new name? Archie Clayton.
While neither writers Greg Pak or Aaron Kuder have commented on the inspiration behind the name, there is one strange, tenuous link — to a middle school in Reno, Nevada, which is also named Archie Clayton (technically, Archie Clayton Pre-AP Academy, located in Washoe County).
Could there be a connection between one of the authors and that particular middle school? From cursory research, the answer looks like a "no," given that neither Pak (who was born in Dallas and attended Yale University) nor Kuder (who doesn't have a birthplace or any other background information listed on the Internet) have any identifiable affiliation with Reno or the middle school. Even the primary setting for Action Comics #45 – Talladega, Alabama – brings would-be meta sleuths to a dead end.
A strange coincidence, then? Or an Easter egg for things to come? Only time – or maybe the next few issues – will tell.
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