Superman's seen his share of changes lately. We saw he got a new power in SUPERMAN #38 and he also revealed his identity to Jimmy Olsen. Because of that new power, things will never be the same. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS BELOW, obviously. We strongly urge you read SUPERMAN #40 and the DIVERGENCE Free Comic Book Day issue first.

Superman gained the ability to unleash a "solar flare." It's powerful but also leaves him drained for 24 hours after. Because of this, in issue #40, Superman still wasn't at 100%. Having no choice but to stop some evil-doers, things didn't go too smoothly for him. Superman got a little beat up. He also couldn't fly away so was left leaping off. This gave a bystander the chance to record his departure. When it made the news, a certain someone saw it and was able to put two and two together.

This is great, right? Lois Lane finally figured it out. She also figured it out on her own. She's a prize-winning investigative reporter. She should be able to figure it out and not need Superman to tell her. This opens the door to new possibilities. What will it mean for Lois and Clark's relationship? He just came back to the Daily Planet so will she confront him right away or keep it to herself?

Well, if you read the DIVERGENCE Free Comic Book Day Special, you know what happens next.

Clark/Superman is in hiding. He's confronted and it appears this guy figured out his identity. There are people around and even Jimmy calls Clark by his name. What's going on? The story continues and we see that it's all over the news. Everyone knows Clark Kent is Superman.

What's worse is how everyone found out. It turns out it was Lois. She did what she had to as a reporter. She feels bad but it's out there.

The big question is, will SUPERMAN #41 pick up from the Free Comic Book Day issue or will it backtrack a little so we can see all of this unfold? Either way, things have changed for Superman. He will no longer have a secret identity. Is there any way to go back? We'll have to wait until June to see what Gene Luen Yang and John Romita Jr have planned for the Man of Steel.

I really love this art, I have no idea why some people are so hard on Jr Jr, especially considering how impactful his work has been over the years.

Everyone is rectangles

Your profile pic is a rectangle. TAKE THAT! (Said in the Phoenix Wright voice)

@saren said:

True, but the Greeks considered the rectangle to be the perfect aesthetically shape to base art on, so there :P

IT's some of his better art on the book that's for sure. While I still think that they didn't do enough with the blogger aspect, I'm glad that even though Johns was in a hurry to return Superman to his safe little corner called the Daily Planet where he could continue to do the same song and dance. that the new crew is breaking us away from that. I'm exited for what new stories lie ahead. Pak writing T-Shirt Superman has been my dream ever since AC-25.

It's a square, just like you

*puts on shades and does a cool guy pose*

*audience laughs*

*credits*

I need it.

Very Plutonian like.(mark waid's Irredeemable)

YOu're honestly not missing much. Get it for the JL part though

@inferiorego: Phoenix Right and CSI Miami references? Oh MR. Elfring, promise you'll never leave us

Does Clark look like Scott Summers, or it is just me. Maybe it's the sunglasses?

Also, LOIS REVEALED HIS IDENTITY?! Just when I was starting to like New 52 Superman (through Pak's Action Comics) they do this?! Ugh!

What with my lack of interest in the new Batman, I think I might be only reading Marvel :(

What will it mean for Lois and Clark's relationship?

HOpefully that it prolongs them getting back together. #SM/WW4LIFE

He just came back to the Daily Planet so will she confront him right away or keep it to herself?

What a waste of an arc. Doubt this was Johns plan, the reveal could have easily happened even without Clark at the Daily.

Have faith in Pak my friend. Besides, this is what the Superman world needs, it needs to be shaken up. Trying to get new stories with Clark at the Planet is like trying to make a rock bleed.

@saintwildcard: I guess you're right. I just hope they find a way to redeem Lois...or just reveal it was a shapeshifter or something.

I think it was Xa-Du who made her loose sight of things and made her do it. That's why she'll feel like it was her choice. I'm sure they'll redeem Lois but as a SM/WW fan I don't want it to be done to the extent where they are now romantically inclined. I wanna see how Diana deals were her weaker boyfriend.

His art can be painfully stiff at times. Compare this panel from Wolverine: Enemy of the State (2005?) ...

...to his work on Iron Man issue 120 (1979)...

It's like the older he gets, the more his art regresses to an amateurish state.

@saintwildcard: I doubt they'll put Lois and Clark together because it's nearly impossible to do so without making Supes look like a jerk for ditching Diana.

Also, I'm speaking as a fan of the Lois/Clark relationship and as someone who used to hate SM/WW (I've grown to accept it now though, even if I dislike it), but I don't want them back together either. It'll give Lois a chance to be her own character if it stays this way and not just Superman's girlfriend.

But it still works, doesn't it?

Not really...

It works perfectly for me.

Dang. Lois is being a b-word.

Ugh, it seems like the out of character Lois Lane from Future's End has come to Superman! -____- Just when I started liking this series, they had to ruin it with this. I really hope she has a good reason for it and not just because she's a reporter. She should know that some secrets are too dangerous to be revealed.

That is not what the REAL Lois Lane would do. As if they want people to hate this new 'direction' more. First the 'casualman suit' and now Lois re-learning the secret and spilling it out just like that.

There better be a REAL GOOD reasoning or this might get added into history as another tragicly awful plot move. Not to mention it hurts this new Lois as a character a lot.

I dont understand why people are saying this is out of character for Lois. This is very in character for her. She cares about her job more than anything else.

Damn, that's a real dick move Lois...

Lois you did a GREAT JOB i should tell!!!Comon use your brain,if every1 knows who he is he will have to hide and wont be able to help people plus you put him in more danger and the people around him!!

About time she acts like a reporter. Lois and Clark were lousy reporters for most of their history. It's super fans who turn a convenient blind eye to it. They want to say Lois is so much about Truth when half the time she was doing it because she wants to get into SM's pants or is already in his pants. These guys use to still do stories on SM when they were married. That's not being a good journalist. And Clark himself, man up buddy. You break stories on people, yet you are the biggest story there is. DC need to rethink the way journalism operates in SM. It was getting outdated the way they were using it. Should have let Clark stay with his blog or make him a writer. Less conflict of interest all around.

Maybe Lois should feel bad because it changes things, she's human but know what? She did her job. Her job is not supposed to be about babying anyone. And certainly not hiding something this big.

I hope we will see SM embrace the full consequences of what it means to be a hero and the responsibility it brings even if this is only a short stint. He wants to be seen as the best and noble of us yet we have these double standards from Clark as a reporter himself. And they could still remain friends after Clark stops pouting. The idea somehow that people worrying he and she can't get back together as a couple because of this , you're basically admitting Lois was not an independent character. Says Lois' role is reliant on only being able to romance Superman, no matter the circumstances and DC should sweep ethics under the carpet. The character needs to stand on her own. This is a good start. Show how fearless and impartial she is when it comes to revealing truth. So no complaints from me. Far better than wetting herself on sight for him and wanting him to check the color of at her underwear or sucking face with him the moment she meets him or sourly writing why the world does not need Superman because left (and knocked her up)

Looking forward to this but I doubt it would last long.

Yeah, i love his art.

Different strokes for different folks. He might've deservedly built his reputation but from what I've seen he's lost his mojo and a lot of younger artists have since gotten well ahead of him

@the_kidd: I doubt DC would pull a spiderman, i hope they don't.

@deathfalcon182: I hope not.

His artwork looks dated just because it was considered good/great is the 80s/90s doesn't mean it would in the present.

Really? Now everyone knows who he is?? Wow guess what friends, i smell the same mistake as brand new day (spider-man civil war)...something chessy will happen to make everyone forget

Poor Clark...lol

I wonder if this is what future JL 3000 evil Lois referred to when she said she originally "killed Superman" or lead to such? hmmm

Most of these days he just lacks the right colorist. Here, on Superman, is actually one of his better works in recent days.

Υeah. I am most excited about JL.

But I really want to see how Yang's Superman will differ from Johns' in atmosphere while they have the same artist.

I have to add, that his art is better when he has time. DC overworked him to this point. JRJR did 8 consecutive issues in Johns' run without fill in artists(also wrote issue 40 in that time), with a new style of heroes and atmosphere. No many other artists can say that. Most can't go six issues without a fill-in.

@golden_cod: THAT WAS HIS ART IN THE 80's?????

It looks like it's freaking done by a different artist...

Lois did make a choice and she has to live with it right. I mean she put everyone ever connected to Clark in danger but as long as she acts like a reporter its just fantastic. Maybe the DC universe needs another push like going further into his background and backtrack the people he's had contact with unveiling who are the other members of the Justice League for the world's good.

I guess someone who saves the world nearly everyday or maybe every other week deserves no personal life and that's his fault since he's considered one of the greatest heroes of all time. Vive la reporter for making sure no one is ever safe as long as the 'truth' comes out.

This was a really poorly though out idea, but we all knew this was coming DC or should I say Johns/Didio and Lee want to still push Superman/Wonder Woman even though they failed to capitalize on the hype and failed to deliver a good romance since people were back to pushing for Lois and Clark they do something dumb like this.

What is the most goofy part for me is Superman without Clark Kent, His parents and now his friends has no ties to humanity so I guess we are going to get brooding melodrama like Man of Steel. I feel bad that the new writer for this book has to try to make a story out of this mess.

Neat

You couldn't find any DC books today.Not a single one in Brooklyn, what's up with that.

I have to say the end of this book made my day.

Just give it back original superman new 52 costume. And I'll be all right

At first I don't like JRJR art but after long time it remind me of Jack Kirby art. That just my opinion

Romita Jr's art only worked for Spider-Man.

This was Yang's idea for the most part, editorial didn't push it down their throat. He discussed it with other Superman writers and came up with how they're going to approach this.

On the surface I do not like the idea of Lois letting Superman's secret out to the world. I understand that Lois is a reporter, however in the past she always realised and respected the importance of keeping Clark's identity a secret. The issue with the New 52 is that Clark and Lois really don't have much a relationship to speak of.

As I mentioned on the surface I don't like the idea, but I am willing to give it a change to see what this story might explore.

For Lois to say and feel that it was the right thing to do doesn't seem like Lois at all.. Something just doesn't ring right to me.. There is definitely more going on! .... Ugh!! Can't wait for #41!