Clark Kent came out as Superman towards the end of the New 52 era of the DC Universe, in an event called TRUTH (2015-2016). But that genie was quickly put back in the bottle during PATH OF DOOM (2016-2017) as part of the DC REBIRTH era. However, five years later, as part of Brian Michael Bendis‘ run on the Superman titles, Clark Kent reveals his identity again!
I suppose you can’t stand for truth if you’re hiding behind a secret identity…
Crossover: None of the issues are labelled as an official crossover, but the two one shots mark this as one which marks the outing of Superman’s secret identity.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- THE HOUSE OF EL (2019) – Formation of the United Planets
- MILLENNIUM (2019-2020) – Jon Kent leaves the present day with the Legion
- YEAR OF THE VILLAIN (2019-2020) – Lex Luthor offers upgrades to villains
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Superman (2018) #17-19
- Superman: Heroes #1
- Superman: Villains #1
- Superman (2018) #20-22
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Superman #17 Lois Lane refuses to tell Superman what’s in the lead-lined box she was given by Lex Luthor (received during YEAR OF THE VILLAIN, 2019-2020). Superman locates a secret STAR Labs base in Utah called the Constellation after getting a tip-off from Young Justice. He shuts down their unlawful interdimensional experiments. Superman and Supergirl visit General Zod on New Krypton. Superman tells Supergirl that what he’s about to do will impact her the most, unaware that Lor-Zod is listening in… |
| Superman: Heroes #1 (pp.1-5) Clark thinks back to a conversation he had with Jonathan & Martha Kent – his adoptive parents – about his powers. Now, Lois offers to share what’s in the box Luthor gave her on the day before Clark is due to make a huge decision… |
| Superman #18 A week ago, at the formation of the United Planets (during THE HOUSE OF EL, 2019), Superman talked to Adam Strange about his secret identity and how the secrets kept by his father, Jor-El, ruined lives. Later, Clark Kent revealed to an accepting Perry White that he’s Superman. Now, at a press conference outside the Daily Planet, Superman reveals to the world that he’s Clark Kent. Lex Luthor is taunted by Brainiac for not seeing this coming… |
| Superman #19 (pp.1-9) Clark Kent is fired from the Daily Planet and is rehired as both Clark Kent and Superman. The staff respond well to the news… |
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Superman #19 (pp.10-13) / Superman: Heroes #1 (pp.6-11) After the big announcement, Superman returns to the Hall of Justice to confer with the Justice League… |
| Superman: Heroes #1 (pp.14-40) Despite her own misgivings, Wonder Woman tries to allay Batman’s concerns over the situation. Jimmy Olsen reveals he figured out Clark’s secret much earlier. At the Fortress of Solitude, Lois Lane tells Superman the secret in the box given to her by Lex Luthor – that Marisol Leone is the head of the Invisible Mafia. Making this public removes her as Luthor’s competition, but could destroy the Daily Planet. |
| Superman: Villains #1 (pp.1-34) Superman checks in on his parents who approve of his decision. The Joker leaves laughing messages on Lex Luthor’s answerphone. Inspired by Superman, Toyman reforms and is recruited by the new Checkmate. Mongul is murdered by his son who becomes Supreme Mongul MDCCXCII and plans a confrontation with Superman. Supergirl (infected with the Joker Virus during THE INFECTED, 2019-2020) heads to Smallville… 1st appearance: Mongul MDCCXCII |
| Superman #19 (pp.14-22) Superman heads into space to defend the United Planets from Mongul’s attack. But while the leaders of the UP disagree on how to fight back against Mongul, Superman is defeated… |
| Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Superman #20 While the new Mongul wipes out representatives from the United Planets and easily overpowers Superman in the depths of space, the staff of the Daily Planet discuss the ethics behind Clark Kent writing Superman stories for all these years. George Taylor receives a file showing Superman deciding to speak for Earth at the formation of the United Planets (during THE HOUSE OF EL, 2019). Lana Lang offers to speak to Superman. Meanwhile, Daily Star reporters confront Lois Lane over Superman making himself ‘King of the Earth’… |
| Superman #21 When the United Planets send their unified forces against Mongul, Superman drags him to to another planet to save them and to initiate the blood oath in Mongul’s culture. Lois Lane agues back against the Daily Star, but is next confronted by FBI agent Cameron Chase. Mongul leaves as the members of the United Planets turn against each other. Superman calms the conflict, but has to return to Earth to help Lois, only to find Mongul’s Warworld blocking his path… |
| Superman #22 Cameron Chase explains to Lois Lane that the United Nations are happy for Superman to represent Earth in the United Planets. But… he can’t make any more mistakes. Superman destroys Warworld by crashing it into Venus. He defeats Mongul and sends him back to his home planet, beaten and humiliated. Finally, Superman inspires the United Planets to carry on, then returns home to Lois and they fall asleep together, missing their son. |
| Superman: Villains #1 (pp.35-37) Lois Lane approaches Marisol Leone who again refuses to give an interview. With that, Lois releases the story that Leone is the head of the Invisible Mafia. |
| Must Reads | Issue(s) & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| Supergirl #37-40 (2020) The infected Supergirl overshoots Smallville and heads to National City where she’s confronted by Superman and Batman; Krypto and Wonder Woman fail to help Supergirl to regain control of herself. | THE INFECTED YEAR OF THE VILLAIN | |
| Superman #23-24 (2020) Doctor Fate confirms that Superman wasn’t under any outside magical influence when he revealed his secret identity to the world. | ||
| Checkmate #3 (2020) Toyman is next seen as a member of Checkmate, having reformed. | ||
| ✔ | Action Comics #1022-1027 (2020-2021) Superboy (Jon Kent) returns to the present day; Marisol Leone recruits Doctor Glory into the Invisible Mafia; Glory recruits alternate universe versions of Superman’s foes to attack the House of El; Marisol Leone is revealed to be from an undetermined alternate Earth when the Invisible Mafia is laid low by Superman and his family; Leone and Glory escape. | |
| ✔ | Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #1-4 (2020) Lex Luthor – aka Apex Lex – is betrayed by his mistress Perpetua and stripped of his new powers; the Jokerized Supergirl is cured. | YEAR OF THE VILLAIN |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1029 (2021) Mongul initiates his next plan to kill Superman. | THE GOLDEN AGE |
| Action Comics 2022 Annual (2022) The origin of Mongul MDCCXCII is revealed. | THE WARWORLD SAGA | |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1030-1046 (2021-2022) Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 (2022) Mongul is informed Superman holds the secret to unlocking all of Warworld; Superman discovers Kryptonians trapped on Warworld and gethers a strike force called the Authority to help him free them. | THE WARWORLD SAGA |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1050 (2023) Lex Luthor Initiates Project Blackout which erases the world’s knowledge of Superman’s secret identity. | KAL-EL RETURNS |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Superman: The Truth Revealed (vol.3) | Superman #15-19 Superman: Heroes #1 Superman: Villains #1 |
| Superman: Mythological (vol.4) | Superman #20-28 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2025
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