Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Action Comics #1050
Setting the tone for the new Superman's secret identity has been restored (and it's likely for the better). Having returned to Earth after an extended campaign in space against Mongul and Warworld, Kal-El is back in Metropolis as the Man of Steel, ing his son Jon who became the new Superman in his absence. However, Lex Luthor successfully made the majority of the world forget that Clark Kent was Superman, undoing Superman's public identity reveal back in 2019. While there will no doubt be fallout that Superman and his family will have to reckon with, it may not be such a bad thing going forward.
As seen in Action Comics #1050 from Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Tom Taylor, Joshua Williamson, Mike Perkins, Clayton Henry, and Nick Dragotta, the groundbreaking issue sees Superman facing off with Lex Luthor. Co-opting the hypnotic power of Manchester Black on such as massively global scale that it literally kills the former foe-turned-Superman ally, Luthor made the entire world forget that Clark Kent is Superman, save for the Kent Family protected by the Kent Farm's built-in shields as well as the majority of the DCU's heroes who all had psychic blocks thanks to the Martian Manhunter. Now, the ongoing hypnotic suggestion makes anyone reject any pictures or media about Clark as Superman, and any new confession of the truth could cause severe brain injury as seen with Perry White. Despite the horrible methods, the reversion to Superman's typical status quo feels like a very smart choice.
Batman's Right About Superman's Secret Identity Return
As Batman correctly points out, Lois Lane's identity and reputation as a truth-seeking journalist was largely ignored and mitigated the moment Clark revealed his secret to the world, being seen as nothing more than "Superman's Wife". Likewise, even the Dark Knight its he's missed Clark's work as a reporter for the Daily Planet. While the motivation behind Superman's reveal in 2019 was in favor of the truth and a desire to stop living two lives in favor of one honest one, there hadn't really been any major benefits for Superman one way or the other.
Lex's decision to restore Superman's secret identity came from a general desire to have the world see Kal-El as more god than human again, having conceded that the world does indeed need a Superman. However, the more personal reason came from a place of bitterness because Clark never shared who he really was with Lex when they were both in Smallville. Lex claims he would have been greatly helped had Clark been honest and confirmed that he too was an outcast (and that's probably true). Regardless, Kal-El now has no choice but to resume his double life. However, it truly is a return to form for the Man of Steel that many will likely find most welcome (far more than the controversial Spider-Man: One More Day retcon story where Peter Parker similarly had his secret identity restored).
Ultimately, it does seem as though the main things that came out of Superman publicly revealing his secret identity were largely negative such as Lois being minimized or the Joker being inspired to go after both Bruce Wayne and Batman in the subsequent Joker War. As such, giving Kal-El a reset and bringing back Clark Kent in earnest feels like a step in the right direction for Superman's first issue in the new Dawn of the DCU era. Action Comics #1050 is on sale now from DC Comics.
