Superman: Secret Identity by Kurt Busiek [Archive]

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megladon8

12-30-2005, 01:02 PM

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1401204511.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I just finished this and I can quite honestly say it is the best Superman story I have ever read.

Kurt Busiek has done for Superman what Frank Miller did for Batman in Year One. A beautiful take on an origin story that cares about CHARACTERS and not blowing stuff up every page.

I laughed, I cried, I felt for Clark and for Lois and even for Malloy.

I strongly urge that anyone who hasn't read this go out and buy it right this instant.

This is a classic in every sense of the word.

A true testament to the beauty that can be accomplished within the pages of a book.

Super Monkey

12-30-2005, 01:20 PM

The book is basically a remake of the old Superboy of Earth-Prime stories, and I agree it is wonderful.

Kurt Busiek

12-30-2005, 01:25 PM

The book is basically a remake of the old Superboy of Earth-Prime stories, and I agree it is wonderful.

I think you for the kind words -- both of you! -- but I've gotta say, it's not remotely a "remake of the old Superboy of Earth-Prime stories." It features a character with the same basic concept as Superboy-Prime, but isn't much like the few stories he appeared in at all.

kdb

Cayman

12-30-2005, 01:40 PM

It was really good. I loved the Supergirls.

I like how it took that familiar "how would the government respond to superheroes in the real world" concept, but did it in a way that wasn't ultra-cynical.

Cay

Yoda

12-30-2005, 02:12 PM

This really is one of the best Superman stories ever. It's a great book to give to people who have never read comics before. I gave the trade to my girlfriends brother in law for christmas, he's never read comics and had expressed some interest in reading them. He read it in one sitting and love it.

Now, the real question is what this hinted at sorta follow up is going to be...

Super Monkey

12-30-2005, 02:49 PM

Kurt Busiek

12-30-2005, 03:15 PM

Perhaps remake isn't the right word, I meant "remake" as Kurosawa's Ran is a remake of Shakespeare's King Lear.

RAN actually is a remake of KING LEAR, though.

It's roughly the same story, translated to a different setting. Or at least, it was until I fell asleep (sorry, Mr. Kurosawa!) and I don't know what happened next.

SECRET ID isn't the same story at all, though -- the story of Superboy-Prime is that he's Universe-Prime's Kal-El, sent from Krypton to Earth by his parts, where he's adopted by Kents and brought up as Clark, even though the name Clark Kent is world-famous as that of the fictional Superman. He eventually discovers he has the powers, almost immediately meets the real Superman, fights aliens, makes a public appearance and leaves to go help in the Crisis, whereupon his universe is destroyed.

The only bits the two stories have in common are a Clark Kent growing up in a world where Superman's a famous fictional character, who discovers that he too has the powers, and he wears the Superman costume one Halloween.

SECRET ID is certainly inspired by the concept of Superboy-Prime -- heck, I go on at length about it in the intro, and dedicated the book to Elliot, Curt & Julie -- but to say it's a remake of those stories suggests that it's a new version of those plots, that it follows the general pattern of those stories.

Or to make a long story short -- yeah, "remake" isn't the right word. It's a new take on the character concept, but not a new version of those stories.

kdb

Super Monkey

12-30-2005, 03:31 PM

The plots are not the same, which is true, "so inspired" by would be more appropriate.

Anyway, if any of you haven't read it yet, pick it up and check it out.

stealthwise

12-30-2005, 04:32 PM

This book was indeed fantastic, I had borrowed it last year, then frantically tracked down each issue because I had heard that DC might not reprint it due to sales (yes, I was a fool). It was easily the best mini from DC last year imo.

Azrael52

12-30-2005, 06:57 PM

I never picked it up, b/c when it came out, I was having a rough time with money. I forgot about it later on. Then, one day, I was over at Ringslinger's house and he showed this to me and said it was really a good read. I borrowed it, and I loved it. I let my wife read it -she doesn't read many comics, and doesn't care too much for costumed heros- she loved it. I sooooo need to buy this. Thanks, Kurt. Oh, and I'm glad to see you coming to Supes as a regular. Please bring this feel to his stories. Thanks!

megladon8

12-30-2005, 07:29 PM

I think you for the kind words -- both of you! -- but I've gotta say, it's not remotely a "remake of the old Superboy of Earth-Prime stories." It features a character with the same basic concept as Superboy-Prime, but isn't much like the few stories he appeared in at all.

kdb

No problem. I really did enjoy it. Thank you so much for that great piece of work, and let Immonen know next time you speak with him that the art had a great sense of humanity to it.

The whole book just came together so well.

*searching for more work by Busiek and Immonen*

Kurt Busiek

12-30-2005, 07:49 PM

*searching for more work by Busiek and Immonen*

That would be:

SHOCKROCKETS: WE HAVE IGNITION

SUPERSTAR: AS SEEN ON TV

And a couple of issues of AVENGERS.

kdb

megladon8

12-30-2005, 07:51 PM

That would be:

SHOCKROCKETS: WE HAVE IGNITION

SUPERSTAR: AS SEEN ON TV

And a couple of issues of AVENGERS.

kdb

Very cool, thanks.

But I also meant your seperate works :)

Have you ever done any work on Batman? Well, I guess it doesn't matter really, because I was just wondering if you'd be at all interested in hearing (er...reading) my idea and perhaps some of the script for the Batman film I am doing next year.

EDIT: Put Shockrockets and Superstar on my eBay watch list.

Kurt Busiek

12-30-2005, 08:12 PM

Have you ever done any work on Batman?

Aside from a couple of WORLD'S FINESTS, nope.

Well, I guess it doesn't matter really, because I was just wondering if you'd be at all interested in hearing (er...reading) my idea and perhaps some of the script for the Batman film I am doing next year.

Sorry, but I try to avoid reading any unsold fiction for legal reasons. Good luck with it, though!

kdb

LibrarianThorne

12-30-2005, 09:03 PM

Hey Kurt, Secret Identity really is a great book. It's a weird mesh of superhumans as hunted (one Marvel so often utilizes), while taking bits here and there from Superboy-Prime. In many ways, it's as classic a story as Alan Moore's Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Though, where Moore reveled in the "Super", in Secret Identity you focus on the "man". It isn't the Clark Kent we all know and love, but this new Clark, this one that lives in the same world we do, is just as inspiring. Despite being hounded by the government, the pressures of family and social life, he still uses his powers and abilities to help people. Whenever people come into my local store wanting a Superman story they can read and enjoy, I point them to Secret Identity. It is, perhaps, the best introduction to what makes Superman great than any other book released in the last twenty five years.

Good job, Kurt, and good luck on the work you're doing on Aquaman and Superman next year.

megladon8

12-30-2005, 09:06 PM

Aside from a couple of WORLD'S FINESTS, nope.

Sorry, but I try to avoid reading any unsold fiction for legal reasons. Good luck with it, though!

kdb

Thanks very much I appreciate it.

Good luck on your future books as well. You have one more avid reader :)

tony2074

01-02-2006, 06:14 AM

this book is the only tpb i own besides watchmen, v for vendetta and whttmot? that i have read over 5 times. i don't normally have time to read things multiple times due to work.sleep etc, but this was a beautiful story.
love the art, can only imagine how much graft stuart put into this.

666MasterOfPuppets

01-02-2006, 07:42 AM

666MasterOfPuppets

01-02-2006, 07:52 AM

I think you for the kind words -- both of you! -- but I've gotta say, it's not remotely a "remake of the old Superboy of Earth-Prime stories." It features a character with the same basic concept as Superboy-Prime, but isn't much like the few stories he appeared in at all.

kdb

BTW, great work you did with JLA/Avengers.

Please, could you tell us something - anything - about your upcoming run on the Superman books with Geoff Johns?

And please, post here often. It's nice to see a writer interacting with the readers and fans about the characters we love (especially The King, Superman!).

Kurt Busiek

01-02-2006, 10:29 AM

Please, could you tell us something - anything - about your upcoming run on the Superman books with Geoff Johns?

It's got Jimmy in it!

kdb

Super Monkey

01-02-2006, 10:52 AM

Olsen? :eek:

Kurt Busiek

01-02-2006, 12:14 PM

Olsen? :eek:

Wait and see!

kdb

JBElliott

01-02-2006, 12:40 PM

SI came out about the same time Birthright did. SI was, in my opinion, overshadowed by Birthright hype-wise, but SI out shone Birthright quality-wise. It's a shame that SI didn't get the hard cover treatment it deserved. The story and Immonen's art were spectacular.

Lurker

01-02-2006, 12:46 PM

BTW, great work you did with JLA/Avengers.

Please, could you tell us something - anything - about your upcoming run on the Superman books with Geoff Johns?

And please, post here often. It's nice to see a writer interacting with the readers and fans about the characters we love (especially The King, Superman!).

Hey, Kurt posts all the time and you can probably go out to your local bookstore right now and pick up JLA Syndicate Rules (along w/Secret ID) which works as a sequel to both JLA/Avengers and JLA Earth 2.

Kurt wrote another King too--Conan--who can kick Aquaman's a$$ any day of the week. I hear he's looking for him too, Kurt. ;)

Good luck @ DC!

yeoman

01-02-2006, 02:04 PM

Yeah, SI probably ties for my favorite Superman story with "Whatever happened to the man of Tomarrow."

It's one of the books I recommend to everyone I know.* Though, sadly they rarely seem to go for it.

*Granted, there's a number of books I do that with, but all are ones I believe in very strongly.

Super Monkey

01-02-2006, 05:36 PM

Wait and see!

kdb

... and the plot thickens

666MasterOfPuppets

01-03-2006, 10:34 AM

It's got Jimmy in it!

kdb

WHOA!

It sounds like, without giving anything away (obviously), you're telling us that Jimmy will play an important part in that arc? And the two covers for march solicitations make me think that Superman retired or something.

Indeed, march (or april, in my case) can't get here soon enough.

BTW Kurt, is Supes your favorite Superhero? I'd think yes, but who knows...

666MasterOfPuppets

01-03-2006, 10:37 AM

Hey, Kurt posts all the time and you can probably go out to your local bookstore right now and pick up JLA Syndicate Rules (along w/Secret ID) which works as a sequel to both JLA/Avengers and JLA Earth 2.

Indeed. I've been thinking about getting that Syndicate Rules TPB, along with Secret ID. I'll see when can I get them. Darn money, it's never enough.

Kurt wrote another King too--Conan--who can kick Aquaman's a$$ any day of the week. I hear he's looking for him too, Kurt. ;)

Good luck @ DC!

Conan I like. Perhaps I'll pick up one of those TPBs one of these days. Again, money is a limitation.

Kurt Busiek

01-03-2006, 11:07 AM

It sounds like, without giving anything away (obviously), you're telling us that Jimmy will play an important part in that arc?

No, I'm telling you that Jimmy is in it.

BTW Kurt, is Supes your favorite Superhero?

Mah favorite superhero, suh, is Hawkeye!

kdb

666MasterOfPuppets

01-03-2006, 11:09 AM

No, I'm telling you that Jimmy is in it.

Hehe... As Super Monkey said, the plot thickens...

Mah favorite superhero, suh, is Hawkeye!

kdb

I don't know much about him. Not a Marvel reader, actually. But I knew that he was dead or something...

megladon8

01-03-2006, 04:39 PM

No, I'm telling you that Jimmy is in it.

Mah favorite superhero, suh, is Hawkeye!

kdb

Very cool. Nice to see a writer with some love for a hero that isn't so ENORMOUS. every time I see interviews with writers they always say "oh my favorite is Captain America/Superman/Hulk/Wolverine".

I love Superman and Batman...but man...Captain Marvel (that is...Marvel's Captain Marvel, not Shazam from DC) is just amazing in my books.