Product details: - Paperback: 208 pages
- Author: Kurt Busiek
- Publisher: DC Comics
- Publication Date: 2005-01-01
- Release Date: 2005-01-01
- Studio: DC Comics
- Manufacturer: DC Comics
- Package Dimensions: 10.1 x 49 x 75 inches
Customer reviews:  Up, up, and far away one of the most delightful comics ever, 2008-08-17
"Superman: Secret Identity" was originally published in four issues, running about 48 pages each, from January to April 2004. "Secret Identity" begins with Clark Kent, a teenage boy in Picketsville, Kansas, who has to deal with the fact that his parents named him after the mythic superhero as sort of a light joke. Of course, it's not a joke for Clark, who has to endure the incessant mockery of his peers as well as a slew of Superman-related gifts for each of his birthdays. But then, one night, completely by accident, Picketsville's Clark Kent discovers that he has the powers of Superman. Through the rest of the comic, Clark journeys to New York, where he becomes a writer for the New Yorker (but not a reporter, mind you) and meets a girl named Lois -- who he just happens to fall head-over-heels in love with. Kent becomes the world's true Superman, living his superlife secretively so the world never becomes aware that the "Superman" is anything more than a story for Weekly World News.
Kurt Busiek's script is brilliant. Busiek has written what is truly one of the most clever, accessible, and downright fun comics in the history of medium. "Secret Identity" is easily the most charming comic I've ever come across. The story is non-canonical, a rarity when dealing with major characters like Superman. But that makes it no less relevant. It's a wonderful, wonderful idea, brought to life by Stuart Immonen's beautiful artwork. Immonen's art begins impressively with issue 1, and it only gets more bright and beautiful with each successive issue.
There isn't a lot to be said about "Secret Identity" -- it's one of those things that doesn't need a lot of talking and does need a lot of reading. What a pleasure. Unfortunately, it's currently out of print. It might be easier to find the individual issues than the collected work. One thing's for sure: it's worth searching for. Busiek and Immonen deserved a lot more attention than they received for this baby, a pure romantic fantasy gem. Comics don't get much more delightful.
 Stunning but slow, 2008-06-13
I never would have known this was illustrated by Stuart Immonen if the cover hadn't told me. Acclimatized to Immonen's streamlined, cartoony images, the unique, rotoscoped style of Secret Identity came as a shock.
Busiek has definitely buttered his bread with stories about the real-life burdens of being a superhero (see: Astro City), and, in Secret Identity, he's proven that he's up to the task of giving a bit of emotional gravitas to the two-dimensional Superman. In fact, he occasionally skids dangerously close to making the World's Greatest Superhero too whiny.
Although each chapter is good, the whole package feels a bit jumpy - I'm not sure it could have been fleshed out more without becoming boring, but the transitions through Superman's life felt a bit abrupt.
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