DC Confirms Superman’s Secret Identity Never Fooled [SPOILER]

It’s safe to say Superman relies on one of the most unconvincing disguises in comics. Amounting to a change of behavior and a pair of glasses (and a hair change, if the artist decides). But the truth of the Man of Steel’s disguise has been revealed now that he’s gone public with his dual identity. And in Superman: Heroes, it’s confirmed that one of Clark’s best pals was never fooled at all.

Who is this brilliant Sherlock Holmes-like super sleuth? Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen, of course! Writer Brian Michael Bendis promised fans that Superman revealing his civilian identity wouldn’t turn out to be a simple or reversible stunt, but will have a profound impact on the rest of his world. Many of the stories in Superman: Heroes prove exactly that, showing a wide array of Superman’s relationships from an all-star team. But it’s Jimmy’s confessions that will be a favorite for many.

As revealed in the pages of Superman: Heroes, Jimmy has apparently known Superman’s secret identity for a while — and didn’t take him long to figure out. Even Superman can make tiny errors every now and again. So what was Clark’s mistake? He calls Jimmy “Jim,” both when he’s dressed in the blue tights and when he’s wearing his street clothes. As Jimmy recalls, there were only “two people in his life” that called him Jim. And since the two are the same size, and never in the same place at the same time, it’s a mystery Jimmy Olsen could solve all on his own.

Of course, this doesn’t bode well for Lois Lane, who didn’t find out Clark and Superman were the same guy until just a little while before his legendary battle against Doomsday. Still, Lois is a busy reporter. It’s only reasonable that she would be too caught up in her work to notice how similar two nearly identical men in her life looked. But those days are a thing of the past, especially now that it’s Superman writing for The Daily Planet.

So there you have it! Jimmy knew Clark’s secret identity this whole time. If there’s ever anybody in the DC Universe that needs to keep a secret, we suggest they go to Olsen first. And for those who suggest Superman #18 contradicts this Jimmy Olsen scene, we say… please direct all questions to Brian Michael Bendis and DC Comics. And find the full credits and plot synopsis for the issue below!

• SUPERMAN: HEROES
• Written by: Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Greg Rucka
• Art by: Kevin Maguire, Steve Lieber, Mike Perkins, Mike Norton, Scott Godlewski
• Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, the staff of the Daily Planet, even the Justice League-their lives all changed when Superman revealed his secret identity to the world! This unique Superman experience explores what the identity of Clark Kent meant to those close to him-and what their relationship to Superman will be in the future. All the rules are about to change-and it all starts here. The dream team of writers Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Greg Rucka, and Jody Houser team up for this amazing special, with art anchored by DC legend Kevin Maguire, plus sequences focusing on each corner of the Superman universe by artists Steve Lieber (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen) and Mike Perkins (Lois Lane).

Superman: Heroes is on store shelves now, with Superman: Villains due out in March 2020.

Next: DC’s Lois Lane Is Getting Her Own Supervillain: The Kiss Of Death