My name is Clark Kent. I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet, and have been ever since I moved here from Smallville, Kansas. 
- — Superman
Superman (Volume 5) #18 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 5) with a cover date of February, 2020. It was published on December 11, 2019.
Synopsis for "Truth"
Perry White has called for a massive press conference in the entrance of the Daily Planet, which attracts countless of spectators from all over the world. The protagonist of this event, Superman, descends from the sky and reaches the podium. He thanks the people for coming here today and reminds them that he was born under the name "Kal-El", but the people of Earth has lovingly called him "Superman", and he has done best to live up to the name the people of Earth gave him, but he wants them to know something important about himself.
Last week, Superman was observing the first official gathering of the United Planets, in which a Thanagarian had been elected as the United Planets' first leader. He promised the ambassadors that Thanagar would construct a monument to promote hospitality amongst the races of the United Planets. The Thanagarian leader also reminds the gathered ambassadors the folly of the Circle: all their works and dealings were done in secret, but the United Planets will avoid that mistake and hold all their meetings in person, in order to show the galaxy they have nothing to hide.
As the meeting continues, Superman takes a moment to talk with Adam Strange, who asks Superman how is he feeling. Superman admits he feels unwell after everything that's happened with his father and the Circle, and Adam says that Superman's uneasiness is a good thing; it would be weird if he came out of that experience and didn't feel bad at all. Superman tells Adam he still keeps a secret identity, to which Adam asks the reason and Superman admits he no longer knows why. Superman takes a moment to vote yes on the United Planets' Clean Galaxy initiative and goes back to talk to Adam.
Superman and Adam fly away from the United Planets' meeting and Superman tells Adam that his secret identity allowed him to get close to people without endangering them, but things have changed over the years and now, Superman has a wife and a son. Jor-El and his secrets had changed Superman's perspective and forced him to confront everything he'd ever believed in. Upon seeing that Jor-El's secrets eventually got him killed, Superman realizes he doesn't want to end up like his father.
The scene then transitions to Clark at the Daily Planet. Finding Perry in his office, he reveals his Superman uniform to his boss. Whatever conversation the two men have goes unheard and they share a hug.
Sometime later, Superman finds Jimmy taking pictures of a crime scene in Gotham and takes him to a rooftop so they can speak in private. He thanks Jimmy for being his friend these past few years but now, he needs to be honest with him. He slicks back his hair and puts on his glasses, saying that he is Clark Kent. Jimmy pretends to see him as nothing other than "Superman with glasses on," but then laughs and admits Lois already told him.
Superman flies to Lois' apartment in Chicago. She confirms she talked to Jimmy and had called to let Clark know about it, but found he was busy with Perry. Though he is initially disappointed, she states that she told him because she had known Jimmy longer than she had known Clark and it was her secret too which she had kept from him, adding that she was right how he would react. Superman is amazed to learn that he was very emotional about it. Husband and wife choose to continue telling the truth, both agreeing that they may have been working on this particular story since their honeymoon.
In the present, Superman finally declares the truth: he is Clark Kent, reporter of the Daily Planet. He explains everything about his life, his upbringing with Jonathan and Martha Kent and his decision to start a family. He says that even now, he doesn't regret keeping his life as Clark Kent a secret, but today, that all feels false and almost dishonest. He has seen so many things that have changed his perspective about life and he has come to a firm conclusion: he cannot keep a substantial portion of his life a secret if he wants to empower others towards truth and justice, which is why he choose to end the lies and secrecy.
Everyone in Superman's life, friend and foe alike, watches the live broadcast, like the Justice League, the Daily Planet staff, Supergirl, Krypto, Batman, Robin, Young Justice, even Red Cloud and Leviathan all bear witness to this dramatic reveal.
Superman says that even after everything that's happened, he still wants to continue his lives as both Superman and Clark Kent, and whatever challenges might be next, he will face them without reservation nor hesitation. He is proud of his heritage as a man of both Krypton and Earth and will do his best to stay true to both parts of himself. As he concludes the conference, Superman thanks the people of Earth for inspiring him and flies away.
Meanwhile, the Legion of Doom watches the conference, shocked as everyone else by Superman's statements. Lex switches back into his human form and sits down on the Legion's conference table, all the while Brainiac berates him for failing to see this coming. The furious Lex ponders about what just happened and begins to plan his next move.
Appearing in "Truth"
Featured Characters:
- Superman (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
Other Characters:
- Batman
- Jon Kent (In a photograph only)
- Justice League
- Krypto
- Red Cloud
- Leviathan
- Mera
- Perry White
- Robin
- Supergirl
- Young Justice
- Starman (Phone call only)
- Teen Titans (Phone call only)
- Darkseid (Mentioned only)
- Jonathan Kent (Mentioned only)
- Jor-El (Mentioned only)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Mentioned only)
- Martha Kent (Mentioned only)
- Scarecrow (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Earth
- Metropolis
- Gotham City
- Fortress of Solitude (Mentioned only)
- Smallville, Kansas (Mentioned only)
- Thanagar
- Krypton (Mentioned only)
See Also