Superman #20 Review

Ramifications Revealed!

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Oclair Albert, Alex Sinclair, Jeremiah Skipper, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 12, 2020

The Truth of Superman's secret identity continues this issue and with it...... The Unity Day stuff, but at least here it seems like it at least ties into what's going on and doesn't come off as a weird side story. I'm getting ahead of myself though, we're continuing to look at the ramifications of Superman's reveal to the world and while in the previous issue it didn't look like there were any ramifications, which felt ridiculous, it's time that we finally see why Superman should always keep his identity secret. Let's jump into this issue and see what's what.

While I haven't been a fan of the idea of this story, especially since it didn't seem like anyone, villains included cared that Superman was Clark Kent all along, I did find myself enjoying the beginning of this issue, where the Daily Star employees talk about the ethics of Clark Kent writing Superman stories and even the idea of Clark Kent "cheating" because he has all those abilities, allowing him to get stories that no other reporter could get.  There's more to this part of the book that make it even more enjoyable, but I was just surprised that something so mundane could be the highlight of this book. 

The problem is though, it doesn't last too long because for everything that could have been done to make people weary about the idea of Clark Kent being Superman, the big point here is our Man of Steel claiming that he'd be the one to speak for Earth when they created the United Planets, which would then become known as Unity Day.  I mean, there's so many things that could be done as ramifications for Clark's reveal, but to force the United Planets nonsense in there and to use it in a way that someone or something sent a video of that speech given to all those different aliens on Thanagar to the Daily Star by email......... It just seems like too much nonsense, especially for how it seems that the world will turn on our hero going forward.  Not only the world either because out in space it seems that Mongul has gotten the upper hand on our hero and all the leaders of all those alien races seem to be pissed at Superman because Mongul just happens to be a dick.

All in all, I thought the art of everything on Earth was great...... the problem is, all the action was out in space with Superman and Mongul and I wasn't a fan of that so much.  The story worked that way for me too......... until Unity Day was shoved into it, making Superman look like he wanted to rule over Earth.... at least that's what the forced narrative is making it out to be.  There's just so much to do with Superman revealing his identity and just shoving Unity Day stuff into this feels like a stretch to make anything interesting come of that story and it just doesn't feel like it works here because it was so out of nowhere initially.  I hope something interesting comes of this because I'd like there to be a Superman book that I can enjoy because right now, it's just not happening.

Bits and Pieces:

While I thought that the mundane aspects of the beginning of this book were it's strongest and most emotional points, it quickly started to take a nosedive for me when Superman spent the entire issue getting his ass kicked for no reason and the reporters of the Daily Star decided that out of context intergalactic emails were reason enough to become ass hats.  Forcing the two stories that we've been dealing with together for this felt forced as hell and unneeded for everything that should be coming our hero's way now that he's revealed himself to the world.  Thankfully though, I liked a good portion of the art here, but this book needs to have more going for it each and every issue.

5.5/10