Superman's Secret Identity Is No Longer Clark Kent

Since the character's introduction in 1938 (77 years ago), Superman has always hidden behind the secret identity of Clark Kent. But the latest comic book storyline has exposed Clark Kent. The result is forcing Superman, for the first time in the character's history, to find a new alter-ego. But what will the new Superman secret identity be? Find out, after the jump.

Spoilers for the comic books coming up:

It all started in issue #43 of the current Superman comic book series, when Lois Lane decided to tell the world the Superman is Clark Kent. Lois discovered Clark's secret after catching him battling some baddies with a Superman uniform exposed under his shirt and tie.

So Lois exposed Clark as Superman, which got Clark Kent fired from the Daily Planet and forced Kal-El to go into hiding. In Action Comics #45, Kal-El is on the run from the government and has assumed the new secret identity of a mild-mannered trucker named Archie (because people are named that outside of the comic books, no really). See the clipping below thanks to BleedingCool:

The new Superman secret identity is "Archie Clayton."

But how long will that last? Putting Kal-El in the position of a trucker can't lead to as many story opportunities as having him at the epicenter of news in the world's biggest metropolis. But there is certainly a story to be told with Kal-El on the run, paranoid about a possibly conspiracy plot against him.

Many characters have uncovered Superman's secret identity over the long history of the comics. Even the movie version of Superman had Lois Lane find out about Clark's true identity. In that film, Superman II, Superman used a super-kiss to make Lois forget about the events surrounding his alter ego reveal.

It's a bit more complicated in the current comic book series, as the whole world now knows that Superman was undercover as Clark Kent. How could the character possibly return to his old life? In Superman: The Movie, Superman flew backwards around the Earth to somehow turn back time. I'm sure a similar gimmick could eventually be employed in the comics. Maybe in a storyline-resetting event series?