The Man Who Stole Superman's Secret

"The Man Who Stole Superman's Secret

This is the sequel to "The Sweetheart Superman Forgot!" For which many on the list have been waiting for. Sally Selwyn is the one woman who ever loved the mild-mannered reporter for himself, not because of his

heroic alter-ego. This story also features Ned Barnes, "The Man Who Stole Superman's Secret Life!" At a heavily-guarded plant in the midwest, the Man of Steel tells the guard that the National Space Agency

has asked for him to photograph the top secret new spaceship being built. Since it is Superman, the guard lets him in without the proper authorization. Soon, the country's greatest defender is snapping shots of the ship's innards.

As he departs, "the Man of Steel" bumps his arm, and cries out in pain. Since the real Superman wouldn't be harmed by exploding H-Bombs, the guards knows that this isn't the real deal. The false Man of Steel punches out the guard, intent on selling the photographs to the highest bidder. A passing motorist is forced to aid in the costumed figure's getaway at gunpoint. The guard recovers, and tells his fellow guard that the intruder wasn't wearing make-up or a mask. In the getaway car, a call for road blocks and an all-point's bulletin is heard on the short-wave police radio. The reluctant driver is a plain clothes officer with the defense plant. The car turns off the road and parks. The plain clothes man begs for his life, but instead of using his gun, the costumed figure punches him out.

The assailant changes clothes with the detective, and dons his glasses. The gun, camera, and costume are inside a lunch-box. Ned Barnes remembers when he was a teenager, and how he admired the Boy of Steel.

One day, his home was on fire, and he was severely burned before Superboy saved him. His face would be restored with plastic surgery, and the doctor honors his request that his new face resemble the Boy of Steel's.

Young Ned would try to follow Superboy's example by being kind and helping others. Although he had admired the Boy of Steel, the adult Ned hates Superman.

After getting a lift from a passing motorist, and making their way through a road block, the driver asks Ned to find the farmer whose cattle are blocking their way. It is then that Sally Selwyn gets off of her horse, and runs into the arms of the man she thinks is Jim White. She had given up hope on ever seeing him again, and Ned takes the opportunity to use her as a distraction against the passing police car. Sally remembers when Jim came into her life, suffering from sunstroke, and

needing her to nurse him back to health. They fell in love, but he had become paralyzed after a bronc threw him off at a rodeo, and he ended up in a wheelchair. Sally begged Jim to marry her, but he didn't want any

pity or her wealth. One day, he disappeared, and they thought that his wheelchair had gone into the river. She never forgave herself for letting Jim compete in the rodeo so that they would live on his winnings instead of her father's money.

Jim must have gotten amnesia and the shock probably cured his paralysis. When Sally suggests that he come home with her, Ned decides to take her up on her offer. Who was Jim White? Jim White was an amnesiac Man of Steel who ran into some Red Kryptonite in space. After landing in the countryside, Superman changed into his civilian clothes, then buried his costume and wallet. He remembers that Red K had caused him to lose his memory and powers, but he doesn't have to worry about suffering the same effects again. The sun's heat makes him weak and thirsty. His super-powers are gone and the freak type of Red Kryptonite causes Clark to lose his memory, as well.

Sally Selwyn gives him a cool drink, then brings the stranger into her family home. When asked for his name, the amnesiac gives the name of Jim White. Mr. Selwyn greets his daughter and the returning "Jim White". The Selwyns are planning on attending the stock car race, with Jim as their guest. The following day at the Daily Planet, Perry White is yelling at the television set, and Jimmy Olsen cracks up about how the horse called "Daily Planet" hasn't won a race yet. The cub reporter offers some sympathy to the gruff editor, but Perry is determined to get a better horse.

The mild-mannered reporter is reading the teletype about a man in a Superman costume who took pictures of a new space ship, and made his escape. After changing to the Man of Steel, he interviews the detective whose car was stolen, and learns that the man isn't a murderer. His resemblance to Superman is a mystery to be solved. The Orville Stock Car Races becomes the scene of a life-and-death rescue, when the Man of Steel saves one of the drivers from a burning car. Ned Barnes decides to hide before Superman finds him. The Man of Steel uses his super-breath to put out the flames, then uses some super-speed suction to cause a driverless car to follow him around the track. Back in his identity of Clark Kent,

he phones Perry White, and tells the editor that he's on the trail of the Superman imposter. While he's there, the editor asks the mild-mannered reporter to head for Ace Ranch, and buy a horse to replace "Daily Planet".

Ned rejoins Sally, telling her that he thought that he recognized someone in the crowd, but was mistaken. During a hay-ride, he asks her if she'd marry Superman, but Sally Selwyn's heart is only for Jim White. As they kiss, Ned envies Jim White, and reminds himself that he'll be on the run when the heat's off. When she asks when they'll be getting married, Ned tells her that there's some things he has to settle first. In his room at the Selwyn Mansion, Sally is about to put away the lunchbox, but "Jim" tells her not to touch it. He'll take care of it himself, but she doesn't know what to make of his bad temper.

When he goes for a walk, Ned regrets losing his temper, and figures that he'd better go before she learns that he's not Jim White. Sally has decided to go find him, and apologize for being bossy. Clark Kent

arrives at the Ace Ranch, which is owned by the Selwyns. A spirited horse catches his eye, and he asks if he can ride him. The ranch hands insist that Dynamite is a wild critter, but Clark is able to hang onto

the whirlwind as if he were a Man of Steel. Hearing this, the mild-mannered reporter deliberately falls off the horse before anyone can suspect his secret identity. Sally Selwyn arrives and asks him if he's all right. When she mentions what had happened the last time, Clark wonders what the girl's talking about.

Sally's glad that he isn't hurt, and apologizes for the argument they had earlier. As proof, she kisses him, and finds that this is more like the Jim she had known before. The kiss from a beautiful stranger also has Clark thinking some deep thoughts. The kiss unlocks his subconscious memories of having been Jim White. They had met and fallen in love, after his encounter with Red Kryptonite. He remembers Sally's father and

becoming paralyzed after being injured at a rodeo. After a fall into the river, Clark was revived by Aquaman, and his powers soon returned. It wasn't until they kissed that he remembered Sally at all. Another kiss and the mild-mannered reporter realizes that this woman loves him for himself -- not as Superman.

Her mention of a fight with Jim has Clark using his telescopic-vision to locate the other "Jim White". He sees his doppleganger hiding a lunch box, with a camera and a Superman costume inside. This man also impersonated the Man of Steel at the defense plant. Before catching him, Clark has got a few things to think over. When Sally goes into town to shop, Clark is in his hotel room, and decides to take a nap. He dreams of Lois and Lana crying because Superman is marrying Sally. They realize that the girl loves the Man of Steel for himself, not his fame, and this knowledge drives them both to tears. Clark wakes up and decides to marry her. Since they love one another, he should get married, but first he'll change to Superman, and find the imposter who used his likeness to steal his girl. On a cliff overlooking the Selwyn Estate, Ned Barnes is also coming to a decision. He doesn't want to keep fooling the sweet girl into believing that he's her Jim, and decides to take his chances with the law.

"Big Tony" and "Gunner" have come to pick up the film of the spaceship, figuring that Ned might have decided to lay low, and keep them for himself. They were looking for him, spotted him at the rodeo, and saw

how he hooked up with a rich dame. With "Big Tony" keeping a grip on Ned, "Gunner" trains his sights on Sally. Ned breaks free and rushes towards "Gunner", in a desperate attempt to save Sally's life, and the ledge gives way beneath them all. One minute later, the Man of Steel arrives on the scene, and sees that two of the men are dead. His microscopic-vision identifies the third man as Ned Barnes, his childhood

admirer whose face was changed to resemble his. What Superman can't understand is why Ned Barnes became a criminal.

Superboy had been his idol, but the other kids would torment the boy with Superboy's face when he couldn't do three pushups, and when he couldn't lift a barbell. The bullies enjoyed punching him in the jaw and not

break their fist on this vulnerable boy. Before long, Ned didn't want to look in the mirror, and grew to hate Superboy. After running away from Smallville, Ned began to steal, and saw it as a way to get back at the

Boy of Steel. As an adult, the underworld had him put on the costume so he could take pictures of the secret spaceship. The Man of Steel is sorry that Ned's new face caused him pain. Ned knows he was wrong to

hate him for his own act, then asks Superman for one last favor. He asks that Sally Selwyn never learn how her "Jim White" was really a crook.

Ned dies before the Man of Steel can give his answer. He can tell Sally the truth -- that he's her Jim White, and that they can be married. When Superman meets with Sally, he tells her that Jim White died while

protecting her from armed criminals. The girl weeps and can't believe how cruel it was for this to happen when Jim came back into her life. Without Jim, she doesn't want to live, and is comforted by her father. The Man of Steel wishes that he could tell her the truth. He would give anything if he were able to marry her -- someone who loves him for himself. When he saw how the crooks tried to kill Sally, he realized that

no wife would be safe from his foes. If he were married, he would come home one day, and find his wife murdered. Superman seeks solace in outer

space. Although he is envied by many for his super-powers, the Man of Steel cannot marry the woman he loves because of who he is. He'll keep fighting for truth and justice. He'll continue to help those in need. The only one he can't help is himself. Although Jim White is gone, he'll always be in Sally Selwyn's heart.

On the splash page, the Man of Steel spots a man who looks like Clark Kent with his telescopic-vision. The man is kissing Sally Selwyn and this sight soon occupies Superman for the next fourteen pages.

Why would the National Space Agency ask Superman to photograph the secret spaceship being built at the plant?

Assuming that they didn't keep it in a place lined with lead, the Man of Steel could use his telescopic-vision to see the ship, and draw it for the agency without leaving their office.

After shaving off his mustache, John Corben impersonated Superman, and the bullets bounced off of the disguised Metallo.

The plain clothes man is wearing an outfit identical to that worn by a certain mild-mannered reporter.

In "The Face And The Voice", George Reeves played the dual role of Superman and of "Boulder", the thug who impersonates him.

As a teenager in Smallville, Lex Luthor had also admired the Boy of Steel.

After an accident in his laboratory and being saved by Superboy, young Lex's opinion of him changed dramatically.

Plastic surgery was used to restore the face of Harvey Dent, but an explosion soon returned the attorney to the criminal identity of Two-Face.

Victor Von Doom was another patient who found himself on the receiving end of an explosion.

The stock car racer who picks up Ned resembles the character of Smilin' Jack.

Ned Barnes has packed a lunch, but Sally is done horsing around.

Mr. Selwyn looks like a nicer version of Mr. Lodge.

In the "Adventures Of Superman" episode, "Joey", Perry White buys a race horse.

Gene Wilder took a memorable hay ride in "Young Frankenstein".

Clark Kent is not the type to kiss and tell.

Poor Lois and Lana would seem to be bridesmaids, never brides.

Mobsters wear orange or purple suits and white or brown hats.

Poor Ned barely had a ledge to stand on.

As a teenager, Ned Barnes couldn't face the reality of his new profile.

In the scene where the Man of Steel arrives to find his murdered wife, Sally is seated in a big chair with her back to us, and a big screen TV in the background.

The Elongated Man was a hero who came home to find his wife murdered.