Brian Michael Bendis Jump to DC Comics Will Be Defined By Just One Story

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Brian Michael Bendis played a key role in Marvel’s success during the 2000s. He gained recognition for his work on titles like Ultimate Spider-Man and Daredevil, and later spent seven years writing the Avengers. Beyond that, he contributed to X-Men, Spider-Woman, Moon Knight, Iron Man, and the Defenders, and created popular characters like Jessica Jones, Miles Morales, and Riri Williams. By 2018, having explored almost everything at Marvel, he moved to DC Comics, where he wrote stories featuring iconic characters like Batman, Superman, and the Justice League, as well as the Legion of Superheroes and heroes from the 1990s. However, his time at DC wasn’t widely praised and is largely remembered for a single storyline.

That storyline originated from his work on Superman – specifically, “The Truth Revealed.” In it, Superman publicly revealed his secret identity, which sparked a lot of debate among fans. While some enjoyed the change, others strongly disliked it, and it was eventually reversed in 2022. Though not a poorly written story, “The Truth Revealed” is often the first thing people remember from Brian Michael Bendis’s time writing for DC, largely due to the strong reactions it provoked.

Superman Revealing His Identity Was a Major Change to the Character

I’ve never been a big fan of Marvel comics from the 2000s, and I think Brian Bendis is a major reason why. He was great at creating suspense, but his writing often fell short when it came to exciting action sequences. He also didn’t always show much respect for the history of the characters or the work of other creators. This is why many fans worried when he moved to DC Comics, and some even believe he significantly harmed the Superman storyline. There’s a good case to be made for that view – he quickly aged up Jon Kent, altered the established reason for Krypton’s destruction, and immediately separated Lois and Clark.

Many fans disliked the changes made to Jon Kent, but the larger story arc, “The Unity Saga,” often gets overlooked. However, “The Truth Revealed” stands out because, aside from aging Jon, it fundamentally clashes with Superman’s established character. Traditionally, there’s a clear distinction between Superman and Clark Kent – a concept fans understand and appreciate thematically. Superman represents Kal-El embracing his true self, while Clark Kent allows him to experience humanity. Clark is deeply connected to his upbringing and represents his human side, making that aspect of the character crucial.

At first, I didn’t have a problem with the idea of Superman revealing his secret identity. Brian Michael Bendis wrote Superman well, and his story offered a logical reason for the reveal. Both Clark Kent and Superman valued truth, and Superman felt uncomfortable with keeping a secret. However, secret identities aren’t just about protecting the hero—they’re about protecting the people around them. Ultimately, Superman’s decision felt selfish and put others in danger, which is why he’d always avoided it before.

While many criticize Brian Michael Bendis’s work at DC, I don’t think it was as bad as some claim. His Batman Universe was excellent, and I enjoyed both Event Leviathan and Checkmate. Even his Justice League run had some strong points. However, looking back, the “The Truth Revealed” storyline is the most problematic. Though it had a reasonable premise, it felt like a poorly considered move that fundamentally misunderstood Superman’s character. This story highlighted a key weakness in Bendis’s writing: a tendency to prioritize making his own impact on characters over respecting what made them successful in the first place.

“The Truth Revealed” Is Everything Wrong with Bendis’s Writing in a Nutshell

Looking back, Brian Bendis’s run at DC didn’t really live up to the hype, and honestly, a lot of us saw it coming. By 2018, even I, as a long-time fan, was starting to feel a bit fatigued by his storytelling. It felt like DC put way too much pressure on him, expecting him to be the next Jack Kirby. While some of his books were okay, they just haven’t stuck with anyone. People mostly remember the controversy around aging up Jon Kent, but can’t recall much else about that storyline. What really stood out, and not in a good way, was his take on revealing Superman’s secret identity – it felt like he just didn’t get the character.

While Brian Michael Bendis might return to Marvel, his time at DC didn’t quite relaunch him to the top of the comic book world, and stories like “The Truth Revealed” illustrate why. Though the story shows an understanding of Superman, it portrays him in a way that feels fundamentally out of character. It’s not a poorly written story, but a significant misstep, and fans will likely remember Bendis’s time at DC for these kinds of errors.

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2025-11-10 02:13