History TheReveal / ComicBooks

* The mystery of [[TheIncredibleHulk the Red Hulk]]'s identity. It is far too convuluted to explain here but involved [[OpeningACanOfClones opening a can of LMDs]].

* In Franchise/{{Superman}} story ''Comicbook/KryptoniteNevermore'', the nature and origin of the Sandman Superman was kept secret for while. In the second-to-last issue it's finally revealed that it is a creature from the Realm of Quarrm, an alternate dimension where only unformed, shapeless beings exist. The explosion which destroyed all kryptonite on Earth opened a rift between both universes, and he escaped, passed over Superman's unconscious body and sank into the desert sand, charged with Superman's mental and physical vibrations. Slowly it became alive, took on Superman's form and began sapping his powers.

* Throughout the series ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'', Lex Luthor has been subtly intimidating people with the fact that he apparently has Captain Marvel under his control. Batman (of course) is the one to reveal Luthor's secret; he has the adult ''Billy Batson'', who has grown up and now looks like his superpowered alter-ego, under mind control. Actually changing into Captain Marvel breaks him free.

** [[spoiler:Mr. Ox is really a still-living Jor-El.]]

* One of the most effective and shocking reveals, mainly due to Jim Steranko's vivid two page spread artwork, was in Marvel's ''Strange Tales #156, Nick Fury, Agent of Shield''. The hitherto always hidden leader/creator of ''HYDRA'' turns out to be Fury's missing WW2 archenemy, Baron Wolfgang Strucker.

** The first volume has the revelation that "M", the League's mysterious benefactor, is actually [[Literature/SherlockHolmes Professor James Moriarty]], who became the director of British Military Intelligence soon after surviving his confrontation with Sherlock Holmes at Reichenbach Falls. The League's mission to steal back the [[Literature/TheFirstMenInTheMoon cavorite]] from [[FuManchu The Doctor]] was just an attempt by Moriarty to weed out his rivals in the London underworld and get his hands on fuel for his armed airship.

* In the {{Marvel}} UK ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Transformers Generation 1]]'' story "Target: 2006", Galvatron decides to gloat over Jazz by revealing his shocking secret: he's actually Megatron from the future! This may possibly have partially spoiled TheMovie.

* A classic ''ComicBook/XMen'' issue has Angel rescued by a kindly white-haired scientist. He convinces Angel he's helping the citizens of the Savage Land and Angel goes to stop Ka-Zar from an attack. Laughing, the man notes how Angel had no idea who he was and "perhaps clothes ''do'' make the man" while opening a cabinet to reveal an item every X-Men fan would know: The helmet of ComicBook/Magneto. It worked as it was the first time ever Magneto had been shown without the helmet.

* The end of ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' #1, in which the titular team is revealed to actually be The Masters of Evil. What's really impressive is how far they went to keep secret the fact that there even ''was'' a secret. PeterDavid, as a favor to Creator/KurtBusiek, even had the solicitations changed for the Hulk issue in which the Thunderbolts first appeared in order to keep the secret under the rug.

* Throughout the series ''KingdomCome'', Lex Luthor has been subtly intimidating people with the fact that he apparently has Captain Marvel under his control. Batman (of course) is the one to reveal Luthor's secret; he has the adult ''Billy Batson'', who has grown up and now looks like his superpowered alter-ego, under mind control. Actually changing into Captain Marvel breaks him free.

* Throughout the series ''KingdomCome", Lex Luthor has been subtly intimidating people with the fact that he apparently has Captain Marvel under his control. Batman (of course) is the one to reveal Luthor's secret; he has the adult ''Billy Batson'', who has grown up and now looks like his superpowered alter-ego, under mind control. Actually changing into Captain Marvel breaks him free.

* ''ComicBook/{{Nemesis}}'', ''ComicBook/TheSecretService'', Superior, and MPH all occur roughly around the same time that ''ComicBook/KickAss Volume 3'' ends. Jupiter's Legacy and Super Crooks are in-universe movie properties though.

* Creator/JossWhedon pulls off several during his run on ''[[ComicBook/XMen Astonishing X-Men]]''. First he brings back Colossus, in such a way as to leave no doubt that he's the real deal. Later, he has the revelation that Colossus was actually the one prophesied to destroy the Breakworld all along, since the molecules making up his organic steel body are capable of causing a destructive chain reaction with the planet's core. ''Then'' there's the revelation that the "prophesy" (which is actually just one possible future) was deliberately leaked by the peace-loving prophet [[KnightTemplar Aghanne]], who actually ''wants'' Colossus to destroy the Breakworld because she believes that living under Powerlord Kruun's barbaric rule is a FateWorseThanDeath.
* The end of ''{{Thunderbolts}}'' #1, in which the titular team is revealed to actually be The Masters of Evil. What's really impressive is how far they went to keep secret the fact that there even ''was'' a secret. PeterDavid, as a favor to Creator/KurtBusiek, even had the solicitations changed for the Hulk issue in which the Thunderbolts first appeared in order to keep the secret under the rug.

* One of the most effective and shocking reveals mainly thanks to Jim Steranko's vivid two page spread artwork, was in Marvel's ''ComicBook/NickFury, Agent of Shield''. The hitherto always hidden leader/creator of ''HYDRA'' turns out to be Fury's missing WW2 archenemy, Baron Wolfgang Strucker.

** [[spoiler: ComicBook/TheJoker's a {{legacy character}}--UsefulNotes/{{the Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Joker is not same the Joker who [[ComicBook/TheKillingJoke crippled Barbara Gordon]], and the Joker responsible for the events of ''ComicBook/DeathOfTheFamily'' and ''ComicBook/BatmanEndgame'' is himself a separate entity from the two other Jokers.]]

** [[spoiler: The biggest is that [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} Dr. Manhattan]] is the true party responsible for the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' universe.]]

** [[spoiler: ComicBook/TheJoker's a legacy character--UsefulNotes/{{the Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} Joker is not same the Joker who [[ComicBook/TheKillingJoke crippled Barbara Gordon]], and the Joker responsible for the events of ''ComicBook/DeathOfTheFamily'' and ''ComicBook/BatmanEndgame'' is himself a separate entity from the two other Jokers.]]

* Although [[ItWasHisSled old news now]], the identity of the [[ComicBook/NormanOsborn Green Goblin]] in the original ''Comicbook/{{Spider-Man}}'' comics was a well-kept secret for years before it was finally revealed to both Spidey and the readers.

* Creator/JossWhedon pulls off several during his run on ''[[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Astonishing X-Men]]''. First he brings back Colossus, in such a way as to leave no doubt that he's the real deal. Later, he has the revelation that Colossus was actually the one prophesied to destroy the Breakworld all along, since the molecules making up his organic steel body are capable of causing a destructive chain reaction with the planet's core. ''Then'' there's the revelation that the "prophesy" (which is actually just one possible future) was deliberately leaked by the peace-loving prophet [[KnightTemplar Aghanne]], who actually ''wants'' Colossus to destroy the Breakworld because she believes that living under Powerlord Kruun's barbaric rule is a FateWorseThanDeath.

* FrankMiller usually writes straight forward stories but when he wants to, he can pack a reveal. Such was the case with ComicBook/{{Ronin}} The ancient Japanese characters don't exist, including the hero himself. It was all a part of the TV show an autistic, telekinetic youngman watched in the distant future. A supercomputer was using his powers and a little biotech to make him turn his fantasy into a reality, essentially turning himself into a hero. That way, she could easily manipulate him into doing her bidding. This would eventually lead to the destruction of mankind and the emergence of biotechnology as the dominant lifeform.

* ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens'' began with a life-or-death arc struggling against [[MonsterClown the Joker]] (The frikkin' ''Joker''), with the evil clown wreaking horrible vengeance on the three stars, only for it to be revealed that it is not the Joker at all, but instead it is...Gaggy? Gaggy the ex-sidekick from the SilverAge? The dwarf clown who actually ran away from the circus? The ex-sidekick who has spent decades living in an old abandoned hideout, waiting with bated breath for the return of the Joker in extremely disturbing stalker fashion? Seriously? Yes, seriously, it is Gaggy the whole time, and it actually comes off as pretty creepy and unsettling, and he gives the women a good run for their money. He loses, but it '''is''' their series, did you really expect the first villain to bump them off?

* The final issue of ''SteelgripStarkeyAndTheAllPurposePowerTool'' reveals the tool (and the technalchemy that drives it) were developed by Steelgrip's partner Flynn, on a mission from a group of [[CosmicEntity Cosmic Entities]].

* The ''Hush'' storyline in the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' comics does this a few times, eventually becoming somewhat incomprehensible as to who was doing what. It first appears that Jason Todd was responsible, then Tommy Elliot, and then apparently the Riddler was responsible all along.