Secret Identity?

[Webhead2006]

well in most modern comics he is publically known right, and still wears the mask, well the mask could just be that a symbol.

[Artistsean]

Exactly, it wouldn't be hard to find a justification for him wearing a mask or a costume.
During WWII Captain America was sort of used to help the War effort, he was on posters, he went to schools to talk to children, he was probably in radio commercials, and news reels before movies. Cap was more than a soldier back then as well, he was a symbol to the soldiers, the enemy, and the people at home. Even if his identity wasn't a secret back then, although I think it should be back then, he would need a mask to help be a symbol.
Perhaps its like some others have suggested, during WWII the Super Soldier project was classified and so his identity would be too, so he wore a mask. So now that he is unfrozen people would still expect him to wear a mask because thats what Captain America looks like to them.
Or maybe Captain America is meant to be more of a symbol than a man, in the eyes of Steve Rogers of SHIELD or something, and so he wears a mask to give Captain America his own face and his own identity.
One story I read Steve said he died that day and was reborn as Captain America, so maybe its like Nolan's Batman. the Captain America mask is Steve's real face.
There would not be a problem figuring out why he would still wear a mask even though the public knows who Captain America is (he is Steve Rogers). It would just have to depend on the story being told.

If you make his identity known then you sort of loose the whole Kent, Parker, thing were he has a secret life and a girlfriend and a job as a comic artist, and friends who had no idea who Steve really is.
However it is more realistic to think that his identity would be sort of known to the public. Even if its just a matter of public record once the Super Soldier Project is declassified.
Again, it also makes sense that his identity would be secret. To keep those around him safe and to allow him to have a life outside of Captain America.
But again, you would make his story just another superhero story where the hero has a secret life. making his identity known, and making him more of a public servant or government agent, makes his story different than Spider-Man's, Superman's, Batman's, even Iron Man's.


Perhaps his identity being a secret can be a major issue for the character, he has no reason to keep it secret and feels like the public should know who he is, but then he wants Cap to be a symbol of America and so on. At the end of the movie on live TV Cap can remove his mask, look straight into the camera, and say "I am Steve Rogers, and I am Captain America!"
Like he did in that Cassaday illustrated comic.

[Ultraman Nexus]

I think it should be a secret. Otherwise why even bother with a mask. Also, the secret identity aspect of heroes is something I enjoy and for the purpose of this particular character he's in an interesting position where the lines between his real self and the symbol that he has literally become may be much more blurred than they with other superheroes.

Maybe part of his story is to once again find the man within the icon so that the icon can fulfill his mission.

[CHEZ]

The purpose for the mask is to hide the true identity.

Cap wears a mask.

He is a top-secret military experiment.

Only a select few should know his true identity.

It makes sense that if the man is going to wear a mask, it should be for a reason.

It would be ridiculous to run around wearing a mask when everybody knows it's you.

When he removes the mask he is free to be Steve Rogers, when he puts the mask on, he becomes the representative of America. But, the mask also allows Captain America to be universally accepted, by all races. When the mask is on the world should not think of Steve Rogers, they should think solely of Captain America.

I am not sure why this is even in question.

[Webhead2006]

Yea i said it before there is a variety of ways they could go about it. But yes having the secret id is always a nice thing to see in hero movies. Certain characters like ff/im work with no secret id because they are a different type of hero the more celebrity hero then peter parker, matt murrdock, or clark kent. I would like to see secret id kept. But like that idea i said before where it was secret in the 40s due to classifed government reasons, but since its been decades since cap disapeared and through the years the government declassified the info and it became public knowledge.

[Artistsean]

Its a question because people like it either way and the movie will have to decide.
In the 616 world Steve had a secret ID till after 911.
In the Ultimates comic it was never a secret really, I don't think. It was sort of not made a real issue.
Steve would go to a bar to talk with Thor or Hank Pym wearing his costume (no mask) and a leather jacket.

[Artistsean]

Something else to consider is the supporting cast you would get with either choice (secret or known).
If Cap's identity is secret, and he has a life as Steve Rogers we could get a supporting cast that could include:

Bernie Rosenthal


Josh Cooper


Mike Ferrall


Along with some SHIELD agents as well.

If Captain America's identity is known, not hidden at least,
We might get a supporting cast that could include:

Sharon Carter


Nick Fury


Falcon/ Samuel Thomas Wilson


A mostly SHIELD, and other government agencies, cast

[ironman29758]

I think it's unrealistic for Cap's identity to be secret after he is frozen in a block of ice.

[roach]

I think he needs the secret identity because he was America's secret weapon. Cap isnt someone who fought on the front lines. You dont call Cap in to take out a gun placement. You call Cap in because the Red Skull has a giant robot trashing New York. A secret identity wouldnt matter to a german grunt at Normandy. Now if he retains it after he comes to the modern era is a different thing

[Triad]

I agree with roach.
You should have his identity a secret in WWII. After his disappearance, perhaps to assist in the search effort and/or because he was a national icon, it only seems rational that the press would be allowed to report his true identity. The real question is once he is thawed in the present-day, can he really live a private life ever again?

[Artistsean]

That made me think of something,
When Cap disappeared back during WWII and was thought dead after so many years,
It was likely broadcast to all of America that the brave hero Captain America, secretly known as Steve Rogers, is presumed dead.

People would be trying to honor a hero right? So why wouldn't they, also the Rogers family and Steve's friends would need to know. But perhaps to the public he was kept as Captain America, the symbol, and his family and friends were informed only.

[roach]

I dont think that they let anyone know Cap was gone as they had several imposters take up the mantle of Cap.

[Webhead2006]

well we dont know how they will go about things in the film. Though like i said before and others it should be secret in ww2 but once he is in present day it is probably known since through the years the SS program probably went public through government declassification of programs, like for example project blue book and others.

[roach]

Originally Posted by Webhead2006

well we dont know how they will go about things in the film. Though like i said before and others it should be secret in ww2 but once he is in present day it is probably known since through the years the SS program probably went public through government declassification of programs, like for example project blue book and others.

Cap's identity going public is a recent thing during the storylines post 9/11. I dont think a program like the SS program would ever go public. They would acknowledge that Cap was a SS that they made but I dont think they'd ever come out and say Steve Rogers was a SS and Cap. Especially since it was still in the military's hands and General Ross had access to it in TIH. Infact judging by Blonsky's response to Ross talking about it he didnt know too much about it. Going on my 11 years in the military we know all about the new cutting age military tech coming out before anyone anyone else.

[Webhead2006]

Yea i guess we will find out come 2011 for cap/2012 for avengers.

[Anubis]

I think during WWII he should have a secret I.D. cuz, that would be effin' stupid not to have it be classified. But I think his ID should have been revealed after his supposed death/Suspended animation.

[roach]

why would his ID be revealed after his supposed death?

[S_H_F_4839]

I could see his identity being public knowledge in WWII but when he is brought back in modern times, people would think that the government had created a new one, we live in a cynical society, where almost noone would think he is the same cap from WWII.

[roach]

His identity should be secret during WW2 or there would be no use for a mask. Add to it that he was pretending to be a screw up Private in the Army always being yelled at by Sgt Duffy....i find it hard to believe that if Sgt Duffy knew he was Cap he'd yell at him. I hope they use the WW2 stuff as there is wonderful characters to be used...Sgt Duffy, FbI Agent Betsy Ross, Bucky, General Phillips...Im writing a fan fic on what I think happed after Rogers got the SSS. Most origins have him becoming Cap right after. I want to go into his training and his first mission...almost a Captain America year one

[Webhead2006]

Well i could see the film probably going over a course of a few months/up to a year after he became cap with the SSS.

[Triad]

Originally Posted by roach

His identity should be secret during WW2 or there would be no use for a mask. Add to it that he was pretending to be a screw up Private in the Army always being yelled at by Sgt Duffy....i find it hard to believe that if Sgt Duffy knew he was Cap he'd yell at him. I hope they use the WW2 stuff as there is wonderful characters to be used...Sgt Duffy, FbI Agent Betsy Ross, Bucky, General Phillips...Im writing a fan fic on what I think happed after Rogers got the SSS. Most origins have him becoming Cap right after. I want to go into his training and his first mission...almost a Captain America year one

I'd be interested in reading that!

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by roach

why would his ID be revealed after his supposed death?

I don't know, I could see them putting up a memorial or something after a few decades to honor him and revealing his identity.

[roach]

Originally Posted by Triad

I'd be interested in reading that!

I hope people find it cool. It'll have a SkyCaptain feel to it and will play up his secret identity

[Red Mask]

I think it's believable that he would reveal his identity after being revived from the ice. It's not a question of whether he wears a mask as Captain America, because even that mask can be remade into a special helmut for modern times. The trick would be proving that the mask is simply part of the costume that represents America. Steve isn't hiding behind the flag when he dons the costume.

[Webhead2006]

Yea even with his id known in current stuff he still wears the suit/cowl its more of the symbol of america i say. Will be intersting to see what route they choose to go.