World Does Superman need a Secret Identity

[giggs11uk]

I have a question why does Superman even need a secret identity. Why does he even need Clark why can't he be Superman 24 hours a day. I know he is with Lois now but why did he decide to continue his life after being gone for so many years in the FOS. He moved to the city to become a new person, he isn't in contact with anyone back in smallville.

Did they explain this in the comics somewhere?

 

[elvislennon2005]

He needs to have a secret identity for two reasons as it stated in Superman The Movie.

First, Superman can't serve humanity for 24 hours a day. They would ask him for anything even ones that humans can do themselves.

Second, His enemies would find out the only way (besides Kryptonite) is by hurting the people he loves.

Which is true, his parents, Lana Lang, Lois Lane, and many others.
Also, we would goes nuts if he was Superman 24/7, I know I would.

 

[Mr. Walters]

Not to mention Clark provides his humanity. 24 hours of Superman flying around saving the day would be more than a lit-tle boring. Clark gives the character depth and makes for much more interesting storytelling.

 

[elvislennon2005]

That is true, but I think he was not talking about the story itself. He is talking about Superman and why he needs a secret indentity. Story has a little to do with it because it would be boring. But the main reasons is what I said before:

First, Superman can't serve humanity for 24 hours a day. They would ask him for anything even ones that humans can do themselves.

Second, His enemies would find out the only way (besides Kryptonite) to hurt him is by hurting the people he loves.

 

[AmazinUncleBen]

I like to think of his dual personality as both valid identities. I don't think the real man is only Superman or only Clark Kent. Clark Kent is who his parents raised him to be and Superman is who he was born as. Were he human with no Kryptonian heritage he'd be Clark, and were he to have no history with Pa and Ma Kent he'd just be Superman. Thats only the way I like to see it.

 

[Mr. Walters]

That is true, but I think he was not talking about the story itself. He is talking about Superman and why he needs a secret indentity. Story has a little to do with it because it would be boring. But the main reasons is what I said before:

First, Superman can't serve humanity for 24 hours a day. They would ask him for anything even ones that humans can do themselves.

Second, His enemies would find out the only way (besides Kryptonite) to hurt him is by hurting the people he loves.

Okay then, unless he charges for services rendered, he needs to be Clark in order to get a job and pay his bills.

 

[Danger Mouse]

Second, His enemies would find out the only way (besides Kryptonite) to hurt him is by hurting the people he loves.

His enemies would only know that if they know he's Clark Kent and who Clark Kent is affiliated with. But what if he's Superman 24/7? Nobody can EVER link him to his Smallville roots or to The Daily Planet.

 

[Danger Mouse]

First, Superman can't serve humanity for 24 hours a day. They would ask him for anything even ones that humans can do themselves.

But humanity doesn't know that Superman has a secret identity. Humanity is under the assumption that Superman is Superman 24 hours a day. And yet he can still cope with it. So, why not just go ahead and actually be Superman 24 hours a day? Nothing'll change. And it'll even protect his loved ones at the same time.

 

[Danger Mouse]

I like to think of his dual personality as both valid identities. I don't think the real man is only Superman or only Clark Kent. Clark Kent is who his parents raised him to be and Superman is who he was born as. Were he human with no Kryptonian heritage he'd be Clark, and were he to have no history with Pa and Ma Kent he'd just be Superman. Thats only the way I like to see it.

Best answer so far. Clark Kent is not a secret identity. Clark Kent is who he is. Just as Superman is who he is.

So, Superman doesn't have a secret identity in Clark. He has dual identity. And the nature of his job is so much so that he needs to separate the two in secrecy.

If he abandons Clark, he'll abandon who he was raised as. He'll abandon the legacy the Kents left him. If he abandons Superman, he'll abandon his Kryptonian legacy.