How long can Clark hide his identity?

[Nathan]

There are a ton of celebrity lookalikes. Just get someone to say that Clark looks like Superman and he replies with a flattered "Thanks, I get that a lot."

 

[Joeyjojo72]

Meaningless. Unless he changes his bone structure that excuse wont work at all. Not unless these movies take place in the mid 80's and not 2013 or the not-too-distant-future. Every major media outlet, and lots of smaller ones, have the technology to identify him very quickly and very easily. Especially if hes "hiding" in plain sight.

And I'd prefer the useless glasses to an equally illogical "celebrity lookalike" subplot that would just waste screen time and result in bad Snyder/Goyer-esque "humor". No thanks.

 

[Jamiestarr]

Well, it's not a celebrity look alike thing. It's the idea, that no one is even actually looking to find out who Superman "really is." Why wouldn't he be Superman/Kal all of the time? They don't assume he has a secret identity.

They/we assume he is always Superman/Kal El. The glasses help because, they are a great bit of misdirection...not a mask per se.

 

[Senator Pleasury]

First, every comic book hero secret identity only functions because as the audience, we decide to believe it. Even the masked heroes require a a major grain of salt to believe their secret identities would stay secret.

For instance, once the police realized that Spider-man is targeting people who all look alike, it would be a pretty quick path to Peter's door step. Any cop who had interacted with Spiderman would know that it was a teenager. But as the audience, we choose to believe it works.

So, in realty it would take no time for people who come in contact with Clark AND Superman to make the connection. However, Not that many people are gong to come in contact with both.

It is actually pretty easy to be invisible in a big city work environment and as a stringer, it really doesn't sound like Clark is planning on "hanging out" at the Planet anyway. So long as they don't turn him into the world famous journalist and author, Clark is pretty safe, so long as he keeps a distance from everyone who works at the Planet when he is Superman. How many metropolitan news paper reporters could you pick out of a line up? It is the rare print reporter who because "famous" in the real world.

I think it is set up for Perry to know and not say anything based on his telling Lois he thinks she is right to kill the story because of how the world would react if they knew a person like that existed. That translates easily to "imagine what people would do if they knew who he really was...."

I think Swanwick will definitely be in the know and act as the liaison between the government and Superman.

So, the short answer is, if the writer's put any real effort into they can keep his Daily Planet Clark identity pretty safe so long as the writers are thoughtful and creative.

I don't get your point about Spider-man. NYP is probably looking for a lot of different criminals, why would they think that Spider-man has a specific man in mind? Specially after he confronts the Lizard?

That said, we don't just decide to believe that Clark can hide his identity with glasses. Writers and movie makers do things to make us easier to believe. In Reeve's case, they had more than just the glasses. In this case, Lois Lane and a lot of different people know. I don't think the tone of MOS is enough to throw a pair of glasses and nothing else in this regard.

Let's face it: Superman's secret identity is inherently ridiculous. There's no getting around it. If Snyder and Goyer were to augment his disguise in any way by giving him a fake beard or something, there would be a huge fan outcry for not staying true to the original character.

We all want the traditional bespectacled and clean-shaven Clark, yet at the same time we want to believe the secret identity is realistic. Sorry guys, but there's just no way to square that circle. It all comes down to three simple words: suspension of disbelief.

That said, I think that last post by kalelvis brilliantly summarized some of the inherent problems with the "secret identity" trope and some of the creative ways that the writers of MOS 2 could get around them.

See, it's not like "There's no getting around it."

Take any real world person Superman would be as famous as:

Elvis Presley
Michael Jordan
The President of the United States
Madonna

Do you ever think the above people have other or "secret" identities?

Do you suspect that you maybe secretly work with Madonna? Michael Jordan? Obama?

No. Why not?

Because all those celebrities have people around them all the time. And they don't have super-powers, so I don't think they can fly away faster than they can be tracked.

Because, like Superman, these celebs don't wear masks. You assume that Michael Jordan is living as Michael Jordan all of the time.

People aren't necessarily looking for Superman's secret identity...they don't know he has one. Also, Kal El is the name that the public is aware of.

The fact that Superman is not disguised diffuses MUCH of the mystery that comes along with Batman, Spider-Man, and The Lone Ranger.

Problem solved.

On the contrary, Superman is not a celebrity. For the world, he is an alien and they have just seen what that race can do to the world. I'd say that many people must be worried that there's an alien potentially able to destroy the world among us.

 

[747]

I just wanna say that one of my biggest fears for this movie was that they would have gotten rid of the glasses disguise all together. I'm so happy they kept that inherently silly and cheeky part of the mythos, It's too lovable and integral to the whole Clark Kent/Superman thing to lose. I loved the last scene, now if we don't get MoS 2 I will go crazy.

I don't really want an eleborate explanation for it either. I'm fine with quite a few people knowing though, that's a nice way to ground it a little bit, without going too far and taking all the fun out of it.

 

[Jamiestarr]

Because all those celebrities have people around them all the time. And they don't have super-powers, so I don't think they can fly away faster than they can be tracked.

I don't get the point you are making. Can you reclarify?

You are sure Michael Jordan doesn't have a secret identity because he has people around him all of the time? Surely, he has a private/non public life. You just don't hear about it.

On the contrary, Superman is not a celebrity. For the world, he is an alien and they have just seen what that race can do to the world. I'd say that many people must be worried that there's an alien potentially able to destroy the world among us.

I suppose it depends which incarnation/version of Superman we are talking about.

As far as Man of Steel version goes...the point is explicitly made that the government might as well stop looking for "where (he) hangs his cape" and that the White House should learn to trust him.

Meaning: given all of the events that happen with Zod's invasion/destruction, at the end of the film, the US Government still doesn't know who Superman is other than Kal El from Krypton. Only Lois knows for sure...

 

[ctsketch]

with facial recognition in the modern age the military would know who he is within days

 

[kalelvis]

I don't get your point about Spider-man. NYP is probably looking for a lot of different criminals, why would they think that Spider-man has a specific man in mind? Specially after he confronts the Lizard?

That said, we don't just decide to believe that Clark can hide his identity with glasses. Writers and movie makers do things to make us easier to believe. In Reeve's case, they had more than just the glasses. In this case, Lois Lane and a lot of different people know. I don't think the tone of MOS is enough to throw a pair of glasses and nothing else in this regard.

.

Well, maybe I am remembering it wrong because I only saw the movie once, but when Peter was having dinner at the Stacy's didn't Capt Stacy say that Spider-man wasn't a hero he was a vigilante who was looking for someone in particular? To me it seemed Stacy was on his trail and if the Lizard hadn't surfaced, it would have only been a matter of time before Stacy started wondering about why Spider-man was seeking vengeance, and it might have occurred to him that maybe it was vengeance for a crime...

Maybe I just watch too many cop shows.

Still, I wasn't really trying to talk about Spider-man so much as illustrate that in the world of superheroes with secret identities, there are certain pills you have to swallow to keep the "secret" believable.

I didn't mean to imply that in MoS they shouldn't take moves with in the plot for Clark to protect his identity, I'm just saying so long as it is feasible most comic fans will by it. If they don't, then they are probably just looking for something to tear apart.

 

[sf2]

with facial recognition in the modern age the military would know who he is within days

yup, they can shortlist. Clark Kent should be in the data base.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well to be fair you gotta suspend disbelief.

I mean how obvious is it that Bruce Wayne is Batman? Let's see, Bruce goes missing for years, he finally comes back, and then Batman appears. That's suspicious. Then it's obvious that Batman must have quite a bit of funding. Then we see him driving Wayne company vehicles.

When Batman vanishes, so does he. Sort of why I thought it was ridiculous that Gordon (a freaking detective) hadn't figured out who Batman was until he all but outright told him.

None of these secret identities work if you put too much thought into it. Except possibly the Flash, since he's a nobody in his normal life.

 

[DarthDorranceBane]

Is it farfetched if they used the sci-fi elements of the mythos to get around the ridiculousness of the disguise? Like, imbuing the glasses with a mild mind-fogging properties that can also affect electronic devices that could capture and record pictures?

 

[Thundercrack85]

Is it farfetched if they used the sci-fi elements of the mythos to get around the ridiculousness of the disguise? Like, imbuing the glasses with a mild mind-fogging properties that can also affect electronic devices that could capture and record pictures?

They've played around with that, and I always found it too farfetched.

In some stories, Superman had the ability to hypnotize. In others his eyes have some weird effect. In some stories as I recall he even compressed his spine to appear shorter as Clark Kent.

Still, in this movie, I got the sense that he had some psychic ability. Remember that scene where he was hiding in the closet? It seemed like he was hearing the thoughts of the other kids.

 

[MydnightPhoenix]

I thought he looked surprisingly different when he showed up at the DP, less intimidating and masculine. But one problem I did have with this movie was everyone and their mother knowing Clark was superman/an alien. I don't want some Blur bull crap but dang could be try to hide his face a little!

 

[I am Batman]

Still, in this movie, I got the sense that he had some psychic ability. Remember that scene where he was hiding in the closet? It seemed like he was hearing the thoughts of the other kids.

I'm pretty sure that was just his super hearing.

 

[sf2]

I thought he looked surprisingly different when he showed up at the DP, less intimidating and masculine. But one problem I did have with this movie was everyone and their mother knowing Clark was superman/an alien. I don't want some Blur bull crap but dang could be try to hide his face a little!

are you refering the school bus scene?
nobody will go and believe a boy lives next door is an alien.
they will believe in miracle, and he is some kinda freak.

 

[Thundercrack85]

It's Kansas, they probably just assumed he was an angel or something.

 

[jmc]

I honestly don't think it's really a secret identity at all, it's just him blending in, it's actually surprising how normal famous people can look when they're not being shot in a glamourous fashion. I saw Karl Urban the other day at a comic convention and he didn't exactly stand out.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Yeah, I've met a few famous people, and didn't recognize them immediately. It's kind of funny how unremarkable some of them were in person. Then again, at the end of the day they're just humans (probably).

But again, it does sort of bastardize Clark Kent. I mean, he might as well have become a janitor in a police station. I much prefer him actually wanting to be a journalist, as opposed to it just being a cover story for his activities as Superman.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

He can always just rotate the earth a few times to wipe the slate clean. Everyone seems to love when he did that lame a$$ move so why not do it here.

It's funny, ever since the Rotten Tomatoes average dropped below 60%, there are lots of spiteful references to the Donner movies in discussions about Man of Steel.

 

[jmc]

Yeah, I've met a few famous people, and didn't recognize them immediately. It's kind of funny how unremarkable some of them were in person. Then again, at the end of the day they're just humans (probably).

But again, it does sort of bastardize Clark Kent. I mean, he might as well have become a janitor in a police station. I much prefer him actually wanting to be a journalist, as opposed to it just being a cover story for his activities as Superman.

I'd argue most people wouldn't recognize a celebrity straight away if they bumped into them at the supermarket. The thing is if only a few people are ever aware of what Superman looks like there's even less chance of someone knowing.

 

[Brother Jack]

It will be interesting to see how they work around it. It is by far the hardest aspect of Superman to buy, especially in the tone they have went with. Clark was able to hide himself well during his wandering but that was before Superman made his debut.

 

[DarthDorranceBane]

They've played around with that, and I always found it too farfetched.

In some stories, Superman had the ability to hypnotize. In others his eyes have some weird effect. In some stories as I recall he even compressed his spine to appear shorter as Clark Kent.

Still, in this movie, I got the sense that he had some psychic ability. Remember that scene where he was hiding in the closet? It seemed like he was hearing the thoughts of the other kids.

I don't like that though, adding hypnosis to Superman's list of super-abilities. What I'm talking about though is giving the masking properties to his glasses, which is a device, an external tool which he can use for his disguise. It is the most easiest to use and the easiest to explain without having Clark to act shy and nerdy, so why is it farfetched?

 

[haephestus]

I hope they address it directly.

Firstly, there should be some mention of other investigative reporters trying to get the real story behind Zod's attack on Smallville in order to determine Superman's "secret identity", but the residents of Smallville collectively refuse to confirm any between Superman and Clark Kent, especially Pete Ross, Lana Lang and obviously Martha Kent.

Secondly, similar to the approach in Superman Returns, the staff at The Daily Planet should openly acknowledge that Clark Kent looks like Superman. And "Clark Kent" should simply accept the compliment and move on. Lois Lane can also interject every now and again and state that she's seen Superman "up-close" and he's taller than Clark or Clark has a different nose or point to some other false physical difference.

Thirdly, it should also be acknowledged that it's likely that other people will determine that Clark Kent and Superman are one and the same, especially Perry White, the General and possibly others. But, they decide to protect his secret.

 

[Senator Pleasury]

It's funny, ever since the Rotten Tomatoes average dropped below 60%, there are lots of spiteful references to the Donner movies in discussions about Man of Steel.

 

[SpideyFan866]

It's simple.

As long as they convincingly distinguish the personalities, appearance, and mannerisms of Clark Kent and Superman (Like Reeve/Donner did and how its been explained in the comics), then it will be fine.

Have Clark slouch, wear baggier clothes to appear heavyset rather than muscular, talk in a higher pitch, and act shy and withdrawn rather than bold and outgoing. Also, have him look down, hiding his face, as opposed to making direct eye contact.