Should DC heroes skip the whole secret identity thing?

[samsnee]

I don't think DC should follow Marvel exactly, but I think the one thing that has helped the movies is that they don't really deal with secret identities. Everyone knows who Iron Man is. Thor is Thor all the time, and there is no Donald Blake. Cap basically doesn't need one anymore.

40 years ago, it made sense in comics. Heroes weren't dealing with cosmic threats 24/7 so it made sense for them to have time for a secret identity. Now, does it really matter any more? One can argue Superman can't be Superman all the time, but how can he really get away with being Clark in this day and age?

Plus, let's be honest, masks on the comic page don't always translate well to the big screen. Only Batman and Spider-man have gotten it right.

 

[Rorschach2012]

I don't think Hal should wear the mask, it doesn't protect his identity. Barry and Bruce should have secret identities, but Supes, GL, WW they shouldn't

 

[AnorexicBatman]

They have secret identities to protect their loved ones!
Imagine if Steve Trevor was kidnapped in order top lure Wonder Woman into a trap.

Or more realistically; Lois Lane.

Carol Ferris is lucky since she's basically GL's Catwoman.

 

[BlackMagicWolf]

Yeah and you say everyone knows who Iron Man is and do you know how many problems that's caused for him in the comics? How many times they beat him down because of one mistake because they knew who he was?

Look at the senate meeting in Iron Man 2, yes he made a joke of it but they wouldn't have been able to call him out if they didn't know he was Iron Man.

Secret Identities protect them from bad guys hurting their families and taking some of the stress off being a superhero.

 

[MadVillainy]

Keep secret identities

 

[113]

-I think with Superman it's such an integral part of his character, he desires to have a normal life too, that I don't think it will work for him to go public.

-Iron Man could get away with it because a) he's a multi-billionaire and can just hide out in his mansion building suits if he wants b) it works for the arrogance of the character

-Open-identity could work for Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner too. Not sure it would work for Kyle Raynor and Simon Baz.

-I think Flash's secret identity can work

-I don't think WW needs a secret identity.

Really, the only people I think it needs to stay secret are Clark and Bruce. It's such a central part of their characters. But I think Snyder will have to find a more believable way of hiding Clark's identity. I'm just not exactly sure how to do it. It's a challenge.

 

[Kevin Smith]

All the secret identities can and need to work great. That means lovers don't know who they are for at LEAST a film either.

This has been going on since the '89 Batman...love interest finds out who hero is. In just about every movie except for Spider-Man 1, and Superman: The Movie.

More films should follow what the characters are in the comics.

The Flash needs at least one film where his identity is a secret and Iris doesn't find out until part 2, maybe part 3.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I think the secret identity thing is integral to a lot of these characters' identity.

However if you really think about it, most key villains know who their arch-foes really are anyway. Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, Zod, etc.

So, it really only serves to keep low life thugs and the mass media from messing with the characters and their families.

 

[samsnee]

Really, the only people I think it needs to stay secret are Clark and Bruce. It's such a central part of their characters. But I think Snyder will have to find a more believable way of hiding Clark's identity. I'm just not exactly sure how to do it. It's a challenge.

Bruce I can agree with. But based on how it was presented in Man of Steel, the "Clark" identity just seems like it was thrown in there as fan service. He doesn't really need it. After what he did with Zod, is anyone really going to try messing with his mom now?

 

[Kevin Smith]

DC has to. If there is one hero in the world who absolutely must keep his, or must be the very LAST to reveal his at least, it should be Superman, since the concept originated with him and was about the second biggest thing most integral to his success.

Superman has to have a secret identity.

 

[MadVillainy]

i like the contrast between DC and the MCU of secret identities.

DC should keep many as they can. Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Aquaman shouldnt have one, but I think the others, namely Superman (although I dont like how MoS handled it) Batman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal and Kyle), J'onn (for the most part) should all have one.

 

[metaphysician]

I think secret IDs are more integral to DC characters, on average, than to Marvel characters. A large part of why the movies mostly do away with them is because, for a lot of Marvel heroes, the secret ID feels very much like a cosmetic add-on, included because of course they should have one, all super heroes do. OTOH, a Batman or Superman without a secret ID really becomes a completely different character.

 

[Shikamaru]

No. Secret identities are very crucial to their character.

Also, they won't be dealing with cosmic threats 24/7.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I agree, to a point. Spider-man does however have a very valid reason for wanting to keep his identity a secret.

Thing about Superman however is that he's really Clark Kent first, Superman second. I know a lot of people disagree with that, but look at the facts. He was raised Clark Kent, his family and friends know him as Clark Kent.

What I didn't like about Man of Steel, was that they made him being a reporter seem like an excuse to provide a good cover for his activities as Superman. I much prefer the interpretation of him actually wanting to be a reporter. That's how it was in the original script, apparently.

In Man of Steel it seems like if someone had suggested a different job, like police officer, or fireman, that he would have just as easily shrugged, and said "okay, that works too."

 

[MadVillainy]

I agree, to a point. Spider-man does however have a very valid reason for wanting to keep his identity a secret.

Thing about Superman however is that he's really Clark Kent first, Superman second. I know a lot of people disagree with that, but look at the facts. He was raised Clark Kent, his family and friends know him as Clark Kent.

What I didn't like about Man of Steel, was that they made him being a reporter seem like an excuse to provide a good cover for his activities as Superman. I much prefer the interpretation of him actually wanting to be a reporter. That's how it was in the original script, apparently.

In Man of Steel it seems like if someone had suggested a different job, like police officer, or fireman, that he would have just as easily shrugged, and said "okay, that works too."

agree with bolded. Honestly I was extremely disappointed on how they handled the secret identity in MoS.

But the thing I find really interesting about Superman is that he kinda has 3 identities when you think about it. He has:
1. Superman. The hero and all that
2. Clark Kent. THe Daily Planet persona how exaggerated it is I guess depends on the interpretation or writer.
3. The real Clark Kent or Kal-El whatever you wanna call it. This is his true personality at least imo. It's who he is around his parents, Lana, Lois (post marriage)

I like that a lot about the Superman characters.

But as I said before they should definetly keep secret identities. I like them a lot. Some heroes work fine without them, but some should keep them.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Really I think it would best if they just made him be himself even at work, simply, without obviously showing off his superhuman abilities.

I would prefer the same with Bruce Wayne really. I think that's what I liked so much about Batman Beyond. Bruce didn't care anymore, he was his "real self", no matter where he was, be it at home, or at work.

Bruce Wayne as a scary brooding CEO would be a lot more interesting than him pretending to be a philandering moron (going by the Nolan movies).

 

[MadVillainy]

Really I think it would best if they just made him be himself even at work, simply, without obviously showing off his superhuman abilities.

You mean like in STAS? That could work.
Me personally I think they should keep Clark at the Daily Planet a bit different from the real Clark. But not have him be a klutz like in the Donnerverse. I'd have him chance his voice and appearance more besides just the glasses. Kind of like what was brought up in Birthright:

 

[Red Mask]

I don't think DC should follow Marvel exactly, but I think the one thing that has helped the movies is that they don't really deal with secret identities. Everyone knows who Iron Man is. Thor is Thor all the time, and there is no Donald Blake. Cap basically doesn't need one anymore.

40 years ago, it made sense in comics. Heroes weren't dealing with cosmic threats 24/7 so it made sense for them to have time for a secret identity. Now, does it really matter any more? One can argue Superman can't be Superman all the time, but how can he really get away with being Clark in this day and age?

Plus, let's be honest, masks on the comic page don't always translate well to the big screen. Only Batman and Spider-man have gotten it right.

It depends on which superhero they're presenting. These days Wonder Woman no longer has a secret identity. Aquaman doesn't live on the surface. Martian Manhunter needs one because he's an alien. Barry Allen needed one because he worked in forensics for the police and acted as a vigilante. Cyborg can't disguise himself anyway although he doesn't appear to have a real life outside of being a superhero. Firestorm is two people so it will always be a secret. Hal Jordan needs one if he doesn't want to work under Earth's authorities, even though working for the Guardians puts him in the area of a foreign agent. The new film Superman probably can do without one. If they are going to go straight to a Justice League film then building his secret identity is a waste of time.

 

[Anubis]

Why would building a secret ID for Supes be a waste of time if they do a Justice League film?

 

[hopefuldreamer]

If they HAD gone the route of ultra realistic with the MOS franchise, then it'd be more of a problem.

But I didn't feel like they did. The story felt very 'comic booky', and there was already quite a lot of suspension of disbelief, so I don't feel like it goes against the tone of the film to just let the audience deal with the glasses disguise as just 'one of those things'.

 

[Red Mask]

Why would building a secret ID for Supes be a waste of time if they do a Justice League film?

They would have to juggle with several other characters dealing with the story conflict. Having scenes of them in their secret identities is a waste of time. They didn't need it in the Justice League cartoon pilot because the planet was being invaded by aliens. The characters should interact with each other as superheroes, not in their secret identities. Who are they hiding from? Snapper Carr? Darkseid? No, having appear only in costume will show they are ready and willing to handle the crisis at hand.

 

[Thundercrack85]

You're not really using your imagination if you think it has to work that way.

Example, let's say there's a mysterious anomaly (like in the JL cartoon), you could have Bruce Wayne use his resources to find out what is going on, and Clark Kent (the investigative journalist) notices that, and goes to investigate. Eventually their paths will cross.

There, you just used both characters' normal identities.

And that's just a simple example off the top of my head.

 

[Thundercrack85]

You mean like in STAS? That could work.
Me personally I think they should keep Clark at the Daily Planet a bit different from the real Clark. But not have him be a klutz like in the Donnerverse. I'd have him chance his voice and appearance more besides just the glasses. Kind of like what was brought up in Birthright:

Well that works too. I just didn't like the klutz part.

 

[Anubis]

They would have to juggle with several other characters dealing with the story conflict. Having scenes of them in their secret identities is a waste of time. They didn't need it in the Justice League cartoon pilot because the planet was being invaded by aliens. The characters should interact with each other as superheroes, not in their secret identities. Who are they hiding from? Snapper Carr? Darkseid? No, having appear only in costume will show they are ready and willing to handle the crisis at hand.

Well that just sounds silly.

Also, what Thundercrack said. There's tons of different ways to handle it without getting too into their lives. I mean, use your imagination.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Am I the only one who would find it amusing if Superman and Batman had already deduced each others' identities before ever meeting?

One being the world's greatest detective, and the other being a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist (who can see through walls) and all.