Does anyone else miss secret identities?

[leokearon]

I disagree about Iron Man. It was GREAT when most of his teammates didn't even know who he was. As the CEO and majority shareholder of a publicly traded company, it really MADE SENSE to have an anonymous super hero body guard.

Iron Man never made sense to have a secret identity. The main purpose of a secret identity is to protect the people closest to you, but Tony was a high profile target already, so having an identity to protect his loved ones made no sense. Also as Bethany Cabe pointed out, the bodyguard cover never worked since Iron man wasn't around Tony half the time.

[KurtW95]

Iron Man never made sense to have a secret identity. The main purpose of a secret identity is to protect the people closest to you, but Tony was a high profile target already, so having an identity to protect his loved ones made no sense. Also as Bethany Cabe pointed out, the bodyguard cover never worked since Iron man wasn't around Tony half the time.

He may have been a target, but being Iron Man makes him the focus of supervillains. And the idea that he would be Tony's bodyguard adds an idea of security that would make villains think twice about attacking Tony or his loved ones, because Iron Man could be anywhere. knowing that they are the same person makes him more than an employer and lets people know that wherever Tony Stark isn't, Iron Man will not be there either.

[Carabas]

Iron Man never made sense to have a secret identity. The main purpose of a secret identity is to protect the people closest to you, but Tony was a high profile target already, so having an identity to protect his loved ones made no sense. Also as Bethany Cabe pointed out, the bodyguard cover never worked since Iron man wasn't around Tony half the time.

The main in-story reason for a secret identity is this.

But I have found that the real reason for most secret identities is it's a very easy means for the writer to give the main character great heaps of angst.

[Digifiend]

He may have been a target, but being Iron Man makes him the focus of supervillains. And the idea that he would be Tony's bodyguard adds an idea of security that would make villains think twice about attacking Tony or his loved ones, because Iron Man could be anywhere. knowing that they are the same person makes him more than an employer and lets people know that wherever Tony Stark isn't, Iron Man will not be there either.

Not true, as Tony can remote control his armors, which means he can be in two places at once.

Here's a thought. Kamala Khan recently revealed herself to her civilian friends. But they'd already figured it out. Before Secret Wars, she told her mother - who also already knew. She might as well ditch the secret identity. Clearly her domino mask isn't a good enough disguise and everyone's already worked it out!

[leokearon]

Not true, as Tony can remote control his armors, which means he can be in two places at once.

Here's a thought. Kamala Khan recently revealed herself to her civilian friends. But they'd already figured it out. Before Secret Wars, she told her mother - who also already knew. She might as well ditch the secret identity. Clearly her domino mask isn't a good enough disguise and everyone's already worked it out!

Not in the early days. That's what Bethany was pointing out, for abodyguard Iron Man seemed to be unreliable

[leokearon]

He may have been a target, but being Iron Man makes him the focus of supervillains. And the idea that he would be Tony's bodyguard adds an idea of security that would make villains think twice about attacking Tony or his loved ones, because Iron Man could be anywhere. knowing that they are the same person makes him more than an employer and lets people know that wherever Tony Stark isn't, Iron Man will not be there either.

He was already the target of super villains as Stark, given all the Russian agents that were sent after him. So keeping his identity a secret was pointless and also dangerous for his own health, since whenever his chestplate failed, he couldn't tell anyone what was wrong.

[KurtW95]

Here's a thought. Kamala Khan recently revealed herself to her civilian friends. But they'd already figured it out. Before Secret Wars, she told her mother - who also already knew. She might as well ditch the secret identity. Clearly her domino mask isn't a good enough disguise and everyone's already worked it out!

I support domino masks, but I really don't give a crap about Kamala Khan. It doesn't matter to me what happens to her either way.

[leokearon]

I support domino masks, but I really don't give a crap about Kamala Khan. It doesn't matter to me what happens to her either way.

Domino Masks aren't great, given they affect your peripheral vision and things like Photoshop exist. Also they don't hide your other facial features, or your hair or help change your voice

[Username taken]

Secret identities actually forced writers to be more creative as regards character building and the generation of genuine tension within the characters overarching story.

My two cents.

Quoted in agreement.

[KurtW95]

Domino Masks aren't great, given they affect your peripheral vision and things like Photoshop exist. Also they don't hide your other facial features, or your hair or help change your voice

Well, I don't really have an answer for Photoshop, but I'm sure there is one. Like I said before, it is comic books. They're filled with unbelievable explanations. If we wanted to fact check all of the science, the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man never would have been created. It's BS science and I'm cool with that.

And with voice, it's all about what you're looking for. We all know Bruce Wayne changes his voice and Iron Man had a voice modulator, but most characters with secret identities aren't famous and matching their voice with a random civilian is like finding a needle in ten haystacks. Plus, with Superman, there's an assumption that he doesn't have a secret identity.

[Matternativ]

Superman has a different hairstyle from Clark Kent as well.

Well unless Clark also has a bright light shining in his face as well the haircut doesn't help much.

And even with that in mind a face will always look the same. It's possible to not realize you just passed a friend who has a new hair cut and new glasses and stuff like that in passing.
But as soon as you see their face and actually pay some attention you know who it is regardless.

...that an easily dismissed disguise might work?

Just sayin'...

Too bad it's as easy to dismiss as before

[Carabas]

Not true, as Tony can remote control his armors, which means he can be in two places at once.

He can't do it without looking like he's remote-controlling something though.

[Killerbee911]

Not every superhero is loaded like the F4 and Iron Man where they can go superhero full time. Then there are the superheroes who had normal lives before they became heroes so they had relations anyway. Therefore the secret ID was necessary in some cases.

Well in a world with powers then superheroes would be a job,The Superhero genre now covers this a bit but the big 2 companies have tradition which is why haven't moved to this model but The Initiative for example was Marvel testing out that model. Of course it makes something in genre like kid heroes,secret identities and vigilantes less viable.

[Triniking1234]

The Initiative would've evolved into the system that My Hero Academia and One Punch Man have if they kept that up.

Also I was wondering why Tony Stark even had a dual identity in the first place and I remembered that in his early career he needed the breastplate to keep him alive and that extended to him keeping Iron Man a secret.

[Custodes]

Yes, I miss secret identities. I miss non-government interference too. Comics used to be more fun. The government can screw up anything.