Does anyone else miss secret identities?

[wubwub]

Should a villain escape custody? If their identities are public then ALL the villains know, and every wannabe just starting out villain knows. What better way for a newcomer to make a name for himself that ambushing Spider-man at at home and killing him?

Contingencies and patrols? What kind of patrol do you set up for the Sinister Six? Maybe nobody has heard from the Human Meteor for years and years but once he comes back, what's stopping him from going right to Spider-man's home address and killing everyone he finds there?

Really, at that point, you're talking about around the clock protection needed for all Peter's loved ones.

It's a lot safer NOT having anybody know who Spider-man is than having his real name, phone number, and address passed out inn the bar with no name.

Not all villains care about Spider-Man and those who do, tend to have different goals. You could also ambush him in costume, no reason to know his identity. And why would he want to make a name for himself, he only makes himself a target for all the heroes. Gang members don't make a name for themselves by killing cops, that would be dumb.

You would only need the contingencies in case someone with a grudge is on the loose. As Spider-Man is able to handle the Sinister Six by himself most of the time all that is needed is a careful observer who calls in backup, almost every hero could do it alone and chances are there are more than one available. Just because a known criminal is hiding, doesn't mean no one is looking. And why wouldn't he just kill random people, if he dosn't know Spider-Mans address, Peter will turn up at some point. Killing family members is not a priority for most villains.

The protection would be, for the most part, indirect, because if everybody knows who Spider-Man is, so do the heroes. If one is hurt (including loved ones) the others will at least avenge them. Sure some villains might not care, but you can't guarantee protection ether way. If a villain kidnaps May and Spider-Man is not there, other heroes won't go out of their way to help her, if they don't know who she is.

Also I didn't say he absolutly had to tell his identity to everybody, just Avengers and SHIELD would be enough. Telling friends and family would be good as well, so they can make decide for themselves, if they have enough protection.

A secret identity will be uncovered by someone at some point. Typically the hero will find out to late, so it will become a massive liability. Would you rather be prepared as much as possible or hope for the best when that happens?

[Havok83]

How can it not make sense to keep your friends and family safe from reprisals?

It doesnt make sense that a hero can keep his identity secret. Tech and social media exist today that didnt back in the 60s when these characters and the concept of secret identity was created

[Agent Z]

This reminds me of all the old Civil War discussions we had when it was new. The whole thing never made sense to me.

"Okay. I know you're a vigilante, and we're going to let you keep being a vigilante, but you have to follow the rules."
If somebody is putting on a mask to fight crime, odds are they're not going to follow your rules. If they wanted to, they would have become cops instead. Most crime fighters put on their masks and tights to do things that the law won't or can't do. You can't tell them they can keep doing that, but they have to follow the law.

This is especially true when dealing with people like Red Skull, Kingpin, and Dr. Doom who could easily thwart any legal means to stop them.

How is Red Skull going to thwart any legal means to stop him? He's a known nazi and war criminal and is so evil even other villains can't stand being in the same room with him.

As for Kingpin and Doom, extra jurisdictional means aren't any more effective against them (usually because the heroes can't even prove they've done anything wrong in court).

[Knight27]

Ms. Marvel has now passed 50 issues. Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is coming up on 50 issues. Unstoppable Wasp sold well enough in trades to be brought back. Your ridiculous opinion that the direct market is the only way to read comics is not based on fact, it is based on outdated ideas of how the comic industry works. Their books sell, you just don't want to admit that non-traditional books are doing well.


Spider-Man can just, you know, hold the burglar until police arrive. No punching, no webbing, just gently preventing the burglar from leaving the scene until someone who is actually authorized to actually goddamn do something about a burglary arrives.


No, Batman absolutely should not be allowed to hang someone over a ledge. No. No no no no no no no. No. That is absolutely not something he should be allowed to do. If he's hanging the guy off a ledge, then the suspect is subdued and no longer an immediate threat. Which means that Batman is no longer acting in self-defence. He is, in fact, threatening murder. It is wildly illegal, for so many reasons. So no, it is not something he should be allowed to do, and it is something that should land his ass in prison.

isn't the only reason batman hangs people from ledges is that its his way of trying to get answers out of them through fear. Alot of the criminals in gotham arent afraid of the cops so batman probably doesn't have a choice.Besides gotham is a extremely corrupt city so batman kinda has to step outside the law sometimes to stop crime. its not like he does it just for fun.

[Anthony W]

Ms. Marvel has now passed 50 issues.

The same Ms. Marvel that Sana Amanat shares a co-creator credit? Yeah, something tells me she is in no danger of being cancelled.

[Tiamatty]

isn't the only reason batman hangs people from ledges is that its his way of trying to get answers out of them through fear. Alot of the criminals in gotham arent afraid of the cops so batman probably doesn't have a choice.Besides gotham is a extremely corrupt city so batman kinda has to step outside the law sometimes to stop crime. its not like he does it just for fun.

Yeah, that doesn't make it right, or moral, for that matter. One of the sickest things about fiction is its tendency to, quite frankly, romanticize torture. A superhero can beat the crap put of someone, dangle them off a roof, threaten to murder them, and it's totally OK, because they're The Hero. So they're only Doing What's Necessary. Hey, you know who else uses that logic? Everyone who commits torture in the real world. In fiction, of course, when a Hero tortures someone, the information they get is accurate. In the real world, it's more likely to get false information. But hey, fiction is fiction, right? Who cares? Well, 24 likely played a role in legitimizing the Bush administration's use of torture. Because, no matter how much we want to believe otherwise, fiction actually does influence people. It influences culture.

So when we grow up seeing Batman threaten to kill someone in order to get information, it makes us think that's acceptable behaviour for a Hero. And since we're Heroes, it makes it OK for us to commit torture. It works for Batman, right?

So, yeah, I think when Batman dangles someone off a roof, he is a goddamn villain, at least in that moment, and there is no moral reason for it. (Especially since, with this being fiction, the creators are the ones who decided the torture was "necessary" in the first place.)

The same Ms. Marvel that Sana Amanat shares a co-creator credit? Yeah, something tells me she is in no danger of being cancelled.

Bullshit. The book isn't still going because Amanat co-created the character. Editors co-create plenty of characters who then end up in limbo. Ms. Marvel continues to be published because the book continues to be profitable, because the character connected with a lot of people, and people still keep finding her first trade and falling in love with her. Any arguments to the contrary are just conspiracy theories by people who can't deal with the idea that there are people who read comics outside the direct market

[Killerbee911]

So when we grow up seeing Batman threaten to kill someone in order to get information, it makes us think that's acceptable behaviour for a Hero. And since we're Heroes, it makes it OK for us to commit torture. It works for Batman, right?

So, yeah, I think when Batman dangles someone off a roof, he is a goddamn villain, at least in that moment, and there is no moral reason for it. (Especially since, with this being fiction, the creators are the ones who decided the torture was "necessary" in the first place.)

Actually most don't see it as "acceptable" behaviour for a hero, It just seen the methods justify the means (and most people will justify it their loved one life is danger that is proven in a survey) and Batman is "antihero" who does stuff that cross the moral line so that "pure" hero doesn't and batman psychological carries a weight of his actions.Also Superhero fiction also demonize hero killing even when it is the RIGHT answer so I hope you get just upset Captain America,Batman or Supes spewing that "Heroes never kill nonsense". If fiction is influence torture you have to be just as upset at fiction teaching people there is always away out of situation without killing someone. And Superhero Fiction is constantly lowering Police,Military, and First responders heroicness by a unrealistic standard.All life is not equal they should never be ANY hesitation of which life is more important between bad guy and innocent bystander.

I agree with mostly what you have been saying but you do understand fiction plays up somethings Yes the Dark antihero get praised as hero when cross the line but super moral hero get also praised even when his logic doesn't make sense and comics go out there way to always give them an out. Lastly if people don't understand the moral implications of fiction someone(parents and teachers) did a bad job.

[Anthony W]

Bullshit. The book isn't still going because Amanat co-created the character. Editors co-create plenty of characters who then end up in limbo. Ms. Marvel continues to be published because the book continues to be profitable, because the character connected with a lot of people, and people still keep finding her first trade and falling in love with her. Any arguments to the contrary are just conspiracy theories by people who can't deal with the idea that there are people who read comics outside the direct market

Yep, Amanat is just an editor...just a plain ole' editor.

[Tiamatty]

Yep, Amanat is just an editor...just a plain ole' editor.

Amanat's position is irrelevant. Ms. Marvel is being published because it sells, that is reality, no paranoid bullshit can change that.

[ed2962]

isn't the only reason batman hangs people from ledges is that its his way of trying to get answers out of them through fear. Alot of the criminals in gotham arent afraid of the cops so batman probably doesn't have a choice.Besides gotham is a extremely corrupt city so batman kinda has to step outside the law sometimes to stop crime. its not like he does it just for fun.

It's coercion. It's why cops don't do it in real life. Your aren't actually going to get real info by threatening people.

[ed2962]

"Blast!" double post

[Tendrin]

Amanat's position is irrelevant. Ms. Marvel is being published because it sells, that is reality, no paranoid bullshit can change that.

Ms. Marvel sells just fine. It's hard for some people to accept.

[Triniking1234]

It doesnt make sense that a hero can keep his identity secret. Tech and social media exist today that didnt back in the 60s when these characters and the concept of secret identity was created

If we're gonna bring technology, social media and real world logic into this then the only way heroes would exist was if their identity was public and they had ways of protecting themselves. One of the MCU heroes with a secret identity is Spider-Man but if anyone gave a damn they could easily doxx the kid but if his identity was public while he's still a minor it would still cause issues with his aunt and his education.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

You used to have a lot of Marvel characters with secret identities- Iron Man, Carol Danvers, Hawkeye, Captain America etc.
Even Thor had a secret identity. And that would add a lot of fun and cool plot elements to the characters.

Hear, hear!

[DragonsChi]

If we're gonna bring technology, social media and real world logic into this then the only way heroes would exist was if their identity was public and they had ways of protecting themselves. One of the MCU heroes with a secret identity is Spider-Man but if anyone gave a damn they could easily doxx the kid but if his identity was public while he's still a minor it would still cause issues with his aunt and his education.

If we bring real world anything into the discussion super heroes wouldn't exist. AT ALL.