Does anyone else miss secret identities?

[Mary Jay]

I have to say I do miss the secret identities of superheroes back in the days. I think it added a layer of drama and development for characters.

Having said that, I think it could have been nice if, within the superhero community, members would have trusted each other enough to divulgate their secret IDs to one another. For instance, Tony Stark's "bodyguard"'s bit. I understand his need to protect himself, but couldn't he have trusted the other Avengers? It seemed like an awful lot of trouble to go through, and showed a bit of distrust IMO. But then again, everyone was doing it so I don't hold it against Tony personally.

Another thing I didn't like with secret IDs is the fact that once ONE person finds out, it's like the entire planet suddenly knows, even if there's only a couple of people who should know. An example: when Hank Pym revealed he was Giant-Man in Avengers #28, he did so only to Hawkeye, Cap, SW and QS. So how come suddenly everybody and their dog knows who he is? Same thing happened to Hawkeye later on.

Also, writers play with secret IDs way too much. I don't even know if Daredevil has a secret ID or not these days, nor do I know if the super-friends he had still know he's Matt Murdock or not.

So yeah, I miss secret IDs, but I don't like how the writers have been messing with them through the years.

[Starter Set]

Yes, I miss secret identities. I miss non-government interference too

Hell yes.

You know, one i really consider to be a hero is Peter Parker. He's one of the very few left to actually still go around and stop crimes in the streets, helping people.

[DrNewGod]

A lot of the comments have focused on Iron Man. If one uses Real World reasons he couldn't keep a secret id, one also has to accept that investors would likely pound Stark stock into roadkill if it were known the CEO was running around punching bad guys.

[Alan2099]

Hell yes.

You know, one i really consider to be a hero is Peter Parker. He's one of the very few left to actually still go around and stop crimes in the streets, helping people.

I miss when superheroes fought crime instead of just each other.

I also miss when the supervillians they did fight weren't always just trying to take over or destroy the world. Does nobody rob banks anymore?

[leokearon]

Hell yes.

You know, one i really consider to be a hero is Peter Parker. He's one of the very few left to actually still go around and stop crimes in the streets, helping people.

I don't consider Peter a hero especially after some of his decisions

[leokearon]

I miss when superheroes fought crime instead of just each other.

I also miss when the supervillians they did fight weren't always just trying to take over or destroy the world. Does nobody rob banks anymore?

I think part of the problem is the villains haven't really upped their game as much as they should. Villains are supposed to challenge the hero but now it seems that the hero defeats them too easily.

[Triniking1234]

I don't consider Peter a hero especially after some of his decisions

What kind of decisions?

[Vegeta]

That happens regardless of secret identities. If anything, a public identity should discourage such behaviour from villains once they learn what happens to people that mess with the heroes' friends.

Nah, Norman Osborn has done alright and he's killed two of Spidey's supporting cast. He "died" but it was at his own hands, not the hero's. (Not to mention he healed right up and took a trip to Europe afterwards.) Worst thing that happens to these guys is they get beat up and sent to an easily escapable prison (which happens even when they haven't killed anyone).

The only time Secret Identities make sense is to protect your non Super powered friends and family. Most heroes lack that now days or their villains are smart enough to think "If I kill Supermans wife he's just going to kill me".

So a villain who kills Lois is afraid Superman will retaliate and kill him, but a villain who attempts to kill Superman's friend the Flash has no such worries of retaliation?

[Digifiend]

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

Which was my point. People who know Kamala have figured out her secret identity long before she decides to confess. Kamala and Squirrel Girl (who doesn't wear a mask and thinks hiding her tail will protect her secret, sorry Doreen, it doesn't work) figured each other out in Marvel Rising in short order too, and they'd only just met.

[Tony]

I'm curious as to the thinking behind why so many Marvel heroes all lost their secret IDs around the same stretch of time in the 00s.

I tend to like the idea of the secret identity. Though I guess it's a little hard to believe for some heroes; I think Tony Stark's secret was bound to get out at some point.

They ended because the gang that Joe put together to write the books decided they were silly, kids power fantasies were silly, and comics should be written logically for grown ups who find secret identities silly.

[brettc1]

That happens regardless of secret identities. If anything, a public identity should discourage such behaviour from villains once they learn what happens to people that mess with the heroes' friends.

If villains learned, they wouldn't be villains.

[Frontier]

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

Domino masks are like capes.

They aren't really practical or make sense but they are such a large part of the iconography of Superheroes that you can't really get rid of them.

Robin wouldn't look like Robin without his domino mask.

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

I think another part of it is in how a person carries themselves, since the idea is that Clark Kent acts and sounds the complete antithesis of Superman.

Even in a full-body costume Spider-Man doesn't talk or act like Peter Parker.

[Huntsman Spider]

I don't consider Peter a hero especially after some of his decisions

What kind of decisions?

Might be referring to stuff like One More Day, some of the dumber decisions he made in Brand New Day, and accepting the fruits of Otto Octavius's labor in his body as his own instead of owning up to the fact that he didn't earn it.

That aside, I do agree with the point of Peter being one of the few heroes who still maintains a connection to ordinary people via his secret identity. I also agree with the overall sentiment that heroes have become too isolated from everyday people and their struggles and concerns, which happened to be a big part of the impetus behind Secret Empire, the public's discontent with and alienation from heroes that no longer seemed to understand or care about their concerns that left them open to HYDRA's manipulations. In my personal view, even if secret identities aren't reinstated, people in-universe do need to know that the people protecting them actually care what happens to them, or else there could be another Secret Empire-style backlash building up.

[jetengine]

So a villain who kills Lois is afraid Superman will retaliate and kill him, but a villain who attempts to kill Superman's friend the Flash has no such worries of retaliation?

The reverse flashes have never been very sane frankly and Flash is often underestimated or seen as a nice guy. Despite Supes being a nice guy as well his powers render people very obviously aware of how much damage he could do if pushed hard enough

[Havok83]

No. They dont really make much sense in today's day and age