Does anyone else miss secret identities?

[Alan2099]

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

Superheroes NEVER made sense, secret identity or not.

[Havok83]

Superheroes NEVER made sense, secret identity or not.

I disagree on that

[DragonsChi]

I posted one comment and did mostly reading in this thread but I have to say this... no offense meant to those who disagree.... but the majority of the comments being made against secret identities are a reflection on why a lot of the stories in the comic industry are steadliy becoming so lack luster compared to several previous stories in the past. (That I wasn’t even a live to read when they came out)

When did “this doesn’t make sense” take so much presidents over “this story is so much fun” ? There are certain elements in SUPER HERO comics you have to just accept won’t make sense. Thats the whole fun of it! People firing lasers out of their eyes and little kids jumping off of buildings in their pajamas is place where certain elements shouldn’t be over thought. Its part of the genre if you are against that element so deepily then truthfully that individual is probably interested in the wrong genre and need to start to looking into other hobbies.

Reading into certain elements of a genre that has been core to said genre since inception doesn’t show a flaw in the genre but a flaw in the individual choice of entertainment.

2 Cents thrown

[Raye]

I am all for fun. But not everyone agrees on what 'fun' is, (for some feeling like it doesn't make sense takes away from the fun, because they want some immersion to draw them into the world) and not every book has to be fun in the traditional sense, there is room for diversity of tone. For me, the fun comes from big adventures and crazy things happening. Secret identities? meh, don't care. works for some characters, I'm not looking to strip Spider-Man's secret identity away from him, or whoever else. But the ones that have fallen by the wayside over the years aren't anything I will miss. The ones that have been ditched over the years mostly just came across as a 'this is a superhero, so they need a secret identity' rather than anything that added anything much of worth to the character or story. Just tradition, which is a stupid reason for them to have a secret identity. Comics can do so much more when they aren't bound by arbitrary rules/traditions laid out 50 years ago, and they can still be fun. Or they can be serious, it's all good.

[Carabas]

I posted one comment and did mostly reading in this thread but I have to say this... no offense meant to those who disagree.... but the majority of the comments being made against secret identities are a reflection on why a lot of the stories in the comic industry are steadliy becoming so lack luster compared to several previous stories in the past. (That I wasn’t even a live to read when they came out).

As someone who was alive when everybody had a secret identity and the angst and pathological lying associated with them, it is a breath of fresh air not to have them anymore.

[leokearon]

I posted one comment and did mostly reading in this thread but I have to say this... no offense meant to those who disagree.... but the majority of the comments being made against secret identities are a reflection on why a lot of the stories in the comic industry are steadliy becoming so lack luster compared to several previous stories in the past. (That I wasn’t even a live to read when they came out)

When did “this doesn’t make sense” take so much presidents over “this story is so much fun” ? There are certain elements in SUPER HERO comics you have to just accept won’t make sense. Thats the whole fun of it! People firing lasers out of their eyes and little kids jumping off of buildings in their pajamas is place where certain elements shouldn’t be over thought. Its part of the genre if you are against that element so deepily then truthfully that individual is probably interested in the wrong genre and need to start to looking into other hobbies.

Reading into certain elements of a genre that has been core to said genre since inception doesn’t show a flaw in the genre but a flaw in the individual choice of entertainment.

2 Cents thrown

But secret identities were never fun, they gave the heroes more problems than they were worth and became repetitive. How many times did a hero think "I want to tell you (inert loved-one), but I can't". Too many times

[gurkle]

Most secret identities simply can't be brought back even if anyone wanted to, except for a few characters who are almost inseparable from the device like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Daredevil.

What writers/editors can do is try to find other ways to bring in some of the advantages a secret identity character has, starting with the big one: secret identity characters spend a lot more time around people who aren't superheroes. Spider-Man has a huge cast of non-superpowered "civilians" and so does Superman (even though many of them have had superpowers at some point). Meanwhile there are a lot of characters, good characters, who barely ever seem to talk to someone who isn't a superhero or a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent or a supervillain. Clark, Bruce and Peter belong to two worlds, the superhero and non-superhero worlds, so there are more stories you can tell with them.

If you look at the early X-Men comics where they had secret identities, one charming thing about them is that the original 5 characters actually had civilian lives, went out to a beatnik coffee shop, dated non-mutants and so on. But they could do the same things without keeping their identities secret, even the ones who can't pass as human. The writers just need to remember to let their characters live in the non-superhero world every once in a while, not bring back the secret identities.

[Carabas]

But secret identities were never fun, they gave the heroes more problems than they were worth and became repetitive. How many times did a hero think "I want to tell you (inert loved-one), but I can't". Too many times

Exactly this!

Good riddance.

[Digifiend]

There was a very good example of the consequences of secret identities in Go Go Power Rangers #12.
spoilers:

One of the rangers' civilian friends, Matt, has figured out who the Power Rangers are. He confronts them, saying he knows their secret, but they pretend they don't know what he's talking about. So he walks off saying he'll never speak to them again. We see Kimberly, who was his girlfriend, crying, as she knows being the pink ranger has cost her their relationship. The gang lost a friend because they refused to tell him the truth, not realising that he knows they're lying.

end of spoilers

[Carabas]

There was a very good example of the consequences of secret identities in Go Go Power Rangers #12.
spoilers:

One of the rangers' civilian friends, Matt, has figured out who the Power Rangers are. He confronts them, saying he knows their secret, but they pretend they don't know what he's talking about. So he walks off saying he'll never speak to them again. We see Kimberly, who was his girlfriend, crying, as she knows being the pink ranger has cost her their relationship. The gang lost a friend because they refused to tell him the truth, not realising that he knows they're lying.

end of spoilers

That's a good example of secret identities used for cheap relationship drama and angst ina way we have seen play out dozens of times before in pretty much a completely identical manner.

[DrNewGod]

That's a good example of secret identities used for cheap relationship drama and angst ina way we have seen play out dozens of times before in pretty much a completely identical manner.

The vast majority of stuff from The Big Two is stuff "we have seen play out dozens of times before in pretty much a completely identical manner." If you're tired of it, as Dragonschi said, it's probably time for a new hobby.

[KC]

I'm ok with characters no longer having secret identities.

[Cap808]

What a great question!!!

Yes I miss the challenges and fun, a secret identity brought to each character's story.

I've always thought that eliminating secret identities was an easy way for writers to get around plot holes.

[ed2962]

Most secret identities simply can't be brought back even if anyone wanted to, except for a few characters who are almost inseparable from the device like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Daredevil.

What writers/editors can do is try to find other ways to bring in some of the advantages a secret identity character has, starting with the big one: secret identity characters spend a lot more time around people who aren't superheroes. Spider-Man has a huge cast of non-superpowered "civilians" and so does Superman (even though many of them have had superpowers at some point). Meanwhile there are a lot of characters, good characters, who barely ever seem to talk to someone who isn't a superhero or a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent or a supervillain. Clark, Bruce and Peter belong to two worlds, the superhero and non-superhero worlds, so there are more stories you can tell with them.

If you look at the early X-Men comics where they had secret identities, one charming thing about them is that the original 5 characters actually had civilian lives, went out to a beatnik coffee shop, dated non-mutants and so on. But they could do the same things without keeping their identities secret, even the ones who can't pass as human. The writers just need to remember to let their characters live in the non-superhero world every once in a while, not bring back the secret identities.

Exactly this. You don't need to bring back everyone having secret IDs in order to establish supporting casts and a purpose beyond superheroing for these characters.

[Killerbee911]

I posted one comment and did mostly reading in this thread but I have to say this... no offense meant to those who disagree.... but the majority of the comments being made against secret identities are a reflection on why a lot of the stories in the comic industry are steadliy becoming so lack luster compared to several previous stories in the past. (That I wasn’t even a live to read when they came out)

When did “this doesn’t make sense” take so much presidents over “this story is so much fun” ? There are certain elements in SUPER HERO comics you have to just accept won’t make sense. Thats the whole fun of it! People firing lasers out of their eyes and little kids jumping off of buildings in their pajamas is place where certain elements shouldn’t be over thought. Its part of the genre if you are against that element so deepily then truthfully that individual is probably interested in the wrong genre and need to start to looking into other hobbies.

Reading into certain elements of a genre that has been core to said genre since inception doesn’t show a flaw in the genre but a flaw in the individual choice of entertainment.

2 Cents thrown

People are mistaken when they are talking about suspense of belief. Suspense of belief just makes you accept the rules of the world.Dragons are real,Powers are real,etc Then those things are following a specific logic. Suspense of belief doesn't mean you accept stupid for example a man a normal human falls from a 6 story building they will live, a human can live 2 weeks without food and water, a normal person can hold their breath underwater for 15 mins. Suspense of belief allows to add fantastic things as normal rules of the world but you when see something that does not make sense you still question it. Seeing a guy with laser eyes is fine, A person with a domino mask fooling people long term isn't.

The big mistake superhero stories back then actually fit the time period just pushing the edge of reality then Domino mask are a little easier to accept in a world with yellow pages,no good csi and dna testing,no photoshop , no spy satellites and paparazzi,etc. Some Superhero comics are trying still to use elements that was barely believe back then ,Now in world that it completely doesn't work in.

I could skip school and my parents would never know but kids today can miss class and parents get a text. How is Miles Morales running around being a superhero when the second his misses school his parents know? You have to adjust stories to fit the time period they are in old comics did that ,comics now are afraid to change those elements saying they are classical elements of the genre. This generation has its fantastic elements kelvar mesh suits,carbon fibers, military based tech which will slow start to feel silly as our tech gets better in the real world but it is at the edge of belief now.Strong man suits,domino mask and capes was at the edge of believable at its time.

We have seen stories move from Strong man gear to Spandex suits , from Spandex suit to Leather suits, from Leather suits to Kevlar and Composite mesh/clothes.When you use stuff that are believable for the time people never stop and question the stories. Green Arrow in spandex with domino mask is fine for that time, Green Arrow today should be Kelvar based suit with a domino mask and hood but domino mask has nano tech that refracts light so it is hard to focus on his face and distorts pictures when they are taken of him.Whats the difference later is on edge of believable. The best lies have a level of truth to them and the better the fiction is at lying to easier it is to immerse yourself. Superman changing in phone booth was iconic but it doesn't make sense in world with cell phones and no phone booths.Just because something is iconic and classic doesn't mean you don't have adjust to make more sense in today's world and that is where stories are told.

The vast majority of stuff from The Big Two is stuff "we have seen play out dozens of times before in pretty much a completely identical manner." If you're tired of it, as Dragonschi said, it's probably time for a new hobby.

Or you can ask for more of the companies,Heroes don't change because the big publisher are afraid that you won't buy the product. But as you can see they are two different audiences They are the guys who never want anything to change because that is what the feel in love with and that is genre,They are people who want the genre and heroes to keep on evolving. Simple put they are people who want Batman to always be a Street level hero and they are people who see Batwing and all the other tech Batman gets say it is stupid that batman does not always use it.