DC universes relationship with secret identities

[Primal Slayer]

How do you feel about DC's use of secret identities? Are they handled just right? Not well enough anymore?

Superman and the Bat/Flash family seem to care most about concealing their identity but then you have characters like Catwoman who seems to be widely known as Selena Kyle. Selena is in an off again/on again relationship with Bruce Wayne but I dont think it ever really has the people of Gotham question it? Black Canary is known as Dinah and I believe Oliver is still hiding his identity as Green Arrow but like Bruce/Selena, the two are very public with their relationship.

[WonderScott]

I know it’s a trope, but I wished DC played with secret identities a bit more, just for the soap opera and drama of it all. My suspension of disbelief is healthy, so I don’t mind it if it adds to the story in a fun way.

Catwoman is a good example of someone who’d I’d write as having her Selina Kyle public persona, Selina Kyle private persona, and Catwoman persona, similar to Bruce Wayne and Batman.

I miss the use of Diana Prince for Wonder Woman.

I’d get Black Canary to mask up again to protect her identity.

Poor Zatanna must get a lot of legal summons, because everyone knows who she is when bopping around in the Justice League.

[Primal Slayer]

I know it’s a trope, but I wished DC played with secret identities a bit more, just for the soap opera and drama of it all. My suspension of disbelief is healthy, so I don’t mind it if it adds to the story in a fun way.

Catwoman is a good example of someone who’d I’d write as having her Selina Kyle public persona, Selina Kyle private persona, and Catwoman persona, similar to Bruce Wayne and Batman.

I miss the use of Diana Prince for Wonder Woman.

I’d get Black Canary to mask up again to protect her identity.

Poor Zatanna must get a lot of legal summons, because everyone knows who she is when bopping around in the Justice League.

My thoughts exactly. I love a good "have to protect my identity" and feel like it is something that should play into most stories. Those who dont really have one (ie: Dinah), how does it effect their day2day lives? How does Selina even go out during the day with everyone knowing she's Catwoman?

Even most villains, hiding your identity so you aren't hiding in a lair constantly makes sense.

[Stick Figure]

Get rid of it. I think the concept is creepy. Everyone has secrets but complete identities is something else. It’s one of those concepts that doesn’t fit in 2020.

[Agent Z]

I don't care much for secret identities and have no desire any superhero who either never had a secret identity or hasn't had one in decades to get one. The stories revolving around secret identities are played out and boring and the last two times they tried to bring Diana Prince back weren't exactly well recieved. It's one of those ideas they keep bringing back despite Diana having outgrown it and ironically is supported by fans who feel Diana is now a ripoff of other characters.

[Primal Slayer]

Get rid of it. I think the concept is creepy. Everyone has secrets but complete identities is something else. It’s one of those concepts that doesn’t fit in 2020.

How is it creepy? They deal with high level threats on a daily basis, just having everyones identities out there doesnt keep those close to them safe. Bruce, Clark would likely be surrounded by fans and paparazzi whenever they were in public just living their everyday lives.

[vasir12]

I think secret identities work best narratively with street level heroes. They're the ones that typically find themselves in more legally dubious situations with police and local governments and tend to have enemies low enough to attack family members.

More powered/public facing heroes don't really need it, imo. You can tell because meaningful conflicts from there secret identies rarely come their way like street levels.

Wonder woman doesn't need one cause she is who she is. She has no lies or secrets to tell. Likewise, I think it's in character for Superman to reveal himself like he did after getting comfortable in his identity.

In the other spectrum, Batman cannot operate effectively with an open identity for many reasons.

[Restingvoice]

They kinda gave up on it. It used to be a big deal that Batman doesn't use code names in the field, now everyone's calling everyone by their real name, and the number of people who know Batfam's secret identity has tripled, including villains who just debuted like Punchline, the whole dang Court of Owls and Spyral.

Superman's unmasked twice in this decade. That's kinda ridiculous.

[PCN24454]

I wish they cared more about secret identities since DC was always the universe that could benefit the most from them.

[Killerbee911]

Time for my superhero rant. My thought on this is that Secret Identity is one of the flimsiest part of the genre now and how DC(and Marvel) holds on them for tradition sake is poorly done. The trope needs adjusting and we have newer superhero tropes that works better it is just that tradition is a hella of drug. I favor the "superhero agency/organization method" it means that large amount of the heroes are working for large organization that regulates and supports heroes. That organization is responsible for keeping the secret identities from the greater public, If You don't think this works just think about all the times a police officer has done something wrong and the public can't find out the name or even with a picture of the officer sometimes. Most of the heroes imo should be working for the hero organization with the vigilante style hero like Batman or registered hero like Superman or Flash being the rare exceptions who are part of it.

In a world where the government has access to supertech and their own superheroes there is very little logical reason to believe that they don't know who these heroes are AND our real world with cameras everywhere and satellites cameras makes believing these stories harder. They just have to move away from the traditional formula and move towards the Hero association method like My Hero academia,One Punch Man,The Boys, Marvel's Initiative period, marvel Ultimate universe, etc. A large amount issues with genre get fixed with a hero association and imo about 70% of the heroes should work for the hero association with their real identity public, Then another 25% of those should be heroes who work undercover thus they have secret identity and 5% heroes should not be part of the system the Batman,Superman, Spiderman, Daredevil who choose to do things on their own for whatever reason.

So what does hero association/semi government regulated hero system fix?

• The government having no control over heroes and just letting "heroes" run wild
• "Silly" costumes can be explained to honor tradition or just for PR purpose
• Secret Identities can be protected by organization, Secret Identities become more cover identities which does basically the same thing in a story
• Teen heroes being a thing instead end up in Training Hero schools which does basically the same thing.
• Explain how heroes get paid or don't get fired from my missing days from work
• Explain who pays for damage building or superhero fights damage

DC is already set up pretty well for this the Justice League can take the charge and sign up all the heroes and agree to be regulated but not run by an government. And you go however far with as you want it can be limited where heroes don't reveal their identities or it can be more regulated where everyone has to reveal their identity put into a system that is never suppose to be reveled.

[Aahz]

They kinda gave up on it. It used to be a big deal that Batman doesn't use code names in the field, now everyone's calling everyone by their real name, and the number of people who know Batfam's secret identity has tripled, including villains who just debuted like Punchline, the whole dang Court of Owls and Spyral.

I really don't like how they handle the secret identities now.

Back pre flashpoint it was a pretty big deal when Tim finally revealed his secret identity to his young justice team mates.

In current comics almost everybody seems to know each others secret identities.

[Digifiend]

How is it creepy? They deal with high level threats on a daily basis, just having everyones identities out there doesnt keep those close to them safe. Bruce, Clark would likely be surrounded by fans and paparazzi whenever they were in public just living their everyday lives.

You realise that Clark's secret identity is gone, right? He outed himself recently.

Anyway, I think technology has obsoleted secret identities for anyone who doesn't wear something that covers their face (i.e. Spider-Man's mask, or at least Batman's cowl). Facial recognition software should expose anyone who only wears a domino mask, so Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Stargirl, Ms. Marvel (credit to Marvel, I can't think of any other major examples), should all be outed. Seriously Babs, go back to the cowl before Dad figures it out! Superman's glasses disguise no longer makes sense either, so it's a good thing he came out. Jon's secret identity was blown with his getting aged up. Kara at least also disguises her hair colour, which is a better effort than just the glasses, but even that won't fool facial recognition tech.

[manwhohaseverything]

Get rid of it. I think the concept is creepy. Everyone has secrets but complete identities is something else. It’s one of those concepts that doesn’t fit in 2020.

Dude!you are reading a narrative about vigilante justice(sometimes advocates for it).what did you expect?archangel gabriel?Vigilantism is the same in 2020 or 1920 when zorro became a thing.I think people have forgotten that "spiderman is a menace" ,"batman is a guy that breaks bones" and "superman is a guy that throws wife beaters into walls.wear the s symbol to piss off the police,run from them and crosses national boudaries with autonomously"

[Agent Z]

Time for my superhero rant. My thought on this is that Secret Identity is one of the flimsiest part of the genre now and how DC(and Marvel) holds on them for tradition sake is poorly done. The trope needs adjusting and we have newer superhero tropes that works better it is just that tradition is a hella of drug. I favor the "superhero agency/organization method" it means that large amount of the heroes are working for large organization that regulates and supports heroes. That organization is responsible for keeping the secret identities from the greater public, If You don't think this works just think about all the times a police officer has done something wrong and the public can't find out the name or even with a picture of the officer sometimes. Most of the heroes imo should be working for the hero organization with the vigilante style hero like Batman or registered hero like Superman or Flash being the rare exceptions who are part of it.

In a world where the government has access to supertech and their own superheroes there is very little logical reason to believe that they don't know who these heroes are AND our real world with cameras everywhere and satellites cameras makes believing these stories harder. They just have to move away from the traditional formula and move towards the Hero association method like My Hero academia,One Punch Man,The Boys, Marvel's Initiative period, marvel Ultimate universe, etc. A large amount issues with genre get fixed with a hero association and imo about 70% of the heroes should work for the hero association with their real identity public, Then another 25% of those should be heroes who work undercover thus they have secret identity and 5% heroes should not be part of the system the Batman,Superman, Spiderman, Daredevil who choose to do things on their own for whatever reason.

So what does hero association/semi government regulated hero system fix?

• The government having no control over heroes and just letting "heroes" run wild
• "Silly" costumes can be explained to honor tradition or just for PR purpose
• Secret Identities can be protected by organization, Secret Identities become more cover identities which does basically the same thing in a story
• Teen heroes being a thing instead end up in Training Hero schools which does basically the same thing.
• Explain how heroes get paid or don't get fired from my missing days from work
• Explain who pays for damage building or superhero fights damage

DC is already set up pretty well for this the Justice League can take the charge and sign up all the heroes and agree to be regulated but not run by an government. And you go however far with as you want it can be limited where heroes don't reveal their identities or it can be more regulated where everyone has to reveal their identity put into a system that is never suppose to be reveled.

Most Marvel heroes don't have a secret identity and even some of their early heroes didn't have it. Namor and the Fantastic Four for example.

Poor Zatanna must get a lot of legal summons, because everyone knows who she is when bopping around in the Justice League.

Legal summons for what?

How is it creepy?

Lack of accountability. Bendis once gave a Word Balloon interview where he talked about how some people would compare superheroes with secret identities to online trolls using anonymity to get away with horrendous behavior.

[Steel Inquisitor]

Most Marvel heroes don't have a secret identity and even some their early heroes didn't have it. Namor and the Fantastic Four for example.

That's a decent development, they weren't doing this in the early 2000's. Iron Man was doing things like exploiting Mentallo's telepathy to make everyone forget he's Tony Stark, he did that in an annual during Busiek's run. That changed with the MCU. Not all the heroes did this, of course, but they were exceptions. For example, when John Walker became Captain America he hid his identity and once it was released the Red Skull murdered his parents.