Secret Identity and Alter Ego talk

[Mikey]

When I think of the word Alter Ego, I think of THE SECOND person you might be ..
In other words, your Mr Hyde ......

I was just thinking, how many Superheroes SHOULD technically count THE HERO part of them as their alter ego.

Example,
Superman .....
Is he Superman first ?
Or Clark first ?

He's Clark, of course .......
Same with Batman

Actually, is there any Superheroes Heroes that would have the HERO side of them as their first Identity ?

[toys2cool]

Actually, is there any Superheroes Heroes that would have the HERO side of them as their first Identity ?

Good question,I can't think of anyone...Maybe Wolverine?

[The Toyroom]

It's been said that Bruce Wayne as an identity died years ago when he saw his parents murdered...since then he's been in "Batman" mode, with "Bruce Wayne" as the facade.

[The Toyroom]

Actually, is there any Superheroes Heroes that would have the HERO side of them as their first Identity ?

Ralph Dibny and his "secret ID" of the Elongated Man are one and the same actually, since Dibny was one of the first heroes to go public with his ID. He was ALWAYS the Elongated Man, whether in public or private, no difference between the two. Sorta of the first "reality star" of the super-hero set.

[saildog]

This is a cool question!

Technically, Supes has three identities and Kal-El is first. "Superman" is how Kal-El appears to the public. Clark is how Kal-El hides his identity. (I'm thinking "aloud". I realize everyone knows this.)

[BlackKnight]

It's been said that Bruce Wayne as an identity died years ago when he saw his parents murdered...since then he's been in "Batman" mode, with "Bruce Wayne" as the facade.

I agree with that,.. & I also agree with the Fact that Superman ,.. is Superman, Not Clark Kent. I think whenever Superman is Kent,.. ever since he Made it to M-town,.. he is Superman 1st & foremost.


As far as any of the X-men Go,.. that's who they are,.. are the mutant characters they are. When they go out in pubic,.. in Disguise (or in the past when they did) it was Obvious,.. that thier "secret hiding identity" was not them.

& Aquaman IS ,.. well Aquaman.

[knight errant00]

It's been said that Bruce Wayne as an identity died years ago when he saw his parents murdered...since then he's been in "Batman" mode, with "Bruce Wayne" as the facade.

They've been saying that in the comics for a long time, and when I was around 19, I bought completely. Over time, though, I came to see that Batman and the *public* playboy Bruce Wayne are both disguises, adopted identities to get the job done, You see it very clearly in Nolan's movies -- the real Bruce is the guy who sits and gets ribbed by Alfred and laments Rachel while struggling to make a difference. But you can see it in the '89 movie too (where I first kinda came to the conclusion) -- the real Bruce is the guy sitting in the Batcave, wearing a turtleneck and glasses, staring at the computer and trying to figure out his next move; Batman and bored/uninterested Bruce are disguises. Keaton deserves points for solidifying that, even if the comic writers haven't figured it out yet . . .

[BlackKnight]

I think one could Argue the point that there really is no Tim Drake anymore,.. But only Robin. If you followed the character over the last 15to20 yrs of development,.. in the last 3 or so yrs ,.. he was lost so much,... that it kinda propeled his character in to the hero of Robin... he only seems to have the Robin Identity showing these Days.

[Airdave817]

Very cool question!

I've always thought that Clark Kent had three identities - his Kryptonion ID as Kal-El; his role as a reporter; and his hero ID. The way I read his Golden and Silver Age origins was that he chose to pursue journalism to stay on top of things so he could make a difference as Superman.

I think it was sometime in the '80's that maybe - what? - Dennis O'Neil or somebody came to the conclusion that Bruce Wayne was the facade and that The Batman was the real identity. I know it was a big deal around Keaton's first Batman movie, I think if I remember right.

I think Princess Diana is all about making a social difference for change and - like Clark Kent adopted two different identities to do this - Diana Prince and Wonder Woman.

I think Barry Allen and Hal Jordan have been short-changed. Every time I watch CSI, I see alot of what could be done with Barry Allen. He could be Gil Grissom or Horatio Caine or Mac Taylor - or anyone of the CSI's on the team (maybe seeing as how he's The Flash he would be working for Gil Grissom -or Ecklie - and then be The Flash. The same thing with JAG or NCIS and Green Lantern. Or maybe I'm thinking of The Unit. I like what Geoff Johns is doing in Green Lantern. He's really centering Hal as a pilot and then as Green Lantern. The same thing that Brian Michael Bendis is doing in Ultimate Spider-Man. The book is more about Peter Parker in high school and then about Spider-Man.

[saildog]

Actually, is there any Superheroes Heroes that would have the HERO side of them as their first Identity ?

How about Thor?

or J'onn Jonzz/Martian Manhunter/John Jones.

[thunderbolt]

The Fantastic Four have no secret ID's either, they are just a group of adventurers of celebrity status. There was a bit in Byrne's run where Reed and Sue tried to establish an alternate identity to raise Franklin in a "normal" environment.

[Mego Milk]

Spider-Man is always Peter Parker.

[kingdom warrior]

Plasticman! he's more the hero than his Eel O' Brian alter ego......

[Hulk]

I think Clark is Superman's Alter Ego, not the other way around. Batman is Bruce's Alter Ego. I think both would like it to be the other way around, which is somewhat the definition of an alter ego to me.

[saildog]

I think Clark is Superman's Alter Ego, not the other way around. Batman is Bruce's Alter Ego. I think both would like it to be the other way around, which is somewhat the definition of an alter ego to me.

I was watching some of the Fleischer cartoons from the early Forties and it was definitely established in those intros that Superman is "disguised as Clark Kent".