Superheroes: Unmasked

Written by Scotty

"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You give up your ability to feel, an in exchange, put on a mask."
 – Jim Morrison

One of the things that I have come to love about some of my favorite superheroes, is how they try to stay out of the lime light when they are not rescuing people.  With some hokey secret identities, I have been forced to ask myself, is it really worth it?  I mean, come on, the villains that you are fighting know who you are and what makes you tick, why would trying to keep your powers a secret be a good idea. I get that not wanting people running up to you on the street asking for an autograph or some sort of help when you are trying to buy groceries, but would it not be a better idea to let the world know who you are and what you are capable of before something tragic happens right in front of you?  Many leaders in history have chosen to rule with an iron fist or a big stick for one reason, so you know what they can and will do if crossed. 

So, for my own entertainment purposes, I have made up a small list of some of my favorite superheroes and their identities and if they actually worked.

Iron Man – Ok, we all know that Tony Stark is Iron Man and he has made no attempt to hide it from the world.  After defeating a longtime family friend that only wanted to take his weapons company to the next level, Stark wants to make sure that it is known around the globe that he has the toys and will use them to protect the innocent.  But the main reason I have seen that Stark wants to be known for his good deeds is to feed his ego.  Not saying that this is a bad reason to not hide from the cameras, but it has made his life more difficult and if anyone is looking to attack him, they know just where to find him. 

It works for Stark as he has constructed his own challenges, but he only seems to think about himself in this aspect and never about the ones he holds nearest to his heart.

Superman – I love how a pair of glasses is able to hide the true identity of the last son of Krypton.  Working at the Daily Planet has proven to be a good career move for Clark Kent, but for some reason, he lets his secret slip.  Not only does Lois Lane find out who the most powerful man is in the city, but also Jimmy who does not know what to do with the information.  Now Superman is always looking to make sure that nobody is unjustly hurt or harmed in anyway, but it seems that his biggest foes know more about him than he knows about himself.  Even though they are not able to pinpoint who the man of steel is, they know his weaknesses and that seems to be more damaging to him than anything else.

This is kind of a tossup in my mind since Kent can never seem to keep his identity a secret when it comes to love…and removing his glasses.  And with everyone looking to bring Superman down, his foes know his weakness which is much more costly than him coming clean about who he really is.

X-Men – Now this group does not get all fancy and put on special costumes when they go out to fight the injustice in the world, but they do keep their powers hidden from everyone.  With the fear of persecution, they try not to introduce anything to the outside world that can lead to them being hunted by the authorities.  This is the same as a secret identity, since they are not willing to be themselves when walking the streets.  When people find out about what the mutants are able to do, they seem to have their mind erased, so they have no recollection as to what has just happened.  With their main foes being other mutants, this is a safe group, but when the authorities’ are able to find out what they really are, all bets are off. Staying hidden from the world seems to be the best answer for this group, although I do not like to admit it.  Without knowing who their true enemies are, it is best that they stay hidden until they are able to formulate a plan of attack.

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Batman – Oh yes, Mr. Bruce Wayne.  I have always loved watching as Bruce has tried to hide his identity for all this time.  He always wants to come clean about who and what he is, but he fears what will happen to him once it comes to light.  In several storylines, Bruce does not want to be in the middle of the spotlight for everyone to watch over, so he chooses to stay away from it, but it makes him a much bigger target for the villains that are looking for quick and easy payday.  With only a select few knowing of his nightly deeds, Bruce is careful about who he will let into his little circle of trust and even though his enemies do not know of his true identity, they can schedule a meeting with the Bat by just kicking on his signal.

This is one secret identity that I agree with.  Keeping the villains at bay by not letting them find out who the man behind the mast really is, but just letting them know he is out there.

Spiderman – I do not understand the recent outcry of hatred towards the web slinger these days.  Everyone seems to have a problem with one of the best masked characters in the business.  Peter Parker is just trying to make ends meet with a day job and wants to protect the innocent in his spare time.  But sometimes doing the right thing in his city is not the right thing at all as he finds out from the paper’s editor.  Wanting to make sure to keep his family and loved ones safe is his primary concern when the villains come knocking, but for some reason, they all seem to know exactly who he is.  Even a train full of pedestrians know exactly who the hero is, but they chose to keep their mouths shut since that is his wish.

This is a funny one to think about since Peter never seems to catch a break and it would appear to be a benefit to his livelihood to let the world know who he is.  But he does not seek fame and fortune, he just wants to do the right thing and help people.  With or without the mask, he is hunted by his foes, but being a local hero, he will have plenty of people coming to his aide if needed.

That is my list for this time, I am sure some people out there will be upset that I left your favorites off of it, but I am just going through the ones I have grown up with and learned to love over the years.  I am sure this is not the last I will have on the subject as there are so many great heroes out there that deserve their time under the little microscope and I hope to bring out some more.  Please feel free to comment and shoot me a line if I missed something about one of the above listed or someone that I should have added to list other than Spiderman since nobody seems to like the poor guy anymore.  Until next time, keep your eyes peeled to the skies, you never know who will be flying over.

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