BW Media Spotlight

No, this isn’t me going on another My Adventures With Superman commentary. I’ve said my peace on that and why I personally have no interest in it, and it doesn’t look like that’s changing. I’m sure Casually Comics is putting together a history of Lois learning Clark is Superman (or trying to learn–one of the recurring Silver Age stories is Lois trying to do stupid things to prove Clark is Superman only to look like an idiot) right now. I will say that in the fifth episode of a show in which they’re both interns and not reporters, have known each other maybe a few months tops in-universe, and as Clark noted she’s always out to expose Superman’s secrets–and the girl has a history of NOT trusting Clark will help her without lying–this is all happening way too soon. They couldn’t possibly have the time to trust each other the way previous versions of the characters have in continuities that have lasted longer. Watching the romance develop is more interesting that BOOM! LOVE! that the show is going for.

All that over with it’s still not the best “Clark tells Lois the truth” scene in Superman fiction. This is.

That never stops being funny.

Instead I want to look into Superman’s motivation, and that of other superheroes, as to why they keep the identity a secret from their loved ones. Some years ago I already posted a debate between Scott Niswander back when NerdSync was Comic Misconceptions and Ricky of Stewdippen about whether or not a superhero should even have a secret identity. My point of view, as voiced there, hasn’t changed.

So what do I think? If I had superpowers I’d probably follow Scott’s advice and go the secret identity route. It would be easier to go shopping without the paparazzi, have my deed do all the speaking, except when I did some public speaking somewhere which is where I tell the kids anyone can do it, the symbol can be more powerful (depending how I “brand” myself), and keeping my family safer from criminals or rouge government agents is a good thing. Plus it would be kind of fun keeping it a secret, except for a select few because you know I support a support network of non super friends to keep me human instead of pseudo-god.

I could go more into that in the future but shouldn’t you tell all your family and friends you’re a superhero so you don’t have to have to keep coming up with excuses? Well, like the secret identity itself it varies from hero to hero and I could do a whole series going into why each hero maintains a secret identity. Why you don’t tell everyone you know is what’s interesting me at the moment.

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