Off My Mind: Is A Secret Identity Necessary?

Luthor knows that Sups have a secret identity, but he wont belive that the identity woud be someting like Clark Kent.

" @ComicMan24 said:

"I would prefer to have a secret identity. "

"I would prefer to have a secret identity. "

If i had one of those Thunder Ninjas uniforms from Power Rangers Ninja Storm and a clone of myself  i wouldn't  have a problem with keeping my indentity a secret.

Depends, I guess. If the real world were like comics, where there were tons of people with super powers, I could see forgoing a secret identity. If the real world was like the real world is, except with one person (myself) having super powers, I'd definitely have a secret identity- or abandon my "human" identity entirely- because there would undoubtedly be people who would try to exploit that aspect of my life, either by manipulating me through friends and family, or otherwise attempting to strongarm me to doing things their way ("You want to keep your citizenship, pal? Better do what the US Government tells you to do.")

Well someone like Superman can't live a "normal life" with ease given as  how he could destroy a house with a cough...lol I know he can control it but just saying.
 
But others like Peter Parker, can easier I think given the power differences.  
 
At any rate, I think it depends really but I would live two identities because of the family and friends thing. I think to come out in the open as "just a guy with powers, I live here and these are people I know" would be foolish and selfish, it would be not considerate of others who know me and thus I'd be putting them in danger. 
 
So yes, I do think it's necessary. Reason why FF are out in the open is easy, they're umm a group of 4 always together practically...who is going to mess with them as a whole? lol 
 
It's not like Superman or Spiderman where although they may be more powerful overall, they're still only one person. 
 
Good topic.
 

well maybe if u saw spider man 2 then a secret i dentitie would be really trouble some lol but i would have a secret i dentitie

I say yes but here is example of Superman's identity working against him in Superman Annual 3. And one positive where his identity is reveled, both have the Waverider guy and that whole who is Monarch in them, but both stories great and a must read.
 
Superman Annual 3
 
Action Comics Annual 3

Yes, I woul definitely have a secret identity- just like soldiers in wartime get home leave(because the psychological strain of battle is too much for them), I would definitely like to put all the cares of my super hero/heroine activity  aside from time to time). Maintaining a secret identity might have its down side(like being in the" closet " for a gay/lesbian person or "passing" for white during the "Jim Crow era") but I think it's a good idea!
 
Terry

I guess it would depend on 
-how much villains would you made?
-do you have a family or friends to protect?
-do the public eye see you as a threat (like Spider-man)?
-would you do plenty of damage while superheroic-defending the innocents?

Pro-Secret Id.  I don't want to be bothered 24/7 for everything.  I like my me time.

I think you'd have to have a secret identity....think of all the people in your family and all of your friends..heck even people you may not call your friends but just know you would be at risk 24/7....having a secret identity would be the responsible thing to do....how could you go public and put everyone you've ever met at risk of having some no name decide that he wants to be famous and taking a shot at your third cousin twice removed

i'd need a secret identity just to be able to have e change of pace, Hell  superman  enjoys being clark  so he can keep connected to humanity and not fall into his kryptonian mind set   and hall jordan enjoys being a pilot   even takes off his ring so he can live a little without having to be gl 24 7

Superhero Super power all the freaking time! 
 
Well. that is if I get the powers I want. Invulnerability and Invisibility

 if none of my loved ones (family and wife) had super powers, then i would certainly keep an Secret Identity. even without supervillians, how long would it take for some criminal who i put in prison to come after them? or some disgruntled gang or drug king pin?
 if you want to love and live and have kids and such, your gonna need to be able to disappear....

I would try to have a normal life, but i know myself, so i would get mad at someone and use my powers on them or tell that really hot girl and she would go out with me, instead of my boring, useless girlfriend. And probably use my powers on most of my teachers, cause they piss me off.

I'd have too many impulses to show off to keep much of a secret identity in check.

No hero is absolutely unstoppable, even the most powerful ones, so there will always be a risk.

I've always been indecisive on this one...
but as I'm sitting here looking at the screen, I'm seeing my own and all of your
usernames soooooooo....
 
Edit: decided to be a little more clear. we here on CV actually have secret identities.
some of you may come out and say who you are, some might not. i don't. this has nothing
against any of you in it either. its just one thing. insurance. its a small chance, but crap happens,
and i cant take that risk. the reason i cant is because i have people in my life that i care about that
would be effected by the negative effects of an usurper. what it really comes down to then when deciding
" if i had powers, if i was a hero by choice, would i have a secret identity..."
 
 @G-Man said: 

 Lots of heroes have secret identities and try to live a normal life.

I'd pull a Planetary move. Elijah Snow and the rest of the Planetary organization do super things for humanity, but they are more covert with their actions.  The only people who know their identities are their allies and their enemies.  Of course, their enemies have learned a lesson about f@$king with them.
 
NO SECRET IDENTITIES, JUST COVERT OPERATIONS.

Oh, and another thing, would you really want to be a super hero all the time? Everyone would always be bothering you, always wanting you to do something for them. You'd have to get some pretty thick skin, metaphorically speaking.

I wouldn't have one.

This is a toughy. On one hand, you may need a secret identity to play superhero or else your personal life will be in danger... although it's kinda impossible to really be a superhero anyway, your best bet is to be a cop or something. 
But then again, if you reveal that you have honest to god superpowers, you could expect the government to find out what makes you tick. So you may not want to make your abilities public, and if you do it would have to be under an assumed identity.

Like every one has just said... as impossible as it would prob be to actually keep a secret identity in this modern world you would have to have one... Stupid Paparazzi and wanna be Scarface punks out there would ruine your life other wise... Besides if I had super powers I would be like Nate Grey... That way if anyone spotted me changing or what ever I could just wipe the last five secounds from their head lol 

I have to say it depends more on the people around me than me actually just choicing one. If for example people would complain about the thought of a hero than yes I would need one, but if the world was in a state of perputal state of chaos and needed a symbol to bring peace than no I wouldn't need it

not me, seriously

who needs one anyway, i can be what ever i want

I'd flaunt it... lol... no i woulnt, but i wouldnt hide them either

Having a secret identity would protect everyone you know and love. Like when Spiderman had to choose if he wanted to reveal his identity afraid to have his Aunt and Mary Jane put into harms way from people who wanted to harm him. If I had no enemies then there is no need for one, but if everyone hates you that's a whole different story. But would you keep your superhero life away from the people you love?

How many videos did G-Man make in the woods that week? 
 
And I'd have one.

If Superman told every one he's Clark Kent, he's getting the world's largest law suit laid upon him for making the news and not objectively reporting it. Journalists go to jail for lying so it is taken seriously because he's not writing for comic books (no disrespect). 
 
That was an angle in the Spider-man book when Jameson came after Pete. It's a good one. 
 
As for Steve, Tony...they don't really have much family left if any at all so their identity isn't compromised but it did affect the people around Tony.

I guess I'm the only one to choose this option.
 
If I had superpowers I wouldn't need a secret identity, because I wouldn't be a superhero!
 
I'd just be a guy with superpowers. Most people probably wouldn't know about them, but no doubt I would use them to my advantage (not to harm others though).

depends. as i envision myself as a superhero, i wont be telling everyone i meet i have superpowers, but i wouldnt be afraid to use them "in disguise" for an emergency. then again, sonic speed and angel wings aren't the easiest things to hide.

Yes i'd want a secret ID. Imagine being at your job 24/7. That would be insane. I'd go loopy form the stress alone. Down time with friends and family is a must!

It depends on how close to the streets you are as street-level villains seem like they'd be more petty and go after your family or friends to get to you. Dr. Doom is never going to attack Franklin or Valeria direectly, he'd consider it beneath him to attack children, but baddies like Green Goblin and Bullseye have shown that they're more than happy to hurt someone else to get to a hero. In the end, I don't think Supes needs one. Luthor doesn't seem like the type to target friends and family, again for the same reason as Dr. Doom, it'd be a matter of pride, and I doubt a galactic super villain like Darkseid would even care.
There is no absolute yes or no, like most things, it's all about context.

I'd personally have a secret identity as well. It really comes down to several things when you have a question like this: do you have supervillians who are constantly looking for you, and may harm the family and friends just to defeat (if they even can) you? And who wouldn't want a break from all the glamour and celebrity to retire on the beach?

Man I wish those glasses in the still image of the video were available for real. That's a sweet case.

I was wondering about that myself.
Because lately it seems like a lot of superheroes do not have one.  Steve Rogers revealed he is Captain America, Tony Stark revealed that he is Iron Man,  the X-Men don't seem to be keeping theirs secret.  Everyone now knows Bruce Banner is the Hulk.  And it seems like, if you are a hero, chances are you know everyone's secret identity anyway.  How many people know who Hawkeye really is?  (Oh wait, he revealed it on TV right?) OK, how about how many people know Daredevil's real identity?
Then there are heroes who do not really have a need for one, the Tick or Madman.  They are who they are all the time.
But then there are heroes like Spider-Man, who not only has part of their appeal coming from the real need for the conflicts his secret identity causes, but he has loved ones who could be hurt if his identity was known. 
I guess it depends on the writers, but with Spider-man he has his loved ones to worry about.  Even when he was part of the Avengers (with the security you would imagine being really good) Aunt May was shot while they were aiming for MJ.  The idea that Peter's life got more complicated and dangerous once he became Spider-man, and now he has so many enemies and now that times have changed to were the bad guys will kill his loved ones, even kids, Peter can never really reveal his identity.

Some of the X-Men had to disclose their identities back in the 80's.  Cyclops & the other members of X-Factor signed up to the Mutant Registration Act as a sign of co-operation & faith to the citizens of New York.  So Scott Summers & co are all well known. 
 
Personally, even right now I like to keep my private life private.  You never know who's watching...

 SI is improtant not because it helps to keep your family safe but to see the reaction of people when they actually discover it XD 
Oh and i could make money by selling supervillians equipments

It depends on my level of power...

Depends. If it was just me, naw. I'd make shure my name was known. But if I had a family and all that jazz, I keep it hidden for their protection. Spider-man's a great example of how letting out a secret Identitiy can mess things up. Oh, and cudos on the bike riding G-man! Good way to stay in shape!