Question regarding secret identities....

[Brainiac]

I was wondering if in JL all the heroes knew each other's secret identities (although Hawkgirl doesn't seem to have on and J'onzz doesn't either). I mean, does everyone know that Superman is Clark Kent and Batman is Bruce Wayne? And does Wonder Woman keep a secret identity in the show? GL didn't seem to care about revealing his ("In Blackest Night" he just changed in the barber shop...) Anybody know or have any speculations?

[The Guard]

I doubt anyone knows anyone else's except Superman and Batman knowing each other's...

[DerekPowers]

does the jl know eachothers identities in the comics?

[Ed Liu]

Howdy all,


Originally posted by DerekPowers
does the jl know eachothers identities in the comics?

There was a thread about this earlier, but I think it's still a fun one to bandy around.

Of the current members of the JL in the comics who are on the cartoon, Superman and Batman are known to have "secret identities," while J'onn, Wonder Woman, and the Flash do not. I'm not clear on the status of Kyle Rayner/Green Lantern. Hawkgirl is not a member of the comics JL, but the Shayera Thal/Cop from Thanagar incarnation of Hawkgirl/woman in the comics (vs. the new one in the Justice Society in the oh-so-hot-but-so-impractical jogbra/crop top outfit) did not have a secret identity. The SI's of Batman and Superman are known to J'onn and Wonder Woman as well as each other. Superman seems to be relatively open with his secret, while Bats is most definitely not.

Of the cartoon JL members, I think we can safely assume that Wonder Woman and J'onn still do not have secret identities. As mentioned, GL doesn't take great pains to keep his identity a secret either. That leaves Hawkgirl and the Flash with unknown "secret identity" status, and Batman and Superman with known secret identities.

I'm guessing Hawkgirl does not have a SI -- she doesn't seem like the type to engage in the deceit required to have one ("By day, mild mannered Florist Shiera Hall...by night, HAWKGIRL!" -- nah). I'm guessing the Flash doesn't have one either. Bats and Supes know each others identities, but I'm going to guess that nobody else in the JL does at the moment, other than maybe J'onn (hard to keep secrets from a telepath).

So, very long winded answer to pretty much confirm what The Guard posted earlier. Oh well.
-- Ed/Ace

[Toddman]

Okay, I have facts about the JLA's secret identity situation in the comic book series and speculation about the League's secret I.D.'s in the animated series.

Until JLA #50, of the eight active members of the group (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, J'onn J'onzz, and Plastic Man)...

Batman and Wonder Woman knew Superman's secret I.D.

Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash (through his friendship w/Nightwing in the Titans) knew Batman's secret I.D.

Flash's real identity was public knowledge to the world.

Green Lantern's secret I.D. was known to all of the other members.

Plastic Man's secret I.D. was known to Batman, but he didn't try to keep it a secret from anyone who asked.

Aquaman and Wonder Woman do not have secret I.D.'s and J'onn only occasionally as John Jones and a few other identities.

In issue #50, Superman and Batman (& to a lesser extent Plastic Man) revealed their identities to all of the members of the JLA. So now everybody knows who everybody else is.

In the cartoon, obviously Superman and Batman know each other's secret I.D. and apparently J'onn and WW don't have secret I.D.'s

As for the Flash, his real identity might be a secret, it might not. We'll have to wait and see.

I don't think that GL really has one. He doesn't wear a mask and we've already seen Superman refer to him by his first name in front of the other members of the team when they first met. Plus he's changed into GL in a public place around people who know who he is.

And I think Hawkgirl might have a secret I.D. She seems to have been on Earth for a while, and may have set up a false identity for herself. The Hawks in the Silver Age comic books did. And she is wearing a mask, afterall.

Also, while I'm on the subject of Hawkgirl, her current comic book version does wear a sportsbra styled top, but I don't find it to be impractical. I see woman working out and doing aerobics in sportsbras all the time. If anything, I think they are actually made for phyisical activity. And it sure doesn't seem to bother Brandi Chastain.

Toddman

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,


Originally posted by Toddman
Okay, I have facts about the JLA's secret identity situation in the comic book series and speculation about the League's secret I.D.'s in the animated series.
> S N I P <


Thanks for the clarifications, Toddman. I've only been reading the JLA trade books and not the montly series. I find I get too frustrated with monthly books these days.



And I think Hawkgirl might have a secret I.D. She seems to have been on Earth for a while, and may have set up a false identity for herself. The Hawks in the Silver Age comic books did. And she is wearing a mask, afterall.


The Hawkgirl of the JL animated series seems to be the Modern Era Hawkwoman in the Silver Age Hawkgirl costume. SA Hawkgirl did have a secret identity, but Modern Hawkwoman didn't. Modern Hawkwoman also wore a mask, but it was more a combat helmet and badge of office than anything to protect her identity.

I suspect this is something we could debate for hours, though, and not come to any conclusion over until they do the Hawkgirl Origin episodes. Of all the JL characters, she seems to be the one with the most questions, especially because her incarnations in the comics have been so radically different from each other.



Also, while I'm on the subject of Hawkgirl, her current comic book version does wear a sportsbra styled top, but I don't find it to be impractical. I see woman working out and doing aerobics in sportsbras all the time. If anything, I think they are actually made for phyisical activity. And it sure doesn't seem to bother Brandi Chastain.


Great. Go bring up Hawkgirl and Brandi Chastain in the same paragraph. I'm not going to get any work done for a few hours, now =8^).

I just think midriff-baring outfits for superheroes are just kind of silly, even if they look good. There's also a big difference between working out or playing soccer and saving the world from alien invasion or stopping a bank robbery, especially when you don't seem to have any overtly visible "super" powers to speak of. WW and J'onn J'onzz can get away with it because they're kind of invulnerable, and WW has those nifty bracelets to deflect bullets.

Don't get me started on the Silver Age Hawkman costume, or the original (pre-Birds of Prey) Black Canary costume either =8^).

-- Ed/Ace

[Toddman]

Originally posted by Ace the Bathound
I suspect this is something we could debate for hours, though, and not come to any conclusion over until they do the Hawkgirl Origin episodes. Of all the JL characters, she seems to be the one with the most questions, especially because her incarnations in the comics have been so radically different from each other. . .

Great. Go bring up Hawkgirl and Brandi Chastain in the same paragraph. I'm not going to get any work done for a few hours, now =8^).

I just think midriff-baring outfits for superheroes are just kind of silly, even if they look good. There's also a big difference between working out or playing soccer and saving the world from alien invasion or stopping a bank robbery, especially when you don't seem to have any overtly visible "super" powers to speak of. WW and J'onn J'onzz can get away with it because they're kind of invulnerable, and WW has those nifty bracelets to deflect bullets.
-- Ed/Ace [/B]

I'm with you, Ace. Hawkgirl probably is the character that the creative team will have the most freedom with when it comes to developing her background and personality. They have already done a terrific job of making her very interesting and quite surprising in the just the span of a couple of stories. We'll just have to wait and see what they come up with in terms of her real i.d.

I personally like the idea of superheroes who have real lives and a job and don't spend all their time just being a superhero. It seems that lately, in the comics at least, that the main characters are just superheroes all of the time and they don't have an existance outside of that. I like the X-Men, but I'll always prefer the JLA.

Toddman

P.S. Brandi's cool and all, but I'm a Mia Hamm man myself.