Secret identity

A secret identity is a person's alter ego which is not known to the general populace, most often used in fiction. Brought into popular culture with the Scarlet Pimpernel in 1903, the concept is particularly prevalent in American comic books.

In American comic books, a character typically has dual identities, with one identity being the superhero persona and the other being the secret identity. The secret identity is typically the superhero's civilian persona when they are not assuming the superhero persona. The secret identity is secret, because superheroes must keep this identity hidden from their enemies and the general public to protect themselves from legal ramifications, pressure, or public scrutiny, and also to protect their friends and loved ones from harm secondary to their actions as superheroes.

The secret identity commonly consists of the superhero's given birth name and may involve an occupation they had before becoming a superhero. This is in contrast to the superhero identity, which often utilizes a pseudonym and sometimes a mask to complete a costume to conceal the superhero's secret identity. To help further preserve the anonymity of secret identities, characters may use eyeglasses, particular clothing, or display a different set of personal characteristics when assuming the secret identity persona. For example, the superhero Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire who is known to the public for his affluent playboy lifestyle. Another example is Superman, who does not wear a mask when he is in costume, but wears eyeglasses and appears mild-mannered when he assumes his secret identity of Clark Kent.

Types of characters that may have secret identities include heroes, superheroes, thieves, villains, supervillains, vigilantes, aliens, and "monsters". A character may have several types of secret identities simultaneously, such as adopted names, undercover identities, and crime fighting code names.

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