Shortbox Showcase #70 - Identities: Secret & Public
Em and Professor Alan talk about the topic of secret identities among superheroes. How critical is that trope to the genre? Does it matter how "realistic" maintaining a secret identity is these days?
Which host is sick of Marvel movies? Which one brings up Identity Crisis first? And who has come up with a great idea for a super-hero themed novel?
Listen to this episode ... and find out!
Click on the player below to listen to the episode:
Right-click to download episode directly
Promo: Coffee & Comics
Link: National Novel Writing Month
Link: Hey Kids! Comics podcast
Link: Union Dues stories
Send e-mail feedback to relativelygeeky@gmail.com
You can follow the network on Twitter @Relatively_Geek and Professor Alan @ProfessorAlan
You may also subscribe to the podcast through iTunes or the RSS Feed.
Great show and so happy to hear the two of you together. And so much to talk about.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I also thought 'no way just changing hair/glasses etc would be enough. Then I saw some meme about Zooey Deschanel - one with bangs and glasses, one all fancy at an award show and she looked like two very different people. So ... who knows.
Two, the main reason to do this is to protect those associated with you. It is what I thought didn't work about Superman revealing his identity with Bendis. Are you telling me that villains wouldn't reach out to anyone even tangentially attached to Superman and kill them. Ma and Pa were put under a force field cloche in Smallville to protect them! How did Jimmy not get killed? Even people like 'beloved college accounting professor' might targets. If you are going to be out and out fighting crime, you have to do it secretly.
It is why I think, if you were so inclined to do good with your powers, you would need to be sanctioned somehow with the government - big or small - to do what you do.
But, to be honest, I don't think anyone would think 'great responsibility' in this world. Peter Parker would become a basketball player and make millions, or sell the patent to his web fluid for huge cash. Heroes would be endorsers for sports drinks, sneakers, fitness chains, earphones, everything. Maybe they would do some 'easy' things to keep in the spotlight - putting out fires, taking people to hospitals - but I can't imagine anyone fighting super-villains out of the goodness of their hearts. (I know ... I'm jaded.)
Or I think folks would not have a secret identity but would monetize their powers. Super-strength? I can help you move! Super speed? I can be your 'next hour courier'. Weather powers? Pay me and I'll water your crops.
And I can only look to myself about this topic. Dr. Anj? Is that my codename?
Good thoughts, "Anj" -- or whoever you really are.
Delete