There is no superhero secret identity more mocked and openly made fun of than Superman Clark Kent. I've even made a parody of it in my comic “the Super Cliché Hero Chick”. I hear it all of the time, “How can Lois be so Dumb?” “it's just glasses”. The writers in less suspending of disbelief times have even made “excuses” of how he does it, “he vibrates really fast” or “he uses super muscles to change his face” (even though they look the same). But, after drawing my character in a Clark Kentesque disguise and watching the first couple of Christopher Reeves movies, I've come to realize that the Glasses aren't actually as bad of a disguise as our cynical minds like to believe.
First of all I have to say that the costume has definitely failed in recent years, this I believe is due to the falling out of favor of Horned Rimmed, and other large framed spectacles styling. Glasses in general dominate their wearer's face. Everyone has had that moment where they first see someone that they know without their glasses, and boy do they look weird right? And larger frames and dark rims dominate the face even more. Recently I was trying on some glasses at Costco, because the style I've worn for nearly twenty years has finally dropped off the map. And out of curiosity, I tried on some horned rims and you know what, I looked like horned rimmed glasses. Not me the glasses, they so dominated my face. Pair this with the fact that the classic Super man look is Large horned rimmed glasses, you have a situation where Clark Kent is practically wearing a domino mask.
Of course the Clark Kent costume is not nor has it ever been just the glasses. Clark Kent and Superman wear a different hairstyle, and Kent wears lose fitting or constricting clothing. I'm sure you've noticed how people act differently and carry themselves differently in dress clothes that casual, or a costume. I personally find that when I wear a waistcoat, I stand taller, and thus I tend to wear them when I want to impress people. I mean if not for this the 19th century symbol of oppression, the corset, would not be such a popular accessory today.
So the Clark Kent costume, adds up if you think about it. Face altering glasses, losing an Iconic hair do (c'mon you think anyone's looking at Kal Els face when distracted by the spit-curl of power?), and wearing posture altering clothing. These are all techniques that actors and spies have been using for centuries.
Of course this all falls apart, because of one thing, how many people know, Clark Kent. These things can make you look like a different person, but your friends, co workers etc. will recognize you. Now in the old days this wasn't a problem. No one really knew Clark Kent. Think about it, how often did anyone from the planet mingle with Clark beyond staff meetings and such. Lois Lane was not Clark Kent's Girlfriend, She was Superman's Girlfriend , Jimmy Olsen was not Clark's Pal, he was Superman's Pal. Clark was a loner who came to work made no impression and went home. Now Everyone knows Clark, in fact Clark is no longer the disguise, Hell even Lex Luthor now knows Clark Kent. Now I have to say I like the Clark is the real him, revisions. But it does make the secretly Superman tougher to pull off vis a vie suspension of disbelief. And in fact they have made adjustments for it, there has be no revival of Superman, since the 1977 movie where Lois doesn’t figure out that Clark and Superman are one. I know your saying “but what about the new 52 it's just started”, well as of issue four of the Superman Title by George Perez. She's already figuring it out. I think they've figured out how keep the suspension of disbelief, let the smartest friend figure it out. It also keeps Lois from looking dumb.
Well there are my thoughts on the most mocked Secret identity in comics, I don't think it's a bad disguise really. And in fact the only thing that makes it look bad at all is not that it's ill conceived but that it comes from another time.
Picture borrowed from everyguyed.com
