# Reaction to Superhero Alter-Ego Puns **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-books-manga\ **Created:** [November 29, 2022, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745 "2022-11-29T16:15:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/21 "2022-11-29T19:28:16Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > And Kenneth Johnson, executive producer of the _Incredible Hulk_ TV series renamed him to David Bruce Banner partly because he hatred alliterative comic book names. I’ve also heard that the change was made, in part, because the name “Bruce” was commonly used in jokes about gay men at the time; the Wikipedia article on the TV series indicates that both Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno confirmed that that was part of the rationale, as well. > [@](#): > > According to both Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno, it was also changed because CBS thought the name Bruce sounded “too gay-ish”, a rationale that Ferrigno thought was “the most absurd, ridiculous thing [he had] ever heard”. > **[The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series) | Development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Hulk_(1978_TV_series)#Development)** > > In early 1977, Frank Price, head of Universal Television (known today as NBCUniversal Television), offered producer and writer Kenneth Johnson a deal to develop a television show based on any of several characters they had licensed from the Marvel Comics library. Johnson turned down the offer at first, but then, while reading the Victor Hugo novel Les Misérables, he became inspired and began working to develop the Hulk comic into a TV show. > Johnson made several changes from the comic book; this ... ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/22 "2022-11-29T19:35:17Z")
I think the question is: Do you think Clark Kent is a more serious name than Peter Parker? Do you take Wilson Slade more seriously than Victor Von Doom? I doubt most comic book fans care. Lets be honest here, isn’t Dr. Doom the coolest super villian name ever? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/23 "2022-11-29T19:55:03Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Do you think Clark Kent is a more serious name than Peter Parker? Hey! Peter Parker was at least the name of a famous admiral in the British Navy. > **[Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Peter_Parker,_1st_Baronet)** > > Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet (1721 – 21 December 1811) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer, he was deployed with a squadron under Admiral Edward Vernon to the West Indies at the start of the War of Jenkins' Ear. He saw action again at the Battle of Toulon during the War of the Austrian Succession. As captain of the fourth-rate HMS Bristol he took part in the Invasion of Guadeloupe during the Seven Years' War. > As a commodore, he was deployed to the North America... ---
**Author:** ![Retzbu\_Tox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/retzbu_tox/32/11829_2.png) [@Retzbu\_Tox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Retzbu_Tox)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/24 "2022-11-29T19:55:32Z")
My personal head-canon is that sometimes the character’s ‘real’ name is part of why they became a hero/villain. If someone grows up with a name like Otto Octavius or Victor Von Doom, it warps them and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s much like when a politician named Weiner, Packwood, or Studds inevitably becomes involved in a sex scandal. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/25 "2022-11-29T20:00:58Z")
Naita, furryman I think understands my point. If an oceanic hero is named C. King, you might not take him as seriously as opposed to him having a non-pun name. Especially when these characters start getting into some dark themes. He could have been deposed as King of Atlantis and lost his powers and his family or whatever, but he’s still “Sea King.” Dr. Doom is a cool name for sure, but if his name is Von Doom, then it’s less “DOOM is an awesome name” and more “well, my last name is Doom so let’s just go the lazy way.” Blackagar Boltagon…ugh! ---
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/26 "2022-11-29T20:03:12Z")
I wager there are plenty of people with dark or questionable sounding names who have changed them to avoid this sort of thing. Others have leaned into them…Dick Hyman, Dick Trickle, etc… I mean, Richard or any variation thereof would have been fine, too! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/27 "2022-11-29T20:34:01Z")
> [@pianodave](#): > > If an oceanic hero is named C. King, you might not take him as seriously as opposed to him having a non-pun name. I suspect that the vast majority of the kids who read comic books back then (the 1950s and 1960s) didn’t have a problem with taking a superhero or supervillain “seriously” because of a funny/punny name. Your premise seems to be based on looking at goofy comic book names through the eyes of an adult, in an era where superheroes are a major entertainment genre for adults. (Now, there may have been _other_ reasons for not taking Aquaman seriously… 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/28 "2022-11-29T22:23:16Z")
One of the Spider-Man movies has J. Jonah Jameson (the editor of the Daily Bugle) commenting “Guy named Otto Octavius ends up with eight arms. What were the odds?”. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/29 "2022-11-29T22:39:54Z")
> [@pianodave](#): > > Naita, furryman I think understands my point. If an oceanic hero is named C. King, you might not take him as seriously as opposed to him having a non-pun name. I don’t take any of them seriously. As a reader, sure, silly names pull things a little towards the silly. But my superhero fare growing up was The Phantom. No silly superpowers, no silly supervillains, no silly names. Just a guy in a blue\* costume knocking people out and scaring them with his supposed immortality. And yet I consider my other childhood superhero fare, Adam West’s Batman, only marginally sillier. Or put more simply, suspension of disbelief when consuming superhero fiction is on a setting where some punny names have zero effect. \*There were some issues when starting to print colored dailies in Scandinavia and he ended up in blue.\*\* The only superhero that is too silly for me is purple The Phantom. \*\*He also ended up with a wife named Sala due to another mix up. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/30 "2022-11-29T22:46:34Z")
> [@Retzbu\_Tox](#): > > My personal head-canon is that sometimes the character’s ‘real’ name is part of why they became a hero/villain. It’s not that crazy. Lots of nicknames are based off of real-life names. My handle on these boards is based off my real-life name, which I was often teased about. I just embraced it as I got older. But if I was trying to protect my identity zealously, I would not do that. If my name was Edward Nigma, I wouldn’t commit crimes based around riddles, puzzles, and “enigmas”. (Though in his defense, he’s insane.) ---
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/31 "2022-11-29T22:48:50Z")
E. Nigma is a great example! Thanks, Atamasama! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/32 "2022-11-29T22:57:38Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > My handle on these boards is based off my real-life name, which I was often teased about. Which reminds me of a name that fits as both a mundane address and a superhero sobriquet: > “I’m Peter, by the way.” > “Doctor Strange.” > “Oh. We’re using our _made-up_ names. Then I am Spider-Man.” > –_Avengers: Infinity War_ ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/33 "2022-11-30T01:50:26Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Just how many people in Superman’s sphere have the initials “LL,” anyway? I used to have (but can’t find) a panel from an issue of Superboy from the 1960s. Superboy and Pa Kent are standing at a case in his trophy room containing a love letter from Lana Lang and a lock of lair…um, hair from Lex Luthor. Pa has a thought baloon where he is contemplating the odd coincidence that both of them are "LL"s. (Also, how weird are those superhero trophy rooms in general and how creepy this example in particular?) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/34 "2022-11-30T01:51:50Z")
The ones I wanted to mention (E Nygma and Jubal Lee) are covered here or in the earlier link, so how about Kite Man being Charles Brown? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/35 "2022-11-30T01:58:55Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I used to have (but can’t find) a panel from an issue of Superboy from the 1960s. Superboy and Pa Kent are standing at a case in his trophy room containing a love letter from Lana Lang and a lock of lair…um, hair from Lex Luthor. Pa has a thought baloon where he is contemplating the odd coincidence that both of them are "LL"s. Was it [hereabouts?](https://www.comicbookrevolution.com/superboy-86-review/) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/36 "2022-11-30T02:02:24Z")
No, it was a section that I saved from an actual digitized _Superboy_ issue I have on my computer. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/37 "2022-11-30T02:09:48Z")
All apologies; I meant: _was it from this issue?_ [![](https://i.redd.it/clx0qqn8xqb41.jpg) ](https://i.redd.it/clx0qqn8xqb41.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/38 "2022-11-30T02:17:08Z")
Yep, thats it. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/39 "2022-11-30T02:30:28Z")
There was some old Action Comic I read recently that involved Superman and some half-ass prophecy involving LL. Dude was going nuts. Stuff like: “Could it be that ballplayer?? No, his name is just Sam Smith…wait!! BaLLplayer! Great Scott!” Something like that. BTW… the kind of wordplay you all are talking about has always been a blind spot for me, unless I actively apply myself to it. I went some ten years before I realized Borg was short for Cyborg. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745/40 "2022-11-30T03:03:49Z")
Please can we also have reaction to Super Ego Alter-Hero puns? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reaction-to-superhero-alter-ego-puns/975745.md?page=3)