# Was there ever a superhero whose identity was never revealed (except to readers)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716 "2005-12-22T01:05:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/1 "2005-12-22T01:05:40Z")
Title says it all. Lots of superheroes’ secret indentities were known to their sidekicks (Batman), the general public (Fantastic Four), and sometimes their enemy (Spider-man). Was there ever a superhero (or villian) whose identity was never revealed to anyone other than the readers? ---
**Author:** ![D.E.S.K.Top668](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@D.E.S.K.Top668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D.E.S.K.Top668)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/2 "2005-12-22T01:32:21Z")
While I don’t know if it’s still true (I no longer have the time, money, or inclination to read comics), I know that the X-Men’s Wolverine had a three(?) part series that showed his true origin; A story that Wolvie himself didn’t remember at the time it was published. Peace - DESK ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/3 "2005-12-22T01:48:53Z")
Origin (the Wolverine origin series) ran six issues, but I believe there were people at Weapon X, and possibly others, who knew his identity even if he didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/4 "2005-12-22T03:09:51Z")
I can’t think of any superheroes but I’m pretty sure no-one knows who the Joker actually is. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/5 "2005-12-22T03:13:31Z")
The Phantom Stranger for the win! ---
**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:** [December 22, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/6 "2005-12-22T03:15:51Z")
> [@Arch Trout](#): > > I can’t think of any superheroes but I’m pretty sure no-one knows who the Joker actually is. I don’t think an old life that you’ve completely abandoned counts as a secret identity. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/7 "2005-12-22T03:20:33Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > I don’t think an old life that you’ve completely abandoned counts as a secret identity. True. The Joker is always the Joker. Most other superheroes have “day jobs.” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/8 "2005-12-22T03:28:46Z")
_Spiderbabe_. What? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/9 "2005-12-22T03:35:20Z")
Last I heard, Rogue’s real name has never been revealed. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/10 "2005-12-22T03:47:34Z")
The Phantom Stranger’s origins seem to be known, though unspoken and undisclosed, among the mystics in the DCU. I cite: The Spectre, Etrigan the Demon and the Trenchcoat Brigade, maybe even Zatanna. Until fairly recently I would have said, “Plastic Man” – but Morrison’s Batman seemed to twig that out, and Eel O’ Brian spilled the beans himself to the JLA during Waid’s run. I’m pretty sure all of The Martain Manhunter’s IDs have not been found out. No one knows the Savage Dragon’s secrets: his amnesia is a starting off point. Concrete’s secrets are a matter of national security. Did Comissioner ever learn The Spirit was Denny Colt? ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/11 "2005-12-22T04:13:45Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > I don’t think an old life that you’ve completely abandoned counts as a secret identity. Good spot. He’s never not the Joker. In fact most of the villians I can think of (with my very limited D.C. knowledge) are always the villian and never anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/12 "2005-12-22T04:15:31Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Did Comissioner ever learn The Spirit was Denny Colt? Unless I’m completely misremembering the origin story, he knew from the start. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/13 "2005-12-22T06:10:10Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > Origin (the Wolverine origin series) ran six issues, but I believe there were people at Weapon X, and possibly others, who knew his identity even if he didn’t. Ugh. Not only did others know his identity, but they wouldn’t shut up about it. Right around the time the Origin series came out, virtually every Marvel writer that used Wolvie decided that having their villians or cryptic characters call Wolverine “James” would be their way of showing how cool and mysterious and in the know they were. Fantomex was a particularly egregious example, though at least there there was some backstory as to why he knew it. But I remember the trope happening a few more times and feeling like it was getting old real fast. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/14 "2005-12-22T13:35:10Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Did Comissioner ever learn The Spirit was Denny Colt? He’d have to be blind and deaf not to realize it (the mask didn’t hide all that much, and Colt was his daughter’s fiance). ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/15 "2005-12-22T14:00:28Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > He’d have to be blind and deaf not to realize it (the mask didn’t hide all that much, and Colt was his daughter’s fiance). I don’t ever remember Ellen or Comm. Dolan referring to him as anything other than “Spirit,” though. I own the first eight volumes of The Spirit Archives, too. I won’t be able to read them until after the first of the year, though. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/16 "2005-12-22T15:04:56Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > He’d have to be blind and deaf not to realize it (the mask didn’t hide all that much, and Colt was his daughter’s fiance). It’s a convention of the genre that donning a domino mask or taking off your glasses suffices to conceal your identity. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/17 "2005-12-22T15:42:08Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Last I heard, Rogue’s real name has never been revealed. It’s Anna Marie D’Ancanto. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/18 "2005-12-22T15:48:10Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > It’s a convention of the genre that donning a domino mask or taking off your glasses suffices to conceal your identity. :dubious: Right. Which brings me to The Lone Ranger. I don’t think his identity was even given to the viewer. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/19 "2005-12-22T15:51:15Z")
In the _Wildcards_ novels, this is a lot more common because a lot of people show up, exhibit some superpowers, and die… There was one hero who was featured in one of the later novels who had a bunch of different powers–darkness, energy-draining cold, wallwalking, really tough and strong–and he had three separate hero IDs. They never used the same powers–Wallwalker only walked on walls, another ID only ever used the darkness and cold, etc. Nobody ever knew who he was. He lost track of who he was, actually, maintaining four separate identities drove him kind of nuts… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716/20 "2005-12-22T16:20:50Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Right. Which brings me to The Lone Ranger. I don’t think his identity was even given to the viewer. John Reid. Granduncle of Britt Reid (The Green Hornet). Tonto knew who he was, since he discovered him and nursed him back to health after the Cavendish gang ambushed him and his brother and was there when he took on the LR identity. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-superhero-whose-identity-was-never-revealed-except-to-readers/336716.md?page=2)