BY CHRISTINA RIVERO
Regardless of whether you’re the Man of Steel or a web slinger, every superhero has one thing in common: a cover story. In layman’s terms, a cover story is basically the hero’s secret identity. The real question is, are these cover stories clever enough to keep the superhero’s true identity classified? Here are some of the best and worst cover stories superheroes use to keep their personal life private after the fighting is done.
Worst
● Arrow-verse’s Oliver Queen
The show Arrow, on the CW, features a different type of Oliver Queen. In this show the archer simply goes by “The Arrow” and is much more skilled at shooting his bow then he is at keeping his identity a secret. To begin with, he didn’t even wear a mask until after the mid-season finale; before then he wore green smeared paint around his eyes and truly believed that this was a sufficient cover up. Additionally, he is continually disappearing from many events mysteriously only to come home later with a plethora of injuries – which, of course, no one seems to question.
● Batman
First off, no ordinary working man can afford the high tech equipment that the Batman uses. So to assume that the crime fighter does not have a large bank account or is not receiving money from an outside party would be pretty ignorant. This could lead people to believe that he is some way connected to the richest man in Gotham City, i.e. Bruce Wayne. To add to that, Bruce Wayne is in the limelight constantly; how is he supposed to stay in the public eye and yet not be suspected of being Batman when he disappears/ does not show up to an event? It’s hard to process that no one has put two and two together.
● Iron Man
If anyone wants to argue that Tony Stark has a legitimate cover story, be my guest. You’d have a pretty difficult time doing so especially since he has said, publicly, that he is the Iron Man. He casually takes off his mask during battles and flies his suit around as if it were a car. The only people who may not know that Stark is Iron Man may be, well, nobody.
● Green Lantern
There are many Green Lanterns, and I could describe each of them and their inability to maintain a secret identity, but Hal Jordan seems to be the worst. Jordan pretends no one will see through his small facial mask, even though it only goes down to the tops of his cheeks. As a Green Lantern he is known throughout the galaxy, many aliens know his name and that he’s from Earth. Not only do thousands of aliens know him but so does every single hero in the Justice League.
● Superman
Superman’s identity is a bit controversial. Some believe he has a sneaky cover story, while others believe it is obviously revealing. Many people will automatically tell you he doesn’t cover his tracks very well. He only wears glasses and a suit as a cover up and is always disappearing from the Daily Planet whenever there is trouble. With those facts alone, Superman attempts at keeping his identity a secret are an automatic joke. When saving Lois Lane he is always in extremely close proximity to her and, because of this, she discovered his identity. Batman and some other members of the Justice League know who he is as well.
Photo Credit: CHRISTINA RIVERO
Best
● Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel, otherwise known as Shazam, possibly has the best cover story in the comic world. By day he’s Billy Batson – an orphaned child who’s no more than four feet tall and is only around 10 years old. By night, he says the word Shazam and transforms into the lightning god of the DC Universe. It’s hard to suspect a young boy like Batson could hold on to so much power. After all, how could anyone suspect him to be the giant and all-powerful Captain Marvel when he cannot even go on most roller coaster rides?
● Spider-Man
Peter Parker? Spider-Man? This guy went through his high school days as the nerd of all nerds. He also doesn’t have much muscle and doesn’t seem to have much grace, especially since he trips on his own two feet almost every day. But Spider-Man is athletic, strong, and quick on his feet. Comparing him to Parker wouldn’t only be crazy it would be impossible. On top of that, everyone suspects the web-slinging hero to be an adult and wouldn’t think twice about him being just a teenager.
● Martian Manhunter
He’s a Martian who can transform into anything he desires, including animals and possibly plants. Not only can he change his size and appearance, he can change his voice along with his transformation. A perfect disguise and no one would suspect he’s actually from Mars and a member of the Justice League. If someone suspects his true identity, he simply turns invisible and slips away.
● Superman
Going back to Superman, here’s why he can also be considered to have a decent cover story. To begin with, he’s a farm boy from Smallville, Kansas. He’s not someone you would picture as the great hero from outer space. To cover his tracks he acts clumsy and trips over everything. Superman isn’t the tripping type nor does he seem as weak or as fragile as Clark Kent.
● Daredevil
To begin with, Daredevil is agile and has perfect aim. Since when would a blind man be able to aim at anything? Being a lawyer with a walking stick wouldn’t typically translate into a vigilante at night, especially when the guy cannot move quickly due to his “blindness.” To top it all off, the Daredevil can swing, jump, flip, and fight. No one would believe Matt Murdock could be so flexible and agile.
