I still think it’s hilarious that the reason nobody ever figures out Superman’s secret identity or where he lives or what he does when he’s not saving the planet, is because he already told them all the Kryptonian stuff that can’t be tied to any of his human friends or family. I guarantee you the in-universe wikipedia article on Superman lists his name as Kal-El and the “personal life” section says that he lives full-time at his private fortress of solitude at the north pole. Nobody in the world looks at Clark Kent and thinks “oh my god, maybe he’s superman!” for the same reason nobody ever starts to suspect that their coworker who looks KINDA like Barack Obama is actually secretly Barack Obama – They know who Barack Obama is and know what he does and they know their coworker Greg is Greg and not Barack Obama. They have no reason to assume Barack Obama secretly moonlights as Greg The IT Guy at their workplace even though they’ve never seen Greg and Obama in the same place. At best, “Greg is secretly Obama” would be a running joke at the office, and the same is true at the Daily Planet. “Kal-El of Krypton, who lives in a CRYSTAL PALACE at the NORTH POLE and whose dayjob is SUPERMAN, sometimes puts on a suit and pretends to be a clumsy reporter and lives in a one-bedroom walkup in Metropolis” is a ridiculous concept to anyone who doesn’t already know it’s true
Henry Cavill literally once stood in Time Square, in a superman t-shirt, under a giant poster of himself and no one recognised him, even though he was actively trying to be recognised.
In the first chapter of JLA’s “Divided We Fall Arc” both Clark and Bruce reveal their civilian identities to the rest of the League. This is post “Tower of Babel” where nobody but Clark still trusts Batman, and in order to start building trust again, Clark urges Bruce to unmask himself to the rest of the team because Bruce obviously knows who everyone else is. Bruce agrees on one condition, Clark has to “unmask” himself as well.
When the big reveal goes down, Kyle Rayner says it best re: Clark being Superman: “He doesn’t…wear a mask. I never even…thought he had a…day job…”
That’s right, the canon reason why nobody makes the connection between Superman and Clark Kent is because nobody thinks that Superman HAS a civilian identity.
Also, with a really good actor, Clark Kenting is entirely possible, as Christopher Reeve demonstrates in the 1978 Superman film.
There was actually a story where a scientist at Lexcorp developed a computer program to analyse all available evidence and work out who Superman is
It figured out he was Clark…and Lex fired the scientist for wasting company resources because he COULDN’T BELIEVE that Superman would ever “Pretend” to be human because it would mean pretending to be “Weak”
90% of Superman’s disguise is everyone else doing the work for him
I think maybe the Batbible should be necessary reading for anyone looking to do analysis too, if for no other reason than because it informs a lot of Batman comics writing in the Modern Age of comics. On account of the being required reading for official writers in the Bat office.
This inspired me to go actually read the Batbible (linked here for the curious).
If you're not familiar, it's a blueprint on how the Batman characters and universe should be by Dennis "Denny" O'Neil, the lead editor for Batman comics from the late 1980s to 2000. It’s old now (during Timbin), but codified a huge amount of the characters that still get used today.
It's all interesting, but below I pull out points for Bruce, Alfred, Barbara, Tim, and Wayne Manor.
Also in the BatBible are Leslie Thompkins, James Gordon, Harvey Bullock, GCPD in general, the utility belt, the costume, Gotham, how to write and draw Batman stories, and what the 'soul' of Batman is.
Bruce
Bruce comes across as charming, and intelligent but unfocused. He seems like t he's never found himself, never quite grown up, and has no ambition.
He goes on many dates, but sleeps with none of them. He is celibate. Any kind of sexual involvement would take thought and energy away from his mission. He appreciates women, even admires them, but he cannot afford intimacy. (Canon this isnt true in long term relationships but I’m saying ACE BRUCE WAYNE!!)
Obsessed with crimefighting but not insane. Everything except the wellbeing of his friends is bent to his mission.
He knows he will never eliminate crime, but his mission gives meaning to his existence, which he finds intolerable
Tough but not brutal. He uses violence often but never enjoys it. He considers human life sacred and inviolable.
He is compassionate. His determination to stop crime is exceeded only by his compassion for crime's victims.
Probably the best martial artist alive, and one of the best gymnasts, and highly intelligent
Remembers everything he's read and a skilled speed reader, but what he’s read is focused towards his mission
His knowledge of the liberal arts is only what he's picked up in passing and his knowledge of the sciences is largely limited to the practical. So he knows very little about particle physics, but everything about ballistics. He probably cannot explain molecular bonding, but he knows how to test for every known poison. He's spent little time looking through a telescope and much time looking through a microscope. He is conversant with every theory of criminal behavior, but might not be able to explain the differences between Freud and Jung
Alfred Pennyworth
The Wayne butler, housekeeper, cook, amanuensis, paramedic, repairman and doer of whatever needs doing.
His special talent is for mimicry: he can perfectly imitate Bruce's normal voice and the Batman voice.
Lacks imagination; a follower who needs the leader he has found in Bruce.
A sensitive and loving man
Generally quiet, but he has a keen, sarcastic sense of humor that he sometimes directs at his employer when he feels Bruce is behaving unwisely.
Barbara Gordon
Became Oracle after being shot. As Oracle, she is able to supply answers to almost any question.
She has a secret headquarters adjoining her apartment, funded by Bruce, which is the most complete information center on Earth.
She has access to tens of thousands of books, maps, directories, diaries, encyclopedias, journals, microfilms, phonograph records, tapes, computers and databases
She speed-reads every major newspaper and magazine published in English, and hundreds in other languages
She remembers virtually everything she sees.
Very few people know Oracle exists, and fewer still know how to reach her.
There is a direct line from her quarters to the Batcave, other potential clients can contact her by placing a coded message on an Internet bulletin board.
Batman and selected criminalists get her services free. Others pay exorbitantly for her services, if she chooses to help at all.
Tim Drake
Everyone's ideal younger (or older) brother.
He is intelligent, but not a "brain" and athletic without being a jock.
Respected by the macho kids in school, but chooses to spend most of his time with the nerdier crowd
Unlike Bruce, an active and sincere dater
Expert in combat and an excellent gymnast
Never eagerly enters into confrontations and when he does, he makes the fullest use of the weapons and safeguards built into his costume.
Most useful to Batman in surveillance situations and as a computer hacker
A wealthy version of a latch key kid, neglected by both parents until his mother was killed and his father badly disabled. Jack has partially recovered, but still has only a perfunctory interest in his son.
Tim is largely left to his own devices, answering only to a housekeeper, Mrs. Macilvanie, which suits his activities as Robin.
The Drake estate (which they moved to after Tim became Robin) adjoins the Wayne property and Tim can access the Batcave from a gimmicked cistern.
Has a valid driver's license from age 14 because his father is impaired and a state law allows underage drivers in such situations.
Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor grounds is 40 acres and has a view of the Gotham sightline from the manor.
The Batcave is accessible from grandfather clock in the library and an emergency exit behind a bookcase in the master bedroom. (Is it current canon or fanon that the grandfather clock is in an office room?)
Wayne family owns large plots prime, downtown real estate seaport from Wayne Industries. Income from the land alone would leave Bruce well off.
The Cave contains: the Batcomputer, a chemistry lab; a physics and ballistics lab, a machine shop, a garage, weapons arsenal (non-lethal), a gym, a specialized library, climate control devices, a communications center, a small museum, and an emergency generator. It has camouflaged alarms that would sound a buzzer the working area of the cave and what sounds like a particularly noisy refrigerator in the manor.
For Bruce's first bullet point on his public persona from Detective Comics #598.
“I cannot dislike Bruce. He has a quick intelligence—combined, alas, with an asinine personality. The product of wealth and ;ensure, I suppose. Still, he might have amounted to something had he put his mind to it.”
Honestly, even in ship fics where he is part of the couple and supposed to be, yk, likable, ppl still make him worse than he usually is. Like why is he fantasy racist in every other fic???
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