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Asecret identity is a person'scryptonym,incognito,cover and/oralter ego which is not known to the general populace, most often used infiction. Brought intopopular culture bythe Scarlet Pimpernel in 1903, the concept was widespread in pulp heroes and is particularly prevalent in theAmerican comic book genre, and is a trope of themasquerade.[1]
In American comic books, a character typically has dual identities, one overt and one covert. The false orpublic identity being known to the general public as the "superhero persona" and the other being the secret identity. The private or secret identity is typically the superhero'slegal name, true identity, and/or "civilian persona" when they are not actively assuming the superhero persona. It is kept hidden from their enemies and the general public to protect themselves from legal ramifications, pressure, or public scrutiny, as well as to protect their friends and loved ones from harm secondary to their actions as superheroes.
