DC Comics has a wide range of superheroes that it has built up over its more than eighty years of publications. Beginning in the pages of Action Comics #1 with the creation of Superman, the publisher helped create the superhero genre itself. Many of these heroes combine forces as the Justice League to battle even more powerful foes. However, many of these heroes are shrouded in mystery and secrecy.
These heroes have to conceal everything from covert missions to secret identities, earning them a reputation as secretive figures. While some secrets prove relatively benign, others have been so explosive that they've threatened the very existence of the DCU. Everyone has their secrets, but some of DC's greatest superheroes take the idea to a whole other level.
10 Hal Jordan
Although Hal Jordan isn't as shadowy as Batman or untrustworthy as Lex Luthor, he still carries information other heroes don't have. As a member of the Green Lantern Corps, Hal - along with his other JLA Green Lantern counterparts - has access to information vital to his role as a space-based peacekeeper.
Hal's secrets range from the locations of key planets to the vulnerabilities of Oa and the GLC. Fortunately, he has rarely been in a position where he was forced to pick between his obligations to the corps and the Justice League.
9 Aquaman
Aquaman, much like other DC heroes, lives between two worlds. Arthur Curry must balance his allegiances to Atlantis with his responsibilities to the Justice League. Naturally, the aquatic hero has been forced to keep his fair share of secrets from his heroic friends.
In the comic Aquaman/Flash: Voidsong, created by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Vasco Georgiev, readers were able to get a look at Aquaman's covert projects in service of his underwater kingdom. Political issues at home and the conflict it can have with superheroes make Arthur understandably reserved and secretive.
8 Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman was originally sent by her mother Hippolyta from her island home of Themiscyra to "man's world" in the United States. There, she lived a life as a superhero alongside the JLA, the Justice Society, and the Justice League Dark.
Wonder Woman hasn't just worked with the Justice League and the Amazons. After she killed Maxwell Lord, Diana Prince joined the Department of Meta-Human Affairs, where she lived an entire life of secrecy, serving justice while hiding her identity as Wonder Woman.
7 Superman
Superman isn't a dishonest character by any means, but he has his fair share of closely-guarded secrets. These range from numerous superhero identities, military secrets, and the locations of various artifacts and beings kept safe by the Man of Steel.
Superman's secrecy is overwhelmingly motivated by his protection of others, as well as his responsibilities as one of DC's most powerful heroes. Such secrets as the Phantom Zone, the location of the city of Kandor, and the identities of fellow League members are closely guarded by Superman.
6 Captain Atom
Captain Atom is understandably reserved as a man who has to balance his allegiances between the Justice League and the US military. From his time as a soldier and his current activities with both entities, he must be selective with what information he shares with whom.
Captain Atom has sometimes been forced to choose between his dual identities, but nonetheless maintained the both. The hero's true secrecy comes into focus when he works for the military and Justice League simultaneously, leaving the heroes of the DCU to wonder if he's a spy for the government.
5 Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter is one of the most underrated members of the JLA, as well as one of its most powerful heroes. While his flight and intangibility are very useful in battle, his true power comes from his ability to read the minds of others.
Over the years, Martian Manhunter has caught a glimpse into the psyches of fellow heroes and villains alike. However, as a key member of the Justice League and a responsible hero, he has kept these hidden truths to himself.
4 Constantine
Although John Constantine isn't a mainstay member of the Justice League, he is an active hero with the Justice League Dark, the magical counterpart to the JLA. The shady occult detective has an illicit past, with some secrets so closely guarded he'll take them to his grave.
Constantine's ties to the dark, mystical underbelly of the DCU have made him a target but also put him in close proximity to powerful people, both heroes and villains. Along the way, he has cultivated a long history of scandal, secrets, and violence.
3 Question
Vic Sage, better known as Question, is a journalist by day and a secretive vigilante by night. The private detective has closely guarded secrets ranging from his identity to the wide array of truths he has uncovered.
Question's female counterpart, Renee Montoya, is in much the same situation as Sage. As a member of the Gotham City Police Department, Montoya faces similar stakes as Sage and uses what she learns as a cop to help her exact justice.
2 Lex Luthor
Though not a regular member, Lex Luthor has fought alongside the Justice League several times, both in Elseworlds stories and the main DCU. However, nobody really believes that his turn to the side of good is permanent - and Luthor always proves them right.
Luthor typically aligns with the Justice League out of convenience and ulterior motives more than genuine common cause with the team. The villain never completely abandons his side projects or gathering of intelligence on allies and enemies alike.
1 Batman
Batman's secrecy isn't just legendary among the Justice League but in comics overall. The Dark Knight's covert activities have ranged from his own secret team of heroes to obscuring the relationship between his superhero persona and his alter ego, Bruce Wayne.
Batman's secrecy has proven so extreme and dangerous that it has been responsible for entire crisis events. Most notably, his secret observations of the Dark Multiverse helped Barbatos and his army of nightmare Batmen invade the DCU and wage war on its heroes.