Superman is one of the greatest heroes in the DC Universe. Whether it be on his own or with the Justice League, Superman throws himself headlong into the fray, battling the most dangerous villains the Multiverse has to offer. There are few heroes out there as powerful or inspirational as Superman and he works hard every day to protect everyone he can, even though he isn't perfect.
Recently, Superman revealed his secret identity to the world but for years, he kept that a huge secret, one he did everything he could to protect. There were a variety of things he did to ensure that no one would ever know he was Clark Kent.
10 Hair Makes The Man- Changing His Hairstyle Makes Him Unrecognizable
One of the little things Superman did to hide who was that he wore his hair differently. This might not seem like a big deal but it's all part of a calculated persona, one that would put people off the scent. Clark Kent's haircut is bland, a stereotypical haircut that doesn't draw attention to him.
Superman's hair is different. It's more stylized and has the trademark S curl, something that draws the eye. While they have the same hair color, it's almost flatter in hue when he's Clark, more of a matte color, while Superman's hair seems shinier.
9 The Way He Talks Is Different
Another change Superman makes is that he talks differently. Clark Kent is a mild-mannered man. His voice is soft, not as deep, and he has a timid cadence. He's been known to stutter and even his word choice is different. Metropolis is a sophisticated city and he talks like a guy from Kansas.
As Superman, he puts some bass in his voice, has a more authoritative cadence, and uses a completely different vocabulary. His speech is clear and confident. It's a simple yet effective way to put people off the trail of who he really is.
8 His Posture Is Different As Well
Another subtle thing Superman does is change his posture. As Clark Kent, he slouches, his shoulders drooping, and doesn't stand up straight unless asked to. It completely fits the mild-mannered persona and doesn't radiate the power and majesty of one of the most respected heroes on the planet.
Superman stands straight and tall. His posture is as upright as his moral bearing. His shoulders are perfectly square, ready to take the weight of the world if need be. It changes everything about his physical presence and sets him apart from Clark Kent.
7 The Clothing He Wears As Clark Kent Helps To Hide Who He Is
Clark Kent may live in one of the world's greatest cities but he certainly doesn't dress like it. This isn't because of a lack of fashion sense or anything- even if he didn't have a fashion sense, he has Lois Lane to dress him if worse came to worse. It has more to do with hiding his physique and deflecting attention away from him.
As such, he wears bland, baggy, all together unremarkable suits to work. While he's still a big man, the clothes he wears make it seem more like he's fat than a musclebound superhero and the suits he wears are so blah that no one looks twice at him.
6 Clark Kent's Personality Is Completely Different
Secret identities are tricky things. Take Batman, for example- Batman's secret identity may be Bruce Wayne but Bruce Wayne is more of a mask than anything Batman wears- Batman his true self. With Superman, Clark Kent and Superman are pretty much the same person, except Superman is him to the Nth degree.
However, Clark is no fool, so he hides the Superman part of himself under the guise of a mild-mannered Midwesterner. Any city-dweller that meets him gets the feeling that he's just some corn pone from a small town who doesn't draw much attention to himself.
5 He's Constantly Zooming Around The City
Superman is one of the fastest heroes without the word Flash somewhere near his name. This serves him very well as a hero because it allows him to zip around the city, saving people from all kinds of situations, whether it be crimes, accidents, natural disasters, science run amok, or just about anything else. It's actually pretty rare for anyone to get a good close look at him.
Superman moves quickly, saving people as quickly as possible and then moving on. While this maximizes the number of people he can save and situations he can deal with, it also helps to hide his identity- few people get a good enough look at him.
4 There Are Numerous People Who Look Just Like Him
There are some who say they would most definitely be able to tell that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person but they're ignoring something very crucial- Superman is a white guy with dark hair. In any given city, there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of other white guys with dark hair who look just like him.
For example, Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne can switch clothes and most people wouldn't even notice the difference, even though both men are rather well known. While this look isn't something that he does, per se, it's still something that he uses to his advantage.
3 The Brightly Colored Costume Draws The Eye More Than His Face Does
Superman's costume is iconic. It's instantly recognizable, its bright colors standing out. Whenever someone sees it, they know that everything is going to be okay. However, it's also a rather cunning way for Superman to hide his identity, even without a mask.
The colorful costume draws the eye more than his face ever could. Superman is a big man in a bright costume with a yellow and red S on his chest. All of that color makes a person want to look at it and that keeps them from paying too much attention to his face. Even with all of the power changes, Superman makes sure that his costume is eye-grabbing.
2 No One Expects Superman To Be Something So Mundane As A News Reporter
Clark Kent chose to be a journalist because it was another way that he could look out for people. It's a noble profession, especially when someone like Clark is behind the keyboard. However, most people would never imagine that Superman, a being they look at as godlike, would ever have a job so mundane.
Superman is larger than life and to picture him as a keyboard jockey pounding the pavement for stories and writing scathing editorials about politicians and such just doesn't compute for most people. They could never picture him that way and that has helped protect his secret.
1 He Uses His Powers To Scramble His Face In Pictures
Most of Superman's method of keeping his identity secret work better on an in person basis but one would think that a picture or video of him would be the end of the whole thing. The camera would cut through all of his playacting and tricks and get to the truth of the matter- that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person.
However, that's where Superman's powers come into play. Whenever he's out in public, he subtly moving the muscles of his face in ways that only he can, obscuring his identity whenever a picture is taken of him. It's a simple and effective way of keeping his secret, well, a secret.