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Wallace Sellars
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Posted: 28 July 2025 at 10:16pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

How’s this for a topic no one is probably interested in but me…?


I was recently thinking about how I think of some superheroes as their civilian identities even when they’re dressed for crime fighting.


When in their uniforms, I almost always refer to the FF by their first names - Ben, Johnny, Reed and Sue.


I usually refer to original X-Men Bobby, Hank, Jean and Scott by their civilian names, while Warren gets called Angel half the time.


The All-New X-Men? I rarely (if ever) refer to Wolverine as Logan, whether he’s in or out of costume. Nightcrawler is usually Nightcrawler. Storm is usually Storm. Kitty is Kitty, and never Shadowcat. (I prefer Sprite, darn it!) And I use Peter more than Colossus.


Spider-Man is usually Spider-Man, and sometimes Spidey, but not Peter.


Captain America and Captain Marvel are either called by their respective hero names or Cap, but not Steve or Billy when in uniform.


Batman is never Bruce, and Superman is probably never Clark, but Wonder Woman is sometimes Diana.


Flash is usually Flash, but occasionally Barry.


Green Arrow is sometimes Ollie.


I usually call the various Green Lanterns by their first names, but that’s probably just to distinguish them from one another. I think Hal might be Hal even if that were not the case though.


Dick, Donna and Wally, yes, but it’s code names for Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire.


Whew! I could go on - I’m lookin’ at you, Alpha Flight! - but I’m really more interested in learning which superheroes (and villains) some of my fellow forum members refer to by first name even when they’re in costume/uniform, and why.


Hello…?


Anyone…?!?

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Houston Mitchell
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 12:19am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I haven't met any of them yet, so I'm not sure what I'd call them.
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Bob Harvey
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 12:56am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

I try to avoid using first names, outside of perhaps for very occasional comic effect, as it screams fanboy.

The Fantastic Four are often exceptions, if only because three of their superhero names are so awkward to say out loud (or even type repeatedly). 
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Brad Hague
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 1:25am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

One of the many reasons that I no longer follow current DC is the apparent mandate that Batman call Superman "Clark" under every circumstance.  As if Batman has no regard for any alias or alter ego.

Superman also calls Batman "Bruce" but not as much.  Still, he shouldn't ever do that except in private, one-on-one circumstances that bear the gravity of the occasion to do so.
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Ryan Maxwell
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 6:14am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

I can’t think of a single DC character that I refer to by their actual name, but I don’t have the love for them like I do Marvel. 

Mac, Heather and Walt. Puck is occasionally Judd.  Northstar and Aurora. Shaman and Elizabeth (that’s weird). Marina and Snowbird. 

Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny. 

As much as I love Cap, he’s never Steve. Most Avengers get their hero names. I sometimes have to clarify that my favorite Captain Marvel is named Monica. Hercules! 

Jean and Scott, but Beast, Iceman, and Angel. 

Spider-Man and Hulk. Namor and Dr Strange. Silver Surfer, but I very much like Norrin Radd. 

Kitty will always be Kitty. All other New X-Men are code names.  


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Jack Caleb Day
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 10:08pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

I normally use their codenames, but if I'm referring to characters that use shared identities and/or legacy mantles, then I use their civilian name or another distinguisher. The Flash would usually be followed by Jay/Barry/Wally/Bart, etc, Green Lantern by Hal, John, Guy, Kyle, Simon, Jessica, Jo, etc and so forth. 

Alternate Universe versions I'd generally use the out-of-universe names used in publication to separate them. Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Captain America, Golden Age Superman etc. 

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Jack Caleb Day
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 10:12pm | IP Logged | 7 post reply

I nearly always refer to Donna Troy and Kitty Pride by their real names because most of the stories I've read or watched them in have them using those names. I sometimes think of Deathstroke as Slade because the Teen Titans 2003 series I grew up watching referred to him as that, rather than Deathstroke, due to censorship reasons. 
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James Woodcock
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 10:28pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

I think where people have had multiple identities or where multiple people
have had the same hero name it muddies the waters somewhat, and I find it
easier to refer to them by their non-hero name.
So people like Donna, Dick, Kitty are def civi name.

But then, thinking about things, I do have a set I flip with such as Wanda,
Scott, even Kory. I will tend to use their hero name, but know I’ve used their
civi name at times
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Wallace Sellars
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Posted: 29 July 2025 at 11:02pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

I rarely (if ever) referred to a certain Atlantean by his birth name until our host gave us that great ongoing series.
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Vinny Valenti
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Posted: 30 July 2025 at 2:13am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

^ Same. And I maintain that nobody else did, either.

I like this topic. It's something I've thought about from time to time, myself. I think it really depends on the context of where I'm using the name - whether it's a situation in battle or just something casual.


 QUOTE:
Spider-Man is usually Spider-Man, and sometimes Spidey, but not Peter.

And here is the best example of this. When I'm thinking about an interaction between Spider-Man and MJ or Aunt May, I'll instinctively go with "Peter", but his alter-ego when it's in a super-hero situation. I actually just had to ponder what I would do about his interaction with Jameson, because that could go either way. But I think I would go with which of Peter's identities is dealing with him at that moment.




Edited by Vinny Valenti on 30 July 2025 at 2:14am
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Petter Myhr Ness
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Posted: 30 July 2025 at 7:23am | IP Logged | 11 post reply

I read a Justice League story a few years ago (by Brad Meltzer, I think), where they kept referring to each other by their civilian names (Clark, Bruce etc), even while they were in uniform and in action! It struck me not just as odd, but as WRONG. 

I'm not on first name terms with any superhero, with the only exception of FF. I don't know why that is, maybe because they don't have secret identities? 

(The trouble is, as mentioned by others, legacy characters and superheroes that don't really have a fixed superhero names.)
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