History Main / SecondSuperIdentity

* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' Robin becomes "Red X" for an episode. Later the costume is stolen and [[TheRealRemingtonSteele a new Red X shows up]], [[RiddleForTheAges whose true identity remains unknown]].

* Franchise/{{Batman}} took on the identity of "Starman" for an issue in 1951 when a dose of Fear Gas (from Professor Milo this time) made him terrified of bats. In the Post-ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime version of the story from {{Comicbook/Starman}}, it was [[spoiler: Doctor Mid-Nite]].
* In Bronze Age ''Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'', Miss Terious and Sir Prize replaced Superboy and Supergirl when the Earth was covered in Kryptonite, eventually revealing themselves to be [[spoiler: Dream Girl and Star Boy, who had previously left the team]].

* ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} once adopted the alternate superhero identity of the Target when it became inadvisable for him to operate as Nightwing. And of course, he'd previously had the identity of Robin.
* Before being forced to take up a new superhero identity and adopting ComicBook/RedRobin on a more consistent basis Tim temporarily used the alias in the pages of ''ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}}'' after suffering burns to the back of his head and neck. He also used "The Spectacular Sunbird" for about a day when he realized that in his hurry he'd forgotten to remove a wig he was using before changing into most of the Robin costume.
* There's [[http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/280/ an earlier]] ''World's Finest'' tale from #119 revolving around a superhero named "Tigerman", who turns out to be... [[spoiler:Superman]]!

** [[spoiler:Plagg+Lirii]]: [[spoiler:''Griffin'']]

** Other characters with existing identities who became Horsemen include Angel (Death, afterwards he'd adopt the name Archangel), Plague of the Morlocks (Pestilence), Caliban (Death and Pestilence at different times), Hulk (War), Gazer (War), Sunfire (Famine), Polaris (Pestilence), and Gambit (Death).

** In the 1970s he becomes disillusioned with the U.S. government and takes on the new identity "Nomad".

* In the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'', masked wrestler The Amazing Nine-Tails ([[spoiler:Damian Tenma]]) says he has recently started wrestling under a second, {{Heel}} persona in addition to his normal {{Face}} one. The problem is, the two personas have been scheduled to fight ''each other'' very soon, leaving him in quite the pickle.

* Hank Pym, the original ComicBook/AntMan, has a habit of juggling multiple superhero personae (i.e. Giant-Man, Wasp, Goliath, Ant Man, Yellowjacket and even, at one point, his real name). Some continuities explain this as him being crazy.

** In a variation on the theme, Batman occasionally takes on the identity "Matches Malone" to spy on the underworld.
** Much like his mentor, Tim Drake occasionally takes on the identity "Alvin Draper" to spy on the underworld or do other things he can't as Tim or ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}}.

** Post-Crisis Supergirl briefly took up the "Flamebird" moniker during the ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 Candor]]'' story arc.

** In the ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' cartoon, Donatello becomes the superhero known as Dark Turtle.
** And in ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', Michaelangelo becomes the "Turtle Titan".

* In Bronze Age ''Comicbook/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'', Miss Terious and Sir Prize replaced Superboy and Supergirl when the Earth was covered in Kryptonite, eventually revealing themselves to be [[spoiler: Dream Girl and Star Boy, who had previously left the team]].

* Franchise/{{Batman}} took on the identity of "Starman" for an issue in 1951 when a dose of Fear Gas (from Professor Milo this time) made him terrified of bats. In the Post-ComicBook/ZeroHour version of the story from {{Comicbook/Starman}}, it was [[spoiler: Doctor Mid-Nite]].

** A heroic example almost happens in "[[Recap/MiraculousLadybugS02E20StyleQueenTheQueensBattlePart1 Style Queen]]" when Ladybug goes to give Alya the Bee Miraculous. Alya had previously wielded the Fox Miraculous as Rena Rouge. Subverted when Alya is struck by Style Queen and becomes a statue. The Miraculous then falls into Chloe's hands...

* ''Creator/HarryPartridge'' brings us Dr. Miles Manners. By day, he's an average wasp-themed superhero, but by night (despite his cartoons taking place in day) but by night, he becomes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYtXuBN1Hvc DR. BEES!]]

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Gohan becomes a crime fighting superhero. At first, he just turns into a super saiyan and is referred to as "The Gold Fighter." Later, Bulma builds him a sentai outfit and he adopts the moniker, "The Great Saiyaman."

*** In "Kwamibuster", Marinette uses the Mouse Miraculous to become [[MesACrowd Multimouse]], and some of her alternate selves use another Miraculous on top of that. She later allows Cat Noir to see that they're the same person (using a Mirage to make it look like Ladybug and Multimouse/Marinette are present at the same time), simply to throw him off the scent of her normal secret identity.

** This also goes for some of the other villains -- some characters who have been akumatized before get turned into new villains. For example, Lila has been Volpina before and later becomes Chameleon, Kagami has been Riposte before and later becomes Oni-chan, and Sabrina has been Vanisher before and later becomes Miraculer.

* ''Literature/{{Brennus}}'': It's revealed that The Dark likes to do this in his spare time, by creating entirely new super-villain personas and using them to do mercenary work. Why? Because people tend to runaway screaming when the world's greatest super-villain shows up, and he needs to keep his skills sharp through practice. It becomes useful when [[spoiler: his secret son need his help, and neither of them want people to find out about their relationship]].

** Post-Crisis Supergirll briefly took up the "Flamebird" moniker during the ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 Candor]]'' story arc.

* During the ''ComicBook/XMen storyline "The Twelve", {{ComicBook/Apocalypse}} has a new Horseman, Death, who fights and kills Wolverine. Death turns out to be [[spoiler:the real, albeit brainwashed, Wolverine. The Wolverine he killed was a Skrull imposter.]]

** Inverted by the same character, who has multiple civilian identities. As cabby Jake Locksley, he can keep an ear to the ground, and as Steven Grant he's often invited to high-society functions. His actual birth name is Marc Spector.

* Hank Pym, the original ComicBook/AntMan, has a habit of juggling multiple superhero personae (i.e. Giant-Man, Wasp, Goliath, Ant Man, Yellowjacket...). Some continuities explain this as him being crazy.