History Main / CostumeCopycat

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' had the Joker dressing up as Batman. His real identity was obvious to ''everyone'' as the costume was completely different ([[{{Homage}} being based of a completely different Batman's design]]) and did nothing to cover up Joker's imhuman features. The real problem was that he decided to take up "crime fighting"-- as in he finds people who make [[FelonyMisdemeanor incredibly minor misdeeds]], [[AllCrimesAreEqual gasses them]], and then tries to force the Mayor into ''paying him for it''.
-->'''Joker''': Wheeee! I'm the Batman!\\

* After the TimeSkip in ''Manga/OnePiece'', a group of pirates [[PaperThinDisguise impersonate]] the Strawhat Pirates. They even managed to fool some of the Strawhats themselves. In the end, they either got arrested or met a sticky end, since they were nowhere near the calibre of the Strawhats and the kind of attention they got.

** Superman lampshades it in ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'' #2:

* In ''Series/TheFlash2014'', Hunter Zolomon/Zoom imprisons Earth-3 Flash, Jay Garrick, and take up his identity to gain the trust of Barry and his team.
[[spoiler:Savitar]] briefly poses as Barry Allen by wearing a copy of his Flash suit to get information from his friends. The only reason this worked is that [[spoiler:Savitar himself is a possible future version of Barry.]]

A [[{{Superhero}} Superhero]]-specific version of the IdenticalStranger (often, but not always, the CriminalDoppelganger): a not-necessarily-identical stranger wearing an identical costume.

* A number of people had dressed up as Batman at one time or another. However, because of his mythological nature of being mysterious, it's easy for someone to think that another version of Batman is actually him and it would take a very skilled detective (or at least someone in-the-know) to realize that Batman isn't the real one. Gordon knew right away though. How? He turned around [[ComicBook/{{Knightfall}} one time]] and ''[[StealthHiBye Batman was still there.]]'' It was [[Comicbook/{{Azrael}} Jean-Paul Valley]] filling in.
* This is the Chameleon's entire shtick in the ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'' comics. Mysterio has tried it too. You'd think it'd be easier to pick on a BadAssNormal, but [[CutLexLuthorACheck no, they always want to work out how to imitate the superpowers]]. Hell, in ComicBook/UltimateMarvel, some random guy manages to pull this off. According to Marvel, the random guy in the Ultimate Universe was supposed to be that universe's version of Chameleon. Spider is especially vulnerable to this because he's one of the few heroes around whose costume covers him head to toe and he's not as large or built as most male superheroes tend to be. [[HeroWithBadPublicity Also, he gets enough bad press that plenty of people already think he's a bad guy.]]

** Not to mention the maniac hired to impersonate Daredevil in the ''[[Comicbook/DaredevilBornAgain Born Again]]'' storyline. Matt ends up kicking his ass and stealing his costume before going to defeat Nuke.

* It has happened to supervillains too. For instance, Comicbook/{{Catwoman}} has been wrongly implicated for crimes Catman committed.

** ''Comicbook/UltimateSpiderMan'' did it again, but DarkerAndEdgier. Some random immigrant wore a Spider-Man suit and started robbing banks with a gun. Needless to say, this was not good for Spidey's reputation. As expected, he gets beaten up by the angsty superhero. But not before the real Spider-Man gets shot by the police when he attempts to stop the impersonator during a bank robbery. OW.

* This applied to Comicbook/IronMan when Tony Stark had become a drunken wreck thanks to [[TheChessmaster Obadiah]] [[ManipulativeBastard Stane]]. With Tony in no condition to pilot the Iron Man armor, his buddy [[Comicbook/WarMachine Jim Rhodes]] took over as Iron Man until Stark got back on his feet.

* In the Comicbook/{{New 52}}, ComicBook/{{Lobo}} gets dramatically reinvented. Since "Classic Lobo" had already appeared in ''Comicbook/Stormwatch2011'', it was explained that the existing character was a fake Lobo.

* Following the return of Comicbook/CaptainAmerica in the 1960s, his appearances through the mid-'50s were {{RetCon}}ned into tribute heroes--the Spirit of '76, the Patriot, and a nameless history professor who went so far as to re-invent the supersoldier formula and get plastic surgery to look like Steve Rogers. Eventually this last fellow [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity lost his mind due to an unrecognized side-effect]] and slipped into the other version of the trope.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' had three escapee criminals disguised as the girls. [[EasyImpersonation Grown men in dresses were able to impersonate kindergartners and fool the whole town.]]

** The episode "Night of the Batmen!" played this for laughs. Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}, ComicBook/GreenArrow, [[Comicbook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]], and ComicBook/PlasticMan all dress up like Batman after the real one is injured. The costumes are more their own costumes modified to look like Batman's. [[RecursiveAdaptation The comic the episode was based on, which tied into the show]], featured more people joining in at the end, including ComicBook/BlueBeetle and ComicBook/BlackCanary.

* When Spider-Man meets Deadpool in ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'', Deadpool thinks that Spidey based his costume on his, and finds it flattering. Naturally, Spider-Man has no idea who Deadpool is.

* In ''Series/TheFlash2014'', [[spoiler:Savitar]] briefly poses as Barry Allen by wearing a copy of his Flash suit to get information from his friends. The only reason this worked is that [[spoiler:Savitar himself is a possible future version of Barry.]]

** There was also a storyline where the assassin Bullseye pretended to be Daredevil (unsurprisingly, this was bad for DD's public image) while the real Daredevil was missing due to amnesia.

* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': In season 3, Wilson Fisk dresses [[ComicBook/{{Bullseye}} Agent Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter]] up in a Daredevil costume and has him commit terrorist attacks in public to discredit the real Daredevil's reputation. Ironically Matt Murdock has actually given up wearing that costume and reverted to his BetaOutfit from the start of the series.

** Then Osborn [[VillainWithGoodPublicity took over S.H.I.E.L.D.]], renaming it H.A.M.M.E.R, and led a team of Avengers consisting of himself, a bunch of villains in disguise, one [[FaceHeelTurn hero gone bad]] and whatever Comicbook/{{Ares}} is.

[[quoteright:348:[[Franchise/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Borgonia_7914.jpg]]]]

* Kami- Sama from ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'' has an interesting case where, yes, he is impersonating a Sanzo priest... but he was also a disciple to one and supposedly inherited the title when his master got bored with it. This trope doesn't kick in till he takes the one thing his master didn't bequeath him (which happens to be the most important) the sutra, from Sanzo. He also tries to get Sanzo to "give" him his followers... yeah the man is insane. No one really falls for it besides him, but it still counts.

* ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'': During ''Reign of the Supermen'', Hank Henshaw posed as a cyborg Superman, wearing an identical costume with cybernetic implants in areas where Superman had been wounded during his battle with Doomsday. Henshaw, claiming to be Superman returned from the grave, intended to convert Earth into a ComicBook/WarWorld and tarnish Superman's name throughout the universe.

* There's a chapter of ''Manga/{{Lupin III}} M'' where a new female thief impersonates Fujiko in order to frame her for a jewel heist.

* An early issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' (#5, 1961) had the League infiltrated by an impostor wearing [[spoiler:Franchise/GreenLantern]]'s outfit and using gadgets to imitate his powers.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' #169 (1964) featured a story in which a criminal (who, thanks to MagicPlasticSurgery, actually has Superman's face as well) dressing as Superman to gain access to a top secret prototype.

** Damian (Bruce's son with Talia Al Ghul) showed up at Wayne Manor, wearing an approximation of the Robin costume, although there were notable differences that were easy to spot, and he wasn't really trying to impersonate current ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}}, Tim Drake, so much as make the point that he felt that he should be Robin instead.

** And in a later ''ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}}'' plot arc, an old Robin villain was running around dressed as Red Robin - an identity Jason had for about five minutes. Apparently someone pinched his shtick.

* Like the previous examples above, a number of people had dressed up as Batman at one time or another. However, because of his mythological nature of being mysterious, it's easy for someone to think that another version of Batman is actually him and it would take a very skilled detective (or at least someone in-the-know) to realize that Batman isn't the real one. Gordon knew right away though. How? He turned around [[ComicBook/{{Knightfall}} one time]] and ''[[StealthHiBye Batman was still there.]]'' It was [[Comicbook/{{Azrael}} Jean-Paul Valley]] filling in.

* In ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'', while Matt Murdock is imprisoned, an impostor runs around Hell's Kitchen dressed in his suit, and was eventually revealed to be [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/IronFist Danny Rand]]]]. In the past, Spider-Man has also masqueraded as Daredevil [[IdentityImpersonator when Matt Murdock and Daredevil needed to be in the same place at the same time]].

* Franchise/SpiderMan and Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} have been known to dress as each other to protect their secret identities. In one issue, Peter did it because he didn't have a spare costume available and wanted to borrow one of Matt's. Peter may have a special suit just for him, or Daredevil's eye pieces are removable so he can see.

* During the ''[[Comicbook/TheDeathOfSuperman Reign of the Supermen]]'' storyline, Hank Henshaw posed as a cyborg Franchise/{{Superman}}, wearing an identical costume with cybernetic implants in areas where Superman had been wounded during his battle with Doomsday. Henshaw, claiming to be Superman returned from the grave, intended to convert Earth into a Warworld and tarnish Superman's name throughout the universe.
** Superman tends to have this happen a fair bit. He even lampshades it in Comicbook/SupermanBatman #2:
--> '''Superman''': I'm getting tired of seeing my face on my enemies.
* In ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', everyone thought that Supernova was Franchise/{{Superman}} in disguise. [[spoiler:Actually, it was ComicBook/BoosterGold from the future all along.]] The original, Silver Age Supernova ''was'' Superman in disguise.

* Happened in the reboot ''Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' where a planet was being robbed by "Legionnaires". Which was actually a set of dummies dressed as Legionnaires in a remote-controlled ship....
* ComicBook/TheMightyThor[[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHercules cules]]!
* The Phantom Blot, a ComicBook/{{Mickey Mouse|ComicUniverse}} villain, has been subject to this a ''lot'' thanks to his easy-to-mimic costume. [[NotMeThisTime Results]] [[EnemyMine vary]].

* ''Comicbook/ActionComics'' #233 (1957, pictured above) featured a country where everyone was required by law to wear a Superman costume.
* ComicBook/{{Steel}} wore a costume in tribute to Superman after the latter's death. However, he was the only Superman-replacement who didn't claim to be the real thing, and his costume didn't look that similar, other than the symbol and the cape.
** In ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'', Steel eventually switched his focus to Batman, using a Bat-Symbol and an axe instead of an 'S' shield and a hammer.
** ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} (Kon-El, Conner) also did not claim to be the real thing. Rather, he admitted and was even proud of being a clone--he just wanted to be called Super''man'' and not Super''boy''.

** [[ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} Clint Barton]] also dressed up as Captain America for a bit after his real death, at Tony Stark's urging. He was shouted out of the idea by his own namesake.

* In the Comicbook/{{New 52}}, ComicBook/{{Lobo}} gets dramatically reinvented. Since "Classic Lobo" had already appeared in ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'', it was explained that the existing character was a fake Lobo.

* Happened in the reboot ''Comicbook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' where a planet was being robbed by "Legionnaires". Which was actually a set of dummies dressed as Legionnaires in a remote-controlled ship....

* In the Comicbook/{{New 52}}, SelfDemonstrating/{{Lobo}} gets dramatically reinvented. Since "Classic Lobo" had already appeared in ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'', it was explained that the existing character was a fake Lobo.

* In ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'', while Matt Murdock is imprisoned, an impostor runs around Hell's Kitchen dressed in his suit, and was eventually revealed to be [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist Danny Rand]]]]. In the past, Spider-Man has also masqueraded as Daredevil [[IdentityImpersonator when Matt Murdock and Daredevil needed to be in the same place at the same time]].

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' :

Not to be confused with IdentityImpersonator, where the hero has one of his friends wear an identical outfit so that the hero can appear to be in two places at once (usually to help protect his SecretIdentity).

* ''Series/FBIMostWanted'': In "Caesar", after murdering her boyfriend Ty, Cleo Wilkens wears his distinctive gang jacket and a motorcycle helmet when carrying out a massacre of members of a rival gang to make it look like Ty was responsible.

** Not to mention the maniac hired to impersonate Daredevil in the ''[[Comicbook/DaredevilBornAgain Born Again]]'' storyline. Matt ends up [[Awesome/MarvelComics kicking his ass and stealing his costume before going to defeat Nuke]].

[[folder:Film]]

** The episode [[Recap/MiraculousLadybugS01E03Copycat "Copycat"]] has a villain whose [[StalkerWithACrush obsession with Ladybug]] leads him to impersonate Cat Noir in order to get close to her, forcing her to play SpotTheImpostor during the climax.
** The AlphaBitch Chloe is a {{fangirl}} of Ladybug who has her own cosplay costume. In the episode [[Recap/MiraculousLadybugS01E17Antibug "Antibug"]], she gets [[VillainPossessedBystander akumatized]] and turned into Ladybug's EvilCounterpart, except with the colors on her costume now reversed.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': At the end of "The Offer", [[spoiler: Ra's Al Ghul]] shows up in the Arrow's costume and kills the gang Oliver fought earlier in the episode, [[SpareAMessenger leaving one of them alive to spread the word]]. (At this point Oliver has a no-kill rule, so the news of a murder committed by the Arrow will publicly discredit him.)

* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': In season 3, Wilson Fisk dresses Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter up in a Daredevil costume and has him commit terrorist attacks in public to discredit the real Daredevil's reputation.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': At the end of "The Offer", [[spoiler: Ra's Al Ghul]] shows up in the Arrow's costume and kills the gang Oliver fought earlier in the episode, leaving one of them alive to spread the word. (At this point Oliver has a no-kill rule, so the news of a murder committed by the Arrow will publicly discredit him.)

* In ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'', while the real Daredevil was imprisoned, an impostor ran around Hell's Kitchen dressed in his suit, and was eventually revealed to be [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]]]]. In the past, Spider-Man has also masqueraded as Daredevil [[IdentityImpersonator when Matt Murdock and Daredevil needed to be in the same place at the same time]].

*** In that same story Daredevil also impersonated Bullseye to fight him.