Why is Superman unrecognizable as Clark Kent when he only wears a glasses for disguise?

Answer 1

Dude, its a comic book.

Answer 2

Superman uses far more than glasses for his disguise. He uses acting lessons and disguises his voice as Clark Kent. He slouches his whole body and his face is kept in the shadows.

Also, Superman's whole costume is a mask! If you EVER saw a man fly out of the sky, take bullets to the chest, and bend the shooter's guns, you'd be too amazed to look at his face. All you'd see would be the big red \S/ on his chest and his long flowing cape.

That's why Superman wears such bright colors all over his body. They help distract attention from his face!

Also, glasses DO work, along with the uniform! I've worn glasses most of my life, except for a few years about 20 years ago, when I wore contacts. I'd have people do a DOUBLE-TAKE when they saw me in street clothes, instead of a set of hospital scrubs I once wore.

People don't ever EXPECT to see Clark Kent wearing a Superman costume, so they don't see Clark Kent, even when Superman is right in front of them.

Answer 3

Someone else had this same question posted, but I missed answering that one. There was a great answer that Superman writer Jeph Loeb gave for this. . . Maybe it was John Byrne, but at any rate. . . The reason the disguise works is twofold. In the first place, people don't even think Superman has a secret identity. He doesn't wear a mask, so the people just assume that he's Superman 24/7. Secondly, even if people do notice the uncanny resemblance between Superman and Clark Kent, they just assume that he looks like him. I mean, suppose George W. Bush walked into McDonald's by himself and ordered a Big Mac. . . Any people in the restaurant would most likely think, "hey, that guy looks just like Bush," and not immediately think that the President just came in for a burger. I think this makes a lot more sense than Kal-El's amazing acting ability in his Kent disguise.

Answer 4

Superman is reconized as someone that is not afraid of anything and doesn't hold back. When Clark Kent is shy and afraid of any thing that has to do with fighting. It would be pretty hard to reconize him as superman at the way he acts. And even if they look alike, alot of people would not say "Hey do you know Clark Kent is Superman". And if some people think that, alot of people are not going to believe them because of the different ways Clark and Superman act.

Answer 5

Wow, this was just on the main page and the best answer was wrong so I'm glad you asked.

1. When Clark is dressed as Superman he vibrates at super speed to prevent people and cameras from getting a clear picture of him.

2. Clark changes his mannerisms between his two identities. Superman is bold, stands up straight and inspires with his presence. Clark is meek and slouches. Hardly inspiring.

3. Most importantly: Suspension of disbelief. It's the same reason we can believe he flies and shoots lasers out of his eyes.

Answer 6

It is more than just the glasses. He changes his hair, his body language, mannerisms, posture, voice, attitude all are different. When in "Clark mode" is it almost as if he actually WAS a differnt person. And as long as he continues to "ACT" like Clark, no one would even notice the resemblance between him and Superman. It is the same way an actor like Lon Chaney Sr. could go from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde with out any real makeup, just the change in movement, facial expression and the like. Very convincing, but nothing more than his own skill to make the change.

Answer 7

I wondered the same thing when I watched the WB cartoon version. But in the movies--at least the ones I've seen--Clark Kent acts like a nerd. He is a nerd. His glasses are only part of it. Superman is a macho, manly hero, despite the fact that he wears tights. Kent is awkward. I've never seen the slumping thing, though.

Answer 8

In our society nobody would ever think of a character like Clark Kent to be the real Superman.
Everyone thinks that a superhero should be this strong deep voice with large muscles that is confident and does not hide themselfs.

Answer 9

Clark Kent : a geek reporter working for the daily planet with weakness in eyesight, slopiness, & unorganisble in every meaning of the word, insanely in love with Lois Lane since decades ago & yet didn't even have the gutts to confess his love to her, originally from Smallville, his father Jonathen Kent was an old hardworking farmer & his mother Martha Kent a normal housewive.
Clark Kent never got to play football in high school, didn't get a well deserved reputation but only a farmer's adopted son, did'nt have many friends excluding: Chloe Sullivan & Lana Lang from Smallville & Lois Lane & Jimmy from Metropolis.
On the other hand,
Superman: the world's finest, the man of steel, son of jorel, the kryptonian, etc...
A man known to support the virtues of all that is good & stop at nothing to prevent evil, the man who gives all with nothing in return, whenever there's trouble he flies to save the day.
well built, handsome, & mild mannered, why shoudn't Lois Lane be crazy about him, for god sake why shoudn't any woman be crazy about him.
I mean is that you can give yourself the benefit of a doubt or get confused maybe, but you want to tell the citizens of metropolis that Superman is Clark kent, woo, i wouldn't like to be on your shoes, & another woo if they asked for a proof.
Believe me it's so confusing.

Answer 10

I think that should be a question for the writers of Superman to address. When the fans have to justify or rationalize or explain simple events, it is not a well developed story. They have shown no reason why an entire building full of investigative reporters could not figure this out. It is not up to the fan, it is up to the writer to provide explainations.

Answer 11

Because Superman is written by the same secret society that write other nonsensical arbitrary fiction such as Star Trek techno-babble, 24, pretty much any news that we see on television and just about anything that we are taught to believe.

In other words, he can't be recognized because 1) the writers say so and 2) people believe what they're told, especially when nothing that's real is involved.

Up with non-factual realism!! Word to your mother!! Now accepting competitor's coupons!!