- Joined
- Mar 14, 2021
It's a fairly standard thing in all media. Even the ones where Batman or others figures it out it tends to be because they've done other things besides look at the appearance of Clark Kent and Superman.
There is more to it than that usually. In those mediums that go into it there's details about how he stands differently, adjusts his cadence, favours looser attire as opposed to the skin tight costume etc.
For an even more dramatic example look at the Cybersix cartoon. The character disguises herself as a male for her secret identity
With the context of knowing they are the same character it's easy to tell. However if you're not the viewer it's a bit more understandable, especially for people who have not met them in and out of costume, to not realise the truth. Another part of it for Superman is that in contrast to Lois as a reporter Clark is very much a background character. She's Lois Lane, hard hitting investigative reporters asking brazen questions at press conferences. Clark's bumbling in the background and going unnoticed.
Heck, on the Luthor side in multiple mediums when something terrible happens and Clark's in his normal guise Luthor often ends up shoving him somewhere so he's out of danger. Not typically out of any sense of moral obligation but because he doesn't want the added distraction. And as mentioned above the idea that Superman would ever live a life as dull as Clark's is genuinely difficult for Lex to wrap his head around. Despite being a genius he is is biased by his own mentality and with Superman's powers Lex Luthor would not spend a second as Clark Kent.
