Paper-Thin Disguise/Web Original

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Examples of Paper-Thin Disguise in Web Original works include:

  • Terrence of Kate Modern is an unusual case. When he reinvents himself as bespectacled, cardigan-sporting religious nerd Terry, he is recognised almost immediately by the other characters. However, it somehow doesn't occur to them that quiet, harmless Terry might be the murderer. He later plays this trope straight as the straight-jacketed Patient # 12.
  • In Englishman, Englishman's Battle Butler (known only as Butler) also moonlights as a supervillain named The Butler. A deconstructed example in that it appears to play this trope straight (E'man never connects the two) but Butler never actually bothers with a disguise, rendering it PoMo.
  • Bubs' alter ego, ""The Thnikkaman", consists of him wearing sunshades and a piece of paper reading "TH" taped to his chest. And on a couple occasions he momentarily removes the shades. Only Homestar, The Ditz, ever sees through the disguise.
    • As part of the annual Strong Sad Lookalike Contest, the Cheat dresses up as Strong Sad's left foot by sitting in a paper bag that had an elephant foot crudely drawn on it. Nobody else's costume is particularly convincing either (except for Homsar, who was disqualified because Coach Z thought he actually was Strong Sad), but the Cheat has somehow won the contest three years in a row this way.
    • In the Peasant's Quest game, Rather Dashing disguises himself as a bale of hay to sneak past the Jhonka and get its riches. When a strong gust of wind blows the hay away, revealing Rather Dashing, the Jhonka suddenly notices his presence, and asks him if he's seen his riches.
    • Also applies to Strong Bad's attempt to use a stunt double in the Dangeresque trilogy. The stunt double in question is clearly Strong Sad, and the terrible editing does not help.
  • In Doctor Horribles Sing Along Blog, the titular character is not recognized by Penny, even though neither his "costume" or his "normal" clothes covers his face (he wears Goggles Do Nothing, but only on his forehead until the last scene).
    • Possibly Justified Trope in that Penny may or may not have heard of Dr. Horrible: she never mentions him; he's not a big time supervillain (yet), and the first time she sees him, she is under a lot of stress, but still ends up recognizing him.
    • Most people miss Billy in the back of the soup kitchen as he glowers at Captain Hammer and pours the soup back into the pot instead of into the bowl. The irony of it is his idea of disguise is wearing a fake mustache and an apron and not wearing his hoodie.
    • Paper-Thin Disguise is also subverted, as when Captain Hammer meets Billy, he instantly recognises him as Dr Horrible.
  • In A Very Potter Musical it's lampshaded multiple times:
    • Harry's Invisibility cloak, which barely covers the group's shoulders and yet it seems only Dumbledore knows they're there.
    • Dumbledore's (extra) beard when hiding from the Death Eaters searching for him.
    • And, of course, Quirrel and his magically sneezing turban.
  • Lampshaded in the Atop the Fourth Wall/The Spoony Experiment crossovers, where Linkara is always clueless as to who Dr. Insano really is, even when holding a picture of Spoony up to compare between.

Linkara: Oh wait! I know this one! You're That Chick With The Goggles!
Dr. Insano: But- but- I'm not freaking black!
Linkara: But you are a woman, eh?

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