Super-hero Day Jobs

[Phoenixx9]

Many X-Men are/were teachers.

[Lee Stone]

Many X-Men are/were teachers.

True, but often they're teachers in Xavier's school, which makes them more like trainers for other superheroes, keeping them in their bubble.

[j9ac9k]

The Question: Vic's job as tv reporter was the reason he even ran around in a mask in the first place. He needed something to hide his famous face while he was doing his investigating.

Dr Mid-Nite (Pieter Cross): He was used as a doctor almost more than he had been as a crime-fighter.

[Sutekh]

I remember the Bronze Age was full of heroes dealing with work life and social conflicts while fighting crime.
You'd see them in plain clothes almost as much as in costume.
And they also had a wider range of 'normal folk' supporting characters.

Seems that nowadays 'superheroing' is their job and they only socialize or have romantic interests with other superheroes (or villains).

This seems to be a big difference between team books and solo books. Batman and Superman, for instance, have a pretty fleshed out 'NPC gallery' of people like Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Perry White, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, etc.

Characters without significant solo runs, like Vixen or who usually only appear in team books, like Cyborg, not so much, and so their universe seems smaller.

I miss this over at Marvel as well, a constellation of people orbiting the 'hero' and making it seem more like they inhabit a living, breathing world, and not just a painted backdrop of passersby that will never be seen again (or matter at all, emotionally). No Mrs. Arboghasts, no Moira McTaggarts, no Willy Lumpkins, etc. If the non-super-people in our heroes lives aren't killed off, or just written out, they are turned into superheroes, like Jane Foster-as-Thor, or Lana-as-Superwoman, or 'Spider-Gwen.'

[Güicho]

These (some reestablished) would all work for me.
And I'm comfortable with the suspension of disbelief comic book pretense that wearing glasses, changing posture and mannerisms, is enough to make those unaware that one among them is a super being with a secret other life:

Clark Kent- Reporter, Daily Planet.
Bruce Wayne- Wealthy philanthropist, owner of Wayne Enterprises
Diana Prince - American Intelligence Officer (She's a global diplomat in her real persona) as a civilian she's in the belly of the beast.
Arthur Curry- Lighthouse Keeper / Marine Environmentalist, although it's become no secret who he is)
Barry Allen- Police Forensics Scientist, and full-time comic geek.
Hal Jordan- Ex Air-force pilot, Aerospace (experimental) Pilot at Ferris, and freelance pilot.
John Jones - Paranormal Detective
Carter & Shiera Hall- archaeologist (including ancient alien myth) and museum curators.
Jefferson Peirce- School Principle and Teacher.
Ray Palmer (and fellow Atoms)- professor and Physicists.
Ted Wildcat" " Grant- Ex Boxing champion.
John Stewart- Architect although he abandoned the mask, he shouldn't have left his job.
Kimiyo Hoshi- Astronomer.
Mari Jiwe McCabe - Fashion Model and adventurer.
Alan Scott- Engineer.
Jay Garrick- Scientist
Kent Nelson- Archeologist, occultist.
Billy Batson- Student (with Freddy Internet Superhero Info Bloggers)

[Restingvoice]

Dick - Police officer, museum curator, circus manager, bartender, personal trainer, taxi driver... I wish I can count the fashion model and go-go dancer one...

Kinda hard to keep a day job when the writers change every few months and kinda hard to portray a day job when every writer seems to like world ending crisis every few months.

[Killerbee911]

Superhero as job works better than heroes having a day job. It honestly doesn't make sense for Superman and Spiderman heroes who care so much for people to have a 9 to 5 job that they can't use their abilities to help people. How does Superman justify working a 9 to 5 with skills only he has and even if the excuse was he need money they are jobs which be better suited for his abilities. That said jobs are great way to build up cast and tell stories and it humanize a character but beyond the secret identity tropes not holding up as well. There is huge logic gap with heroes with extraordinary skills doing mundane jobs that don't help people Superman as EMT, Policeman,Solider or Fireman is infinite more useful that field than reporter. I can't picture heroes who in middle of battle save civilians going hey me taking picture or this story is more import than saving one person.

Civilian jobs should be more of rarity with active heroes in worlds has as much Super villain activity as Marvel or DC. I don't mind the outliers but if you wonder how superheroes get paid it would be same way police,Politicians or firemen get paid by government and organization like Justice League or Avengers can't operate without government authority anyway realistically the government wouldn't have a issue paying a professional group of superheroes to 24/7 doing but stop criminals. I could see smaller heroes not affiliated with group probably needing a part time job BUT you would have to think that crime would happen all over country(Superman is in Metropolis would you as villain move somewhere else?) so heroes would likely network together on big umbrella not only would it be good financially but professionally it means back up and extended resources.

The non government employed heroes that makes the most sense to me Flash and Jessica Jones both are in variation of crime stopping field. I guess independently well off heroes like scientist,actors, athlete not a fix schedule (Boxers,MMA) and businessmen work as well. Then I guess heroes who are self employed and their own boss or freelance for a bigger business make sense to me as well. Something with a boss and strict hours doesn't make much sense even in the jobs that help people when you think about it. Consistently missing hours from work regardless of how good of a worker you are will get you fired.

[Lee Stone]

I dunno...

Dinah Lance, florist, moonlighting as a crime-busting vigilante is far more interesting than policewoman Dinah Lance just swapping uniforms.

[Killerbee911]

I dunno...

Dinah Lance, florist, moonlighting as a crime-busting vigilante is far more interesting than policewoman Dinah Lance just swapping uniforms.

It is more interesting but it depends on your readership how much they question things about a story. I can believe Flash can run faster than sound because it is fiction but the justice league gets trapped alternate dimension for multiple days you can't convince me Flash still has a job. You miss one day without giving a excuse as why you where missing and didn't call you get fired. Some jobs really don't work even with suspension of disbelief

[Frontier]

Superhero as job works better than heroes having a day job. It honestly doesn't make sense for Superman and Spiderman heroes who care so much for people to have a 9 to 5 job that they can't use their abilities to help people. How does Superman justify working a 9 to 5 with skills only he has and even if the excuse was he need money they are jobs which be better suited for his abilities. That said jobs are great way to build up cast and tell stories and it humanize a character but beyond the secret identity tropes not holding up as well. There is huge logic gap with heroes with extraordinary skills doing mundane jobs that don't help people Superman as EMT, Policeman,Solider or Fireman is infinite more useful that field than reporter. I can't picture heroes who in middle of battle save civilians going hey me taking picture or this story is more import than saving one person.

I think Superman enjoys being a reporter, and sees in that job a way of helping people and learning about the world in a way he can't in a blue spandex costume.

It lets him bring to light social issues or people that he feels need to be heard or even bring down corruption in a way Superman can't through his powers.

[Lightning Rider]

I think the day job is an extension of the personality and in a lot of different characters' best work incorporates those elements. Barry is at his best as Flash when being creative with his knowledge of science. John Stewart is structured and methorical, Kyle is creative, Clark is investigative and sociable, etc.

Then you have someone like Wally West or Dick Grayson, who grew into superhero roles as full-time duties. That's a different dynamic unto tiself.

[Grim Ghost]

I think Superman enjoys being a reporter, and sees in that job a way of helping people and learning about the world in a way he can't in a blue spandex costume.

It lets him bring to light social issues or people that he feels need to be heard or even bring down corruption in a way Superman can't through his powers.

Exactly. Also it keeps him regularly dealing with normal people. If he was active at superspeed 24/7 saving people he might stop seeing them as people. Clark Kent knows what it's like to be stuck behind an obnoxious person in line, getting his order messed up at a restaurant, etc... This is a good thing. It makes him one of the people and not above them.

[Flash Gordon]

Those are more Marvel heroes than DC.

Eh, not really. Current Marvel barely has any characters that aren't employed by the military in some capacity.

Or, they're just rich.

[Flash Gordon]

The day job of a superhero doesnt even need to suit them, in the way being a journalist suits Superman, most people in 2019 dont have jobs that appeal to them at all. It's a paycheck in a bad economy.

The nonsense of the absurdly mundane job, mixed with the pivotal role a superhero plays in saving all of existence...that is your sweet spot. Doesnt work for every character, but I'd like to see it from time to time.

[byrd156]

Eh, not really. Current Marvel barely has any characters that aren't employed by the military in some capacity.

Or, they're just rich.

That's still work.