Super-hero Day Jobs

[ironman2978]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Clark Kent works as a secret identity because it's a way for him to fight crime in a different way, while allowing him to be invested in humanity in a different way that allows him to go places and report things and help people that he simply couldn't do as a police officer or EMT (which is especially more important in an era of fake news and yellow journalism, that his invested in truth and justice without using his powers fighting crime the same way). He enjoys writing and jounalism, that is where his passion lies. It is more than just usually powers that defines him and writing allows him to show his skills. Yeah he can easily find a job that better utilizes his powers, but not allow him the same previleges as being a journalist does. Not to mention, even though he is frequently in Metropolis, he is also seen saving people around the world and galaxy as well.


That also is true for heroes like Barry, It makes sense for him being CSI/Police Forensic Scientist (since besides his mom's death, like the above post says he is at his best when he is creative at science and something is extremely gifted at, the speed just allows him to be even better at his job), as well as a full time comic geek/interested in Paranormal activity (I wish we could see more of that element in the comics, tv shows and movies tbh when he isn't fighting crime or solving mysteries). With characters like Clark Kent, Jefferson Peirce and Barry Allen, they are usually written with enjoying or having an interest in their job, or even working in their career before they even get their respective starts at superheroes, and so their identities doesn't have to or need to revolve around them being a superhero, not the other way around.They still find ways to help people, but not in the most obvious or direct ways. Now heroes like Bruce Wayne or Oliver Queen, his identity revolves around Batman, so he utilizes his identity to either help out his crime-fighting career (funding his equiptment, globe-trotting adventures, or setting up to help victims and reformed criminals he interact with as Batman and Green Arrow) as opposed to the other way around. Not to mention heroes with public identities (John Stewart, Zatanna, Guy Gardner). They are known for saving people and they don't need or want secret identities, even though they feel the pains of not having one from time to time, they still find ways of living their lives without letting not have a secret identity than not (John Stewart being an freelance architect, but also lives as a retired Marine sniper or Zatanna performing at shows or doing street magic to get by/she loves the performance aspect of it all).


But then you have heroes who in some way or another grew into the superhero business (Nightwing who grew up in the circus but always have shifting occupations depending on the writer and role, Wally West either goes between public identity or police mechanic if he is written as having a job, Dinah Lance either grew up in the superhero business or police/law enforcement family which influenced her mentality). Marvel shifted into a dynamic, especially around the 2000's with the Ultimate Marvel universe, Civil War and MCU, that it is more natural for the heroes to have public identity. DC seems to have more of a reasonable balance in my opinion when done right.

[ironman2978]

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 in 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 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)

These are all good choices and ideas. Wonder Woman seems like either a public superhero (Post Crisis) or has the most versatile job set( curator of antiquities at the Louvre Museum in Paris like DCEU or John Byrne's run or Secret Agent/Intellegence Agent) but can be all of those due to her long life as a hero/immortal, and Aquaman seems more full time king/superhero who act as a Marine Activist than he actually would do a 9-5 (I actually like the idea his dad being a Coast Guard Officer turned Lighthouse Keeper and influencing his mindset).

John Jones is another hero, I can see having a versatile job set since he is a shapeshifter(Grant Morrison depicted that amazingly well in JLA), but Paranormal Detective or Homicide Detective works for him. Oliver Queen can be a social activist as well as billionaire C.E.O. of Q-Core/Queen Industries. I can see Barry be a CSI/ (I wish we could see more of his interest in comics. Ray, I like him being a Physics Professor but I wish we saw more of him being a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist or an S.H.A.D.E.'s science advisor (like Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.), because he enjoys being a scientist and not being the face as opposed to being the face of a company like Arrow tried to depict him as.

[Flash Gordon]

That's still work.

Being rich isn't.

The problem with all of the Marvel superheroes being on the payroll of the defense department is that it's just uninteresting and not relatable. It works for some, like Cap or Carol Danvers...but it can't for everybody. I want diversity in all walks of life.

[ironman2978]

Being rich isn't.

The problem with all of the Marvel superheroes being on the payroll of the defense department is that it's just uninteresting and not relatable. It works for some, like Cap or Carol Danvers...but it can't for everybody. I want diversity in all walks of life.

I agree with this. Despite the idea that DC heroes are mythic, larger than life almost godlike heroes, they have done a better job in creating a more down to earth, identities in contrast to the bigger images their hero counterparts gave( Clark coming from the Heart of America moving to the big city to make a name for himself, Bruce being a multi billionaire C.E.O./Playboy, Aquaman having a public identity, Martian Manhunter having different identities exploring different walks of lives, Barry Allen being a Police scientist/officer, etc) instead of all one occupation and working for the government. That's interesting for Marvel and secret identities are debatable with certain heroes(Tony works better with everyone knowing he is Iron Man, instead of posing Shell Head as his body guard imo), but I think DC should keep that diverse backstories that makes it work.

[byrd156]

Being rich isn't.

The problem with all of the Marvel superheroes being on the payroll of the defense department is that it's just uninteresting and not relatable. It works for some, like Cap or Carol Danvers...but it can't for everybody. I want diversity in all walks of life.

I was talking about the military not being rich.

[DrNewGod]

I think he also makes some income as a freelance architect...when he's actually around Earth to do any architecture work .

Wasn't John originally only an architect? I don't remember The Marines being part of his back story (or at least, not a prominent part) until the Timm-verse JL toon came out.

[Frontier]

Wasn't John originally only an architect? I don't remember The Marines being part of his back story (or at least, not a prominent part) until the Timm-verse JL toon came out.

I think that's pretty much what happened.

He was an architect and they retconned him into being a Marine to tie-in to his cartoon depiction.

[married guy]

One thing Geoff Johns did with Wally West that I thought was a good idea that kinda fell by the wayside was having him being a police department mechanic.
It added another dimension to the character and created more story avenues as well.

[Lightning Rider]

One thing Geoff Johns did with Wally West that I thought was a good idea that kinda fell by the wayside was having him being a police department mechanic.
It added another dimension to the character and created more story avenues as well.

I don't mind Wally being a full-time Flash, but I did like that too. And the job suited his character and background.

[Dred]

One thing Geoff Johns did with Wally West that I thought was a good idea that kinda fell by the wayside was having him being a police department mechanic.
It added another dimension to the character and created more story avenues as well.

This is one of the very few times I've ever disagreed with you. The aftermath of Blitz was the worst part of Johns' run, especially Ignition. Wally was the very best example of a hero whose job it is to be a hero. So much so that he was arguably the only major public hero of his era. Waid even had a really good arc about Wally's relationship with the city as a public, supported hero that really emphasized the "hero of the people" thing that the Flashes always embodied.

The mechanic thing was weird to me, too. I don't think I ever, prior to ignition, saw Wally have any interest in cars because...he had super speed from 10 years old, why would you ever care about something like that? The only example I can remember is the flashmobile gag from the cartoon. Also the fact that, before Wally became The Flash and had given up the boots, he was going to college to pursue his secondary passion -- physics and science. I think Johns just preferred Wally to be less intelligent (QED: The Thinker arc). Different writers have different takes but that one left me head scratching.

[Killerbee911]

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.

Clark Kent works as a secret identity because it's a way for him to fight crime in a different way, while allowing him to be invested in humanity in a different way that allows him to go places and report things and help people that he simply couldn't do as a police officer or EMT (which is especially more important in an era of fake news and yellow journalism, that his invested in truth and justice without using his powers fighting crime the same way). He enjoys writing and jounalism, that is where his passion lies. It is more than just usually powers that defines him and writing allows him to show his skills. Yeah he can easily find a job that better utilizes his powers, but not allow him the same previleges as being a journalist does. Not to mention, even though he is frequently in Metropolis, he is also seen saving people around the world and galaxy as well.

That's the comic sell but it does not make any sense practical Lois can do that, Perry can do that, 100s of other reporters can do that. I understand Jobs make for better fiction no doubt. What you guys are trying to sell that somehow 8 hours of Clark writing stories in office is equivalent to him actually 8 hours actually saving people with skill set his powers enhance what he does beyond normal person at that position. Is Clark writing world changing stories everyday? No that is nature of beast every incarnation of superman I have seen has had him writing fluff pieces as well impactful stories. It is beautiful romanticizing Clark Kent impact as reporter but you have the world best neurosurgeon gifted with a skill only few people can doing a task that nurse can do and they are a lot of nurses. And Heroes are like that they skillset that other few people can do and most of them would understand that.

Fiction is about writing interesting stories and if everyone was same style of hero it would be boring but does not mean things should not go under the scrutiny of having to make sense Clark Kent as on the payroll reporter who has to show up at the job consistently does not make sense and the where is Clark? or Clark is missing from the office doesn't hold up. Sure it is interesting and fun fiction and allows him to have cast of people to interact but yeah you are expected to be some place and you go missing you get fired. Clark as freelance journalist makes a ton of sense but then you don't get as much office interaction the part which makes for the "interesting story" but it means he has the freedom to go missing long periods and still be reporter,still interact with the Daily Planet.

Simply put any job that requires a hero to be on time consistently with a Boss doesn't really hold up. Now while heroes working for the government makes sense I don't want every hero to be that and even in world where that was the main system for heroes they would still be heroes with other jobs. I don't think superheroes with regular day jobs shouldn't exist ,I think it should be the more rare thing in the genre.

[married guy]

This is one of the very few times I've ever disagreed with you. The aftermath of Blitz was the worst part of Johns' run, especially Ignition. Wally was the very best example of a hero whose job it is to be a hero. So much so that he was arguably the only major public hero of his era. Waid even had a really good arc about Wally's relationship with the city as a public, supported hero that really emphasized the "hero of the people" thing that the Flashes always embodied.

The mechanic thing was weird to me, too. I don't think I ever, prior to ignition, saw Wally have any interest in cars because...he had super speed from 10 years old, why would you ever care about something like that? The only example I can remember is the flashmobile gag from the cartoon. Also the fact that, before Wally became The Flash and had given up the boots, he was going to college to pursue his secondary passion -- physics and science. I think Johns just preferred Wally to be less intelligent (QED: The Thinker arc). Different writers have different takes but that one left me head scratching.

While I agree that the mechanic thing was out of left field, I did like it as it was a point of difference from Barry.