10 Superheroes With Regular Day Jobs | Screen Rant
When not fighting crime, many superheroes find that they need to work regular jobs in order to pay the bills. While some heroes have over-the-top occupations that match their exciting lives, others turn to more traditional work as an escape from the chaos of being a superhero.
Whether it is Scarlet Spider's turn as a barista or Daredevil's lengthy career as a lawyer, it seems that a wide variety of occupations are well represented in the comic book medium. In some cases, heroes use the skills they acquire in their careers to become better crime fighters.
Despite being a clone of Peter Parker, Ben Reilly was determined to make his own life and control his own fate that was separate from Spider-Man. Donning the moniker of the Scarlet Spider, Reilly naturally took to crime-fighting, even if he did it in his own way.
Unfortunately for Reilly, he soon learned that being a web-slinging wall-crawler doesn't put money in one's pocket, and thus he found a job. Starting as a customer at the Daily Grind who couldn't pay, Ben was allowed to work off his tab and impressed enough to earn himself a full-time gig. Though his career as a barista was short-lived, it showed his resourcefulness in being able to adapt to any situation.
Before he was rebooted in the New 52 universe, Guy Gardner had bounced from career to career in search of a job that brought out his better qualities. Before he was a member of the Green Lantern Corps, Gardner tried his hand as a social worker who dealt with formerly incarcerated individuals.
Attempting to come to grips with his own trauma-based anger issues, Gardner found that his career as a social worker wasn't meshing with his personality, and he moved on. While Gardner is typically characterized as an angry person who lashes out, his career pursuits show that his emotions are actually in line with the Green Lantern Corps.
While superheroes are sometimes thought of as vigilantes, occasionally they have a good relationship with law enforcement and can even have careers in the field. Barry Allen took over the mantle of The Flash, and despite being a speedster, he continued to work in his day job as a forensic scientist.
Debuting in the silver age of comics, the Barry Allen version of The Flash has changed significantly over the years, including his career, which has taken a backseat. However, when he was working, Barry would often use his closeness to law enforcement to get the jump on criminals who threatened Central City.
Being under the age of eighteen when his powers first manifested, Mark Grayson was caught between his burgeoning superhero career and his life as a student. Many students have a hard time balancing school and social life, and Mark had the added difficulty of being the hero Invincible while living in the shadow of his father.
One of the best parts of Invincible is how Mark's personal life becomes intertwined with his crime-fighting. Blending elements of teen drama with classic superhero action, the stories told in the comic contain an interesting emotional depth. Most of Mark's more difficult challenges come from his career as a student, despite the fact that he also fights super-powered villains.
Over the years, Wonder Woman has been seen as an empowering female figure in the comic book world. However, her position among other heroes wasn't always the most flattering, and in the early days, it was downright strange. Shortly after her debut, Wonder Woman joined the Justice Society of America and served as the group's secretary.
Despite being a powerful hero on the same level as her contemporaries, she was unfortunately shoehorned into the position because she was a woman, and she missed out on most of the missions. Fortunately for Wonder Woman, she took a larger role as the years went on, and she has become a full-fledged leader in the ranks of the Justice League.
Unlike her cousin Bruce Banner, Jennifer Walters received a much milder form of the Hulk affliction when he gave her an emergency blood transfusion. Because of this, she is able to control her powers more effectively and still balance her life as a superhero and as a lawyer as well.
She-Hulk is an exciting action comic with some immensely powerful villains, but it is also a parody of comics in many ways. Frequently breaking the fourth wall, Walters is never afraid to wink and nod at the audience on occasion. Her career as a lawyer is also a parody of classic comic book cliches because it gave its main character a seemingly boring day job to contrast with her life as a hero.
Savage Dragon is undoubtedly one of Image Comics' best series of all time, and its longevity is proof of its importance. Debuting as one of Image's first books in the early '90s, The Dragon still appears in monthly issues today, and he still balances his two careers as a cop and a superhero.
Unlike most other heroes with jobs, The Dragon's dual career paths are inextricably linked. Lacking a secret identity, The Dragon puts his superpowers to good use when he is on the beat. Oftentimes, he protects Chicago from an onslaught of "Super Freaks" along with other members of the force, whether they have powers or not.
Superman is an instantly recognizable figure in comics, and his secret identity as Clark Kent is just as beloved as his super alter-ego. Famous for being a mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet, Clark often utilizes his superpowers to get the scoop over other journalists.
Clark's position also helps him be at the scene of the crime without looking suspicious, and no one looks twice at Kent as he always happens to be wherever Superman is. Interestingly, Clark's talents as a reporter also serve him well in his crime-fighting, and his reporter's mind has helped him solve mysteries as Superman.
Aside from being a wall-crawler and web-slinger, Peter Parker is also known for his tremendous knack for photography, which has scored him frequent work at the Daily Bugle. By submitting the much sought-after pictures of Spider-Man, Parker found a way to line his pockets and also stay close to breaking news.
Though Parker has pursued a career as an educator and scientist as well, it is his time at the Bugle that is synonymous with his character. As well as being super-powered, Parker often showed that he was one of the most clever superheroes because he was able to monetize his crime-fighting.
Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil, showed that he was dedicated to protecting people not only through his crime-fighting but also in his occupation as well. Lawyer by day and death-defying hero by night, Murdock's cases usually tied into whatever villain he was fighting.
While most heroes often drift away from their occupations as their crime-fighting life takes over, Murdock's practice has always been an integral part of his character. Never afraid to show his tenacity in the courtroom, Murdock's life is dedicated to the protection of the innocent, and he has found more than one way to serve his community.