superhero jobs
We’ve all seen our favorite superheroes in action, dressing up and fighting crime in style. We recognize them by their emblems and their badass personas. But little do we know that these superheroes also have day jobs. After all, being a hero doesn’t really pay rent. Today we’re going to look beyond the glitz and glamor of being a hero and take a look at who they are when they’re not wearing their costumes. You will be very amazed when you hear about some of the jobs they do.
1. Actor
What if the madness of being a hero wasn’t enough? What if you also needed the extra glamor of being a Hollywood star? Well, we know what life would be like then. Simon Williams otherwise known as amazing man is one of those heroes who also had a decently successful acting career. Wonder Man starts out as a struggling performer like everyone else, taking on small roles for the big screen. That was until Hercules used his connections with Hollywood insiders and established Wonder Man’s career. He ended up starring in Tony Stark, Arkon, Haxan 2, Oh, Rebecca, Dead Before Arrival and Toxic Janitor 2.
2. Cook
The Netflix series Daredevil cemented Matt Murdock as a lawyer, but what fans of the show don’t know is that he was once a cook. During Daredevil: Born Again, Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin discovered that Daredevil’s identity was Matt Murdock and systematically ruined his life. From being disbarred, to losing his bank account and assets, to running away from Kingpin’s henchmen, Matt Murdock had nothing. He had to find a different, more discreet job that would allow him to support himself. It was then that he became a restaurant chef. After all, with his heightened senses, none of us are really surprised.
3. Psychiatrist
It would be pretty unrealistic not to have a psychiatrist in the Marvel Universe. The dead around them and the pressure to save each person must take a heavy toll. Then there is the guilt that follows. Additionally, they also have to deal with the loss of their close friends and colleagues who also save the world. One such superhero who is also a psychiatrist is Doc Samson. He holds an MD and a Ph.D. He became a superhero due to exposure to gamma rays.
4. Wrestler
Ben Grimm aka The Thing, the muscle of the Fantastic Four, wasn’t just a test pilot and astronaut. He also had a side hustle as a wrestler after taking on his huge, orange, mutant form. He worked as a super strong wrestler for the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. He won the title of greatest wrestler of all time and even defeated Gavin “Gator” Grant who, as his name suggests, turned into an alligator.
5.Barista
Benjamin Reilly aka Scarlet Spider was a genetic clone of Peter Parker. After Peter traded his life as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man for something calmer, Ben took over the role. During his time as the blond Spider-Man, Ben worked as a barista at a cafe called the Daily Grind, owned by Shirley Washington. With his Spidey reflexes, I’m sure he does a great job.
6. Acrobatic cyclist
I’m sure you already know who we’re talking about. Johnny Blaze aka Ghost Rider was a stuntman before becoming a skeleton with a fiery head. Both equally cool professions if you ask me. After losing his father in a stunt accident and being adopted by Crash and Mona Simpson, he joined the Simpsons’ traveling stunt show. Johnny eventually traded his soul for Crash’s life, to cure his cancer.
7. DJs
We all know Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, the mutant who blasts destructive laser beams from his eyes. We mostly know about his history as the leader of the X-Men, his rivalry with Wolverine, and his iconic romance with Jean Grey. He is a brave and selfless mutant who takes his job very seriously and is a reserved, introverted character. So you can only imagine how surprised I was when I learned that he was a DJ for a short time. When the FBI broke up the X-Men, they were all forced into day jobs. Curiously, Cyclope, the no nonsense guy became a DJ, contrary to what was expected.
8. Acrobat
Son of Mystique and Azazel, Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler had a difficult childhood. Abandoned by both of his biological parents, he was raised by a witch and had two adoptive siblings. He worked as a trapeze artist in Herr Getmann’s Traveling Menagerie, a circus of so-called freaks that traveled Europe performing in front of crowds. The evil-looking blue monster fits right in. However, don’t be fooled by its yellow eyes and pointy tail. In fact, he’s one of the kindest and gentlest souls in the X-Men universe.
9. Taxi Driver
A taxi driver has his ears on the street, picking up chatter from everywhere. It’s the perfect undercover job when you need to have connections in the underworld. A taxi driver can go unnoticed while picking up conversations. I’m sure we’ve all let our guard down and chatted on many cab rides. Jake Lockley, one of Moon Knight’s alter egos, has the same idea.
10. Photographer
We’re no strangers to Spider-Man and who better to round out the roster. Peter Parker worked as a photographer for The Daily Bugle for several years. Its leader, J Jonah Jameson, had left to persecute the masked “menace” that roamed the streets of Queens. Thus, Peter Parker fueled his mission by providing him with photos of Spider-Man in action.
This pretty much complements the interesting day jobs that some of the superheroes have. There are the obvious ones like scientist, physicist (Bruce Banner), lawyer (Matt Murdock, She-Hulk), mercenary (Deadpool, The Punisher), private detective (Jessica Jones), spy (Natasha Romanoff), journalist (Venom), professor (Professor X) and many others. Some of them live very colorful lives even without their costumes, while others keep a low profile and live in the shadows. Someone you know could also be a superhero in disguise!
