History Main / IntimidatingRevenueService

* In {{Wiseguy}}, (I think in the New York rag trade arc) Vinnie is unable to get the information he needed from one corrupt businessman. [=McPike=] then comes in and threatens the business owner, saying "I'm from the US Government, and the IRS eats guys like you for breakfast". They get the information very quickly.

* ''StrikeCommander''. The IRS uses military force to collect back taxes from {{Mega Corp}}s and the DividedStatesOfAmerica. One of your missions gives you the choice between a painful audit or helping them invade the secessionist state of Rhode Island, though there's a happy ending where you blow up [[AirForceOne IRS One]] with a missile.

* In Wiseguy, (I think in the New York rag trade arc) Vinnie is unable to get the information he needed from one corrupt businessman. McPike then comes in and threatens the business owner, saying "I'm from the US Government, and the IRS eats guys like you for breakfast". They get the information very quickly.

** Also Holly plays a prank on Lister saying that the Outland Revenue (the Inland Revenue RecycledInSpace) is coming after him for his "[[CompoundInterestTimeTravelGambit crimes against humanity]]".

** Also Holly plays a prank on Lister saying that the Outland Revenue (presumably the Inland Revenue RecycledInSpace) is coming after him for his "crimes against humanity" (the accumulated wealth of

->''"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."''
-->-- '''BenjaminFranklin''', ''Letter to Jea-Baptiste Leroy'', 1789

* In the New Testament of TheBible, particularly throughout the Gospels, certain professions are classified as sinful and worthy of hell simply by practicing them. What's the worst, vilest kind of sin-professional a person can possibly be? A prostitute? A pharisee? A torturer? No. A '''tax collector.'''

* In ''HarrysWar'', the IRS is the BigBad.

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->"I do not drink, Mr. Axe. [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome <clicks pen intimidatingly> I audit.]]"

* GaiaOnline's Ivan the Tax Man started out playing this trope straight, introducing [[RandomlyDrops Chance Items]] he'd repossessed from unusual entities, and threatening to repo the ShopKeeper NPCs' stores as part of the "Save Our Shops" event. However, he [[EnsembleDarkhorse became unexpectedly popular with the fans]], and has since become a more sympathetic character.

** The ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' story was based on a GoldenAge ''{{Batman}}'' comic book story (and is almost an exact adaptation).

* There was an old story about {{Superman}} (around the 60's) where the IRS notices that Superman hasn't paid taxes ever, so, long story short, the Man of Steel has to raise a billion dollars fast, or else he will be arrested. Or something (it's hard to tell, he is ''Superman'', for crying out loud).
** In case you're curious, Superman income comes from the rewards on the criminals he catches and the diamonds he makes when he crushes coal in his hands. He donates everything to charity though.
** The story ends with the taxman's superior saying that since Superman has dedicated his life to helping the population of Earth, he can literally claim ''billions'' of dependents and thus any tax obligations are then effectively canceled.
*** [[FridgeLogic Does that mean that no one can get the standard deduction that they only get if they aren't anyone's dependent any more?]]

* {{Foxtrot}} had Jason and Marcus wear IRS t-shirts for Halloween one year.

* GaiaOnline's Ivan the Tax Man started out playing this trope straight, introducing [[RandomlyDrops Chance Items]] he'd repossessed, and threatening to repo the ShopKeeper NPCs' stores as part of the "Save Our Shops" event. However, he [[EnsembleDarkhorse became unexpectedly popular with the fans]], and has since become a more sympathetic character.

* Infamously, when Al Capone was brought to justice, but was only convicted of tax evasion. However, that was because ''nothing else would stick'', since he had such good lawyers/intimidation that none of the more serious charges would stand up to court scrutiny. (He went to prison, got out after serving his time, and died of natural causes 7 years later.)

This is specially odd when said characters handle {{Eldritch Abomination}}s on a regular basis and are able to kill an army like it was nothing. Apparently, going to jail for tax evasion is a fate worse than death. On the plus side, they help the reader relate to the character (taxes are SeriousBusiness in RealLife) and can even make the villain more sympathetic, pitting them against the unfamothable might of... taxes. Even gangsters who get away daily with murder and robbery may fall into the clutches of the law, dead or alive, if they don't pay their income tax.

** Having to pay taxes is just one reason why many of the vampires are so unhappy with the vampire leadership forcing them to reveal themselves to the public.