History Main / WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks

-->-- '''Sarda''', ''WebComic/8BitTheater''

-->-- Sarda, 8-Bit Theater

* In ''WearingTheCape'' even the superheroes are working for big paychecks, and the more successful ones are idolized, with their own merchandise lines, fan-clubs, even TV shows fictionalizing their adventures. This doesn't mean they're ''all'' in it for the perks--just that a superhero career can be financially remunerative. The trope name is also used as an epigram for a chapter, along with the original.

-> ''With great power there must also come... a hot date and the accolades from your peers.''
-->-- Linkara of WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall fame, talking about how [[ComicBook/TheFlash Jay Garrick]] started out using his powers.

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast''Quicksilver uses his super-speed for [[TimeFreezeTrollingSpree shits, giggles]], and petty larceny.

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'':
** Quicksilver uses his super-speed for [[TimeFreezeTrollingSpree shits, giggles]], and petty larceny.
** Magneto uses his powers to stitch a gash to the back of his head hands-free while he watches film footage.

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', Quicksilver uses his super-speed for [[TimeFreezeTrollingSpree shits, giggles]], and petty larceny.

-->-- Linkara of WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall fame, talking about [[ComicBook/TheFlash Jay Garrick]] and how he started out using his powers.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Aberrant}}'', this is essentially what ''every'' nova does with their newfound powers. Granted, there are a few who use their powers in the classical superhero way, but even then they only do it for the fame or the money. Justified, as ''Aberrant'' is more or less a deconstruction of the superhero genre.

* Merlin in ''{{Series/Merlin}}'' uses his magic to do his chores in several episodes. He also uses it to humiliate Arthur in a marketplace duel in the pilot, only losing because he spotted his disapproving mentor in the crowd.
* When Anya becomes a vengeance demon (again) in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' she makes extensive use of her teleporting powers for everyday use. It does come back to bite her in the ass when she is punished by having her powers restricted to vengeance-only purposes and she finds that she is really out of shape.

* Episode 7 of the first season in ''Series/TheFlash2014'' shows us Barry using his SuperSpeed to "solve ordinary problems, ordinary tasks", including stripping an unlucky mugger down to his underwear and bringing a cop to get him arrested. It's a downplayed example, since as Wells-Thawne puts it, "his penchant for heroics persists".
* Series/Smallville would regularly feature Clark cleaning the house with his powers.
* Series/TheNewAdventuresOfLoisAndClark, which pre-dated Smallville would almost always open up with Clark using his powers to acomplish some mundane task using his powers.

* ''Podcast/PlumbingTheDeathStar'': One of the suggestions in "Who's the Best Disney Business Princess?" is to have Elsa use her ice magic to run an ice cream shop. She can not only make the ice cream herself, but she can also create ice {{Golem}}s to serve the ice cream without having to give to waste money on wages.

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', Quicksilver uses his super-speed for shits, giggles, and petty larceny.
** In the very first film, Wolverine used his claws to flip Cyclops the Bird.

* ''Franchise/TheFlash'': There's a story where a man asks him if he ever realized something like 90% of superpowered individuals became villains instead of heroes, then corrects him that it isn't the case. Most are like this, simply living their lives out of the spotlight. Flash realizes that this actually makes a lot of sense.

** In a ''WhatIf'' storyline, Spider-Man becomes a celebrity and superstar when he decides that catching the robber (who would otherwise kill uncle Ben) is a good PR move, and ends up as a successful manager for supercelebrities wanting to jump the same bandwagon. Although this initially ends up benefitting several superpeople (the X-Men are no longer feared or hated), they suffer when serious threats show up, since the "heroes" don't have the training to stand up to them. Spider-Man in this timeline does [[InSpiteOfANail ultimately]] become a hero after ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} sacrifices his own life to save him.

-> "With great power there must also come... {{Beat}} ... a hot date and the accolades from your peers."

** Peter Parker, at first. It was only after a thief he could have stopped killed his uncle that he [[TropeNamer named]] [[ComesGreatResponsibility the opposite trope]] and became Spider-Man.

* In Film/DoctorStrange, Strange masters the art of opening teleportation portals by stealing books from the library and uses his astral projection to read said books while his physical body sleeps.

If there are other characters that have chosen to become heroes or villains, they (more often than not) will tell this character that they are either [[YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood selfish or wasting their potential]].

** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-529 SCP-529 - Josie the Half-Cat.]] Not a MixAndMatchCritter, but [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe literally the front half of a cat.]]

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', this is Kyoko's attitude after becoming a MagicalGirl. Though initially an idealist like Madoka and Sayaka, after her religious family learns about her magic and turns on her, she decided to only use her powers for her own benefit.

[[caption-width-right:338:Using [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]] for truth and justice? [[TheFashionista Try fashion]]! [[note]]Admittedly, how else do you expect a horse to sew?[[/note]] ]]

* Wiki/SCPFoundation houses supernatual anomalies (called [=SCPs=]), alive or otherwise, from the rest of humanity. A great deal of the time, they do not fit into this trope at all, but have been known to have [[BunnyEarsLawyer very eccentric people in positions of authority.]] (See [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/the-things-dr-bright-is-not-allowed-to-do-at-the-foundation The Things Dr Bright Is Not Allowed To Do At The Foundation]]) They also, to a more straight version of this trope, have kept a few supernatural enities [[MundaneUtility as company pets and tools.]] The [=SCPs=] that have free range of the facility (but NOT MightAsWellNotBeInPrisonAtAll) are:

* ''Podcast/PlumbingTheDeathStar'': One of the suggestions in "Who's the Best Disney Business Princess?" is to have Elsa uses her ice magic to run an ice cream shop. She can not only make the ice cream herself, but she can also create ice {{Golem}}s to serve the ice cream without having to give to waste money on wages.

* Likewise, in the ''Paragons'' setting for ''MutantsAndMasterminds'', you'll get just as many heroes who use their powers for personal fun times as do for altruistic aims. One sample NPC is Gourmand, who has the ability to teleport anywhere on Earth... and uses it to visit her favorite out-of-the-way restaurants across the globe (the fact that she has Immunities to gastric distress and weight gain help).