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9[[quoteright:350:[[Film/MysteryMen https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/captain_amazing_sponsor_shot.png]]]]
10[[caption-width-right:350:Captain Amazing just got a bid for his [[{{Pun}} ab-space]].]]
11
12->''"My nemesis is Captain Hammer. 'Captain Hammer: corporate TOOL!'"''
13-->-- '''Doctor Horrible''', ''WebVideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog''
14
15In many superhero works, the big, problematic question is usually [[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys "Where DOES he get all those wonderful toys?"]]. Superheroes have to pay the bills, after all, and [[HeroismWontPayTheBills superheroics isn't really that lucrative]]. So what's a superhero to do? Well, if you weren't lucky enough to [[Franchise/{{Batman}} inherit a large fortune and head a major corporation]], you can either [[StockSuperheroDayJobs find a day job]] or seek out sponsorship for your heroics! While some might turn to the government, others might want to head to the private sector for financing.
16
17Enter the Corporate-Sponsored Superhero! Captain BlandNameProduct is here to save the day, and tell you about all the great deals you can get [[HeroInsurance on insurance to cover the damage incurred by your rescue]]!
18
19Note that this applies only to heroes with explicit ties to their corporate sponsor. Characters who use funds from their corporation to secretly finance their heroism (Franchise/{{Batman}}, for example) do not count. Expect to see [[ProductPlacement corporate logos printed on tights]], [[CelebrityEndorsement advertising appearances]], and [[MerchandiseDriven rampant toy marketing]]. Also expect the heroes to develop serious qualms about the shilling they have to do, especially if they discover their sponsor in engaging in [[CorruptCorporateExecutive unethical or criminal activities]].
20
21Related to LawEnforcementInc and HeroesRUs. May overlap with PunchClockHero if they view heroics as nothing more than a 9-to-5 job to pay the bills. See also CelebritySuperhero.
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23-----
24!!Examples:
25
26[[foldercontrol]]
27
28%%[[folder:Advertising]]
29%%Belongs in ProductAsSuperhero* The product Mr Muscle has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TWAMQRBSNw bulging superhero as a mascot]] that combats stains and unsightly limescale in the bathroom. Mr Muscle's [[IronicNickname previous incarnation]] was that of a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epVlo7ci2Fo nerdy looking character]] who needed the product's strength to do the work for him; effective but presumably hard to use him outside of TV adverts.
30%%[[/folder]]
31
32[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
33* ''Manga/GodaigoDaigo'': In [[https://mobile.twitter.com/kounosuke0808/status/1264816262594482177 this story]], the titular hero is a giant-sized man whose job is fighting {{kaiju}} sized lizard aliens. It seems that in this universe, all heroes wear clothing or armor with the name of their sponsors (which helps pay for HeroInsurance). Daigo has fallen on hard times because he's getting little action and thus less sponsorship for him and his support staff.
34* ''Manga/MagilumiereCoLtd'': In addition to exterminating Kaii, the magical girls of the setting are each tied to their respective companies. When they aren't fighting monsters, they can be found making public promotional appearances and sponsoring their company's products. For instance, Miyakado sells makeup for magical girls that won't smudge or smear even when flying at 40 km/h.
35* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' also plays with this. Heroes are government sponsored and also have strict limitations on how they can use their powers, but they also have their image and use it to gain public popularity, which can increase their ranking and get them more work. Heroes work out of firms that function like independent businesses, jockeying for government contracts based on their specialization.
36* ''WebComic/OnePunchMan'' generally averts this trope, since the heroes are part of a government organization and therefore get a salary. However, there are still a few "heroes" who are only in it for the money, and will gladly try to tear down other heroes in order to raise their own standings (and paychecks). The closest to this trope is the number one A-Class hero Amai Mask, who spends much more time acting and producing pop music than he does actually fighting evil. [[spoiler:While he ''is'' genuinely a hero, he's also a KnightTemplar and {{Jerkass}} who believes MurderIsTheBestSolution when dealing with monsters, even ones that have surrendered, and he's secretly [[HunterOfHisOwnKind a monster himself]] that's slowly losing what little humanity he has left.]]
37* In ''Manga/{{Ratman}}'', pretty much every member of the Hero Society. As that's the only way the heroes can often afford the treatments for their abilities.
38* ''Manga/SpecialDutyCombatUnitShinesman'' features a corporate ''sentai team'', complete with business-themed weapons like business card launchers and tie clip bombs.
39* ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'':
40** All superheroes are sponsored by corporations, who seem to serve more of an entertainment and advertising function than actual fighting crime. All of the heroes featured on [=HeroTV=] are genuinely heroic, however, and are in the business at least in part because they want to help people. As such, it's a more idealistic take on the concept than one might expect. Worth noting is that in this case the products aren't {{Bland Name Product}}s but real ProductPlacement from the actual anime's sponsors like Pepsi, and Bandai.
41** Revelations later on in the show suggest that the entertainment aspect was part of a plot to reduce anti-NEXT (superpowered individuals) bigotry, which worked admirably. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, the guy masterminding it all jumped off the slippery slope, murdering people for technology and building up his own villain teams for the heroes to fight.]]
42[[/folder]]
43
44[[folder:Comic Books]]
45* ''ComicBook/AstroCity'':
46** Some of Honor Guard's members qualify, as the team has a stipend available (via N.R.-Gistics) for those who need financial support to offset their time being heroes.
47** Beautie is sponsored by Tip-Top Toys, the creators of the "Beautie" line of fashion dolls that she is modeled after.
48** Reflex 6 has corporate sponsors, and team benefits include a stipend, branding research, and a genre-savvy marketing department.
49** Jack-In-The-Box III (Roscoe James) technically counts, as he gets paid by his predecessor so he can earn his way through college without resorting to handouts.
50* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' is about a group of enhanced vigilantes that hunt down and kill corporate-sponsored superheroes who in this universe are hedonistic, immature, egocentric assholes who commit atrocities and suffer no consequences for them, this being the purpose of the formation of the titular team. It goes further: sometimes, the ''sponsors themselves'' will order the death of any super that becomes a liability and whose behavior begins to hurt the bottom line. [[spoiler:The G-men are a perfect example of this. Despite them being one of the most profitable teams working for [[MegaCorp Vought-American]], the defense contractor ordered them to be wiped out after leader and Professor X stand-in John Goldokin's M.O. of kidnapping and abusing runaway children to make them part of his group was endangering the company's business.]]
51* In Season 8 of ''ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', the slayers are being supported by donors, and the occasional bank robbery.
52* A character named "Captain Copyright" was created by Canada's Access Copyright agency to "educate" children about copyright law. The campaign was wildly denounced as corporate propaganda, and was cancelled soon after.
53* ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
54** In ''ComicBook/AquamanSwordOfAtlantis'', the Human Flying Fish is a villainous example where his uniform is decked out with Tri-Dent decals. It makes him look even sillier than normal.
55** ''ComicBook/{{Aztek}}'' was sponsored by [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor LexCorp]] so that they could have their own member on the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica.
56** ''ComicBook/BoosterGold'' has been this at different stages in his career. His stint as leader of the Conglomerate is probably most emblematic; every member of that team wore a jacket emblazoned with dozens of corporate logos and were featured in magazine and television ads for various companies.
57** Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' run has Sunburst, a Japanese superhero with his own reality show and tie-in {{manga}}.
58** [=LexCorp=] also sponsored one iteration of ''ComicBook/InfinityInc''.
59** ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueIncarnate'': The thought-projected Superman, Superdoom, was originally meant to be this, but when its [[CorruptCorporateExecutive "corporate owners"]] used it to [[OneNationUnderCopyright dominate its native parallel Earth]] with the clear objective to eliminate any and all competitors across the multiverse, a literal "killer franchise" was born.
60** ''ComicBook/{{The Outsiders|DCComics}}'': In ''ComicBook/Outsiders2003'', the team under ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}'s leadership accepts sponsorship from a multimedia company named Optitron. The team has some doubts about the potential issues that could arise, but the funding is too good to pass up. It turns out that hey had good reason to be suspicious about the offer: [[spoiler:they discover that Optitron is actually a shell company owned by Wayne Industries, of aforementioned ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' fame. Dick is pretty pissed that Bruce went behind his back like this]].
61** In ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'', the most recent user of the ComicBook/{{Guardian}} title is the Manhattan Guardian, who is sponsored by a newspaper that has bought the rights to the name and costume from Cadmus. A notable case in that the heroism is the primary reason why he's hired, rather than for advertising or public relations purposes.
62** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'':
63*** Within Diana's first day of arriving in the US back in the pages of ''ComicBook/SensationComics'', a man badgers her about becoming her sponsor. She turns him down at first and then plays along just long enough to expose the scam he's trying to run.
64*** Both {{deconstructed|Trope}} and {{reconstruct|ion}}ed in ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987''. One of Diana's most... ''distinctive'' supporting characters is Myndi Mayer, a brassy, loud-mouthed publicist who turns Wonder Woman into a celebrity and merchandising juggernaut shortly after her debut in Man's World. Diana is rarely ''directly'' involved in said merchandising or its proceeds, but she does (reluctantly) give Myndi's company exclusive rights to her superhero name and emblem. While her image takes a blow, the money also goes to support plenty of worthy causes, especially feminist ones, meaning that Diana achieves a lot more than she could've sans her help. Unfortunately, Myndi ends up dying from what is initially believed to be gunshots, only for it to be revealed that she overdosed because of her cocaine addiction. The entire thing is a painful wake-up call to Diana, who at the time is still pretty naïve to the world.
65* Capes, Inc., a group of B-list heroes, from ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}''.
66* ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' has media companies paying most of the LongLived but senile clients' bills in the OldSuperhero retirement homes in case their TV or movie franchises become profitable again.
67* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
68** The entire team from ''ComicBook/AllNewXFactor'' is sponsored by Serval Industries. It's implied that they recruited the former [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avenger]] Quicksilver to add a sense of legitimacy to the group.
69** ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'':
70*** In many incarnations, the Avengers are sponsored by millionare industrialist Tony Stark -- himself an example of this trope.
71*** A planned Marvel comic series would have featured the Avengers teaming up with a [[https://io9.gizmodo.com/heres-marvels-canceled-promo-comic-for-defense-contract-1819898744 superhero group run by real-life military contractor Northrup Grumman]]. The sheer backlash from readers outraged about promoting the military-industrial complex to children caused it to be canceled before it was even released.
72** In ''ComicBook/GreatLakesAvengers'', at least one of the ill-fated men to bear the superhero moniker of Grasshopper was sponsored by [[EvilInc Roxxon Oil]].
73** ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'': The Olympians have a front company called the Olympus Group that bails them out when they have problems with mortal authorities, which would thus technically make Hercules a corporate-sponsored hero.
74** ''ComicBook/IronMan'', when Tony Stark isn't filling the role. Jim Rhodes wore the armor for a while under the employ of Stark and a few of Stark's other employees have worn variations of the armor briefly. Part of Iron Man's SecretIdentity was that he was sponsored by Stark Enterprises as Tony's bodyguard. One back-up feature in a '90s annual was a news article about how many other companies were trying to FollowTheLeader with their own corporate-backed heroes; none of them were doing so well, though.
75** ''ComicBook/NewAvengers2015'' revolves around the A.I.M. corporation assembling and sponsoring their own team of Avengers.
76** ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
77*** {{Invoked|Trope}} and PlayedForLaughs in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #550. When the Blue Shield attempts to apprehend Spider-Man for the Initiative, Spidey's first quip is to ask how he can get a better deal on his health insurance premiums.[[note]]Blue Cross Blue Shield is the name of a major American health insurance company.[[/note]]
78*** Played straight during the title's ''ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel'' relaunch, which takes a cue from Iron Man and makes Spider-Man the "mascot" of Parker Industries.
79*** ''ComicBook/KingsRansom'': Desperate to make ends meet, Spider-Man agrees to work with Threats and Menaces to provide them POV coverage of his battles in exchange for income.
80*** Equally played straight in the ''ComicBook/SpiderManBeyond'' storyline, which sees the returned Ben Reiley Spider-Man as the "mascot" of the Beyond Corporation. Deconstructed too, as it soon becomes clear that at best being given assignments by [[EvilInc Beyond]] is keeping Ben from helping as much as he should and at worst he's an UnwittingPawn to their corporate schemes.
81** The Blur in ''ComicBook/SupremePower'' actually started as a corporate spokesman, seen in ads for everything from mp3 players to soda. After Nighthawk got him to start being heroic, he switched to a single sponsor -- Kyle Richmond/Nighthawk's own company.
82** One of the major hooks behind ''ComicBook/XStatix'' was the fact that the team of mutant media darlings were also inveterate corporate shills.
83* A-Pex in ''ComicBook/PowerAndGlory'', whose appearance of an all-American virtuous superhero is all manufactured by his government handlers.
84* In ''ComicBook/TheRedTen'', the Alliance is a corporate-backed {{expy}} of the Justice League. The plot is kicked off when [[spoiler:one of the members is murdered to cover up the dirty secrets she'd discovered and protect the corporation's image]].
85* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Possibly {{deconstructed|Trope}}; one of the side notes in the comic mentions one of the earlier heroes was a bank-sponsored hero named Dollar Bill, who had to wear a garish costume as one of the conditions of his sponsorship. Perhaps not so ironically, [[CapeSnag the cape was caught in a revolving door]], tripping him up long enough for a crook to shoot him dead as he tried to stop a bank heist.
86* ''ComicBook/WildCATsWildStorm'': The Wild C.A.T.s were sponsored by different companies and entrepreneurs in the past.
87* One of the hopefuls in ''ComicBook/{{Wildguard}}: Casting Call'' was Running Girl, a speedster who had her own shoe deal even before she debuted as a superhero. Currently, the deal's pending -- she didn't make Wildguard and the contract stipulates she be on a team. Human Shield mentioned being contacted by home security and plastic bag companies to act as a spokesman but didn't say whether he was actually going for it.
88[[/folder]]
89
90[[folder:Fan Works]]
91* ''Fanfic/AChampionInEarthBet'': In ''The Avatar's World'', [[MegaCorp Omnicorp]] sponsors the world's largest SuperTeam, the Omni-Force. While they've been accused of being nothing more than a massive PR stunt, they've still managed to garner a lot of good will.
92* Various stories of the ''Fanfic/CoreLine'' SharedUniverse focus on a superhero team called "The Champions", which are funded and geared by a MegaCorp called "Stingray Industries" (with The Champions being (on the books) a sub-division of its security teams focused on dealing with super humans). The short story "''Fanfic/CorelineATaleOfTwoMaris''" has the Commander of the Champions' Indianapolis Division discuss that two other superhero groups of the setting (the Avengers Infinity and the Justice League Unlimited) are also arguably "corporate-sponsored", being mostly funded and geared by fellow Mega-Corporations [[ComicBook/IronMan Stark Industries]] and [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Wayne Enterprises]] and having a history of dealing with issues with said sponsors (Avengers teams having done missions that (unknown to them at the time) were in the interest of Stark Industries and Justice League members having had to deal with Alternates of Bruce Wayne/Batman that went too far with their paranoia)... which, frankly, makes their looking down at The Champions because of their corporate roots a bit hypocritical, to say the least.
93* ''Fanfic/IncidentZero'': When the Hero Commission [[LetNoCrisisGoToWaste exploits All Might's death]] in order to strengthen their control over Pro Heroes, those who don't want to be directly under their control have few options. Aside from resorting to vigilantism or retirement, their best bet is to seek independent funding from other sources... such as corporations.
94* ''Fanfic/NymphAndTheCorruptedMiraculous'': Since Lady Nymph is remaining hidden, various toy companies approach her chosen champions offering them merchandising deals, as they want to create toys and tie-ins based off their Champion personas.
95* In the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12592223/1/The-Spider The Spider]]'', Glider a.k.a. [[spoiler:Harry Osborn]] is sponsored by his father Norman Osborn and is [=OsCorp=]'s own superhero of New York.
96* ''Fanfic/StuporHeroics'': Both Lori and Lynn are forced to do marketing as A-List Superheroes. Lori [[CelebrityIsOverrated is particularly frustrated by that part of the job]] especially when it prevents her from enjoying the cocoa she loves.
97* In ''Fanfic/ASupeOfAMan'', Vought forces Superman to participate in various sponsorships like their other superheroes. Superman isn't happy about this.
98* ''Fanfic/TwoLetters'': One of the first indications that there's something ''questionable'' about [[SketchySuccessor the new Ladybug]] is that her uniform has sponsorship logos plastered across it.
99[[/folder]]
100
101[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
102* In ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderverse'' Miles at one point attempted to be this when he endorsed a brand of baby powder. The blowback was bad enough that he had to apologize online.
103[[/folder]]
104
105[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
106* ''Film/BigManJapan'' has ads and logos tattooed all over him. At one point he's forced to let a monster free from his chokehold because the watching advertisers complaining he was covering up their ad!
107* Used partly on ''Film/{{Hancock}}''. Ray was a marketing executive, and in one of Hancock's visits to his house saw a logo Ray made as part of a charity campaign he was doing (with little success). [[spoiler:At the end of the movie, he makes a replica of it ''on the Moon'' so that everybody can see it.]] It was a good deed between friends rather than actual business, but you know that Ray would get a lot of business after that.
108* In ''Film/IronMan3'', James Rhodes/War Machine is given a [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead patriotic paint job]] and rechristened as "[[CaptainPatriotic Iron Patriot]]", which is said to have tested better in focus groups. WordOfGod is that the government specifically created Iron Patriot to cash in on the positive public perception of superheroes after the events of ''Film/TheAvengers2012''.
109* Captain Amazing from ''Film/MysteryMen'' (see page image) wears a costume emblazoned with sponsors' logos. The film's plot is kicked off when Captain Amazing is informed that, without a good arch-nemesis, he's no longer as popular as he was in his heyday, and many of his sponsors are considering backing out. This is why he decides to get Casanova Frankenstein released. [[GoneHorriblyWrong It doesn't go exactly as he planned]].
110* ''Franchise/RoboCop'' is a subversion on the superhero genre (much like ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' was) in that the hero defends the existing power structure, though he finally defies it in [[Film/RoboCop1987 the original film]]'s finale. [=RoboCop=] is actually a press stunt by [[MegaCorp Omni Consumer Products]]; the company, which [[PrivatelyOwnedSociety already owns everything in Detroit]], proposes a new [[SuperCop law enforcement robot]] in order to [[LawEnforcementInc get a foothold in law enforcement as well]].
111[[/folder]]
112
113[[folder:Literature]]
114* A variation in ''Literature/{{Corpies}}'', in which the titular term is a derogatory name for PEERS (Privately Employed Emergency Response Supers) used by actual licensed Heroes. Unlike Heroes, PEERS are employed by corporations and typically feature logos of their sponsors on their uniforms. They are also not allowed to engage supervillains (except in self-defense) and are limited to rescue and disaster recovery work. Some PEERS teams work with cops, while others employ Hero liaisons. A liaison's job is to use his or her experience to determine if an emergency is caused by a Super or a [[PowerIncontinence Powered]] and to either keep the team away or confront the Super/Powered, while the team focused on rescue work.
115* ''Literature/ThePerfectRun'': Dynamis sponsors Il Migliore, the official protectors of New Rome. Of course, Dynamis controls their image, their merchandising rights, and tells them who to fight. Despite this, it seems that most of them did indeed join for the chance to do the right thing. [[spoiler:In loops where Ryan exposes the company's crimes, the team leader and team manager are the first to defect, and most of the rest follow suit]].
116* Employed as a setting detail in ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', where corporate-backed heroes exist as an viable but relatively unpopular career path for [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual parahumans]] who don't want to join [[MutantDraftBoard The Protectorate]] or take the risk of going it alone as an independent vigilante. [[CrisisCrossover During Leviathan's attack on Brockton Bay,]] two rival corporate-sponsored teams turn up alongside the government-sponsored defenders, being [[SkewedPriorities very]] [[SlaveToPR careful]] to avoid being seen in each other's company despite the overwhelming danger of the situation.
117[[/folder]]
118
119[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
120* In keeping with the more adult themes of late-season ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', its spinoff ''{{Series/Angel}}'' was primarily concerned with how demon hunters cope with no parents or outside support structure (like the Watchers) to help them. As it turns out, not so much: the gang opened their own for-profit agency (with Angel dragging his heels on the whole 'invoice' thing), gradually upgrading their pokey office, and finally were co-opted by a vast, morally neutral corporation. A number of old acquaintances -- [[BrokenPedestal Cordelia]], [[JerkassHasAPoint Spike]], [[VillainHasAPoint Lindsey]] and even ''[[DumbassHasAPoint Andrew]]'' -- pop up to deliver stinging rebukes about how Angel and co. are just glorified paper pushers.
121* Just like in the comics, in ''Series/{{The Boys|2019}}'', the SuperTeam known as "the Seven" (plus a number of other Supes) are employed by Vought Industries. The Seven's HQ is at the same building as the Vought HQ. Vought has a sophisticated analytical division that predicts and locates high-profile crimes for the Seven to make an appearance (hopefully with cameras standing by). The Seven are required to wear costumes designed by Vought and to promote Vought-approved viewpoints depending on the demographics Vought targets. Most of the Seven are [[SlaveToPR more concerned with their popularity]] (most notably on {{social media|Is Bad}}) and merchandising sales than with crime-fighting.
122* ''{{Series/Dinosaurs}}'': Earl Sinclair once gained superpowers and named his alter ego "Captain Impressive". Once Mr. Richfield found out, he invoked a clause in the work contract requiring him to use his powers in service of Wesayso Corporation. Earl became spokesperson for the company.
123* Out of all the heroes in ''Series/{{Dogengers}}'', Yamashiron is the more obvious example of this, who represents Yamashiro Gas Co. Ltd from Saga Prefecture. Same goes for Ohgaman, Ohga Pharmacy's company hero. The second season ''Nice Buddy'' followed that up with Great-Z/[[spoiler:Great-2]] representing Pizza Cooc, and the third season ''High School'' protagonist MAKO representing FUKUYA Mentaiko.
124* ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'' drives the hero's core premise by tying authorization to use the Zero-One Driver to also being the CEO of the company that made it, forcing the protagonist to take the executive job if he wants to also help people as a superhero. Or just "being the CEO", rather: it's eventually revealed that [[ExactWords being the CEO of any company]] will do. ArcVillain Kamen Rider Thouser is sponsored by rival company ZAIA Enterprise, and unlike the more humble Zero-One, he wastes ''no'' opportunity to promote ZAIA's brand as part of his EngineeredHeroics, up to the point that his finishers plaster the screen with copyright information.
125* The ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'' were brought together and equipped by Andrew Hartford, head of Hartford Industries. Though the Rangers have little to do with his business ventures - Andrew's an AdventurerArchaeologist on the side and needs Rangers to help deal with a mess of trouble he stirred up on one of his treasure hunts.
126%%Belongs in ProductAsSuperhero* Commander Cash from ''Series/RoboCopTheSeries''.
127* The aborted ''[[Series/WonderWoman2011Pilot Wonder Woman]]'' 2011 reimagined the heroine as a sort of Superman/Batman hybrid; juggling her duties as CEO of Themyscira Industries with a lonely single life. The company funds its crime-fighting activities by shilling [[TheMerch merch]], including a busty Wonder Woman figurine (which Diana objects to). This idea was revived in ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'' in which Themyscira becomes a tacky holiday resort.
128[[/folder]]
129
130[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
131* In ''TabletopGame/HcSvntDracones'' Pulse, the media, sports, and BioAugmentation MegaCorp; funds agents known as Beacons who have some sort of show or sport or other spectator event, and then spend their downtime fighting crime or something. They're supposed to inspire the populace (and encourage future Pulse athletes) and make the corporation look good. Though it's also possible Pulse funds villains to give them someone to fight.
132* ''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'' has this to a degree in the World of Freedom setting. Not only are there companies and heroes that do go this route, but the country of France actually requires heroes to have a sponsor. The reason France does so is that the sponsor is liable for any damage the superhero causes. As such while it's easy to get government sponsorship, corporations are more hesitant unless the hero in question isn't likely to cause any serious collateral damage they need to worry about. "Free agent" supers in France are considered illegal vigilantes. Naturally they don't try and enforce this law on any visiting foreign heroes, but they are strongly encouraged to leave matters happening in France to French heroes.
133* Benchmark in ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'' had his cybernetic augmentation sponsored by Revocorp. Since Revocorp are bad guys, they naturally put in an override to have him do their bidding rather than what he actually wanted to do. In his personal arc, he eventually broke away from Revocorp and became more heroic.
134* ''Venture City Stories'' is a semi-cyberpunk setting for the FATE system, where megacorps have figured out how to give people superpowers. The only legal superheroes are those sanctioned by their corporation to create good PR. While they are used against genuine criminals, their corporation's interest always comes first.
135[[/folder]]
136
137[[folder:Video Games]]
138* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has Hana Song -- better known as her handle/callsign "D.Va" -- who's a play on this along with PropagandaHero. She was conscripted into [[RealRobotGenre an elite force of mecha pilots]] based on [[IKnowMortalKombat skills she cultivated through professional gaming]], and she's decked out with immense personal branding and sponsorship deals. She is explicitly backed by the Korean military, but based on the haphazard nature of her conscription (Korea was under attack by ever-evolving omnic hordes and couldn't afford to be picky), it seems they took advantage of her celebrity background to retain the support of corporate sponsors for financial and publicity purposes.
139[[/folder]]
140
141[[folder:Web Comics]]
142* Explored in ''Webcomic/EvilPlan'' where the US government runs on a "hero economy" that sells merchandise and licensing of the heroes. In Chapter 17 after Amazingman is paralyzed he is taken in and given a cybernetic spine which he is charged crippling debt levels to repay and told that he must work off his debt within The Company by promoting his brand and selling his hero status for the profit of The Company.
143* Endorsement deals are an expected part of the job for any popular superhero in ''Webcomic/HeroineChic''. Protagonist Zoe brings up the point that teen hero Spinner wouldn't have as much success with advertisers as her mother, the retired hero Avalanche. If Avalanche were to return to superhero-ing, she could use the "working mother" angle to land lucrative advertising deals with car manufacturers, detergent makers, and cosmetic companies. (All this is fine with Spinner, who never showed enthusiasm for super heroics in the first place, and Avalanche, who is implied to have pushed her daughter to take up the family business to generate ad revenue.)
144* {{Downplayed}} in ''WebComic/SleeplessDomain''. Magical Girls are considered celebrities InUniverse, complete with managers, advertising deals, and merchandise. Sylvia of Team Alchemical is always focusing on ways to make more money, Team Forte doubles as a band, and BattleCouple Team Melty have a deal with an appliances company.
145* Most of the heroes in the ''Webcomic/{{Zodiac|2011}}'' universe are this. The eponymous team is sponsored by the New Dawn corporation.
146[[/folder]]
147
148[[folder:Web Original]]
149* Number 4 in ''[[Website/{{Cracked}} Cracked's]]'' photoplasty contest on how [[https://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_2595_the-dumbest-pettiest-ways-super-powerful-characters-would-abuse-their-powers/ fictional characters could abuse their powers]] shows the ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''' Megazord covered in advertisements.
150[[/folder]]
151
152[[folder:Web Videos]]
153* ''WebVideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'' has "Captain Hammer, corporate TOOL!" - though it's not entirely clear whether that means he's actually sponsored by corporations or just that Billy sees him as upholding a status quo that benefits corporations.
154[[/folder]]
155
156[[folder:Western Animation]]
157* In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'', Gizmoduck is temporarily owned by the company Waddle in his second public appearance.
158** Fenton 'technically' still counts as this, since the Gizmo Armor is a product of Mcduck Enterprises. Though for his part, Scrooge treats Gizmoduck like a free service for Duckburg and doesn't make him do any corporate work beyond teaming up with him against his enemies once in a while.
159* Duffman, the corporate mascot for ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' Duff beer. His utility belt holds six cans of beer.
160* The Flash does this in the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "[[Recap/JusticeLeagueS2E13And14Eclipsed Eclipsed]]", but Green Lantern scolds him upon hearing about it. After the episode, it is made an official part of the Justice League charter that members do not do this ... so they get the intern to do it.
161-->''"Morbo says new job at Justice League is tireless job for tired old worker. Try ''[Insert Product Name Here]. [Insert Slogan Here]''."''
162* Powdered Toast Man from ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy''.
163* The Flex Fighters in ''WesternAnimation/StretchArmstrongAndTheFlexFighters'' are funded and sponsored by Rook Unlimited, a powerful company that owns most of Charter City. The organization uses its influence in the media to boost the reputation of the heroes. [[spoiler: The Flex Fighters discover the company's owner, Jonathan Rook, was using them and the villains they fought for human experimentation and profit, with Rook trying to kill them once they became a liability. Once he fails at this, he then uses his company to turn the city against the heroes by painting them as violent criminals]].
164[[/folder]]
165
166[[folder:Real Life]]
167* As we see here on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_hero_%28Japan%29 the other Wiki]], this is fairly common with Japanese "Local Heroes". Many of them are actually the mascot of a corporation.
168* Corporate superhero mascots exist in many countries, but are usually limited to comics, if not just billboards.
169[[/folder]]

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