| 1 | ->''Where does Chicago get all that meat?\ |
| 2 | How does Venezuela get all their heat?\ |
| 3 | And where does Adidas find all their feet?\ |
| 4 | You'd like to know the answers now, well, wouldn't you boys?\ |
| 5 | So tell me, where does he get all those wonderful toys?'' |
| 6 | -->-- '''The Joker''', ''Theatre/BatmanTheMusical'' |
| 7 | |
| 8 | Not every SuperHero or action hero has an ElaborateUndergroundBase or BigFancyHouse; some of them don't seem to even have an apartment. But for those who have a multi-million dollar headquarters or mansion filled with high-tech gear, a garage full of {{Cool Car}}s, and a closet filled with custom-made suits, there is a compulsion to ask, "Where did all this costly ''stuff'' come from?" Where did the architects, carpenters, masons, cablers, plumbers, electricians, welders, and tailors come from? And how much did it cost to hire them all? If the entire headquarters seems to run itself, you may ask who maintains all that equipment? |
| 9 | |
| 10 | It's especially likely to be asked if the character in question doesn't have magical powers or super abilities that would enable them to believably carve out the insides of a mountain for a secret hideout with their own bare hands on a spare weekend. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | To a certain degree, this is an AcceptableBreakFromReality, because we want to see the hero bravely swooping in to rescue a DamselInDistress and capture the BigBad, not watch them doing the reams of boring administrative paperwork needed to run their headquarters operation. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | In the best case scenario, the superhero or action hero has a day job as TechBro or company president, which makes a million dollar salary plausible, or they are heir to a huge family fortune. But sometimes, this question is just left up in the air, with the writers hoping it'll stay as FridgeLogic. Other times, they take it head-on, providing an in-character source -- often, an AcmeProducts company or a single person who makes it their business to outfit heroes and/or villains. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | More broadly, this trope can apply if the heroes (or villains) have access to services which they normally wouldn't be able to make use of. For instance, several comics have asked the question of how superheroes receive medical treatment after their battles: do they go to a normal hospital and trust that the doctors won't remove their masks or reveal their SecretIdentity? Is there a hospital or doctor who specifically serves the superhero community? How does a superhero cash a check or rent a car? |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Ideally, use the AppliedPhlebotinum on screen for verisimilitude. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | See also InfiniteSupplies, OffScreenVillainDarkMatter, HomemadeInventions, CrimefightingWithCash. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[TropeCo/TropeCo We also sell some of our own.]] |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Not to be confused with HowCanSantaDeliverAllThoseToys. |
| 25 | ---- |
| 26 | !!Example subpages: |
| 27 | |
| 28 | [[index]] |
| 29 | * ''WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys/{{Batman}}'' |
| 30 | [[/index]] |
| 31 | |
| 32 | !!Other examples: |
| 33 | |
| 34 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 37 | * Somewhat spoofed in a Volvo C70 commercial tying in with the 1997 ''[[Film/TheSaint1997 Saint]]'' film-upon repairing Simon Templar's car, someone says "Mr. Templar, we have to wonder about your lifestyle". |
| 38 | [[/folder]] |
| 39 | |
| 40 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 41 | * [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Space Angels]] in ''Manga/BattleAngelAlita: Last Order'' should've realistically survived only because they're {{Cyborg}}s — they often don't have money for ''food'', but they still maintain a competitive [[TournamentArc Z.O.T.T. team]], and most of their fighters have state-of-the-art bodies (or, in case of [[BadassNormal Zazie]], equipment). It's somewhat justified by the fact that [[MadScientist Desty Nova]] and [[GadgeteerGenius Yani]], who are quite well-off, use them as testbeds for their theories and prototypes, and they receive donations from [[FanOfTheUnderdog their fans]]. They have also gotten the support of the [[TheGoodKingdom Martian Kingdom]], which, however poor, still amounts for something. |
| 42 | * Subverted in ''Anime/TheBigO'' -- when Big O is badly damaged in the second season, we see Roger's butler Norman simply open a back door to Roger's lair and let in a full troop of workers who promptly set about repairing the giant robot, and who vanish back into the night when their work is done. Judging from comments made by several of the workers, this isn't the first time it's happened, either. |
| 43 | * ''Manga/BocchiTheRock'': Bocchi, who is a 15-year-old high school girl, owns a 1960s Les Paul Custom guitar valued between $6000 and $15,000. It's stated to originally have been her father's, but even then it would have been a valuable, collectible antique when '''he''' bought it (in the late 90s to early 2000s), just pushing "where did the money come from?" back a generation. |
| 44 | * ''Anime/BubblegumCrisis'' is one of the early examples. Sylia's "Silky Doll" lingerie shop and [[MrFixit Dr. Raven's]] garage are fine, but it still doesn't explain where she gets the money and supplies for all that Knight Sabers business. In all faith, she really couldn't have built all that stuff in her shop, it's simply not that big. {{Fanon}} half-jokingly explains it by the fact that she's a [[MegaCorp Genom]] shareholder, and [[HypocriticalHumor simply uses the company's coffers and plants]], as well as consistently voting ''against'' taking any measures about Knight Sabers at any occasion. |
| 45 | ** They're supposedly mercs (Silky Doll is just a front/command post, it's not paying for or constructing all this), although none of the episodes show them doing a job for pay. That explains how it all gets paid for, if not where it actually gets built. |
| 46 | * The Magdalan Order in ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' has its own R&D department to make wonderful toys for them. The only named member of this unit is Edgar Hamilton, more commonly known as The Elder. |
| 47 | * ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Lelouch Geasses people into making/storing/etc. his stuff. Since part of his MagicalEye is that they forget his orders, it's a fairly good deal. Anything he can't get with his Geass, he gets with his silver tongue. |
| 48 | * ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' - Where does [[ColonelBadass Roy Mustang]] get an armored truck full of wonderful toys in the middle of a locked-down city? [[spoiler:Why, from [[HandicappedBadass Jean Havoc]].]] |
| 49 | * ''Manga/GunsmithCats'': Rally runs a gun shop and does bounty hunting on the side, but somehow can afford a $500,000 Shelby Cobra 500 Mustang, and the maintenance costs to keep it in tip-top condition. Creator/KenichiSonoda belatedly realized that Rally could not possibly maintain the car and eventually replaced it wth a much more humble 1970s Mustang II. |
| 50 | * ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' has a pretty good example of this, what with Alucard using custom made big bore BottomlessMagazines pistols and Seras Victoria using a frickin' BFG! And all supplied by the BattleButler Walter... [[spoiler: but it is implied that Doc and Millennium had a hand in their creation.]] |
| 51 | * Subverted in ''Manga/MissionYozakuraFamily''. the Yozakuras use their supergeniuses and the money they make from their jobs to make all of their own equipment, from software that converts operating systems into video games, [[GrapplingHookPistol belts with built-in grappling hooks]], or [[MySuitIsAlsoSuper bulletproof pajamas]], they're never wanting for anything. |
| 52 | * Elinalise of ''Literature/MushokuTenseiJoblessReincarnation'' has a very large supply of rare and valuable magic stones despite not visiting labyrinths much recently. It is eventually explained that part of her curse is giving "birth" to a magic stone during her period, and has been doing so for two centuries. |
| 53 | * Subverted in ''Manga/MyHero2008'': Jack, being a VigilanteMan, just nicks a few tools from his job as a weapons salesman. |
| 54 | * ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' has an entire 'support' industry that furnishes professional heroes with gadgetry to support their quirks. U.A. has a support course (classes F, G, and H) which supplies the hero students with neat toys. Mei Hatsume is in this course, and she's the go-to student for when a main character needs something cool, like gloves and boots designed to help Izuku with his quirk's recoil or a projectile launcher that Kaminari can direct his ShockAndAwe towards. This industry also designs normal things meant to fit around different quirks, like averting HumanFurnitureIsAPainInTheTail or making clothes to accommodate non-human body shapes. |
| 55 | * Subverted with ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': local [[TheGunslinger lead dealer]] Homura fills her arsenal to the brim first by cooking up her own bombs, then steals guns from the Yakuza and [[spoiler:in late timelines]] from military arsenals. |
| 56 | * In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', the Dark Axis tends to use mind control devices on local robots for a MonsterOfTheWeek scenario. The Zako Zako Hour explains that they do this because the Dark Axis aren't very good at making their own stuff, which begs the question, where did they get the weapons they already have? The Zakos conclude that everything they have must have been stolen from somewhere else. [[spoiler: the final episode hints that this is true, as far as the Zakurello Gate is concerned.]] |
| 57 | * The titular character of ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain''. Where does an eighth-grader get thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment ([[EveryoneOwnsAMac all Mac]]) indeed? It's implied to be from her father, who works with computers, but it's not like her parents are incredibly wealthy or anything. |
| 58 | [[/folder]] |
| 59 | |
| 60 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 61 | * ''ComicBook/AstroCity'': |
| 62 | ** Though it's never stated outright, it is heavily implied that much of Honor Guard's infrastructure -- from their elaborate flying base to their teleporting call center -- is funded by N.R.-Gistics, the company responsible for the N-Forcer armored hero. |
| 63 | ** During the "Confession" story arc, it is hinted that the Confessor gets his funding through judicious use of long-term investment funds. Apparently waiting a hundred years for high-yield returns isn't a problem [[spoiler:if you're a vampire]]. |
| 64 | ** Jack-in-the-Box apparently funds his crimefighting efforts by being the CEO of a toy company. |
| 65 | ** One issue featured a flashback to the villainous Assemblyman, who built weapons and gadgets for anyone with the cash. |
| 66 | ** The Black Lab is a group of villains who perform villainous super-science for anyone willing to pay them. |
| 67 | ** The Junkman, true to his philosophy, builds all of his gear by scavenging discarded products. |
| 68 | ** The Fixit Man is a small-time GadgeteerGenius who repairs assorted used to repair gear for supervillains; he quit due to too much planned obsolescence making everything disposable. |
| 69 | ** In the ''Dark Age" arc, the Williams' brothers keep themselves supplied by stealing money and equipment from the various Pyramid bases they've raided. |
| 70 | * ''ComicBook/DamageControl'': In the Franchise/MarvelUniverse there is a firm named Damage Control, which has a contract with [[BigApplesauce New York City]] to handle the [[HeroInsurance cleanup and repairs following the many superhero battles]] which take place there. Leftover superweapons, battlesuits, and whatnot end up in ComicBook/DamageControl's "Lost and Found" department... |
| 71 | * ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'': In the story arc "Johnny Handsome", Deadpool not only managed to enrage Loki enough to have his scarred face turned into a permanent Tom Cruise likeness (which led to several cases of mistaken identity later on), but also lost his costume, had to order a new one to be made and, for the duration of most of the arc, wore a mish-mash assortment of other characters' costumes (including Wolverine's pants and boots, Spider-Man's shirt and Dr. Octopus's arms). |
| 72 | * ''ComicBook/DisneyMouseAndDuckComics'': |
| 73 | ** In the Italian Disney Comics, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck has a superheroic identity known as ComicBook/{{Paperinik|NewAdventures}}: he originally acquired his costume and his first weapons from the heirloom of GentlemanThief Fantomius (an obvious reference to Allain and Souvestre's Fantomas), then shared his secret with Duckburg's inventor extraordinaire Gyro Gearloose, who since then maintained his armory of less-than-lethal supergadgets. The "[[UltimateUniverse Ultimates version]]" of ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' has him acquire a slew of much more powerful weapons and a Batman-esque lair from the possessions of mysterious billionaire ''Everett Ducklair'' (the authors publicly stated that they aimed to make a very explicit parody of and homage to American comic books). |
| 74 | ** Also addressed with Fantomius himself: many, in-universe, had wondered this, and an in-universe novelist speculated Fantomius himself built them (and paid for it with his enormous wealth, as he was legitimately rich on his own), but it was ultimately shown he employed a GadgeteerGenius, namely Gyro's great-grandfather. |
| 75 | ** The characters of Portis and Intellectual-176 was explicitely created to provide access to advanced technology to Pete and the Beagle Boys respectively. |
| 76 | * ''ComicBook/{{Eightball}}'': In Daniel Clowes' ''Black Nylon'', superheroes are able to buy gadgets mail order, with many having to save up to buy one or two gimmick items before getting started in the business. The titular hero funds his exploits with a stipend from the government for his work. [[spoiler: Although it's probably public assistance money that the delusional Nylon thinks comes from heroing.]] |
| 77 | * ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'': ''ComicBook/{{Doomwar}}'' reveals that ComicBook/DoctorDoom actually uses thousands of ''legal'' businesses to fund his evil schemes. Turns out he was able to use his scientific know-how [[CutLexLuthorACheck to make a fortune in medical research and technological patents]]. |
| 78 | * ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': ''The Flash'' Vol. 1 #141, published in UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}, introduced tailor Paul Gambi, who made the costumes for all the villains in the Flash's RoguesGallery; Gambi has continued to make appearances in this role. |
| 79 | * ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'': The JSA has its medical personnel as key members of the team--Dr. Mid-Nite (a trained physician) and Mr. Terrific (who has [=PhDs=] in [[OmniDisciplinaryScientist everything]]). They also provide medical services to other DC superheroes and their spouses, such as when Lois Lane was nearly killed. |
| 80 | * ''Mad House Comic Digest'': In "Stitch Pitch" in issue #5 a specialist tailor waxes lyrical on the problems and headaches involved in making superhero costumes and nothing but. He ends up in tears when an executive asks him for a "normal charcoal-gray business suit," complaining that it's the first order he hasn't been able to fill. |
| 81 | * ''ComicBook/{{Madman}}'': Madman gets gadgets from Dr. Flem and sometimes... [[MyLittlePanzer they really are toys.]] |
| 82 | * ''ComicBook/{{Manhunter|DCComics}}'': The Kate Spencer incarnation was a prosecutor frustrated by the escape of a supervillain she'd put away. She used equipment from other superheroes and villains that had been impounded by the LAPD, including gauntlets belonging to ComicBook/{{Azrael}} and a staff used by one of the previous Manhunters. Also in the same series was the character Dylan Battles, who described himself as the go-to tech guy for supervillains; he'd served as a henchman for multiple super-criminals before going into WitnessProtection. |
| 83 | * ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'': Some criminals buy their equipment from the Tinkerer. Others get their equipment furnished by their employers (ComicBook/IronMan's enemy Justin Hammer often had his scientists construct specialized weapons for the [=supervillains=] he recruited), and at least one large company runs a highly profitable black market operation in selling deadly weapons and other equipment through the "Sharper Villain Catalogue." Even ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} used to hit up the Tinkerer for {{Trick Arrow}}s back when he was first starting out, often using money he'd stolen from drug dealers. |
| 84 | * ''ComicBook/TheMetabarons'': The Metabarons are the inheritors of powers and knowledge from a CosmicEntity. The Metabarons themselves are often too busy killing stuff to take advantage of what they know but since they are ex-planetary rulers, they have their equipment built to their design by an entire race of servitors and a pair of loyal robots. They are also occasionally gifted rarities like the first horse born in millenia by employers who are the rulers of humanity, interstellar corporations and others of that scale. At one point the last Metabaron, No-Name, has his giant space fortress self-destruct, so his loyal robots just goes about building him another one with a new arsenal included after developing the infrastructure to do so on an isolated planet. |
| 85 | * ''ComicBook/TheMighty'': The Omega Sector is funded by the sales of Alpha One toys, clothes, and other stuff. They have a huge headquarters. |
| 86 | * ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'': In ''ComicBook/CivilWar2006'', ComicBook/{{Speedball}} designs the Penance suit to represent the pain and suffering he feels he's responible for in Stamford. He sends the design off the a costumer designer for superheroes, who is appaled by the design, but makes it for him anyways. |
| 87 | * ''ComicBook/{{Night Nurse|MarvelComics}}'': For health issues in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, there's the Night Nurse, who will patch up any injured do-gooder who stumbles into her clinic, thus explaining where a lot of superheroes get their medical care without compromising their secret identities. |
| 88 | * ''ComicBook/{{Nomad}}'': The Undergrounders provide discreet medical care to those on the fringes of society. |
| 89 | * ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'': The Punisher gets most of his weapons from the criminals that he kills. Or buys top of the line black-market military hardware, using money he gets from the criminals that he kills. He also had, for a long time, a weapons supplier/inventor named Microchip, who helped him get "special" equipment to go up against [=supervillain=]s... that he kills. Later comics have been showing that Punisher has been receiving equipment and information through various armed forces friends/sympathizers who can doctor supply records. |
| 90 | * ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': |
| 91 | ** Spider-Man built his web-shooters using parts he... scavenged... from his high school science lab. |
| 92 | ** In the early years, there was a recurring character called "The Tinkerer" who was allegedly the source of much villainous gadgetry. In ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance 2'' [[spoiler: The Tinkerer is a major villain, both empowering a bunch of C list {{Supervillain}}s like Electro to become actual threats and allying himself with the HiveMind of Nanites that appear later on.]] |
| 93 | ** During ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski'', Spider-Man met Leo Zelinsky, a tailor in a run-down neighborhood in Queens ("What they call a 'neighborhood in transition',") who was visited by [[ComicBook/FantasticFour The Thing]], who needed a new pair of briefs after an altercation with a fire-wielding villain. Thanks largely to word of mouth, he became the go-to guy for superhero (and some [=supervillain=]) costume needs. |
| 94 | *** He's very careful to arrange heroes and villains on different days, so his shop doesn't become the site of a superhero battle. |
| 95 | ** There was an old Spider-Man comic where the titular hero was committed to hospital after several fractured bones. They ''never removed his suit'' while tending him! One nurse actually speculated whether the suit was sewn right on his skin. One has to only wonder if there's an anonymous medical insurance specifically aimed at superheroes. |
| 96 | ** In a Pre-Civil War Spider-Man arc when Spidey gets hospitalized by Electro and Vulture, the hospital staff remove his mask to treat him, but also mention a specific rule for super-people, "We sign them in under an assumed name and have a hospital-wide media blackout." This was unfortunately foiled by a photographer who let on about the hospital's location, allowing Vulture to kidnap Peter, fly him 300 feet up, rip his bandages off, and disgustedly drop him after realizing that Peter was "a nobody". |
| 97 | * ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': Averted. Superman did all his own work on the Fortress of Solitude. If he got lazy, his robot doubles could take up the slack just fine. And the movies, some prose stories and ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' just have his fortress and costume provided courtesy of Kryptonian [[MagicFromTechnology techno-magic]]. For everything else, he's stuck with Earth goods. |
| 98 | * ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'': In the Ultimate Universe, Spider-Man adapted his web-shooters from devices he inherited from his scientist father's work on polymers. His costume was given to him by his wrestling company. When Peter and Mary Jane broke up, he had no-one to repair his costume or make him a new one, leading him to asking various heroes and villains whenever he ran into them where they got their costumes made. |
| 99 | * ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': One issue shows Xavier hiring a construction crew, but clouding their minds so that they cannot see the students. |
| 100 | * ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl II is a GadgeteerGenius with money, and thus makes his own wonderful toys. He also made Rorschach's grappling gun, explaining how the vagabond had such a good gadget. |
| 101 | * ''ComicBook/XMen'': |
| 102 | ** In the 80s-90s ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' comic, the Mansion was equipped with Shi'ar technology from Xavier's lover, Majestrix Lilandra. The alien tech has rebuilt the mansion on the [frequent] occasion of its destruction. ComicBook/DamageControl also showed up a time or two. |
| 103 | ** In the 2000s, it's revealed that prior to actually founding the X-Men, Xavier was secretly assisted by {{ComicBook/Cable}} (a time traveler with access to 40th century technology), though they later had a falling out over Cable's more militant tactics. Neither the X-Men nor Cable's X-Force knew anything about this. |
| 104 | ** Dr. Cecilia Reyes was a mutant who briefly worked with the X-Men during the Zero Tolerance arc, and later on settled down as a private doctor offering anonymity to her powered patients. The list of her patients, aside from several X-Men and former X-men, also included Spider-Man and Daredevil. |
| 105 | [[/folder]] |
| 106 | |
| 107 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 108 | * ''ComicStrip/DickTracy'': Although an official policeman anyway, Dick Tracy did not get his two-way wrist radio (introduced in 1946) from the government, but from industrialist "Diet" Smith. Other than that, Tracy has relied on conventional weapons common to normal police forces, such as the night sight. |
| 109 | [[/folder]] |
| 110 | |
| 111 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 112 | * In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', the Prowler's new equipment comes from the Franchise/MarvelUniverse through Mysterio. It's far more advanced than anything available to the authorities in Izuku's world, including a self-driving motorcycle, gas that dissolve Peter's webbing, and a collapsible metal shinai that can electrify itself for added damage. |
| 113 | * [[http://catwoman-cattales.com/ct/master.html?http://catwoman-cattales.com/ct/11-wateringhole-01.htm Kittlemeier]] in Chris Dee's ''[[http://catwoman-cattales.com/files/ctindex.html Cat-Tales]]'' is revealed to make everything for both hero and villain alike, and maintains strict rules on appointment times to keep any of them from running into each other. (How Batman became okay with giving business to someone who openly arms his enemies is never really explained). |
| 114 | * ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'': All of the [[VideoGame/DungeonKeeper villains]], and most of the heroes wonder on a regular basis where [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Empress Mercury]] gets all of her awesome equipment and magic from. Where ''does'' she come up with these remote battle drones? The Airships, the Dominate Undead Spell? Attempts to steal/emulate it are the subject of several subplots. |
| 115 | * ''Fanfic/TheKarmaOfLies'': |
| 116 | ** One major hurdle Marinette encounters while preparing a trap for Hawkmoth is that she simply lacks the money necessary to secure the resources she needs. This forces her to consider seeking the aid of one of the wealthiest families in Paris; she reluctantly settles on [[spoiler:asking Chloé]]. |
| 117 | ** In [[RecursiveFanfiction Recursive Fic]] ''Fanfic/TalesOfKarmicLiesAftermath'', Alya's plan to make Max build superhero gear for her and the other former temp heroes fails due to lack of funding. When she protests that he was able to make Markov, he spells out just how much he had to scrimp and save in order to build him over the course of several months, dealing with trial and error along the way. |
| 118 | * ''Blog/MiraculousRewrite'' has Alya bring this up early on; instead of assuming that Chloe could be Ladybug herself, she instead suspects that she's acting as her ''supplier'', using her father's wealth and connections as the mayor of Paris to help fund the superheroine. |
| 119 | * ''Fanfic/ShinraHighSOLDIER'': Julia has some of the most powerful materia in the world, including maxed out heal/cure materia, all three Bahamuts, and Knights of the Round. No mention is ever made to where she got them. |
| 120 | [[/folder]] |
| 121 | |
| 122 | [[folder:Films -- Animated]] |
| 123 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'': |
| 124 | ** Edna "E" Mode is a genius clothing designer responsible for the costumes of every superhero in the business. She knows the heroes all personally, by real name as well as moniker, and custom-designs their costumes to [[MySuitIsAlsoSuper fit their powers]] (for example, Violet's suit becomes invisible with her to avoid the problem of an InvisibleStreaker in a Disney movie). |
| 125 | ** Syndrome's base on [[StealthPun Nomanisan Island]] was largely [[CutLexLuthorACheck financed by weapons deals that he had struck with various world governments]]. He even planned to sell all of his super gadgets after he had retired. |
| 126 | ** The Incredibile was given to Mr. Incredible by the Agency. |
| 127 | ** A deleted scene would have explained that Snug, the guy Helen borrows a jet from, used to act as a transport service for supers who lacked {{Flight}} or SuperSpeed. |
| 128 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', there's actually a "store in Romania" that deals in [=Supervillain=] paraphernalia. |
| 129 | * Used hilariously in ''WesternAnimation/PAWPatrolTheMovie'': when they get to their new base, Skye actually asks how they can afford the building and all the cool tech inside it. Ryder tells her it's from sales of TheMerch ''in-universe'', lampshading how the franchise is MerchandiseDriven. |
| 130 | * During ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie'', there is a scene where a veritable legion of mutated monkeys start to [[{{Pun}} ape]] Mojo Jojo's style and unleash a variety of evil plans and doomsday weapons on Townsville, while Mojo stands there dully protesting. While it didn't make it into the final product, according to the DVD commentary, these protests originally included a befuddled "Where are you guys ''getting'' all this stuff?!" |
| 131 | [[/folder]] |
| 132 | |
| 133 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 134 | * ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'': |
| 135 | ** Peter's web-shooters are shown to be made from two wristwatches, with the webbing itself being an Oscorp product called "biocable." |
| 136 | ** Pretty much all his villains get their powers, tech, or costumes from Oscorp. The Lizard and Electro were both Oscorp employees who got their powers from experiments there, while the Green Goblin got his armor, glider, venom, and pumpkin bombs from a vault containing a bunch of classified weapons. Even the Rhino is reimagined as a guy in a MiniMecha Harry stole for him from the same Oscorp vault. |
| 137 | * ''Film/{{Blade}}'' is explicitly shown stealing the watch off a vampire familiar's wrist in his first film, and points out that his operation doesn't finance itself. Presumably he just steals from vampires and their human familiars whenever possible. Considering how much silver he goes through, it makes sense. |
| 138 | * The Damon Wayans AffectionateParody ''Film/{{Blankman}}'' has the title hero build super-gadgets [[HomemadeInventions out of junk]]. |
| 139 | * ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' justifies the presence of ComicBook/TheFalcon's winged exo-suit by stating that it was developed for the military by [[Film/IronMan Stark Industries]]. Sam's suit is stated to be the last one in existence, as the others were apparently destroyed during combat in [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror the Middle East]]. |
| 140 | * ''Film/{{Condorman}}'' toys with this trope in a scene where the BigBad, Krokov, is trying to figure out what the titular hero is doing with a heavily armed racecar/hydrofoil, among other gadgets, and realizes that he's getting the ideas from comic books -- that he wrote. This leads to one of the most memorable lines in the entire film (quoted on the film page). |
| 141 | * ''Film/DeathWish3'' had Paul Kersey using all manner of weapons with not a hint of explanation of where he got them or how he afforded them (remember, Kersey worked as a middle-class architect, not possessing great wealth, emphasized in the next film in which he sees a mansion and says "This place alone costs more than I could make if I worked for the rest of my life"). |
| 142 | * In ''Film/DeathWish4TheCrackdown'', a man who discovered that Kersey operated as the vigilante agrees to fund his struggle with narcotics dealers and gives him the name of someone to provide him weapons. |
| 143 | * ''Film/TheGreenHornet'': The protagonist owns the controlling stock in a multi-billion dollar news corporation, and even has the same personality as his alter ego The Hornet. What would throw people off is ''how freaking advanced his stuff is'', as he doesn't own an R&D facility, is too big of a socialite to purchase his gadgets from the black market without everyone watching him, and has no background in mechanics or engineering. Or anything unrelated to screwing interns into screwing him. While yelling his intentions. Instead, Kato builds all of his gadgets ''by himself''. |
| 144 | * British taxpayers through [=MI6=]'s Q Branch (Q standing for 'Quartermaster') in the ''Film/JamesBond'' franchise. A RunningGag through the movies involves Q getting upset over Bond's frequent destruction of government property during the course of his adventures. |
| 145 | * ''Film/KickAss'': |
| 146 | ** The title character apparently got all his gear off of [=eBay=]. |
| 147 | ** Big Daddy and Hit Girl bought a working [[spoiler:jetpack]] online. |
| 148 | ** A behind-the-scenes special on the home video release has an interview with the film's writer, which states that they did this deliberately: everything that Kick-Ass, Big Daddy, and Hit Girl used or bought in the movies had to be something that the writers found online in real life. And yes, that includes [[spoiler:the jetpack]]. |
| 149 | * In ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'', Jay says this after Silent Bob saves them both with his grappling hook. |
| 150 | * Discussed in ''Film/MenInBlack''. The MIB began as a government agency in the late 1950s, but by the 1990s, [[NoSuchAgency they are independent from the government]], with Kay explaining that they get their technology and funding from [[ETGaveUsWifi royalties on alien technology]], such as microwave ovens and velcro. |
| 151 | * In ''Film/MysteryMen'', the heroes decide they are underpowered, so it's off to Dr Heller for [[BlowYouAway Canned Tornadoes]], a Blame Thrower and the incredible ShrinkRay, [[FanService which only shrinks clothing]]. |
| 152 | -->'''Mr. Furious''' (watching the ShrinkRay take effect): ''My pants feel like they're shrinking too.'' |
| 153 | * ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2014'': One has to wonder how mutated lab animals who spent years underground managed to find so many ninja weapons. Not to mention the equipment Donatello has, including but not limited to: retinal scanners, thermal goggles, and a wrist-mounted computer with a holographic display. |
| 154 | * In ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers2011'', the Duke of Buckingham visits France in a CoolAirship. King Louis asks why he doesn't have one of those things. |
| 155 | * ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' attempts to do this for the technology seen in the original ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' trilogy. The underground training facility beneath the Xavier Institute is stated to be a massive, repurposed UsefulNotes/{{WW2}} bomb shelter, while the Cerebro computer and the prototype Blackbird/X-Jet are both revealed to be projects Hank [=McCoy=] designed for the CIA. |
| 156 | [[/folder]] |
| 157 | |
| 158 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 159 | * Averted in ''Literature/TheExecutioner'' series, where VigilanteMan Mack Bolan simply steals the money he needs from TheMafia families he's fighting, much to their fury. His weapons are then bought on the black market or stolen (Bolan always leaves more than enough money to cover the cost behind). A less plausible toy is his "war wagon", a 26-foot GMC motor home equipped with laser-enhanced infrared cameras, electronic surveillance devices, and retractable guided missiles, constructed with the help of moonlighting NASA engineers sympathetic to his cause. |
| 160 | * In the ''Penetrator'' novels, also from Pinnacle, Mark Hardin (who had a base as the Penetrator in a borax mine), created or purchased various weapons with the help of a professor. Many of these items received profiles in a back-up section called The Penetrator's Combat Catalog. |
| 161 | * In ''Literature/TheFurtherAdventuresOfBatman'', an anthology of short Batman fiction published in 1989, the story "Literature/NeutralGround" by Creator/MikeResnick describes for the first time Kittlemeier's Shop, run by a little old Jewish tailor who provides the costumes and gadgetry for all of Gotham's heroes and villains. |
| 162 | * ''Literature/TheSpider'' often relied on Professor Brownlee for technological assistance. |
| 163 | * In the July 2009 novel ''No Mercy'' by John Gilstrap, the first in a prospective series, the protagonist, Jonathan Grave, using the codename Scorpion, works as an independent hostage rescuer without sanction of the law. The novel mentions using an auto repair garage used to handling "under the table" repairs". Grave has them fix up bullet holes and other incriminating traces of his missions. |
| 164 | %%* ''Literature/TheSaint'' and ''The Literature/DominoLady'' often "confiscated" funds from criminals who preyed on the public. The Arrow and the Avenger did much the same. |
| 165 | %%* Wealthy men funded the Hawker and the Expeditor. |
| 166 | * Played with in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]], specifically the Rogue and Wraith Squadron novels. One of the Rogues was a officer for Corellian Security; his astromech droid had special programming and hardware used to deal with issues thrown at them. A Wraith, on the other hand, had an "interesting childhood" as the daughter of a Old Republic security officer not even Vader could track down. |
| 167 | * In the ''Literature/JoeLedger'' books, [[IHaveManyNames Mr. Church]] has "[[CatchPhrase a friend in the industry]]". Any industry. |
| 168 | * ''Literature/TheLastSuperhero'' has standard shops for superheroes and for villains with incredibly implausible and plot-convenient devices. |
| 169 | * ''Literature/MagicalGirlHunters'' has The Finn. If The Finn dies, someone else automatically takes over. |
| 170 | * In ''Literature/TheAuthorities'', all the cool gear that the titular investigative team uses is made by [[GadgeteerGenius Albert]], who explains that he has been inspired to make gadgets the very first time he has ever seen a ''Film/JamesBond'' film... and wanted to be Q. He even mocks being upset and quotes Desmon Llewelyn's character whenever Rutherford ends up accidentally damaging his gear. He is ecstatic when Rutherford finally realizes what he's doing and plays along. |
| 171 | [[/folder]] |
| 172 | |
| 173 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 174 | * In the pilot of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', Oliver Queen is rescued from the hellish island of Lian Yu, which has somehow caused him to become a badass vigilante. His bow and several other items he carries in a wooden box he brought with him, but the fact that he also uses a sophisticated electronic [[TrickArrow bugging arrow]] throws doubt on his story of having been marooned alone for five years. Only in Season Three is it revealed that he was kidnapped off the island by ARGUS, who trained him as an agent. However the trope becomes FridgeLogic when Oliver loses his fortune in Season 2, leading to the question of where he's getting the money to feed and finance Team Arrow over the following years. |
| 175 | * ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' / ''Series/{{Angel}}'': |
| 176 | ** One really must wonder, where does the casts get their giant-ass arsenal of weapons from? Is there a mail-order catalog for all your slicing, impaling and chopping needs? |
| 177 | ** In real life, there are several. |
| 178 | ** ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' : Early on, most of the weapons/books/equipment the Scooby Gang needed were either from Giles' personal collection, or presumably furnished by the Council of Watchers. For a brief period, she worked with the US government-run Initiative. Later, the weapons/books/equipment the Scooby Gang needed were provided by the Magic Shop run by Giles and/or Anya. Finally, when all else failed, they just stole what they needed: Xander took a rocket launcher from a nearby army base, Buffy and Faith were caught breaking into a sporting goods store trying to steal crossbows, etc. |
| 179 | * Michael Westen of ''Series/BurnNotice'' begins the series losing his job and getting his assets frozen. He has to live in a dingy garage behind a nightclub just to get a roof over his head, and the various jobs he takes on every week rarely pay more than a few grand apiece. Nevertheless, he always manages to get his hands on any amount of guns, cars, expensive clothing and jewelry, and anything else he needs to sell his cover [=IDs=] to the bad guys. Since the people he takes on are often big-time Miami criminals, it could perhaps be assumed that he liberates their resources for himself. Strangely, though, the episodes often conclude by showing Team Westen dumping stolen guns and returning stolen money to the rightful owners, leaving the viewer wondering just where all the goodies come from. |
| 180 | * {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d several times in ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'' with Megan's various gadgets. Not even the parents seem to know where she gets the stuff. Though, she did say at least once "I know a guy." |
| 181 | * Averted right from the start on undercover cop show ''Series/{{Fastlane}}''. The 'Candy Store' base of operations is stocked by the seizure of assets from criminals: all the best cars/weapons/designer clothes/etc that would normally go up for auction is sent to the Candy Store instead. It's motto is "Everything we seize, we keep. Everything we keep, we use." |
| 182 | * In ''Series/GoodEats'', Alton says this as a ShoutOut, usually as a response to the food scientist or other informational guest of the day brings out (i.e. the Mystery Food Science Theatre 3000 viewing device). He has more than his share of crazy toys though; a drill-powered pepper gun, giant cow models, a possessed refrigerator and a basement that alternately appears as a root cellar, vinegar cellar, pickle cellar and a dungeon torture chamber/equipment lab complete with Igor. For the most part, though, most of his gear (that is actually used for cooking) come from the local hardware store as Brown abhors spending too much money on expensive cooking gadgets good for only a narrow range of projects. |
| 183 | * ''Series/ICarly'': Spencer gets all his stuff from his buddy's appropriately named family members: Socko (socks), Tyler (ties), Otto(cars), etc. |
| 184 | * ''Franchise/KamenRider'': |
| 185 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'': The title characters manage to afford a massive garage underneath their detective agency housing what's essentially a smaller garage on wheels with a wide array of option parts for their CoolBike. It was inherited from their mentor, who himself got it from Shroud, who as the ex-wife of a powerful drug kingpin is presumably wealthy. |
| 186 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'': The Kougami Foundation is a megacorp that exists purely to provide OOO with wonderful toys, for a price: they take Cell Medals as currency, which every monster in the series is made out of, so OOO's crimefighting funds itself. |
| 187 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'': A group of high school students are able to afford a clubhouse ''on the moon'', which Kengo inherited from his father along with the warp gate technology to make it practical to go there on a whim. |
| 188 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'': Krim Steinbelt's career as a scientist apparently made him quite wealthy, as he was able to afford building a secret garage even bigger than Double's underneath a driver's license center. |
| 189 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'': Sento has a secret lab for building wonderful toys underneath a coffee shop, with one of the early twists being that said lab was secretly furnished by the very villains that he was fighting in what were actually EngineeredHeroics, something Sento was unaware of due to his amnesia. Said villains have the financial backing of a powerful arms manufacturer, with their wonderful toys serving as prototypes for the next generation of war machines, and several of them also have access to the resources of the Japanese government. |
| 190 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderGeats'': The Desire Grand Prix is revealed early in the show to have the financial backing of many of Japan's biggest corporations, many of whom assist in keeping the show under wraps by handling cleanup and bribing the necessary parties to keep quiet about it. [[spoiler:Slightly later, the show is revealed to actually be run by and for an audience in the distant future, where the wonderful toys are commonplace, and in fact the toys the players are using are junk compared to what their sponsors have.]] |
| 191 | * Parodied in ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook'', in which a [=supervillain=] hires a contractor to construct his evil lair, including secret revolving walls and trap doors to dispose of troublesome minions. [[NoOSHACompliance The contractor raises numerous health and safety objections]]. |
| 192 | * ''[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3K]]'' scoffed at the extent of Diabolik's paraphernalia and hideout when they reviewed his film, noting the logistical problems of erecting such a base "You know, it's hard to get contractors to do this kind of work. Signing the complete secrecy agreement on pain of death and all". The print version of Diabolik explained that a criminal combine had raised Diabolik, and that upon reaching adulthood he slew their leader and usurped its resources. |
| 193 | * Averted on ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'', where an explanation of how they were able to obtain things like a second-hand cement mixer or an airplane cockpit on the (relatively) cheap often makes up a goodly part of any given episode. |
| 194 | * Answered (somewhat) in ''Series/Powerless2017'', when a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises, called Wayne Security and run by Bruce's cousin Vanderveer "Van" Wayne, Jr, developed equipment and devices that were intended to protect ordinary citizens from the collateral damage when superheroes and supervillans clashed. Several of the devices developed by Wayne Security were actually used by Batman, however, no one in the company made the connection, not even Van, who had wanted to become the next "Robin." |
| 195 | * Sometimes you have to wonder how certain civilians/groups manage to get their own morphers, weapons, motorcycles, Zords, etc. to start up a Franchise/PowerRangers team. Sure, to a certain extent, humans now have access to alien technology, but ''still''... |
| 196 | ** From ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury'': |
| 197 | -->'''RJ:''' I knew this guy who knew this other guy who had an uncle who had a connection -- anyway, he tapped into the Morphing Grid, and, voilà . Your morphers. |
| 198 | * Shawn says this almost word for word in ''Series/{{Psych}}'' when Despereaux escapes with a grapple gun. |
| 199 | * Cosmo Kramer, resident CloudCuckooLander of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', has said and been told on numerous occasions that he has no job whatsoever. Yet, somehow, he can afford a hot tub (and generator) the width of a room in a standard New York apartment complex, dozens of expensive-looking suits (and, on one occasion, a leather briefcase), a constant flow of high-grade Cuban cigars, and several tons of junk food. |
| 200 | [[/folder]] |
| 201 | |
| 202 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 203 | * ''Music/MakeItSweet'': Tame example here, but for a band whose guitarist can't even afford to buy a new guitar in a pinch, [=MilkCan=] sure has some expensive-sounding orchestral and horn arrangements on quite a few of their songs. |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[/folder]] |
| 206 | |
| 207 | [[folder:Pinball]] |
| 208 | * Invoked in the original version of Creator/SternPinball's ''[[Pinball/BatmanStern Batman]]'' pinball game; the player must repeatedly visit the [=WayneTech=] mini-playfield and collect eight different weapons to recruit Lucius Fox. Later averted with the discounted "Standard" edition, which removed the mini-playfield. |
| 209 | * Similarly, Creator/SegaPinball's ''Pinball/BatmanForever'' gives a random Bat-gadget if the player shoots the right loop when it is off; collecting several gadgets lights the kickback. |
| 210 | [[/folder]] |
| 211 | |
| 212 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
| 213 | * ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'': Sure, Jeff Tracy is a millionaire and Brians is a GadgeteerGenius, so International Rescue certainly has the resources and the technical knowhow to set up their organization, but that still begs the question how they managed to build their entire fleet of futuristic machines, an island base filled with secret compartments to house these machines, and even a manned space station, without anyone finding out. It's hard to believe Brains could have done all that by himself, or with only the Tracy's help. |
| 214 | ** There ''was'' a handwave provided in the episode "Terror In New York City" for how the eponymous Thunderbird vehicles are kept in service; components are bought from a variety of different manufacturers -presumably through various shell companies- and no one part is significant enough to clue someone in as to who and what it is going towards, even when they needed to carry out extensive repairs on Thunderbird 2 after some trigger-happy warship captain tried to blow her out of the sky with surface-to-air missiles. Of course, this only explains where International Rescue gets the parts without attracting attention. It doesn't explain how they ever build their vehicles, or their base of operations. |
| 215 | [[/folder]] |
| 216 | |
| 217 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 218 | * ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'': In-universe, this is an all-consuming question for all the intelligence services of the Inner Sphere after the arrival of Wolf's Dragoons from out of nowhere. Any unit showing up out of the blue with five regiments of pristine [=BattleMechs=], some of them designs that either haven't existed in centuries or that as far as the Inner Sphere is concerned never existed at all, along with high-tech orbital stations and state-of-the-art factory facilities, is going to spark way more than just a few questions. It got so bad that [=ComStar=] actually instigated a civil war in the Free Worlds League just to get the Dragoons so mauled that they'd have to go back to whatever supply base they had, with [=ComStar=] following along secretly. That plan didn't pan out[[note]]neither did a more direct plan by the Draconis Combine to take over the Dragoons and in that way force them into giving up their secrets[[/note]], and the Inner Sphere would have to wait until 3052 to get the truth: [[spoiler: They were an advance scouting party for Clan Wolf (hence the name) who were originally intended to keep the Clans apprised of the state of the Inner Sphere. They were getting resupplied from Clan sources from stocks of Star-League-vintage equipment, and incomplete records meant that they didn't realize that mechs like the ''Imp'' and ''Annihilator'' weren't constructed by the Star League at all.]] |
| 219 | [[/folder]] |
| 220 | |
| 221 | [[folder:Theater]] |
| 222 | * The page quote is from the demo recording of Jim Steinman's ''Theatre/BatmanTheMusical,'' which references ''Film/Batman1989''. |
| 223 | [[/folder]] |
| 224 | |
| 225 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 226 | * In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRemake'', a set of diary extracts reveals that the architect who designed the [[MalevolentArchitecture mansion]] was killed by his employers. |
| 227 | * ''VideoGame/{{Mercenaries}}'' allows the player, via PDA, to purchase everything from jeeps to helicopters to ballistic missile strikes from an online store owned by the Russian Mafia (with free shipping nonetheless). In the sequel, players had to deal directly with representatives of the factions they wanted to purchase from, and airstrikes or gear would be delivered by pilots in the player's employ. |
| 228 | * Bobby Ray's Guns and Things in ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance 2'' will ship fully automatic weapons, disposable rocket launchers and other military hardware to any major airport in the world (although you can only ever use one, you can send them to a second you can access, but the stuff never comes.) |
| 229 | * ''VideoGame/JustCause'' lets the secret agent PlayerCharacter call in vehicle drops and extractions from Agency helicopters on his PDA, which is a good thing considering how [[WideOpenSandbox freaking huge the game world is.]] Taxpayer money buys all these toys, presumably. You can also increase your standing with Rebel forces and the friendly drug dealing faction to get better guns and more hideouts to extract to. |
| 230 | * In ''VideoGame/Persona3'', the main characters buy their weapons and armor from Officer Kurosawa in the police station in Paulownia Mall. While the {{backstory}} explains that he's a collector of rare antique weapons, this still doesn't explain how he also manages to get his hands on upgrades for Aigis, a secret Shadow-fighting robot developed by the Kirijo Group. It's also implied that he has connections, although it's never stated ''who'' exactly these connections are with. |
| 231 | * ''VideoGame/TechRomancer'' features Twinzam V, an {{Expy}} of ''Manga/GetterRobo'' piloted by two [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Ordinary Elementary School Students]]. In their own storyline, it seems to be AllJustADream, but when they appear in the others' storylines, no explanation is given for where these kids got a {{Super Robot|Genre}}. |
| 232 | * One level of ''VideoGame/GoldenEyeRogueAgent'' has the titular character running around a black-market showroom of high-tech and extremely expensive goodies for villains to buy and use against the peoples of the free world, including things like nuclear submarines. As an agent of Goldfinger, Goldeneye has access to [[OffscreenVillainDarkMatter a virtually unlimited line of credit]] and can use it to buy several of these wicked toys, though the bossman will eventually call up and complain that he's going to go broke if the spending spree continues. |
| 233 | * ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'' gives you the Bloom and Doom Seed Co. as the provider of your lawn defense plants. |
| 234 | * In ''VideoGame/SplinterCellChaosTheory'', Sam meets with a colleague in charge of [[TheScrounger "acquiring"]] transport and weaponry at each mission briefing. |
| 235 | * How does ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'''s Dr. Eggman afford all of his building materials? You'd think a villain would just steal the stuff, but he [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking rarely actually gets in trouble with the military]] and Vector once even commented that "Eggman must be really rich" and wondered if he'd hire them [[spoiler:the irony being that he ''had'' hired them for their current job]]. In ''Anime/SonicX'', he sends Decoe and Bocoe to a hardware store to stock up on supplies. Lots and ''lots'' of supplies. |
| 236 | -->'''Decoe:''' [[LampshadeHanging How are we supposed to carry all of this?]]\ |
| 237 | '''Eggman:''' [[NonAnswer With a great degree of difficulty.]] |
| 238 | ** If the comics are taken as canon (and Sega says they are), then Ivo had mines and production facilities all over Mobius to support his armies. It's reasonable to assume (and explicit in the comics) that Eggman took over these when he arrived. (Virtually) unlimited resources aren't that hard to come by when you run the planet. |
| 239 | ** In ''VideoGame/SonicRiders'', Eggman supposedly has some ownership over a company called "Meteotech" and makes money via selling his robots as security to companies. Plus he does make casinos and circuses, which could be a legitimate venture. |
| 240 | ** In ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', E-123 Omega makes mention of "worthless consumer models" after destroying several common enemies, implying those same common enemies are sold to ordinary people for mundane purposes. |
| 241 | * In the video game of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' Stewie Griffin actually says the trope as a remark to Bertram. |
| 242 | * In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', any weapon Shepard acquires (including the antique Lancer and xeno-tech Particle Rifle in the latter game), aside from Heavy Weapons, instantaneously spawns copies for everyone in the party. It's explained that the copies are built in the on-board armory (being able to use them before returning to the ''Normandy'' is just an AcceptableBreakFromReality), but unlike tech lab upgrades, Shepard never has to pay for extras no matter how esoteric the gun is. The same thing happens with weapon upgrades, grenades, ammo powers and pretty much every other addon; obtain one, and you'll have enough for any situation with no fuss. The exceptions are the advanced gun found as part of the plot in 2 and a few squad member's upgrade weapons; nobody else can use them. |
| 243 | * ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': |
| 244 | ** Major Kirrahe (if he survived the first game) decides to demonstrate the grenade-firing Scorpion pistol on Cerberus troops: |
| 245 | --->'''Garrus:''' How do I not have one of those?! |
| 246 | ** Steve Cortez implies this was the reaction of the Alliance R&D guys after Shepard turned over the ''Normandy'' during the interim between the second and third games, quickly rushing to snap up all of the weapons, armour, vehicles and technology that Shepard acquired. Explains [[BagOfSpilling where it all went]], at least... |
| 247 | * In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'' the last witness is [[spoiler:an international spy known only as the phantom. Several times during his testimony, he whips out some gadget, and Wright eventually asks this.]] |
| 248 | -->''(And where can I get myself some?)'' |
| 249 | * Post-Shadow Moses Incident in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Snake and Otacon with a few other friends created an organization called Philanthropy which has about 5 or 6 people in it. Initially it had funds from some royalties of the best-selling book by Natasha Romanenko, an aging stealth suit, and a tranquilizer gun. That's it. They then added equipment through illegal procurement from the Soldier System Center (SSC) and later on in the series we find out that Otacon and Sunny are able to design bleeding-edge tech by hacking into labs and copying blueprints, before hand-making it aboard their transport plane/homebase, The Nomad. Snake, in his last days, would also be getting supplies from a mysterious arms dealer named Drebin, who in turn got permission and resources from [[spoiler: The Patriots]]. |
| 250 | ** Big Boss and his MSF company are hired by a pair of ''peaceniks'' with connections to the local Costa Rican government and so the MSF get a defunct oil platform to be their base and a helicopter as initial payment. They then make deals with remnants of the Sandinistas, that fled over from Nicaragua, for troops and info. The MSF would also scout out would-be mercenaries around the world to hire and dragoon captured enemy soldiers and vehicles into joining. With all this manpower, the soldiers with strong technical skills would be assigned to research and build things from C-rations to giant mechs, while others would go do missions for income. Big Boss's later Diamond Dogs company would also do a similar arrangement elsewhere in the world. |
| 251 | * Where the ''hell'' do the various police departments in the various ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' series games get their [[HammerspacePoliceForce infinite supplies]] of [[CoolCar Exotic and Supercars]] to throw at the street racers (eg. ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2005'' use of the Chevy Corvettes at the ''FEDERAL'' Heat Level in both versions of the game) You'd think at some point the taxpayer funding would run dry after procuring fleets of $100K sports cars. And, in the same vein, in the games where Cops are playable, where do they even get all the same rare, expensive-as-shit (like the Pagani Zonda Cinque, of which only five were ever made, being somehow available as a police unit) hypercars as the racers? |
| 252 | [[/folder]] |
| 253 | |
| 254 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 255 | * In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' it was originally left unexplained how Riff, a guy with no apparent job, is able to get a hold of the materials for building his ray guns, giant robots, and nuclear reactors. It's eventually explained that [[spoiler:Riff was working as a freelance inventor for Hereti Corp, who supplied him with "the biggest, newest toys."]] He happened to have the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Book of E-Ville]] lying around his house for a completely unrelated reason: it's a hand-me-down from his AdventurerArchaeologist father, whose team unearthed it in the 1980s. |
| 256 | * In ''Webcomic/TheWotch'', Jason basically [[https://www.thewotch.com/?comic=dolly-19 uses the trope's name]] upon seeing some of a government agent's toolkit. Of course, it's [[ClassifiedInformation classified]], but no small part of it seems to involve aliens and magical influence. |
| 257 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'' Ally has a staggeringly impressive collection of BDSM toys; including an entire wardrobe of custom made outfits for both of her subs and herself, cuffs, chains, restraints and suspension rigs, a custom made ''mermaid outfit,'' the infamous "see-saw," a made to order bed just for sex and last but certainly not least an actual ''chariot.'' We are shown that Alan and Chris make a living out of making these things for people and that Ally is really quite well off, but WordOfGod states that Ally has spent forty grand on this collection. |
| 258 | * ''Webcomic/LadySpectraAndSparky'' have a lighthouse headquarters, a tricked-out {{Thememobile}}, and all kinds of advanced laser weaponry...all on Lady Spectra's schoolteacher salary. |
| 259 | [[/folder]] |
| 260 | |
| 261 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 262 | * ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': |
| 263 | ** Phase has incredible amounts of money -- especially for a high-schooler. She's paid [[GadgeteerGenius devisers]] to build her gadgets, and she's been seen ordering special gizmos from a website for [=supervillains=]. |
| 264 | ** In Addition to Phase, tons of other characters, especially devisors and Gadgeteers, have all kinds of nifty tech gizmos... most of which they build themselves. Where do they get the money for this? Every single one of them has their own research expenses granted by the school so they can build stuff. it isn't made clear if they are expected to pay it back or not. |
| 265 | * ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'': As mentioned in the theme song, Linkara's got a magic gun (among other gadgets), [[LampshadeHanging where'd he purchase that?]] |
| 266 | ** His later weapons are outstripping even the gun by a large margin. |
| 267 | ** It's eventually explained that [[spoiler:Linkara knows a spell that effectively lets him turn toys into the real thing, explaining how he has things like [[Franchise/PowerRangers Morphers]] or [[Series/DoctorWho Sonic Screwdrivers]].]] |
| 268 | * Music/DoctorSteel makes them himself! |
| 269 | * Averted in ''[[http://nequ.deviantart.com/art/Sonny-Gets-Mad-Scienced-144594113 Sonny Gets Mad Scienced,]]'' where the titular main character asks a minion where his MadScientist captor funds his base and the mercenary employees. |
| 270 | -->'''Nurse:''' He doesn't say. We talk about it in the break room, and it's either corporate sponsorship, military sponsorship, or he hustles little old ladies out of their pensions.\ |
| 271 | '''Sonny:''' What about credit cards?\ |
| 272 | '''Nurse:''' [[http://suite101.com/article/feature-film-funding-with-credit-cards-a121087 Like the movies do]]? Didn't quite think of that. |
| 273 | [[/folder]] |
| 274 | |
| 275 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 276 | * Lampshaded by Phong in ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}'' when [[BigBad Megabyte]] returns with an armada out of nowhere: |
| 277 | --> '''Phong:''' Where ''does'' he get those [=ABCs=] from? |
| 278 | * An episode in the third season of ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' showed the Xavier School mansion being rebuilt by [[ComicBook/DamageControl a construction company with the slogan "We keep your secrets."]] |
| 279 | * ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': |
| 280 | ** Kim gets most of her stuff from her friend [[MissionControl Wade]], who builds custom-made [[ShoePhone disguised spy-gear]] for the ActionGirl on the go. Villains, however, buy direct from [=HenchCo=]: [[ArmsDealer proud provider of henchmen and henchman accessories]] owned and operated by classic CorruptCorporateExecutive [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Jack Hench]]. There are also trade magazines and conventions for villains, with well-stocked dealer rooms and catalogs. "Wacky Wally's Weather Machines" is the one stop shop for total control of the local climate. Dr. Drakken sends Shego to steal from them all. |
| 281 | ** There's also a reality show, ''Evil Eye for the Bad Guy'', an {{expy}}/parody of ''Queer Eye For The Straight Guy''. |
| 282 | * The Guild of Calamitous Intent from ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' offers logistical and legal support to its members, provided said members obey the rules of the Guild. They also offer super-scientists and heroes deals where they'll provide them with a selection of villains to pick an arch-nemesis from, much like a dating service. |
| 283 | * ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' where TheHero gets all his Fenton gadgets and doo-dads from his own basement which substitutes as a lab for ghost research. One episode shows his house also possesses a ''weapons vault'', a possible other source for ghost combat goodies. |
| 284 | * The protagonists of ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' have some really fancy vehicles that not only seem to be several decades ahead of development, but are also 100% eco-friendly, that they don't bother explaining. They are sponsored by Gaia herself so maybe she has a few tricks up her sleeve, but if they have tech like that, [[ReedRichardsIsUseless why don't they release it to the public]] and [[FridgeLogic get rid of all those gas-guzzling cars]]? |
| 285 | * In ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'', the titular heroes live and work in a junkyard that apparently gets at least some of its stuff from a police organization that actually has the need for advanced jet fighters and ''tanks''. |
| 286 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'': Freakazoid has a fully equipped Freakalair after getting his powers, apparently without any construction work or expenses. [[NoFourthWall It's a cartoon]]. He can ''do'' that. |
| 287 | ** The lair's existence is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in the first two appearances. In the first instance Freakazoid points out that he has it "in this episode" and that they're "testing it out" then, upon its second appearance he explains how they tested out in an early show and it's going to stay. |
| 288 | ** Of course, several episodes demonstrate that the show's executives exist ''in universe'', and even ask him to show off new merchandise, so presumably he gets a cut from toy tie-ins. And in other episodes he is apparently authorized to transport criminals across national boundaries, so for all we know he works for the government... Look, [[BellisariosMaxim just don't think about it too hard]]. |
| 289 | * ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'': In "Secret Origins", Superman asks Batman if his stockholders know about the newly-commissioned Watchtower, which Batman {{handwave}}s with "hidden as a line item in the Space R&D budget." Sure, that hides the funding, but says nothing about assembly either pre-launch or in orbit. (Although with Superman available, Batman at least wouldn't need a launch vehicle -- or if Clark had a spare weekend, a construction crew.) |
| 290 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'': The heroes' [[ExecutiveMeddling executive-mandated]] [[BeepingComputers supercomputer]] was initially taken for granted. However, by the third season, so many fans had sent letters asking where it had come from that the writers went and wrote an episode surrounding not only the origin of the team itself, but their computer. (As it turned out, it was a gift from [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] after they saved him.) |
| 291 | * ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012'': All of the gadgets and vehicles used by Spidey and his team were designed and provided by SHIELD. Spider-Man does start off using web-shooters of his own design like in the comics, but switches to more advanced SHIELD-issued models after Nick Fury assures him that the new ones are much more efficient and versatile. |
| 292 | * ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'': Gizmoduck is easy enough to explain--he's the bodyguard of the world's richest person. WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck from the same 'verse (though with his own show) doesn't seem to have the same setup--he's shown as having many gadgets and gizmos even before the series starts. After breaking a (not the) FourthWall he's asked about this, and promptly shushes the inquisitive fan. Darkwing worked on occasion for the government group S.H.U.S.H. a parody of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} from the Marvel Universe and may have received both his salary and access to technology from there. The continuation comic from Creator/BoomStudios revealed that, yes, S.H.U.S.H. did pay Darkwing and when he gave up crimefighting, things got ''hard'' money-wise. |
| 293 | * ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' '''is''' a wonderful toy. |
| 294 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'': How does Jenny keep all those weapons inside her body? |
| 295 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'': Ms. Valerie Frizzle, enough said. Lampshaded by the class at least once, though that's generally about her clothes instead of her wonderful toys. |
| 296 | * [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Wile E. Coyote]] has [[AcmeProducts Acme, Inc]] to supply all his gadgets, but how does he ''pay for them''? Apply MST3KMantra here. |
| 297 | ** ''Film/LooneyTunesBackInAction'' proposes that he works for Acme. He still has to order the products through an Amazon.com-esque website, though, for some reason. |
| 298 | ** In one cartoon it turns out the roadrunner is the one shipping them to him, purely for the lulz. |
| 299 | ** A ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' bit where Peter is working as the store clerk at ACME when Wile E. comes in looking for a refund on a piece of hilariously backfiring equipment. They have a strict "no refund" policy, but offer him store credit instead, implying he just keeps cycling through their catalog in that way |
| 300 | ** According to Creator/JonStewart's ''Literature/EarthTheBook'', Acme stays in business, despite faulty merchandise, by providing "free shipping to remote desert locations." |
| 301 | * WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb: |
| 302 | ** We see Phineas and Ferb buy their supplies, but what kind of allowance do their parents give them to afford this? ([[FridgeLogic Their mom]] ''[[FridgeLogic was]]'' [[FridgeLogic a famous pop star once, so if she still has some of that money laying around...]]) |
| 303 | ** Dr. Doofenshmirtz gets most of his money from his ex-wife's alimony, which allows him to finance his evil inventions. (Side note: Artistic license about law aside, Dr. Doofenshmirtz's evil-ness is a CassandraTruth in TheVerse, which is presumably why judges still rule in his favor in alimony hearings.) |
| 304 | * ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'' has Batman parody Larry-Boy, whose gadgets were apparently all invented and installed by Alfred (yes that's really his butler's name). Without his knowledge or permission. "I like to tinker in my spare time. I also dabble in biochemistry, nuclear medicine... you know, this and that." |
| 305 | * The penguins in ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' have quite a few gadgets and an awful lot of heavy-duty weaponry. While some of it is fairly obviously stolen or constructed by Kowalski, one is still left wondering where they get their dynamite, grenades, and teeny-tiny little pink remote-control cars. |
| 306 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', has this with the inevitable in-universe UnfortunateImplications in the "Inspection Detention" episode. Specifically, he keeps wishing for items which someone else happens to be stealing, and becomes a suspect. In "The Big Scoop", itself a PerspectiveFlip LowerDeckEpisode of "A Wish Too Far", Chester and AJ are not fooled by Timmy's excuses for his new stuff and nearly stumble onto his godparents. |
| 307 | * Miss Theatre/{{Macbeth}}, the SadistTeacher villain of ''INK: WesternAnimation/InvisibleNetworkOfKids'', has a secret lab under the school and can invent all kinds of evil devices, yet when it comes to [[TyrantTakesTheHelm teaching schoolwork she's a total moron]]. |
| 308 | * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'''s Peter Griffin crashes both a customized "Peter-Copter", with his face on it, and a "Hinden-Peter" blimp, also with face, into his neighbour Joe Swanson's lawn and house respectively in the same episode. After the latter, Joe angrily asks "HOW CAN YOU AFFORD THESE THINGS?!" There's also a CutawayGag of Stewie criticizing Batman for expecting the Batcave to stay secret. |
| 309 | -->'''Stewie:''' Look, you can't expect to hire sixty workers to dig a cave under your house and then keep it a secret. I mean, those men live in this town!\ |
| 310 | '''Batman:''' Yeah, but I told them it was part of a geological survey.\ |
| 311 | '''Stewie:''' Batman, Batman -- they built a Lazy Susan for your nuclear car. That's something they consider conversation-worthy. |
| 312 | ** And that's Stewie, who has his own secret room in {{Hammerspace}} which is full of gadgets, devices and sophisticated expensive-looking weaponry. how does a two-year old boy genius accumulate all this stuff? |
| 313 | * ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'': Where exactly did Dexter get all the stuff for his lab? For that matter, where did Mandark, whose lab is above ground? Well according to ''VideoGame/FusionFall'', they both sell inventions (or at least the patents to their inventions). Then again, Fusion Fall is set about five years after the series. |
| 314 | * In ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'', Static's base is an abandoned gas station full of things that his best friend [[spoiler: (Who turns out to be a GadgeteerGenius)]] made. Where they find the tools for these things, however, is never explained. |
| 315 | * {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' after [[spoiler: the bi-planes arrive]]. |
| 316 | --> '''Bolin:''' Where does [[spoiler: Hiroshi]] find the time to keep inventing new evil machines!? |
| 317 | * Many villains from ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'' seem to have no trouble at all sourcing hidden lairs, superweapons and deathtraps. A repeated example is ordinary students going for revenge and suddenly having access to advanced technology like forcefields and combat vehicles, in one example even building a huge replica of the university. |
| 318 | * WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego keeps a lot of nifty toys in her BadassLongcoat. Her keeping cut of the proceeds of her thefts for operational purposes can probably explain how she can afford said toys, but as of the end of season one, no explanation has been given as to where she gets them from. |
| 319 | * ''WesternAnimation/PJMasks'': The 3 [[KidHero child superheroes]] somehow have a high-tech headquarters, and each a personal vehicle. The villains also have multiple tools whose origins go unexplained. At least with Romeo it can be handwaved that he builds them himself since he's a ChildProdigy / MadScientist, but that still leaves the question where he gets the raw materials to do so. |
| 320 | * ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'': {{Gadget|eerGenius}} Hackwrench ''is'' the where. She builds all of the Rangers' vehicles and equipment, so if there's some gizmo or device they pull out over the course of a case, Gadget is the one that built it. Her abilities are almost superhuman, as she can build anything ''from'' anything that the team may need at any given moment ''in'' that moment. Including a fully-functional ''spaceship'' from a common trash can. |
| 321 | -->'''Gadget:''' See, I've got this mind-bogglingly high I.Q., and I get bored easily! |
| 322 | [[/folder]] |
| 323 | |
| 324 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 325 | * To answer Jim Steinman, Chicago likely gets all that meat from Texas, Kansas City and other places around it. And Cincinnati if it's pork. Most cattle drives historically ended in Chicago, which around the beginning of the 20th century was the second largest city in the US after New York and remained so until Los Angeles overtook it in the 1980s (hence its nickname "The Second City"), making it the logical place for these ranches to drive their cattle to. Adidas of course has advertising. [[DontExplainTheJoke Not that anyone asked...]] |
| 326 | * World War II [=POWs=] got a lot of stuff needed for both illicit escape attempts and sanctioned activities like theater by pinching items from their captors, supplemented by various items sent from home via YMCA or Red Cross. Through such packages (but using names of bogus charities rather than Red Cross itself), the British also snuck in illegal gear like maps, radio parts, and camera equipment via a wartime intelligence agency called [=MI9=] that sought to use their [=POWs=] in Germany as intelligence assets (as well as aiding their escape attempt). Other countries, supposedly, were less willing to flagrantly violate Geneva Convention provisions that allowed certain items to be sent to their POW's via mail for limited gains in intelligence. |
| 327 | [[/folder]] |
| 328 |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Main / WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
