History Main / HeroismWontPayTheBills

* Despite saving the world from multiple apocalyptic-level threats, Dante from ''Franchise/DevilMayCry'' is constantly seen living in squalor and struggling to pay the bills. As explained in various novels, it's not that demon killing doesn't pay well, but the jobs are rare and what he does earn ends up being split between supporting the family of an old friend who died and his partners who take the lion's share of the reward, especially Lady who needs the money to buy ammunition for her weapons unlike Dante. His BagOfSpilling is explained as Dante needing to sell his collection of Devil Arms to collectors to make ends meet between big jobs.

* Despite saving the world from multiple apocalyptic-level threats, Dante from ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry]]'' is constantly seen living in squalor and struggling to pay the bills. As explained in various novels, it's not that demon killing doesn't pay well, but the jobs are rare and what he does earn ends up being split between supporting the family of an old friend who died and his partners who take the lion's share of the reward, especially Lady who needs the money to buy ammunition for her weapons unlike Dante. His BagOfSpilling is explained as Dante needing to sell his collection of Devil Arms to collectors to make ends meet between big jobs.

* Despite saving the world from multiple apocalyptic-level threats, Dante from ''[[Franchise/DevilMayCry]]'' is constantly seen living in squalor and struggling to pay the bills. As explained in various novels, it's not that demon killing doesn't pay well, but the jobs are rare and what he does earn ends up being split between supporting the family of an old friend who died and his partners who take the lion's share of the reward, especially Lady who needs the money to buy ammunition for her weapons unlike Dante. His BagOfSpilling is explained as Dante needing to sell his collection of Devil Arms to collectors to make ends meet between big jobs.

** This has been a RealLife example of a DeconstructedTrope in recent years however, as military enlistment has been in severe decline (due to the perception, real or imagined, that [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness there are few and declining benefits to joining when compared to the risks, and that the VA system doesn't do a great job of caring for those who served after they have done so]], to say nothing of a shift in American views on wars) to the point the Federal Government of the United States of America is open about (and looking for a solution to) their recruitment crisis. Veterans are largely unsympathetic, viewing it as LaserGuidedKarma.

** In Season 2, Red Arrow stops a thief robbing a local store, only to take some of the cash himself. He's then confronted by his friends and foster parents, who go WhatTheHellHero, and he points out that without Green Arrow's bank account supporting him, it's hard to fund the search for [[Spoiler:the original Roy Harper whom he is a clone of]].

* In Season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', Red Arrow stops a thief robbing a local store, only to take some of the cash himself. He's then confronted by his friends and foster parents, who go WhatTheHellHero, and he points out that without Green Arrow's bank account supporting him, it's hard to fund the search for his original self.

So, as we've seen, the lifestyle of a hero [[{{Deconstruction}} often isn't that great]]. One of the many ways heroes can have it rough is the state of their bank account, because as it turns out, [[TitleDrop Heroism Won't Pay The Bills]].

-->Announcer: Crime doesn't pay, and really neither does crime-fighting. Because whether you're the man of Steel or the Dark Knight, you need a day job! *RecordNeedleScratch*

* Averted in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' since the setting is pretty much hero world where near everyone has a power and, as long as you have a hero license, you can take a job as a pro hero and get paid to stop crime. Essentially a super-powered First Responder. Played a bit straight in the spin-off, ''Manga/MyHeroAcademiaVigilantes'', since the main character is working outside the law as an unlicensed hero AND a full-time college student to boot, so he isn't getting paid.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Despite being one of four people directly responsible for saving the world, Sakura hadn't finished paying off the loan on her house by the time ''Manga/NarutoGaiden'' starts ([[FridgeLogic though she's one of the most skilled medics in the world, so she really shouldn't be having financial issues]]).

* ''ComicBook/SheHulk'': Whenever she's not saving the world, Jennifer Walters works as a lawyer.
* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'':
** Early into Wally West's [[{{pun}} run]] as the flash, he displays the fact that he's more pragmatic and less idealistic than his predecessor Barry Allen with this trope. Asked to deliver a heart for transplant across the country, he requests that he be given health insurance in return. He'd do it for free just to save a life, he explains, but after all the ''doctors'' are all getting paid, so why not him? At the end of the story, he winds up winning the lottery, making the issue moot.
** Barry Allen, meanwhile, is a criminal forensics expert, which slots in nicely to his superheroing career.

* Averted in ''[[Fanfic/FullCircleOddSquad Full Circle]]'', where Olive and Oscar both get meals on the house at the Confalones restaurant following the events of ''Film/OddSquadTheMovie''.

** One of the biggest hurdles Marinette faces when concocting her plan to take down Hawkmoth for good is that she simply doesn't have the money necessary to buy the specialized equipment she needs. As a result, she seriously debates going to one of the Agrestes as Ladybug and asking for financial support; the only reason she winds up going to Chloe instead is because Gabriel is [[NastyToTheWaiter such a]] {{Jerkass}} that she can't stomach the thought of working with him.
** Adrien hopes to avert this by asking Paris to repay him for all the services he provided as Chat Noir. Unfortunately for him, this doesn't work out too well, given how he always treated fighting akuma [[NotAGame like a game]], [[SkewedPriorities caring more about]] flirting with his 'partner' and goofing around. He also does himself no favors by not showing up for the FinalBattle, and revealing his complete LackOfEmpathy for the victims of the akuma attacks when crashing a post-battle interview.

* Invoked and repeatedly discussed in the ''Fanfic/TriptychContinuum''; once they found out that being the "Bearers of the Elements of Harmony" meant they were going to become the on-call specialists for whenever Princess Celestia had some kind of magical or weird problem to solve, the Bearers got together and had a little discussion with her about this particular problem. In an effort to solve it, Princess Celestia created the Bearer Relief Fund, which was basically intended to financially compensate the Bearers... unfortunately, Celestia is not very good with finances and somewhat out of touch with the cost of living for the average pony in modern Equestria. Add to it that the Bearers are not as willing to exploit the full potential of this option as much as they could, and in fact it actually helps very little -- just barely enough to keep them solvent. The author has stated that once the far more financially aware Luna becomes aware of just how badly the Bearer Relief Fund (which is now under her authority) is doing its job, Celestia will be in for a tongue-lashing and the Bearers will be in for a lot of back-pay.

* Discussed and played with in "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/25814830 Superhero Salary]]" by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/quicksilversquared/pseuds/quicksilversquared quicksilversquared]] when a joking comment from Chat Noir about how Hawk Moth should have to pay for his therapy sparks a serious debate over whether the heroes should be compensated for their services to the city. While the heroes are teenagers who don't actually have to worry about living expenses, they privately note that they don't know how long they'll be fighting Hawk Moth. Being superheroes won't do much for their ability to hold down jobs once they're old enough -- and in the meantime, the extra money still has some important uses, like signing up for online courses if they fall behind on their schoolwork. The logistical pitfalls are also discussed, as Ladybug and Chat Noir can't just put the money into their existing bank accounts; not only would those be traceable, their families would notice the suspicious jump in their incomes. The eventual conclusion is yes, the heroes should be paid, and they should also be getting royalties for merchandise that uses their images. While they aren't going to be millionaires, Ladybug notes that between their official salaries and royalty payments, plus the pending back pay, she and Chat are making more money than they know what to do with.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/StuporHeroics'': The world works much like ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', where heroes make a name for themselves and then turn that into a money-making franchise. It's stated that all the Loud heroines are doing well enough to support themselves and their parents comfortably.

* Despite being one of four people directly responsible for saving the world, [[Manga/{{Naruto}} Sakura]] hadn't finished paying off the loan on her house by the time ''Manga/NarutoGaiden'' starts ([[FridgeLogic though she's one of the most skilled medics in the world, so she really shouldn't be having financial issues]]).

->''"Being a freedom fighter, a force for good, it's a wonderful thing. Get to make your own hours, looks good on a résumé... but the pay sucks."''

** ''Series/ChourikiSentaiOhranger'': The Ohrangers are employed by a military organization, meaning that they should have steady paychecks in the mail. Yet, when Yuji shows off his bank statement to a disguised Mulitwa ([[ItMakesSenseInContext long story]]), we see it comes down to a whopping 3,982 yen (or '''$29.65'''). Acha even remarks that "I guess justice doesn't really pay the bills."

* Both ComicBook/{{Superman}} and ComicBook/SpiderMan work for newspapers, the former a reporter and the latter a photographer. This gives them a job that isn't 9-5, allow them to be "on assignment", and Peter takes advantage of having exclusive pics of Spidey in action (thanks to his remote camera) to get bonuses. Clark, meanwhile, can use his SuperSpeed to [[MundaneUtility write articles in the blink of an eye]] so that he can spend more time helping people.

* Features regularly in the ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse, as Paperinik (Donald Duck's superhero/antihero alter ego) isn't paid for protecting the public and isn't stealing anymore, and going out superheroing at night makes it hard working by day. A number of stories address the effect it has on his superhero job too:

* This even pops up in the ''very first'' issue of ''Magazine/{{Mad}}'', during their ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' parody ''Superduperman''. Not only does Clark Bent make an utterly measly weekly wage of seventy-five cents and a good bus token, but this is also [[FallenHero Captain Marbles']] reason for [[FaceHeelTurn dropping the hero act and becoming a supervillain]].

* ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017'' reveals that whenever he's not doing superhero work -- explicitly described as being "on leave" from duty -- Scott Free gets by on public performances as Mister Miracle, putting his crazy EscapeArtist skills on for captive audiences, and even then, he and Barda live in a modest apartment for two.
* PlayedWith in an issue of ''ComicBook/NewAvengers'', where [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Steve Rogers]], newly-instated as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., offers each member of the team a stipend for their heroics. ComicBook/LukeCage, however initially refuses because he is extremely anti-establishment and was adamant that the team remains autonomous. His wife immediately snatches the check and loudly reminds him that thanks to [[ComicBook/DarkAvengers their last battle]], they have nowhere to live, no food, no diapers, and no other necessities to take care of their infant child. Luke promptly shuts up and accepts the check.

* Whenever she's not saving the world as ComicBook/SheHulk, Jennifer Walters works as a lawyer.
* Early into Wally West's [[{{pun}} run]] as ComicBook/TheFlash, he displays the fact that he's more pragmatic and less idealistic than his predecessor Barry Allen with this trope. Asked to deliver a heart for transplant across the country, he requests that he be given health insurance in return. He'd do it for free just to save a life, he explains, but after all the ''doctors'' are all getting paid, so why not him? At the end of the story, he winds up winning the lottery, making the issue moot.
* Barry Allen, meanwhile, is a criminal forensics expert, which slots in nicely to his superheroing career.
* In ''ComicStrip/WhatsNewWithPhilAndDixie'', the ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' magazine #75 strip discussed superheroes and acknowledged their financial woes with several panels showing a superhero working as a BurgerFool, another of a superhero trying to pawn off his Congressional Medal of Freedom, and finally two panels where a superhero unmasks a supervillain and learns that it is actually another superhero called [[FrogMen Batrachoid Man]].

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Usually Diana has a wage as an Ambassador, and evidently the ComicBook/JusticeLeague pays a bit to members through the United States Government. However, after Diana spends months missing in space and Themyscira goes missing itself when Di gets back she has to pick up a job as a BurgerFool to make ends meet since her JLA check is tied up in red tape and she's not getting anything from home.
* ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} works as a stage magician in between superheroing. Though as she doesn't maintain a secret identity she uses real magic in her acts.

* This even pops up in the ''very first'' issue of ''Magazine/{{Mad}}'', during their ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' parody ''Superduperman''. Not only does Clark Bent make an utterly measly weekly wage of seventy-five cents and a good bus token, but this is also [[FallenHero Captain Marbles']] reason for [[FaceHeelTurn dropping the hero act and becoming a supervillain]].

* Both Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/SpiderMan work for newspapers, the former a reporter and the latter a photographer. This gives them a job that isn't 9-5, allow them to be "on assignment", and Peter takes advantage of having exclusive pics of Spidey in action (thanks to his remote camera) to get bonuses. Clark, meanwhile, can use his SuperSpeed to [[MundaneUtility write articles in the blink of an eye]] so that he can spend more time helping people.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Usually Diana has a wage as an Ambassador, and evidently the Franchise/JusticeLeague pays a bit to members through the United States Government. However, after Diana spends months missing in space and Themyscira goes missing itself when Di gets back she has to pick up a job as a BurgerFool to make ends meet since her JLA check is tied up in red tape and she's not getting anything from home.