Superhero Occupations
Hey, I'm looking for suggestions for a book I'm trying to write. I'm inventing a superhero (pretty generic superhero) and I need an occupation for him to do in his normal person persona.
Any ideas? It needs to be a job that either allows him to use his superpowers on the job (without anyone noticing) to save people, or that would allow him to slip off, save people, and come back. I would prefer that nobody, not even a partner or a boss, know that he's a superhero--maybe they might come to suspect, but I don't want a job that *requires* him to let somebody else know. Also, I know perfectly well that I could just make him stay home and write, or something of that sort, but I'd rather he actually have a job where he has to hide his persona.
I liked the idea of having him be a fireman, but I just couldn't see how it would work. He could maybe occasionally use his powers on the job, but he'd be limited in them. He can't keep leaving the team to fight the fire himself and return, somebody would notice. And when he was on call and waiting at the firehouse, he couldn't slip off to perform other rescues--he has to be available for fires.
So far the best idea I have is policeman. In our county, at least, many policemen patrol alone. However, it still causes some problems. If he changes into superhero garb to catch a bad guy, then either he has to change back to normal in front of the bad guy (no way), tie the bad guy up, go to "call the police," and appear himself (not always possible, and would arouse suspicions), or take the bad guy to the station as the superhero (leaving his policeman self without any credit). Of course, he could just stay in policeman garb and use his powers subtly to catch the bad guy (might not actually be too hard), and only use his superhero costume when he's actually off-duty, or just on extreme occasions (and then take the bad guy to the station as the superhero in those cases). I'm thinking that last might work best, but... I don't know, I just don't feel like writing a police officer.
I'm trying to avoid journalism as a career, because it's too close to Superman and done in several other superhero stories as well. Something original would be good. Whatever it is, though, he lives in or just outside of a big city, so it can't be farming or anything of that sort.
Any ideas are appreciated! I'm also working on brainstorming super-powers--anybody who wants to help, let me know! I'm not incredibly familiar with the vast number of superheroes and what kind of powers they all have.
Any ideas? It needs to be a job that either allows him to use his superpowers on the job (without anyone noticing) to save people, or that would allow him to slip off, save people, and come back. I would prefer that nobody, not even a partner or a boss, know that he's a superhero--maybe they might come to suspect, but I don't want a job that *requires* him to let somebody else know. Also, I know perfectly well that I could just make him stay home and write, or something of that sort, but I'd rather he actually have a job where he has to hide his persona.
I liked the idea of having him be a fireman, but I just couldn't see how it would work. He could maybe occasionally use his powers on the job, but he'd be limited in them. He can't keep leaving the team to fight the fire himself and return, somebody would notice. And when he was on call and waiting at the firehouse, he couldn't slip off to perform other rescues--he has to be available for fires.
So far the best idea I have is policeman. In our county, at least, many policemen patrol alone. However, it still causes some problems. If he changes into superhero garb to catch a bad guy, then either he has to change back to normal in front of the bad guy (no way), tie the bad guy up, go to "call the police," and appear himself (not always possible, and would arouse suspicions), or take the bad guy to the station as the superhero (leaving his policeman self without any credit). Of course, he could just stay in policeman garb and use his powers subtly to catch the bad guy (might not actually be too hard), and only use his superhero costume when he's actually off-duty, or just on extreme occasions (and then take the bad guy to the station as the superhero in those cases). I'm thinking that last might work best, but... I don't know, I just don't feel like writing a police officer.
I'm trying to avoid journalism as a career, because it's too close to Superman and done in several other superhero stories as well. Something original would be good. Whatever it is, though, he lives in or just outside of a big city, so it can't be farming or anything of that sort.
Any ideas are appreciated! I'm also working on brainstorming super-powers--anybody who wants to help, let me know! I'm not incredibly familiar with the vast number of superheroes and what kind of powers they all have.