How to Make a Living as a Super Hero

Ok, indulge me a bit.

Some background: I was a HUGE comic book fan when I was a kid. My dad would take me to the local drugstore and we'd have a cherry Coke and he'd buy me five or six comic books (I think they were 25 cents each then -- maybe 50 cents). I'd then spend the next several hours reading stories about my favorite super heroes. Batman was my favorite (because he didn't really have any special/alien/unbelievable powers thus he was more "realistic" to me than the others), but I also liked Superman, Spiderman, and a few others.

Now wouldn't it be great if I could earn a decent living while "being" a super hero. Turns out I could -- or so it seems -- if I wanted to move to Hollywood.

I recently watched a documentary titled Confessions of a Super Hero. It details the lives of four would-be actors that dress up as super heroes and walk Hollywood Boulevard. Tourists then take pictures with them and tip the heroes for their "services." Here are the economics of the job as well as my general thoughts:

• The Superman character says at one point that he makes $200 to $300 a day and "$595 on a good day." (I believe I'm quoting accurately.) At $250 per day, five days a week, for 50 weeks a year, this would give him and annual income of $62,500. In addition to this, the piece says they do birthday and Christmas parties, so maybe they make additional amounts in other ways.

• The Superman character also claims to have $1 million in Superman collectibles. This seems to be a big stretch if you watch what he has, what the collectibles look like, and the fact that he's not living in our world (see next comment).

• This said, all of these people: 1. live in California, a high cost-of-living state, so $62k doesn't go as far as it does in Indy, 2. appear to be living lower-class lifestyles (evidenced by their homes, clothes, etc.), and 3. are likely either liars or delusional (watch the film and you'll see that especially the Superman and Batman characters aren't totally in reality.) So maybe they really make $20,000 a year and are barely getting by.

• In addition, the Batman character works security "once the summer is over." So maybe it's a summer-time only gig? If so, it's not anywhere near $62k a year.

• Could you do this anywhere else other than Hollywood? Probably not full-time. But maybe you could make a decent side income by doing parties as Batman, Superman, etc. $300 per party for 10 Saturdays a year is $3,000 easy money (IMO.)

So, if you've always wanted to be a super hero, maybe you can be. And make a decent income/side income in the process. :-)

Comments

[Eugene Krabs]

Regardless, very interesting entry.

Thanks for sharing, good citizen!

[Steve]

Well, this is a cash business, so they are probably not paying a lot of taxes. $62k post-tax in California is probably over $90k pre-tax.

[Bill]

....doubtful that their tax burden is very high (i.e. they really make more like 100k)

[cmadler]

It works as long as you don't get sued for infringing the intellectual property of Marvel or DC or whoever.

[Eugene Krabs]

Not reporting cash earned from tips is technically tax evasion. They're no match for the villainous machinations of the IRS if they get caught.

I don't know about California's state income tax, but federal income tax brackets are the same regardless of what state you are in.

So, how will they foil the evil, diabolical mastermind known as the IRS? Tune in next time, same super time, same super channel, for another exciting episode of Super Herooooo Confessions!

[Christy]

They have people who do this at the flea market (in Houston) on weekends. $5 or something and your kids get a polariod(or similar). I assume they must make okay money since they are there all the time.

[Marc B.]

Superheros don't need to pay taxes. Afterall, if they get caught and thrown in jail....they're superheros, they can just break down the wall and escape!

Thanks for the comic relief for the day!

[Andy]

Why not. Time Square tourists pay to have their picture taken with a long-haired guy in a cowboy hat and tighty-whities playing a guitar.