10 Marvel Heroes With the Coolest Civilian Jobs

The Marvel Universe features some of the most incredible superheroes ever to appear in comics. However, some of these characters are famous for more than their strength in their power set. Fans also love them thanks to their personality, backstory, or even their actions when they aren’t taking down bad guys.

From store owners to doctors to lawyers, some Marvel heroes have truly balanced the superhero gig with an actual career. Half the time, it isn’t really that they need to make a living; it’s that they’re passionate enough about what they do and committed to the good fight.

10 Scarlet Witch Owns An Amazing Store

First appearance: X-Men #4 Vol. 1 (1964), by writer Stan Lee, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Paul Reinman, and letterer Artie Simek

Although Wanda Maximoff is one of the most powerful magic users in the Marvel Universe, she still sometimes needs extra income. Following her redemption arc during X-Men: The Trial of Magneto, the Scarlet Witch moved to Lotkill, a small town in New York, where she opened a store.

The Emporium, as she named it, sells all kinds of magical items, from talismans for magic protection to herbal remedies and even readings. The Emporium has a mystical, cool vibe thanks to Wanda’s abilities. Although Wanda’s job is still in the realm of her superpowers, there’s something funny but wholesome about the Scarlet Witch using her witchcraft to help people with small problems that could be solved with a nice cup of warm tea.

9 The Wasp Is An Absolute Fashion Mogul

First appearance: Tales to Astonish #44 Vol. 1 (1963), by writers Stan Lee and H.E. Huntley, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Don Heck, and letterer Art Simek

Janet Van Dyne, also known as Wasp, is a renowned fashion designer in the Marvel Universe. Although she’s mostly known for being a founding member of the Avengers, she has also found success in her day-to-day job, so she lives a very comfortable life. During Rainbow Rowell’s run on She-Hulk, she lent Jennifer her house — and the Jade Giantess was elated with all the luxury around here and the many dresses Jane owns.

Granted, it’s a bit sexist that the first female Avenger ever has a job in fashion, but Marvel Comics knew how to navigate this detail for more modern sensibilities. As of 2024, Janet is one of the coolest female comic characters. She’s always dressed to the nines and her socialité personality makes her very likable.

8 Ghost Rider’s Job Is As Cool As His Superhero Persona

First appearance: Marvel Spotlight #5 Vol. 1 (1972), by writer Gary Friedrich, artist Mike Ploog, and letterer Jon Costa

A skeleton surrounded by Hellfire who rides a motorcycle on his way to enact revenge on those he deems evil, Ghost Rider is already the epitome of cool. But even before becoming the Spirit of Vengeance, Johnny Blaze was amazing as a simple human. He worked as a motorcycle stuntman.

Before riding the Hell Cycle on his way to battle, Johnny was already riding motorcycles in the most dangerous circumstances — a gig he learned from his father, the famous stuntman Barton Blaze. Johnny’s bravery in his civilian job definitely translated into his superhero identity.

7 Shuri Is A Terrific Engineer

First appearance: Black Panther #2 Vol. 4 (2005), by writer Reginald Hudlin, penciler John Romita Jr., inker Klaus Janson, and colorist Dean White

Shuri isn’t just Wakanda’s princess — and one of its many Black Panthers — she’s also a central figure in this country’s development. When she isn’t saving the world alongside other heroes, T’Challa’s sister spends her time creating new Vibranium-based technology that can help her people.

As a genius-level head scientist in Wakanda, Shuri is responsible for some of the biggest advances in this country. She has created weapons that help Black Panther and invented things that help her community daily. She gets to tinker with some of the most advanced technology in the world while helping others, which is amazing.

First appearance: Journey Into Mystery #84 Vol. 1 (1962), by writers Stan Lee and Larry Lieber, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Dick Ayers, colorist Stan Goldberg, and letterer Artie Simek

Jane Foster debuted in Marvel Comics as Donald Blake, aka Thor’s love interest, but she became so much more with time. During Jason Aaron’s 2014 Thor run, she became Mighty Thor, the Goddess of Thunder, when Odinson was no longer worthy. Then, during War of the Realms, she took the Valkyrie mantle after Brunnhilde died. Between all these experiences, she also worked as a nurse and then as a doctor.

Being a health professional may not be as glamorous as other jobs, but it’s still super cool. Few Marvel characters can brag about helping people both as civilians and as superheroes. Jane is one of them and Earth’s representative at the mystical Congress of Worlds. It’s pretty cool for someone who debuted as a two-dimensional love interest.

5 Iron Fist Owns A Corporation

First appearance: Marvel Premiere #15 Vol 1 (1974), by writer Roy Thomas, penciler Gil Kane, inker Dick Giordano, colorist Glynis Wein, and letterer L.P. Gregory

When Danny Rand was only a kid, his father was murdered by his business partner during an expedition to Tibet, leaving Daniel as the heir of half of the Rand-Meachum Corporation, a multimillion-dollar conglomerate working on pharmaceutics and medical technology. Following Meachum’s crime, there was a fight for power between Danny and Meachum’s daughter, but ultimately, the Iron Fist became Rand-Meachum Inc. CEO — although he abandoned the position after a while, becoming only a shareholder.

Although he’s a selfless superhero during his free time, Danny lives a life that only a few Marvel characters can live. He has a constantly growing net worth, so he can easily access any luxury he wishes. He rarely does it since he cares little for money, but at least he doesn’t have to worry about much — at least financially.

4 Dazzler’s Mutation Goes Great With Her Day Job

First appearance: X-Men #130 Vol. 1 (1980), by writer Chris Claremont, writer and penciler John Byrne, inker Terry Austin, colorist Glynis Wein, and letterer Tom Orzechowski

Alison Blaire, also known as Dazzler, is a famous singer in the Marvel universe and a mutant with sound and light-based powers. She can transform sonic vibrations into light while also creating energy fields that manifest as light radiates from her body. Dazzler can control this light in any way, manipulating its frequency to change its color, intensity, and even duration.

These abilities differentiate Dazzler from many other performers, allowing her to create a light show as she sings. Given this, she’s very successful among music lovers. Although she isn’t an international superstar just yet, Dazzler lives the life of a celebrity — partying at night, singing at clubs, and getting recognized by fans wherever she goes.

3 Jessica Jones Tried Being A Normal Superhero First

First appearance: Alias #1 Vol. 1 (2001), by writer Brian Michael Bendis, penciler and inker Michael Gaydos, colorist Matt Hollingsworth, and letterer Richard Starkings

When Jessica Jones was younger, she acted for a couple of years as the obscure superhero Jewel. Unfortunately, she stumbled upon Zebediah Killgrave, a supervillain with the ability to control people’s minds. Killgrave turned Jessica into his slave for months.

After she escaped him, she never returned to her role as Jewel. She became a private investigator with a rough exterior — until she formed a family with Luke Cage and briefly returned to superheroics as Power Woman. Jessica’s job as a P.I. isn’t glamorous- it often involves catching cheaters and blackmailing others while living on a freelance budget — but she makes it look exciting. With her leather jacket, acid humor, and super strength, the most banal cases turn into gritty thrillers.

2 Daredevil Always Protects Those In Need

First appearance: ​​​​​​​Daredevil #1 Vol. 1 (1964), by writer Stan Lee, penciler Bill Everett, inkers Steve Ditko and Sol Brodsky, and letterer Sam Rosen

Blinded as a child due to an unfortunate accident, Matt Murdock overdeveloped his other senses and grew up to become Daredevil, a vigilante from Hell’s Kitchen. At the same time, he went to law school and became a lawyer. Contrary to many other superheroes, whose lives revolve around the superpowered gig, Matt works as a lawyer, and he even had his own practice alongside his friend Foggy Nelson at “Nelson and Murdock.”

Matt is a great lawyer, but contrary to She-Hulk, he doesn’t always mix his secret identity with his day job. Instead, his practices focus on civil rights, so he takes a lot of pro bono cases. He’s a defense attorney, so just like his superhero persona, he puts justice over anything, often delivering intense speeches on the topic in court.

1 She-Hulk Is A Super Lawyer

First appearance: Savage She-Hulk #1 Vol. 1 (1979), by writer Stan Lee, penciler John Buscema, inker Chic Stone, and letterer Joe Rosen

Following her transformation into a gamma being, Jennifer Walters decided she wouldn’t neglect her human life for the sake of her powers. Instead, She-Hulk tried to combine her life as a superhero with her life as a lawyer. She achieved this by specializing in superhero-related matters. She found a niche in her profession and has since opened many doors for superpowered beings to be protected by law.

Jennifer works as a bridge between normal life and the super community. Daily, she faces the reality of a world like Earth-616, where regular people and superpowers coexist — things like lawsuits for malpractice when a superhero fails to save someone or a company’s chemical waste turns someone into a danger to their family. These are matters that other comics leave behind for the sake of narrative, and other superheroes won’t even consider them a problem, so she gets a bigger picture of how the world has changed thanks to them, which is amazing. This and the fact that she can break the fourth wall are a testament to how meta She-Hulk is as a character.