Henchmen in Gotham

[frostedone]

Why would any person want to be a henchman in Gotham City?

I mean first it cannot be very safe. The Joker, Two-Face, Black Mask, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, the Scarecrow, etc are all just as likely to kill them as innocent people. They don't have very good retirment planes if you know what I mean.

Secondly Batman and Co pretty much have the criminals cowering in fear at all times. They do not know when he will strike and will never see it coming.


What are your thoughts?

[Avenger08]

i think its a comic book

[Avenger08]

its hard to question a person's logic in a world where a dude that dresses up like a bat and fights crime at night is best friends with an alien who looks like a human and has the power of a god, and an amazoness princess

[Jorriss]

Well I think the drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia (among numerous other countries of course) have plenty of underlings - and thats certainly as dangerous living in Gotham. Plus, (I'm from SD) most of the gang members, or people who will inevitably end up in gangs, are not that bright and see it as an only way or some time of belonging, if not so explicitly stated it gives that impression.

Unfortunately, many people feel forced into crime. If you get a felony on your record, your screwed and you have to take risks. Plus, some people enjoy crime.

This is one of those few things not unique to the comic world.

[Frisky Dingo]

I just wonder about the benefits that The Joker, Two-Face, etc. give out to their henchmen. They must be pretty darn good to outweigh the negatives of working for a sociopath who you know will eventually kill you. We must be talking about executive level health care packages (with full dental!), a paid month's vacation, free gym membership, stuff like that.

[Lew Moxon]

I actually think the graphic novel: Joker gives as a good explanation as any for this kind of question. The guys who work for people like the Joker, aren't thinking ahead. They see it as there ticket to fame and fortune. They probably figure that they'll be the guy who survives. So, essentially they're blinded by greed and ambition.

One of my favorite Joker henchmen stories occured during his third appearance. A gang busts him out of a hospital so he can lead them on heists, they've seen his work and are highly impressed. So the Joker has them do all the work, tells them exactly how to get the loot and leave the smiling poison for the robbery victim. And when the gang arrives, he takes the loot, and poisons everyone else in the room.

After seventy years, the criminal element still hasn't learned its lesson about working with the Joker.

[Retro315]

I actually think the graphic novel: Joker gives as a good explanation as any for this kind of question. The guys who work for people like the Joker, aren't thinking ahead. They see it as there ticket to fame and fortune. They probably figure that they'll be the guy who survives. So, essentially they're blinded by greed and ambition.

One of my favorite Joker henchmen stories occured during his third appearance. A gang busts him out of a hospital so he can lead them on heists, they've seen his work and are highly impressed. So the Joker has them do all the work, tells them exactly how to get the loot and leave the smiling poison for the robbery victim. And when the gang arrives, he takes the loot, and poisons everyone else in the room.

After seventy years, the criminal element still hasn't learned its lesson about working with the Joker.

Clearly, as seen in the first 12 minutes of The Dark Knight.

And it's not even as if it's a spur of the moment thing with him ... he gets bored and looks up henchmen from like 30 years ago and kills them, too (see: The Clown at Midnight).

[Lew Moxon]

Clearly, as seen in the first 12 minutes of The Dark Knight.

And it's not even as if it's a spur of the moment thing with him ... he gets bored and looks up henchmen from like 30 years ago and kills them, too (see: The Clown at Midnight).

To be fair, it doesn't seem like he does that on a regular basis.

Oh, and in another earlier Joker appearance, he hires thugs while disguised as a common criminal. He hires them to rob an art show. His men seize all the cash ect in the room. At that point the Joker shows up and robs his own men. Who have absolutely no idea they've been working for the Joker the entire time.

While that story, and the one that proceded it, don't hold a candle to the Joker's first appearance, they help to show just how awesome golden age Joker actually was.

[Perkele]

Desperate for cash and I mean really desperate.

Aren't most crimes (like robberies) done out of a feeling of necessity? Sure there are plenty of crimes of passion, but robberies are usually thought out and done in order to get money.

Then again, it's the Joker and other sociopaths. Death is probably the only alternative if you turn one of them down.

[IvCNuB4]

You're an adult with no job skills, education, or common sense. Where else are you going to work ? Gotham doesn't have any Wal-Marts, Taco Bells, or Burger Kings :biggrin:

[frostedone]

You're an adult with no job skills, education, or common sense. Where else are you going to work ? Gotham doesn't have any Wal-Marts, Taco Bells, or Burger Kings :biggrin:

I would think Gotham has whatever the equivalent of those stores/resturants are in the DCU though. It is one of America's biggest cities with a population in the millions.