Do super villains still rob banks?

[Buried Alien]

In these times, superheroes should stop the banks from robbing us.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Harial]

Is a bank robbing a common crime anymore? Back in the Golden and Silver ages bank robbing was a more common crime in real life and comics reflected that. The lack of bank robbers in modern comics reflects a digital society where physical money is becoming less important.

My best friend works for a national bank and she's always telling me about people robbing banks in our area. It happens more than you would think, however, they normally don't get too far. Tech, these day makes it so it's almost impossible not to be caught on camara or to walk off with a GPS tracker or some such thing. I think it's more of a thing that Super villains wouldn't consider lowering themselves to robbing a bank. They leave that to the pleb criminals.

[adkal]

There was a bank robbery here last week.

On an island 22 miles long and 7 miles wide (at its widest point).

...and there was a picture of the robbers getting into their car...

[Earmites]

I think there are two types of super villains

Ones like Joker and Penguin still need to steal since they don't contribute inventions etc to the world for money. Laughing gas probably wouldn't pass the FDA's "safe" list

Then there are the other type of villains that make their own high tech gadgets etc that they use to fight our heroes...But you don't see them robbing banks. They typically are doing some plot to take over the world or city...Their crimes are on a much bigger scale.

[GoldStarz]

My guess is they still do it when they're low on cash or just having some kicks.

[adkal]

Laughing gas probably wouldn't pass the FDA's "safe" list

That's surprising, considering some of things that do pass...


(and we'll ignore the stuff the USDA has approved over the years...)

[Ebon]

It seems pointless. Couldn't super villains make money legitimately? If they can create holograms, shoot electricity, or shape shift......couldn't they make money in the circus or something?

In the long run, they don't pursue legit opportunities because they have poor impulse control.

Running a legit business requires a lot of overhead and regulation. One core reason why people become supervillains is that they cannot abide being controlled by anyone for any reason; they have to be in charge (look up: megalomania, control freak, etc).

If The Toyman wants to make money creating his amazing robotic toys, then he has to abide by thousands of regulations. He has to buy manufacturing space, he has to get licenses, he has to get approvals for his materials, he has to patent his processes, he has to abide by hiring regulations and union rules. It's a lot simpler in his mind to build a giant robot and hold the city for ransom.

[Lorendiac]

In the long run, they don't pursue legit opportunities because they have poor impulse control.

That's one way to put it -- but I might look at it a little differently.

Suppose you have the soul of a thug. Suppose you somehow get zapped full of super-strength and bulletproof skin in a freak accident.

Do you go looking for a well-paying job as a bulletproof bodyguard, where you will have to a) pass a psych exam, b) take orders meekly, c) wait a year or two before you've become a millionaire . . .

Or do you go tear open one side of a bank vault and help yourself to what you want, right here, right now?

As we've seen in stories from both Marvel and DC, many thugs go for that second option when they've just acquired some nifty powers! And then, once they have criminal records, it becomes that much harder to try to "cash in" on their powers in any legitimate and very-well-paying fashion in the future!

(Even assuming the thug ever could have passed the psych exam in the first place . . .)

[[Trigger]]

This isn't comic related, but this thread reminds me of an episode of Eureka when a whole bank ( the building itself ) was stolen.

[idiopathic]

Villains should just pitch a reality show. They'd get money and fame. Something like The Real Super Villains of New York or Super Villainy Rehab. People would pay money to watch the inevitable train wreck coming.

[Earmites]

This isn't comic related, but this thread reminds me of an episode of Eureka when a whole bank ( the building itself ) was stolen.

I couldn't get past the Sheriff's annoying daughter to continue watching that show.

[[Trigger]]

She's gone for periods of time especially when she goes off to college. She actually becomes bearable after her whole "teenage rebellious" years which didn't last long

[BohemiaDrinker]

In these times, superheroes should stop the banks from robbing us.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

LOL!

But this is kind of the premise of Morrison`s Superman....

[Flyattractor]

This isn't comic related, but this thread reminds me of an episode of Eureka when a whole bank ( the building itself ) was stolen.

Yes. That was a great episode...especially when Jack fell out of his jeep.