According to a recent USA Now article, the recession, along with reduced metropolitan crime rates is making it very difficult for newly trained superheroes to find work. This year alone, over 2000 potential heroes graduated from super hero technical schools and four year colleges. According to 2010 statistics from the federal government, only 127 heroes were hired by municipalities nation wide, with another 300 estimated to have been hired for private contract work. That leaves approximately 1,600 newly graduated heroes without work.
This has led to rising concern that unemployed superheroes may be forced into less wholesome lines of work. This letter from The Red Phantom to his wife highlights just such a case.
In case you can't read it...here is the letter.
HI Diane,
I'm sorry I took so long to write, I guess I've been trying to put off the bad news, or stall hoping that things would get better.
I think I've been to interviews at 25 different city halls in the past month, and not a single offer. You should have seen the waiting rooms, filled with a dozen super heroes who looked just like me.
Anyway, I've finally found a job. Actually, it's an internship. I'll be working for the Midnight Assassin, as a sort of side kick in training. You probably haven't heard of him. He's a super vilian who mostly focuses on the Washington State Tri Cities of Kennewick, Richland and Pasco. Okay, I know he's not a super hero, and it's not exactly what I was looking for, but he just made it into Newsweek's list of 10 up and coming super villains. Right now, I feel like the name recognition is more important than which side he's on. Once I've interned under him for a year and made a name for myself, I can get a lot of media attention by switching over to the Super Hero side....then I'll probably have job offers coming out of my ears.
Starting Wednesday, I'll be moving into Midnight's loft in Spokane. It's a pretty nice place with hardwood floors and central heating, and he has the cutest Labrador/Poodle mix named NIgel. You'd love him.
I know that things haven't been going exactly as we'd planned. But, I promise you that I will provide for you and Toby. Please, don't give up on me. I love you so much. MIdnight says that you and Toby can stay here if you come to visit. Maybe you can get off work for a few days?
I think about you every night, baby.
Love forever,
The Red Phantom
This is in great contrast to a letter found just one year ago, written by now famed hero Atomic Atom.
It is frightening to imagine what our world would be like if heroes weren't present to help in situations like these shown below.