Monday, May 18, 2009

Millionaires= Crazy

In the world of comic books any individual who has more than 5 million dollars in saving or assets immediately becomes bat-shit insane. It's a strange rule, but it seems that every independently wealthy individual in superhero comics decides that fighting/committing crime is the best way to spend their free time. They ignore possible hobbies like golfing, yachting, and collecting antique cars and go straight into wearing a mask and creating a global organization designed to save/destroy/conquer the world. The examples in comic book fiction are nearly limitless.

In terms of billionaire superheroes there are: Batman, Iron Man, Moon Knight, The Golden Age Sandman, Professor Xavier, etc. The list of wealthy villains is even more dramatic: Lex Luthor, Ra's Al Ghul, Norman Osborn (The Green Goblin), Hush, Count Nefaria, Spymaster, Justin Hammer, Obadiah Stane, The Mandarin, Sebastian Shaw, etc. It seems that anyone who encounters a financial windfall in the comic book universe immediately invests all of money into either saving the world or destroying it.

In some cases, the actions of these comic book millionaires seem somewhat logical. Professor Xavier used his money to create a sanctuary for mutants who were being persecuted. He also used his money to train said mutants using a holographic "Danger Room" created with technology gleaned from alien bird-people. But with that superfluous spending aside, we can look at the Xavier Institute as version of the WMCA for people who can shoot lasers out of their eyes and with slightly less gay sex on the grounds (see: The Village People). Wealthy industrialist Tony Stark built the Iron Man suit to save his life and then continues flying around in it because he's a joy-riding arrogant ego-maniac. I understand that.

But then there's this man...


Norman Osborn started as a weapons and chemical designer. But like all wealthy industrialists do in the comic book world, he decided profit margins weren't enough. And as such he began riding around on a bat-shaped glider in a green and purple outfit and started throwing pumpkin bombs. It truly boggles my mind when i consider the amount of research and development that must have gone into the creation of pumpkin-shaped explosives. Some poor R&D guy had to sit in front of his computer screen, working on plastic explosive casings while dealing with Norman standing over his shoulder and shouting, "No, it needs to be MORE ORANGE!"

It simply boggles the mind that an industrialist who had made millions designing lucrative compounds, weapons, and technology would then perform an engineering about-face and decide that the best means of long distance transportation would be a halloween-themed glider that uses foot-grips to secure the rider. That's right, Norman Osborn expects a commando to be secured to a glider flying 800 miles an hour by the same technology that keeps boots connected to skis. Not to mention the fact that Norman Osborn decides that he is the best person to use this new technology. A company of hundreds spends millions of dollars to create a new series of weapons only to have the company CEO steal it all and fly around new york wearing a Halloween costume. In this economic downturn, it seems truly tragic for a company to nearly go bankrupt because their fourth-quarter profits were spent "trying to kill Spider-Man."

This persistent pattern of a wealthy individual building a financial empire through shrewd economic skill and then destroying it almost instantly through costumed antics shows only one thing. In comic books, all money is coated with a powerful hallucinogen. When you aquire enough of it you go crazy and then act accordingly. I will no doubt come back to this in later posts.

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, Norman Osborn is kinda batty, but let's keep this in perspective. Really, what kind of nut case goes to all the work needed to become a multi-millionaire, only to buy antique cars?

Adam said...

The rich are all crazy because of the high taxes to repair all the superhero induced damage.

D.Cous. said...

Really, this phenomenon isn't too different from real life, only in real life it's entertainers who go nuts as soon as they're rich and famous, and not industrialists.

(Sources: People, Entertainment Weekly magazines)

The Epicurean Dealmaker said...

D.Cous. -- I would add bankers and financiers to your list of real-life rich whack jobs. It probably would have saved us all a lot of money and trouble if we had given these wackos spandex tights and pumpkin bombs rather than the reins to global financial institutions.

Mark -- You've got something here! Quick, patent the idea, or at least apply for a research grant. Billions in TARP funding await a solution to crazy rich people.

joXn said...

I think there's selection bias going on here. Comic books are about super-heroes and super-villains, and thus there aren't that many of them written about the mundane [mb]illionaires unless they appear as kidnap victims or something.

Jacob T. Levy said...

Now I'm envisioning Oscorp as the company in Better Off Ted-- where after all, the engineering team was tasked with weaponizing pumpkins.

ajay said...

Well, there no doubt is some selection bias; but to be honest, there's a fair number of utterly insane and/or criminal and/or world-saving multi-millionaires in our world as well.

True, George Soros decided to encourage the growth of liberty and justice around the world by funding independent media outlets rather than by putting on a leotard and funding the development of advanced robotic weapons. (Good thing too. He's not really built for leotards.)

True, Bernie Madoff decided to set up a relatively mundane Ponzi scheme rather than an orbital megalaser.

The shadowy multi-millionaire Osama bin Laden has an underground hideout, but, as far as we know, no platoon of twenty-foot android killing machines.

But the principle's the same, surely?

John Bishop said...

Osborn is an outlier even among insane comic book millionaires. By contrast, Lex Luther was a garden-variety corrupt businessman for quite a while. (Post-Crisis and pre-presidency.) He was more sane than most Bond villains and several real-life businessmen. And his pre-Crisis self wasn't a millionaire, was he? Just a mad scientist who self-financed by robbing banks and digging for buried treasure and stuff.

The same for Sebastian Shaw. He's more of an Illuminati figure - a version of the Illuminati led by a hedonistic social club with a Victorian dress code - than a megalomaniac.

And then there are those whose wealth is a consequence of their insanity and villainy rather than the other way around. Ra's Al Ghul, for example, is rich because he is several centuries old and compound interest really adds up, but the process that extends his life also greatly exacerbates his megalomania. There have (probably) been periods when he lived as an ascetic, and he was insane then too.

leoboiko said...

But Osborn IS insane (as in bipolar depression and schizophrenia). Flying around dressed as globin seems perfectly in-character IMHO. And if you think there’s no real-life multimillionaire who need his pills to keep working, I reckon you’re not too familiar with psychiatric statistics.

More detailed diagnostics of Osborn’s problems at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Osborn#Mental_illness_and_other_weaknesses .

Gerald Fnord said...

I heard the claim that many lottery winners get screwed up, and end up screwing up badly enough as a consequence. Some people don't handle having options well.

Phil Spector, Dick Cheney, and Michael Jackson pulled themselves up at least partly via their own efforts; all three seem along the way to have acquired a case of 'Do what _I_ wilt shall be the whole of the Law,' that seems ripe for comic-book super-villainy were the opportunity to do so presented itself.

And, finally, there are plenty of mildly insane people whose insanity is controllable enough that they can awake, commute, work (or be at their job, which is a different thing), come home, and have neither the time nor energy to be full-tilt crazy. These people need structure, and without it they might be substantially nuttier (I'm not like that: the more I sit in an office, the crazier I get).

Scott said...

I think you're missing an important point about Osborn and Oscorp... be warned, though, I'm going to liberally mix the comics and movie franchises here.

The Goblin serum was meant to be the recreation of the super soldier serum, and surely would have made for a lucrative military contract. Unfortunately, research trials were lagging behind and Osborn (whether the primary chemist himself or using Stromm as in the movie) feared Oscorp might lose out to a competitor and never recoup the R&D costs, so he took the stuff himself. This is symptomatic not so much of millionaire insanity syndrome, as of its close comic book cousin, research scientist insanity syndrome, also known as the Frankenstein complex - all comic book scientists inevitably ignore proper protocols for human trials at the drop of a hat, experimenting with abandon on either themselves or a series of hapless, unwilling subjects.

As for the Goblin glider, it was the very craziness of its design that led to Oscorp not getting *that* military contract either, so Osborn decided he might as well get some use of it himself. The funny thing is, not only does the darn thing work far better than it has any right to, it works far better than real-life aircraft that have continued to receive government funding despite repeated failures, like the Osprey. Go figure.

As for the pumpkin bombs and razor-winged throwing bats and such-like, I have no explanation other than that Osborn must have had some heavy-duty fabrication equipment squirreled away at home, because no way was an Oscorp engineer going to be tasked with those jobs without somebody noticing.

Sairus said...

Considering the first designs for Osborn's glider was a broomstick, I think those commandos will be damn happy to have those foot grips.

admin said...

The rich man is more risk for being crazy cause they dont know how to manage their money and they must pay much for their living

Insurance

Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang said...

Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang
Keyword Kenali Pandeglang
Mohon dukungannya yach....?!
Semangat..semangat..!!
Agar terjalin tali silaturrahmi di antara kita.
Pandeglang telah hilang Kenali Si Dunia Aneh
Mari bersama DesigN and TechnologY dalam kontes Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang

inchirieri apartamente cluj said...

T.Harv Eker says in his book "Millionaire Mindset" "Rich People Manage Their Money Well" so I don't think that's the problem ... I think is more like the ideea to create a great evil - that means smart,angry and with power (money) so this caracter will be a chalange for the hero ;)

Generic Cialis said...

If we analyze each character directly through the comic then we will find reasons that made them do what they are doing, but if we go in a normal world status, it really makes no sense, what profit would come (in the case of Green Goblin) to spend almost every dime he owns in trying to kill a kid that dresses in red/blue tights that likes to swing around?

Unknown said...

As well as we know, classic tall ugg classic metallic ugg boots are incredibly popular all over the world. Many people thought that this type boot is ugly, why it is so well-known. We all know, there are surely a whole lot of ugg bootscan ...

Penis Enlargement Pills said...

I am thoroughly convinced in this said post. I am currently searching for ways in which I could enhance my knowledge in this said topic you have posted here. It does help me a lot knowing that you have shared this information here freely. I love the way the people here interact and shared their opinions too. I would love to track your future posts pertaining to the said topic we are able to read.

Generic Cialis said...

Hey there,
Really nice job, There are many people searching about that now they will find enough sources by your tips.
Also looking forward for more tips about that

Networking solutions said...

Nice work, I would like to read your blog every day Thanks

ガバペン said...

Great tips, I would like to join your blog anyway,

Rhinocort Aqua said...

Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge.

careprost said...

Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge.Thank you very much for sharing this knowledge.this graph really conveyed the part which i was looking for.

sim so dep said...

Nice post which enrichs the database of my mind and urges the curiousity to know more about it.Looking forward to learn more..

linkwheel said...

Hey cool weblog, just questioning what anti-spam software program you employ for feedback as a result of i get heaps on my blog. Anyway, in my language, there usually are not a lot good source like this.

link wheel said...

I was looking for crucial data on this subject. The information was vital as I'm about to launch my very own portal. Thanks for providing a missing hyperlink in my business. Anyway, in my language, there aren't a lot good source like this.

quality backlinks said...

Utterly understand what your stance in this matter. Though I'd disagree on some of the finer details, I feel you probably did an awesome job explaining it. Sure beats having to analysis it on my own. Thanks. Anyway, in my language, there aren't a lot good supply like this.

Seo Services India said...

There are may person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post,

business logo design said...

I love the way the people here interact and shared their opinions too. I would love to track your future posts pertaining to the said topic we are able to read.

sim so dep said...

Phil Spector, Dick Cheney, and Michael Jackson pulled themselves up at least partly via their own efforts; all three seem along the way to have acquired a case of 'Do what _I_ wilt shall be the whole of the Law,' that seems ripe for comic-book super-villainy were the opportunity to do so presented itself.

kamagra oral jelly said...

Wow, nice post,there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post

Generic Atarax said...

Wow, nice post,there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post

SEO Pakistan said...

Fantastic, the post is really the sweetest on this worthwhile topic. I fit in with your conclusions and will eagerly look forward to your approaching updates. Saying thanks will not just be sufficient, for the exceptional clarity in your writing. I will immediately grab your rss feed to stay privy of any updates.

custom research paper writing services said...

I think Osborn next starred in the five-issue miniseries Osborn that was a tie-in to the "Big Time" storyline in The Amazing Spider-Man, by writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Emma Rios, looking at the character's life in prison

Anonymous said...

The rich are all crazy because of the high taxes to repair all the superhero induced damage.

Adam, you are so right!

Shop Fitters Brisbane said...

The post is very nicely written and it contains many useful facts. I am happy to find your distinguished way of writing the post. Now you make it easy for me to understand and implement. Thanks for sharing with us.

order xanax online said...

This is really amazing blog post found here.... very interesting found.. Thanks very much for the share.... Great work! Keep it up...

custom essay said...

if I were a millionaire I'd also be a bad gyu in deep. I'd fly on some crazy things and destry everything)))

iPhone Application Developers said...

Very nice and prominent tutorial. I’ve been absorbing all that you wrote on this topic.

iPhone Developer iPhone Application Developer

lesbian bondage said...

interesting! although I have no expert, but I want have to know more and more, on your blog just interesting and useful information. Keep it up!

iPhone Application Developer said...

Wow, Now that surprised me as i really never had an outlook on the subject like that.

comprar un yate said...

It can't have effect in fact, that is exactly what I suppose.

Affordable Logo Design said...

Thanks for sharing this valuable piece of information with us. I am glad to find this stuff here. Keep up the good work.

phd theses online said...

You know the increasing prevalence of people with more and more money has given rise to additional terms to further differentiate millionaires

Facebook Page Application said...

I didn't get this post can someone summarize ?

Iconic Logo Designs said...

Thanks for the informative writing. Would mind updating some good tips about it. I still wait your next place. ;)

Discounted Strattera ADHD medication said...

Thanks a lot for enjoying this beauty blog with me. I am appreciating it very much! Looking forward to another great blog. Good luck to the author! all the best!

brupharmacy.com said...

Its really a nice one.thanks a lot for sharing.

website maintenance said...

The rich are all crazy because of the high taxes to repair all the superhero induced damage.

Anonymous said...

large format scanner
large format scanner
large format scanner
large format scanner
large format scanner

cialis for sale said...

Thanks mate... just dropped by. Will look for BIKE STN when we get to Seattle. Still in Buenos Airies.

Anonymous said...

seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo,

Anonymous said...

seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo, seo

Free Sms said...

Nice Blog I love This Blog .
Yahoo Status Checker
Pan Card Online
Send Flowers Online
Cell Phones Price and Update
Beauty Tips
Online Store
Fifa News Update
Live Cricket Score
Daily News
Entertainment News

joomla development said...

The post is written in very good manner and it entails many useful information for me. I am happy to find your distinguished way of writing the post.

bani din forex Chaplin said...

Norman Osborn started to run around on a bat-shaped glider in a green and purple outfit and started throwing pumpkin bombs because is more attractive to the public this way.