The Mink in Family, page 7. (Patreon)

Published:

2016-03-28 15:40:33

Imported:

2021-05

Content

That's a thing that always bothered me about tech-based supervillains: "If he marketed the technology he's using, he'd make millions - billions, even. But instead, he's using it to rob a bank in a city known for it's villain-stomping superheroes? Some genius!"

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Comments

BlackestDawn

But... but... all that bureaucracy around patents, marketing, business in general and all that stuff is just sooooo boring. :D I fully agree with what you say, and it's not just tech-based ones but to some degree applies to any villain that moves to a city with an established hero.

2016-03-28 16:19:02.402000

Garry Stahl

Don't scrap villeins to deeply, they bleed dumb. Likewise, why are you stomping through downtown with a giant bank opening robot, when fraud is so much less likely to attract the heavy artillery?

2016-03-28 16:20:04.470000

Karl Maurer

Villains like the 'fast route' to power and glory. They think they shouldn't have to go through all the red tape, etc. Besides, they know what's best for the world... of course, when they find out how much WORK ruling the world is...

2016-03-28 20:42:58.866000

Mark Ashworth

On TVTropes they call your observation "Cut Lex Luthor a Check," and the superhero counterpart "Reed Richards Is Useless" ("I just invented a translator so good aliens from outer space sound like they're speaking flawless English!" "Great! Let's market it for Earthlings!" "....why....?").

2016-03-29 07:01:04.444000

McClaw

There is a disquieting tendency for inventors and innovators to not profit from their creations. It's often the business-savvy ones who are brought in to turn those creations into profits that end up rich. Well-written villains and heroes get good reasons why their tech doesn't change the world (such as "it doesn't work for anyone else" or "it's okay for you, but nobody else wants the risks").

2016-03-29 14:58:08.112000