Labor Day celebrates the many contributions made by the American workforce to the prosperity of our country. And what better way to celebrate American ingenuity and work ethic by giving everyone the day off?
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It’s not just the American worker who is known for their drive. Many superheroes juggle a full time job with their heroic responsibilities. These superheroes deserve a break as much as anyone, but crime never rests…or takes off federal holidays.
So to celebrate Labor Day, here are seven superheroes who we hope are enjoying a barbecue or enjoying a little bit of extra shuteye today.
Batman
Batman lives a pretty busy life these days. When he’s not coordinating a small army of Robins and other assorted sidekicks and allies, funding the Justice League and presumably keeping that operation organized, he’s prowling the streets of Gotham looking for twisted supervillains to punch repeatedly in the face.
Every waking moment of Batman’s day is dedicated towards being a superhero. Eating and sleeping are mere afterthoughts to him, something to do while the BatComputer is analyzing evidence or right after he’s locked the Joker away for the millionth time. Batman might not have traditional superpowers, but his obsessive drive is extraordinary…if not freakish.
Let’s just hope Batman remembers to go a little easier today. Ridding a city of crime is a marathon, not a sprint, and he risks a major case of burnout if he doesn’t take a day off every once in a while.
The Flash
Most superheroes are always on the go, but the Flash gives that expression a whole new meaning. In addition to working a full time job at the Central City Police Department, the Flash spends his off-hours zooming around Central City, stopping crimes, helping citizens, and cleaning up messes with stopping to take a moment to breathe.
But superspeed is both a blessing and a curse, and Barry’s natural inclination towards heroism means that he rarely takes a break. After all, how can you justify taking a day off when you can stop a crime or put out a fire in just a few seconds?
All that running really stirs up an appetite, so maybe the Flash will get a chance to stop by a few cookouts while he’s on patrol today. Or since he can run at the speed of lightning, maybe the Flash will stop at every single cookout in Central City.
Daredevil
Daredevil is a street fighting ninja vigilante by night, but during the day he’s the part owner of a two man law firm. Nelson and Murdoch does not have the resources that big law firms have, so Daredevil spends his days researching case law, preparing briefs and depositions, or arguing in front of a jury.
Daredevil doesn’t even get the “glamorous” lawyer lifestyle, since most of his clients can’t afford to pay him. And because of his super-hearing and heightened senses, Daredevil rarely gets a good night of sleep, even when he’s not on patrol.
Hell’s Kitchen is a hard place, but that doesn’t mean that Daredevil needs to be vigilant 24/7. Daredevil can let the Avengers or Luke Cage take a shift or two protecting his neighborhood while he puts his feet up and enjoys a beer or two with his buddy Foggy Nelson.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man has a reputation for being a bit of a bum, but that’s more a side effect of the infamous “Parker Luck” than anything else. In reality, Spider-Man is always hustling, trying to find a way to pay his rent and stop bad guys in the process.
Peter Parker has held a ton of jobs over the years, ranging from unpaid lab assistant to freelance photographer to high school teacher. And while he’s occasionally had the support of Mary Jane’s modeling money (before the devil erased their marriage), Parker for the most part is a self-made man.
Now that he’s running his very own tech company, Parker is even busier and he needs a day off more than ever. But knowing his luck, the second Spider-Man puts his guard down is the moment that the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus tries to blow up New York City.
The Samaritan
The Samaritan is the top superhero of the world of Astro City, a comic book created by Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross, and Brent Anderson. Hailing from the distant future, the Samaritan traveled back in time to stop the Challenger shuttle explosion but became infused with strange, near limitless powers during his travels.
Because of his immense abilities, the Samaritan flies from disaster to disaster during the day, using his living Zyxometer bio-computer to direct him to his next mission. As he’s always on the move, the Samaritan finds that he has little time to enjoy the act of flying or have even a moment to himself.
The Samaritan’s love life has even impacted his love life, as he’s had little time to pursue a romance with his fellow superhero Winged Victory. Luckily his fellow superheroes helped him finally jump start a relationship by covering all major disasters for an evening so they could enjoy a first date. If the Samaritan’s responsibilities could afford it, maybe he can find a way to take today off too.
Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers has balanced dual careers in the military and superheroics for years, but she recently got a major promotion by taking over the responsibilities of S.W.O.R.D., a now defunct organization dedicated to protecting Earth from extraterrestrial threats.
By replacing S.W.O.R.D. with her Alpha Flight organization, Danvers became Earth’s first line of defense against alien invasions and other outer space wackiness. If that wasn’t enough, she also joined the Ultimates, a superhero team finding proactive solutions to the “big” problems of the Marvel Universe. She also recently found herself in a feud with Tony Stark, that has potentially catastrophic consequences for the entire superhero community.
Between protecting Earth from hostile aliens, solving the world’s ultimate problems, and fighting Iron Man, Captain Marvel is busier than ever which means she could probably use a day off. Unfortunately, with a new movie coming out in 2019, it looks like Captain Marvel’s will continue to rise without any foreseeable slowdowns.
Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones has come a long way from the barely functioning alcoholic detective first seen in the pages of Alias. She’s settled down, married Luke Cage, and now is trying to be a full-time mom to an infant daughter.
With Luke Cage still trying to be a superhero alongside his longtime pal Iron Fist, Jessica is stuck at home dealing with bills, housework, and raising a daughter. Being a parent is as hard (if not harder) than any job and Jessica rarely gets a break thanks to Luke’s hectic superhero schedule.
Jessica might not be tending the house for much longer. Marvel recently announced that Jessica will star in her own comic series later this year. Hopefully she’ll have time to relax before she switches back from full time mom to private eye.
