Today’s hero marketplace is crowded. You can’t travel ten feet through Entertainment City without bumping into a hero you recognize or admire.

From Harry Potter to Katniss Everdeen, heroes have become as ingrained in everyday life as watching TV or doing chores.

It’s strange, really, this abundance of heroes. A few moments of analysis show that despite the picture-perfect hero’s life we think of, being a hero is a risky business.

• The villain is always after you
• Explosions, spells, and snipers are unavoidable
• Things always seem to get worse at the worst moment
• Family and friend fatalities are a distinct possibility
• Everything will have to be as terrible as possible before it gets better

With the mountain of perils involved, heroes need a benefits package to make the job more appealing. Sort of like your company providing health insurance.

A Hero’s Benefits

Inherent dangers aside, being a hero comes with plenty of perks.

• There’s almost always a romantic love interest involved
• You get to train with cool weapons and magic systems
• Saving the day is part of the job description
• You meet awesome people
  • Gandalf
  • Phil Coulson
  • Lucius Fox
• If you’re ordinary, you’re usually good at something that makes you cool
• It’s basically impossible for you to die—or if you do, S.H.I.E.L.D will solve that inconvenience
• No matter what the villain does, you always manage to one-up him or her
• You get unlimited access to some seriously awesome tech toys—Iron Man suit, anyone?
• The acquisition of superpowers isn’t out of the question
• You get to travel the world and see amazing places, all on someone else’s tab
• Heck, you might even end up in another world
• You’ll meet unique characters, such as talking animals
• People will make movies about your daring endeavors
  • And posters
  • And calendars
  • And fan sites
• If you go to a comic con, you might see yourself
• Although the pay is terrible, no one will charge you for anything, so you’re finically set for life
• You’ll make some lifelong friends along the way
• People will treat you with respect and admiration
• If you’re lucky, the job might come with a faithful sidekick like Sam Gamgee
• Despite the difficulties, you always defeat the villain

Do you think the benefits of being a hero outweigh the dangers? If you were a hero, what would your favorite benefits be? I would love to hear your thoughts.