Punch Clock Villain: Difference between revisions

* The ''[[Deadpool]]'' comic book upgrades the faceless minions of HYDRA into Punch Clock Villains, mostly through the info we receive from Deadpool's kidnapped <s>pet</s> minion Bob, Agent of HYDRA. Through him we learn that some of the minions of HYDRA doesn't care about the "take over the world" agenda, they just can't find work anywhere else. They also fear and hate [[Captain America]], Elektra and Wolverine. However, one downside of working for HYDRA is that they don't get dental insurance.

** Deadpool himself once stopped midway through a fight with Spider-Man when he realized he was off the clock. Though villain is a pretty harsh word, considering the fight at that point had degraded to a "Yo Momma" contest.

* The Shocker, an [[Unfortunate Names|unfortunately named]] ''[[Spider-Man (Comic Book)|Spider-Man]]'' villain, differs from his peers mainly due to the fact that he considers supervillainy more of a job than a way of life. He is essentially a gifted inventor that considers robbing banks to be more entertaining than a typical desk job, and has taken pains to avoid causing casualties in the past.

** Later, he starts working for Hammer Industries, which hires him out as muscle, where he literally punches into work and has a supervisor, etc.

* One of the concentration camp guards in ''[[Maus]]'' is shown to be surprisingly affable, acting friendly with prisoners and reminiscing about beautiful countrysides. When one day he comes to work incredibly chilled and frightened, acting harshly with the prisoners, Vladek guesses that the guard witnessed a mass killing since he was stationed for a time at Birkenau (or Auschwitz II) before coming back.

* Ron Gomz in ''[[Doom Patrol]]'' was hired by the team's benefactor Thayer Jost to take them on as a publicity stunt... but when he attacks and finds out they cancelled their contract with Jost (and consequently he wasn't going to get paid), he had a bit of a meltdown of properly villainous proportions.

* The new Big Wheel in ''[[Ghost Rider]]'', who even goes so far as to say "nothing personal" and that this is just work for him.

* In ''[[Little Gloomy]]'', Simon von Simon's hunchback assistant Boris honestly couldn't care less about whatever project Simon is working on; he's a hunchback, so mad scientist lab assistant is the only job he can really get. He also tells Frank that he's just doing his job before hacking him to pieces with an axe. When Simon's castle blows up, not only is Boris long gone (the gig was clearly going sour), his first thought is sifting through the newspaper's want ads for new employment.

{{quote| '''German who just came face to face with a ticking bomb''': "Dammit, I don't even like Hitler."}}

* Eric Finch from ''[[V for Vendetta]]'' could be considered to fit into this category, depending largely on one's political perspective.

* In the Evanier/Spiegle run of ''[[Blackhawk]]'', Professor Merson is an American scientist who designs [[Stupid Jetpack Hitler|wonder weapons]] like the [[Monowheel Mayhem|War Wheel]] for the Nazis. But only because they pay him. After finally being captured by the Blackhawks and in British custody, Merson happily switches sides to work for the Allies after [[Winston Churchill]] offers him more money.

* Spoofed in a ''[[The Far Side]]'' comic, where a series of woodland creatures are shown lining up at a pair of punch clocks, labeled "Predators" and "Prey" respectively.

* When the ''[[Thunderbolts]]'' were turned over to HAMMER in the wake of ''[[Dark Reign (comics)|Dark Reign]]'', one of Norman Osborn's immediate hires was Paladin. Paladin has made a name for himself in the Marvel Universe as a reliable mercenary who gets the job done and doesn't ask questions, and he stays true to that reputation for much of his tenure with the team. He knows Osborn is crazy and that what he's doing is wrong, but, well, as long as there's money, you know?

** While he does have a contract, it's rather strongly implied that he suffers from some sort of compulsion, unless his promise to "do 'it' less often" when he gives Abel a new pet gargoyle is standard abuser behavior. Either way, he leans into [[Psycho for Hire]] territory.