So WHAT do retired superheroes/heroines DO?

[Fantasyartist]

I know that this topic was addressed in "The Incredibles" and the Blue Marvel miniseries, but it's worth asking again- as nobody lives forever/is young forever except the likes of Thor, Hercules, Wonder Man or maybe Captain America( ha, can you imagine Cap or Spidey using a Zimmer frame or the Thing experimenting with Viagra?), what happens when a hero retires(voluntarily or otherwise)?

One option is to write his/her memoirs, but this presents a problem, not least because (a) the averagle hero/heroine has had such (to the average American) unbelievable experiences -like travelling backwards and forwards in time, visiting alien planets, encountering supernatural entities like vampires or werewolves,(b) and also since the Super Hero Registration Act(SHRA) made most Marvel heroes de facto federal employees, it also empowered the government able to control what they can say in their published writings( like military personnel or CIA agents).
Also there's another question- since many heroes have not just apprehended "supervillains" but also "ordinary crooks"(muggers, drug dealers, even the odd Mob boss), the risk of retaliation is so strong that the hero and his/her dependents would have to go into the Witness Protection Programme.

Terry

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Hank Pym retires to do SCIENCE! every few years.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Scientist Supreme!

 

[SuperFerret]

Even then, he's not retired. You don't retire as a superhero. You die in a costume.

 

[Dread]

Firestar retired at the start of CIVIL WAR. During that time she decided to go back to college, survive cancer, and have "ladies nights" with Black Cat, Photon, and Hellcat.

Many Golden Age heroes who survived ended up growing old and moving onto private life. The original Angel funded the Scourge vigilante program, but couldn't be legally connected to it and arrested. The Phantom Blond ended up aiding She-Hulk's legal business for quite a while, with her daughter trying to be a heroine in her stead.

The SIEGE PERILOUS, a literal magic hole in the plot from 80's X-Men comics by Chris Claremont, essentially forced Colossus to retire for a while and become a professional artist - and he was quite successful at it until Shadow King forced him out of that life.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Even then, he's not retired. You don't retire as a superhero. You die in a costume.

That certainly seems to be the way it goes. Or, if you do retire, you go crazy and make deals with the devil, like that Golden Age dude in Slingers.

 

[chamber-music]

In Marvel Universe Superheroes don't retire being a Superhero retires you!
.
.
.
but the real answer is disco!

 

[roach]

Superhero retirement goes something like this....

Superguy;I am retiring.
Marvel Presents a bold new direction in the Stan Lee manner
Brand New Superguy....he stays with the title outlasting the fans clamoring for the old guy back....and when the last fan who wants the old guy back decides the new guy is just fine.
Marvel Presents a return to the old in the Stan Lee manner

Old Superguy returns and new one is faded into the background or killed off

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Otherwise known as the Ghost Rider model of legacy storytelling.

 

[roach]

Otherwise known as the Ghost Rider model of legacy storytelling.

or DC before Flashpoint

 

[KevanG]

They usually just vanish into the background somewhere until some writer decides to either A: Bring them back for an "all new all different" story or B: Murder them for kicks.

 

[Anubis]

Even then, he's not retired. You don't retire as a superhero. You die in a costume.

And even then you'll usually be back in a few years. Often times in a younger more powerful body.

Also, go read Welcome to Tranquility.

That's what happens if Superheroes ever actually get to retire.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Man, I miss that series.

 

[Roughneck]

Watchmen had a few decent examples of what can happen