We now live in the age of superheroes. Superman, Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, all these extraordinary characters have replaced the old gods, heroes and other mythological figures. They are now always with us, in comics and books, but especially on the big and small screens. With the new Justice League movie expected to hit theaters next year, it’s fun to wonder what kind of credit cards would these superheroes use if they were real.
Enter the Justice League
For those who do not know, the Justice League is a team of superheroes in the DC Comics universe. It includes some of the greatest superheroes ever to appear in comic books. Over the years, numerous heroes were part of the team, but few are as popular as Superman, Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman.
Growing up, I used to spend several hours each day thinking how these superheroes would change our world if they were real. However, now, as an adult, I’m also wondering how our world would change them. Super as they may be, they still have their own, normal lives. And, as we all know it, normal lives also include credit cards.
The best credit cards for superheroes
What kind of credit cards would these heroes use? They all have their own super needs, so I guess that they’d also want some custom credit cards.
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1. Superman aka Clark Kent
Superman is the most famous superhero and, although there are a lot of discussions about this, the strongest. He is an alien, who came to Earth from the now dead planet Krypton. Clark Kent grew up in Smallville, a small rural town, and later moved to Metropolis to become an investigative reporter. As Superman, he has numerous powers, such as invulnerability, flight, heat vision, freeze breath, superhuman strength and many more.
Superman flies all over the world in order to do good. So it stands to reason that frequent flyer miles are not something he’d be interested in, since he probably never even got close to an airplane, unless it was to save it after an engine failure in mid-flight. And he’s also probably not spending anything on healthcare, seeing as how he’s almost indestructible.
But what he is spending a lot of money on something else: clothes. Yes, clothes. Whenever he’s needed, Clark Kent, the mild-mannered reporter, rushes to the nearest phone booth to change into his super outfit. He then flies away and leaves his clothes behind. As things usually work in big cities, they probably get stolen in no time flat.
Superman probably throws all the money he saves on healthcare and transport on clothes and accessories (those fake glasses aren’t cheap). So he’s either using a general credit card with high rewards at department stores or other retailers, or store credit cards. These are the best if you plan to do a lot of shopping. Don’t forget that Clark Kent always wears suits, which aren’t cheap. A store-branded credit card can save him a lot of money, much more than a general-purpose one would. Many store cards also offer customer loyalty benefits and rewards, and these can also come in handy when you need to change your wardrobe on a daily basis.
Before moving on to a new superhero, I feel we should also talk about credit card debt, and how these heroes would handle it. I feel that Superman would have no debt whatsoever. His super speed allows him to pay everything on time and he’s disciplined enough to not forget about payments, in spite of his busy schedule.
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2. Batman aka Bruce Wayne
One of the coolest superheroes to ever see the light of day, the Dark Knight always comes out on top, and this in spite of the fact that he has no superpowers. Well, he does have one… As Bruce Wayne, he is one of the richest people on the planet, and this allows him to buy all the gadgets needed to fight crime.
Batman may not be able to fly like Superman, but he has his own plane, so no frequent flyer miles for him either. But he probably spends a lot on healthcare, since he’s always fighting guys that tend to have super powers. He’s most likely interested in card which offers discounts or points for every dollar spend on hospital treatments or doctor and dentist charges. And don’t forget that Batman needs to be in great physical shape, so he’s also spending a lot of money in sporting goods stores, on vitamins and equipment.
According to Forbes Fictional 15, Bruce Wayne’s net worth is about $7 billion. It’s safe to say that there’s no limit on his cards. Batman can buy anything he wants. And if he can’t, he can build it himself. Also, he probably doesn’t care about credit card debt or making his monthly payments on time. Chances are he owns the bank.
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3. The Flash aka Barry Allen
The Flash is the fastest man alive. His superspeed even allows him to go back in time. So he probably never misses a credit card payment. Frequent flyer miles also don’t matter to him, just like healthcare discounts. But all that moving around must make the guy very hungry. If the Flash spends most of his salary on food, then a credit card with cash back on groceries is what he wants. After all, the average wage of a forensic scientist is about $55,000 per year, and 26-year-old Barry is still a beginner in the field. He doesn’t have that much money to throw around.
Just like all young people, Barry also likes to go out and spend time with his friends. So, in addition to the grocery discounts, he will also be looking for something with cash back for dining out.
But maybe the question here isn’t what kind of credit card he would use, but rather if the Flash would use a credit card at all. Barry is a millennial, and millennials tend to avoid credit cards, due to the last recession.
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4. The Green Lantern aka Hal Jordan
A test pilot for the U.S. Air Force, Hal Jordan receives a power ring from the alien Abin Sur. He becomes a Green Lantern, the defender of not just planet Earth, but an entire sector of the universe. Because he’s passionate about planes, it makes sense that frequent flyer miles is something he’d want to have on his credit cards.
However, with all that flying around the universe in order to fight bad guys, Hal is definitely missing at least a few payments. It’s true, his strong willpower, which powers his Green Lantern Power Ring, can help him overcome debt, but I don’t think his personal finances are among his top priorities. That’s why our Green Lantern probably uses a credit card with a low interest rate.
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5. Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince
Wonder Woman is a demigod, so you might be tempted to think that she does not need credit cards. However, Diana Prince still likes to shop. Just like Superman, she probably only shops for clothes, so she needs either a general credit card with high rewards at department stores or other retailers, or store credit cards. With that Lasso of Truth of hers, Wonder Woman will be able to hunt for the best deals and also pay for them.
And don’t forget that Wonder Woman is also an Amazon, so you know what electronic commerce company she prefers. Credit cards are useful if you want to shop there.
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What we can learn from them
There’s a lot we can learn from these superheroes and their stories. For credit cards, I can only think of one thing to say:
With great power, comes great responsibility!
I know this famous saying comes from the Marvel Universe, and that we’ve only talked about DC characters. I hope, however, that you can forgive me. And I promise that Marvel superheroes will soon follow.
