Whether it's Peter Parker taking pictures for the Daily Bugle, Matt Murdock arguing in court, or even Tony Stark pretending Iron Man is an AI bodyguard, superheroes have had secret identities as long as superheroes have existed. But superheroes aren't the only ones with secret identities. There are plenty of cases in which a villain has one as well.
Supervillains have long discovered that one of the best ways to blend in is to work a nine-to-five job. For some villains, robbing banks or stealing vibranium just doesn't pay the bills, so they have to find a better way to earn the capital needed for their nefarious ventures. Whatever the reason, supervillains big and small have been known to use an average day job to their ultimate advantage.
10 Dr. Curtis "Curt" Connors: Lizard Also Teaches College Kids
Dr. Connors has a love-hate relationship with Peter Parker/Spider-Man. During his day job, Curt is friends with Parker; however, anytime he transforms into the monstrous Lizard, he can be found doing battle with Spider-Man. That dichotomy makes Dr. Connors a complex character. Lizard first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #6 — written by Stan Lee with writing and art from Steve Ditko — and ever since then, he's been a thorn in the Webhead's side. Even though his monstrous instincts make Curt lash out in less-than-cordial ways, Dr. Connors struggles against Lizard's villainy. Any time Curt is successfully suppressing Lizard, he teaches quantum mechanics to great young minds like Peter Parker.
9 Wilson Fisk: Sometimes Running A Business Behind Bars Is Easier
Better known for his mob connections under his alias, Kingpin, Wilson Fisk is the CEO of Fisk Industries. While the company is a front for Fisk's mob dealings, it's also a legitimate company and co-owner of Damage Control with Stark Industries.
Readers see Fisk Industries for the first time in Daredevil #181, with story and artwork by Frank Miller. From that time, Wilson Fisk has used his day job running the company to position his business ventures, going so far as to use the business to become mayor of New York City. Regardless of whether Fisk is in jail or free, he always makes sure to use Fisk Industries as his fallback.
8 Johann Fennhoff: Going To Therapy Isn't Always A Good Idea
When one's psychiatrist can use his voice to coerce and hypnotize, it might be time for a change in mental health care. Doctor Faustus, better known to his friends as Johann Fennhoff, is a recurring villain of Captain America's. He's capable of extreme persuasion and hypnosis, but he's practically useless in a fistfight. Faustus has his first appearance in Captain America #107, written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby, when he "helps" Steve Rogers with his bad dreams. Captain America later beats him with a single punch. Because he's not great at taking down powerful heroes, it's a good thing Doctor Faustus can always rely on therapy sessions.
7 Justin Hammer: Selling Knock-Off Stark Technology Is A Great Venture
Appearing first in Iron Man #120, by David Michelinie with artwork by Bob Layton, Justin Hammer is the owner, president, and CEO of Hammer Industries — one of the primary competitors to Stark Industries. Hammer is from the UK and is a financier, benefactor, and industrialist. When he isn't too busy trying to destroy Iron Man's armor or outfitting other super villains, Justin runs a legitimate company just like any other crazy-rich entrepreneur. Hammer may be reclusive, but he at least tries to put a good face on his criminal activities.
6 William Stryker: Televangelist Against The Mutants
Reverend William Stryker was an average televangelist who only wanted to preach peace, love, hope, and the eradication of all mutant-kind. After killing his child because the newborn was born with a mutated deformity, Stryker vowed to save regular humans from all mutants.
While he uses his televangelism to spread his platform of hatred toward mutants, William Stryker also uses it to pay his bills. Combining his earlier experience in the military with his mutant loathing, Stryker plays an integral antagonist to the X-Men time and time again — all while maintaining his saintly glow in front of the camera.
5 Lawrence Cranston: Daredevil Isn't The Only Super Lawyer
After losing a mock trial to Matt Murdock in law school, Lawrence Cranston harbored an obsessive hatred for him. Lawrence took this to new levels when he realized Matt was Daredevil. He took over as Mister Fear and vowed to destroy The Man Without Fear. He was defeated, and went into hiding as a professor of law at Columbia Law School. Unfortunately for his coworkers, Cranston couldn't kick his old habits, and he used his fear gas to torment his colleagues. With how often Daredevil defeated him, Mr. Fear should've stuck to what he knew best: the law.
4 Norman Osborn: Green Goblin Runs A Fortune 500
As early as Amazing Spider-Man #23, written by Stan Lee with art by Steve Ditko, Norman Osborn was a part of Spider-Man's story in one way or another. Before he was gliding around, throwing pumpkin bombs at Spidey, Norman Osborn was a founding member of Osborn Chemical — better known as OsCorp. Norman's crazy obsession with wealth and power helped guide him to a position of ultimate power in one of the largest companies in the world. Osborn left readers wondering if he was a proficient CEO with a crime hobby or if he was a supervillain with a Fortune 500 side hustle.
3 Edward "Eddie" Brock: Writing Articles Covers Venom's Bills
When Eddie Brock started writing a series about a serial killer named Sin-Eater, he thought he had the biggest break a journalist could find. What Brock didn't realize was that Spider-Man was on the trail of the real Sin-Eater, and he was just writing about a lunatic claiming to be the killer. After Brock's humiliation came to a head when his wife left him, Eddie decided to end his own life. It was at a Catholic Church that a symbiote bonded with Brock, giving birth to Venom. Spending most of his time swinging around town as Venom, Brock always had his half-rate journalism to supplement his income.
2 Nathaniel Essex: Science Isn't Just For Evil Scientists
When Nathaniel Essex wasn't too busy trying to create the perfect mutant as Mister Sinister, he was a regular geneticist in Victorian England. He's so accomplished in his field that Essex predicted the arrival of mutants and was able to incorporate some mutant genes into his own.
Nathaniel became so obsessed with perfecting the mutant race that he often manipulated members of the X-Men from behind the scenes. After Charles Xavier created the mutant island of Krakoa, Mister Sinister became a member of its ruling government and even created his own mutant group, the Hellions. Nathaniel's ambitions were only ever able to be realized because of his day job.
1 Pearl Gross: Making Money As A Carnie Isn't All That Easy
It's not over until the fat lady sings, or in this case, until Pink Pearl sings. Pearl Gross, an enemy of Alpha Flight, is an international terrorist, but she spends her days working as a sideshow attraction at a circus or running her own nightclub called Cloisters. She's ultra-strong and nimble for her enormous girth and her extra weight makes Pearl more impervious to damage. Pink Pearl's biggest terrorist plot is thwarted by Northstar and Aurora, but thankfully she can always make some extra money at the carnival.