Re: Not Batman, but since we're talking superheroes and class
For fucks sake, for like the third time I think Marvel's writing has been shite, that's not what I'm talking about here.
And yes, you can be intelligent and good at your job... But it depends on what kind of job. And certainly getting a Pulitzer (which is sort of the Nobel-prize of journalism after all) means you're one of the absolute best in your profession: One of the elite. Supermodels are by definition elite (that's where the "super" comes from) although struggling actresses are not, no matter how good.
I loved Peter as a teacher. That was an awesome idea and one of my favourite JMSovations. I don't think teaching and Spider-man would be very practical combinations (my mom's a teacher, and the work isn't exactly stable when it comes to hours)
And I have no idea who this Joe is, but what's wrong with plumbing? Plumbing is a good job, that takes a decent amount of skill and a lot of hard work. (It's also actually relatively well-paid, hardly mindless drudgery) it's skilled labour, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that kind of work. (Now, I think what makes sense for Peter would be some kind of lower level academia or intellectual work, what I *can't* see is him being a full-time scientist and Spider-man at the same time)