The world of cinema has seen countless prodigies, but the 10 child actors who rose to stardom often found the spotlight a double‑edged sword. While their early performances captured audiences worldwide, the pressure of constant attention, relentless scrutiny, and the challenge of growing up in the public eye left many grappling with personal demons.

From iconic holiday mischief to dramatic award‑winning turns, each of these young talents endured a unique set of hurdles. Below, we dive deep into the triumphs, setbacks, and eventual paths to redemption that define their unforgettable journeys.

10. Macaulay Culkin

The unforgettable Kevin McCallister of the Home Alone saga catapulted Macaulay Culkin into global fame during the early ’90s. His razor‑sharp comedic timing and mischievous charm made him an instant household name, solidifying his status as the era’s premier kid‑star.

Yet behind the laughter lay a turbulent personal life. Culkin wrestled with substance‑abuse issues and a fraught relationship with his father‑manager, which strained both his family dynamics and his career. By the late ’90s, his once‑blazing trajectory began to dim, prompting a self‑imposed hiatus to regroup and focus on his well‑being.

Fast forward to today: Culkin has maintained sobriety for many years and is staging a modest resurgence. Recent appearances on shows such as American Horror Story and Dollface showcase his evolving craft, while his quirky social‑media antics and collaborations with brands like Happy Socks highlight his enduring cultural relevance.

9. Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan dazzled audiences with a blend of talent and charisma, breaking out in the late ’90s and early 2000s with hits like The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and the cult classic Mean Girls. Her magnetic screen presence made her a staple of teen cinema.

The tide turned in the mid‑2000s when a high‑profile DUI arrest exposed her struggle with drug and alcohol misuse. Tabloid photographers seized on her erratic behavior, turning her personal battles into front‑page fodder and intensifying the pressure she faced.

These challenges seeped into her professional life, resulting in a string of poorly received projects and a noticeable dip in critical acclaim. Nevertheless, Lohan persisted, continuing to work despite the setbacks and the relentless media glare.

In recent years, she has taken decisive steps toward recovery, completing court‑mandated rehab and committing to sobriety. Her career has begun to rebound, highlighted by a starring role in the Netflix romantic comedy Falling for Christmas, signaling a hopeful new chapter.

8. Shia LaBeouf

Shia LaBeouf first captured attention as the charismatic teen on Disney Channel’s Even Stevens, later transitioning to the big screen with standout roles in Holes and Disturbia. Early acclaim positioned him as a rising star with a promising future.

His public image took a sharp turn in 2014 after an arrest for disorderly conduct, followed by a series of bizarre headlines—including a paper‑bag‑on‑the‑head appearance at a movie premiere—that painted a picture of increasingly erratic behavior.

The situation escalated in 2017 when another arrest for public drunkenness forced LaBeouf to confront his alcoholism head‑on. Simultaneously, allegations of emotional and physical abuse from former partner FKA Twigs added another layer of controversy, prompting him to step back from acting and focus on mental‑health treatment.2020 marked a turning point when he wrote and starred in Honey Boy, a raw, autobiographical film inspired by his childhood experiences and fraught relationship with his father. Despite the turbulence, LaBeouf’s talent remains evident, and his willingness to confront personal demons continues to earn respect.

7. Amanda Bynes

Emerging as a teen icon in the early 2000s, Amanda Bynes amassed a string of successful sitcoms and films, quickly becoming a beloved figure in pop culture. Her vibrant energy and comedic timing made her a household name.

Mid‑2000s turmoil saw her career derailed by a cascade of legal issues, including multiple DUI arrests and increasingly erratic public conduct. Reports of substance abuse and mental‑health struggles surfaced, culminating in a dramatic incident where she set fire to a neighbor’s driveway.

In 2014, a conservatorship was established to safeguard her well‑being, and she began receiving treatment for diagnosed bipolar disorder. While Bynes has largely retreated from the spotlight, she remains focused on health, occasionally hinting at a possible return to acting, though no concrete plans have emerged.

6. Corey Feldman

Corey Feldman lit up the 1980s silver screen with memorable roles in cult classics such as Stand by Me, The Goonies, and The Lost Boys. His youthful charisma earned him a devoted fan base and solidified his place in Hollywood lore.

Beyond the bright lights, Feldman has spoken candidly about the darker underbelly of the industry, alleging that powerful figures sexually abused both him and fellow child star Corey Haim. He asserts that these traumatic experiences fueled lifelong addiction and emotional struggles.

Despite battling addiction and facing legal entanglements tied to his past trauma, Feldman has managed to sustain a multifaceted career, branching into music and continuing to appear in film and television projects.

His accusations have sparked both support and skepticism, yet Feldman remains steadfast, championing child‑actor protections and advocating for systemic change within Hollywood. His legacy endures through the beloved movies that defined a generation.

5. Jodie Sweetin

Jodie Sweetin first won hearts as the spunky Stephanie Tanner on the beloved sitcom Full House, captivating audiences throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s with her lively personality and endearing performance.

Transitioning into adulthood proved challenging; Sweetin grappled with addiction and a series of personal setbacks, including a stint in rehab and a brief, tumultuous marriage. These hardships temporarily stalled her career, but she eventually found a path to sobriety and stability.

Today, Sweetin enjoys a successful resurgence, reprising her iconic role in the Fuller House reboot. Her openness about recovery and mental‑health advocacy has transformed her into a role model for those battling similar struggles, solidifying her status as a beloved and resilient Hollywood figure.

4. Gary Coleman

Most recognize Gary Coleman from his razor‑sharp one‑liners on the classic sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. His quick wit and charismatic presence made him a beloved figure during the late ’70s and early ’80s, earning a place in pop‑culture history.

Behind the scenes, Coleman faced a host of personal challenges. A congenital kidney disorder stunted his growth and necessitated multiple surgeries, while strained relations with his parents—who were accused of mismanaging his earnings—added financial and emotional strain.

By the 1990s, his acting opportunities waned, and legal troubles surfaced, including a lawsuit against his parents and a 1999 assault arrest. Nevertheless, Coleman remained a recognizable personality, appearing in various TV shows and even launching a brief political bid for California governor in 2003.

Tragically, he passed away in 2010 at 42 due to complications from his kidney condition. His legacy endures as a cherished child star whose contributions continue to resonate within the entertainment world.

3. Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, affectionately known as JTT, captured the hearts of 1990s teenagers as the mischievous Randy Taylor on the hit series Home Improvement. His charm extended to the big screen with roles in The Lion King and Tom and Huck, cementing his teen‑idol status.

Amidst soaring fame, Thomas struggled to juggle personal life and career demands. Opting to prioritize education and privacy, he stepped away from the limelight at the height of his popularity, citing the need for a normal childhood and a break from relentless scrutiny.

Since then, Thomas has largely remained out of the public eye, focusing on private pursuits and philanthropic efforts, including wildlife conservation and education initiatives. Fans continue to cherish his memorable performances, and his legacy endures as a nostalgic emblem of ’90s television.

2. Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson became the quintessential face of childhood cinema, dazzling audiences with roles in beloved films like Mrs. Doubtfire, Matilda, and Miracle on 34th Street. Her natural talent and endearing screen presence earned her a reputation akin to a modern‑day Shirley Temple.

However, Wilson’s journey was not without hardship. She has spoken openly about the pressures of Hollywood—from unrealistic beauty standards to invasive paparazzi attention. The loss of her mother to cancer, coupled with bouts of anxiety and depression, further complicated her teenage years.

Choosing to step back from acting in the early 2000s, Wilson pursued higher education, earning a degree from NYU. Today, she champions mental‑health awareness and body positivity, while continuing to write and perform in various creative projects. Her candidness and resilience make her an inspiring figure for aspiring actors and fans alike.

1. Haley Joel Osment

Haley Joel Osment captured global attention with his haunting performance in the thriller The Sixth Sense, earning an Academy Award nomination and cementing his place as a standout child actor of the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Riding the wave of that success, Osment landed roles in films such as A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Pay It Forward, showcasing his ability to convey deep emotion. Yet, by the mid‑2000s his on‑screen appearances slowed, prompting a hiatus to focus on college studies.

In adulthood, Osment confronted legal challenges, including a 2006 DUI arrest, and found it difficult to secure roles that aligned with his evolving age and talent. Nevertheless, he persisted, appearing in series like The Kominsky Method and Future Man, while also exploring music and voice‑over work.

Today, Osment remains a respected Hollywood professional, continuing to contribute to the industry with a blend of acting, music, and voice projects. His enduring legacy as a child star underscores his lasting impact on cinema.

When it comes to dealing with addiction, the phrase “11 ways handle” becomes your new roadmap. For as long as mind‑altering substances have existed, a slice of the population has struggled with abuse. Today, with unprecedented variety and accessibility, substance misuse is far from rare. The shift from treating it as a criminal issue to viewing it as a public‑health concern marks a welcome break from outdated moral judgments. Statistically, most of us will confront this challenge on a personal level. So, if a loved one develops a substance‑abuse problem, how should you respond?

11 Do NOT Stage an Intervention

Resist the urge to confront the person head‑on with a dramatic intervention. While it feels noble to act immediately, an intervention often feels like a televised drama that leaves the subject feeling shamed and alienated. Real change demands patience, dedication, and time—not a one‑hour spectacle. Think of it as a marathon, not a sprint; shortcuts rarely work. If you truly care, prepare for a long, winding road with setbacks along the way.

10 Re‑frame Your Relationship Dynamic

After you’ve avoided a guilt‑laden intervention, you gain a crucial advantage: time to reassess how you interact with the addicted individual. Knowledge is power—knowing the truth while they remain unaware grants you leverage. Adjust your behavior to mirror how they’ve treated you. If they’ve betrayed or lied, consider how you’d treat a stranger who behaved similarly. Remember, their actions are driven by addiction, not malice. This re‑framing is challenging but essential; without it, the rest of your plan may falter.

Craft a concrete action plan and stick to it. You cannot force change; it must arise from within the person. However, subtle influence techniques—tailored to your specific relationship—can guide them toward that internal decision. Start by defining clear objectives, such as “Help them quit drugs and rebuild their life,” then work backwards to outline incremental steps that support that goal.

Protect yourself first. Emergency responder training teaches that you must secure your own safety before assisting others. Apply the same principle here: safeguard your finances, documents, and personal assets. Store wills, insurance policies, and vital records in a secure, inaccessible location—consider a safety‑deposit box. Change locks, secure vehicles, and replace compromised electronics. Update passwords, PINs, and access codes across all accounts. Establish a relationship with local law enforcement so they’re aware of the situation, giving you a strategic edge should the subject become aware of your preparations.

7 Carefully Control Your Contact

Initially, withdraw from direct contact. No calls, visits, or plans—this creates space for you to re‑frame the relationship and solidify your protective measures. When the individual reaches out, screen calls and delay responses by at least a day. Limit conversations to ten minutes max. This controlled discomfort signals that you’re no longer a convenient enabler.

Stop enabling behaviors. If you’ve been providing housing, food, or financial support, cease those services. While it may feel harsh, homelessness or reliance on shelters can become powerful motivators for self‑sufficiency. Encourage them to seek public resources—soup kitchens, food stamps, laundromats, thrift stores—rather than depending on you. Discomfort, though uncomfortable, often spurs decisive action.

5 EVERYTHING Is a Negotiation

Never give without receiving something in return. If they beg for a pizza, make attendance at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting a condition. Verify attendance if needed, and hold them accountable. Use the principle of reciprocity repeatedly; it reinforces the idea that help comes with responsibility. Familiarize yourself with operant conditioning to understand how reinforcement shapes behavior.

Seek support from peers who have walked this path. Join reputable support groups—avoid organizations like “Narconon,” which masquerade as legitimate but have ulterior motives. Legitimate groups such as Narcotics Anonymous provide community, shared experience, and practical advice.

Educate yourself thoroughly. Dive into well‑researched books, reputable online resources, and guidance from your support network. Knowledge equips you to navigate the complexities of addiction with confidence.

When the dust settles and a new dynamic forms, clearly communicate your willingness to help—on the condition that they help themselves. Express love, set boundaries, and emphasize that you’ll support their recovery, but only if they commit to personal change.

Remember, you control only your own life. By living healthily and happily, you become a silent influencer. Accept that emotional turbulence is natural; don’t let it derail your own well‑being. Your resilience can inspire the addicted individual to seek a better path.

When you see ads of carefree girls splashing in pools or dancing through meadows, you’re witnessing the luxury of modern tampons and pads. But before those conveniences arrived, women had to be inventive. The top 10 practical approaches they employed stretched across continents and centuries, from simple cloths to surprising natural materials. Let’s travel back in time and see how menstruation was handled before the 20th‑century breakthroughs.

10 Rags

Fabric scraps served as the most straightforward stand‑in for a modern pad. Since at least the 10th century, women folded and layered pieces of cloth to soak up menstrual flow. These pieces were reusable; once they were saturated, they could be rinsed, wrung out, and used again, making them both economical and durable.

This cloth‑based method persisted well into the 19th century, overlapping with the debut of commercial sanitary pads in 1888. Because pads were initially pricey and not universally accessible, many women—especially those of limited means—continued to rely on rags well into the early 1900s.

9 Papyrus

Ancient Egyptian women are thought to have turned softened papyrus into a makeshift tampon. Papyrus, a reed that grew abundantly along the Nile, was traditionally used for writing. By soaking the stalks in water, the fibers became pliable and slightly sticky, allowing multiple strips to be bound together into an absorbent plug.

While the idea is plausible—papyrus is both soft and plentiful—direct evidence is scarce. Any records that might have mentioned such a practice likely perished because ancient texts were themselves written on papyrus, a fragile medium that rarely survived the ages.

8 Wool

In classical Greece, wool appears in medical writings as a possible tampon material. The famed physician Hippocrates, whose work dates to the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, documented a wool‑based insertion method, likely because wool was readily available in the region.

Hippocrates’ broader medical theories were a mixture of insight and misconception—he famously claimed that excess body fat could crush the uterus, for example. Nonetheless, his recommendation of wool reflects a logical use of a common, absorbent resource that could be fashioned into a temporary menstrual aid.

7 Cedar Bark

Native American women, particularly in the Great Plains, turned to cedar bark as a makeshift pad and even as a diaper material. While bark is typically thought of as rough, cedar possesses unique qualities: it is lightweight, thin, and—most importantly—highly absorbent.

The combination of low weight and moisture‑retaining capacity made cedar bark a functional, if not especially comfortable, alternative when other supplies were unavailable.

6 Buffalo Hide

The Arikara tribe of the northern United States—spanning North Dakota, Montana, and parts of Wyoming—crafted sanitary pads from buffalo hide. Beyond providing meat, the buffalo supplied an array of materials: bones for tools, horns for vessels, sinews for threads, and its skin for clothing and shelter.

To transform raw hide into a pad, the skin was soaked, stretched, and scraped to remove hair. Afterward, it was smoked over a fire, which both dried the leather and infused it with preservative properties. The resulting material became soft, pliable, and relatively comfortable compared with rougher options like cedar bark.

By the time the hide was fully processed, it served as a durable, reusable menstrual pad that could be washed and reused, fitting the resource‑conscious lifestyle of the tribe.

5 Natural Sponges

Coastal women of antiquity, especially around the Mediterranean, sometimes employed natural sea sponges as tampons. Sponges are inherently absorbent, making them a logical choice for fluid collection.

Modern research, however, warns that raw sea sponges can harbor bacteria, yeast, and other pathogens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classified them as “significant‑risk devices” in the 1990s, prompting stricter cleaning protocols for contemporary products. Ancient women lacked such sanitation methods, likely boiling the sponges before use, but the risk of infection would have been considerably higher.

Despite modern concerns, advances in sterilization have allowed some companies to market cleaned sponges safely, though the ancient practice remains a testament to resourcefulness in the face of limited options.

4 Grass

Across Africa and parts of Australia, women fashioned both pads and tampons from various grasses and vegetable fibers. A pad might consist of a bundled strip of grass, while a tampon could be a tightly rolled bunch of grass stems and roots.

Not all grasses are created equal. Some, like carpet grass, can be relatively soft, but many species are itchy, rough, or even painful to the delicate skin. The experience was often far from comfortable, yet it represented a readily available solution when other materials were scarce.

Even today, many women in resource‑limited regions still rely on improvised options—rags, leaves, or paper—highlighting the ongoing challenge of equitable menstrual hygiene worldwide.

3 Paper

In ancient Japan, women are believed to have rolled sheets of paper—specifically the sturdy, fibrous washi—into tampons, securing them with a band called a kama. Because the paper was relatively strong and absorbent, it could be changed multiple times a day, often up to ten replacements.

Washi, produced since around AD 800, is crafted from long plant fibers that remain intact during processing, giving it superior durability and absorbency compared with typical Western paper. This quality made it a surprisingly effective makeshift menstrual aid.

The frequent changes required by this method underscore how labor‑intensive menstrual care could be before the advent of disposable products.

2 Rabbit Fur

Some historical accounts suggest that women once turned to rabbit fur as a pad material. While documentation is sparse, the notion is plausible: rabbit fur is soft, pliable, and could be gathered without much effort.

Various cultures—including Native American and African societies—have long used rabbit pelts for clothing, blankets, and other utilities. It follows that a few might have repurposed the fur to catch menstrual flow, though concrete evidence remains limited.

Given the softness of the fur, it would have provided a relatively gentle barrier, but the lack of reliable sources means this practice should be viewed with cautious curiosity.

1 Nothing!

In 19th‑century Europe, many women—particularly those of modest means—simply allowed their periods to run free. At that time, commercial pads were either non‑existent or prohibitively expensive, and homemade alternatives required fabric that many could not spare.

While this practice is most documented among poorer women of the era, the principle extends across history: whenever resources were lacking, women sometimes opted for free‑bleeding, whether out of necessity or personal choice. Even today, some women deliberately choose to free‑bleed as an act of empowerment or convenience.

The enduring reality is that menstrual care has always been shaped by accessibility, economics, and cultural attitudes, reminding us how far modern products have come—and how vital continued progress remains.

Top 10 Practical Overview

The top 10 practical methods highlighted here showcase the ingenuity and resilience of women throughout history. From humble rags to inventive uses of natural materials, each solution reflects a unique response to the challenges of menstrual management before the era of disposable hygiene products.

Seduction of the Innocent was the title psychologist Fredric Wertham chose for his 1954 book. No, it wasn’t a romance or an erotic thriller. It was an exposé of a product dangerous to the mental health of adolescents everywhere—or so he insisted. His target: comic books that he regarded as violent and risqué. These scandalous periodicals, he claimed, encouraged delinquency among their juvenile readers by exposing them to sex and violence. When facts and other evidence didn’t support his theory, he twisted them to fit.

Despite the preposterous character of his charges, his claims alarmed parents, teachers, and politicians. They also led to the voluntary self-policing of the comic book industry, as publishers began to censor their titles so their contents would be approved by the Comics Code Authority (CCA), created in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America.

Surprisingly, even after publishers abandoned their voluntary participation in the censorship program, some of them, including the industry’s biggest and best known—Marvel Comics and DC Comics—continued to censor their own titles.

The ten comics on this list were deemed too hot to handle. As a result, they were censored by their own publishers.

10 King Conan

The second issue of Volume 2 of Marvel Comics’ King Conan (2022) showcases a new character, the scantily dressed Matoaka. Both her name and her costume—a brass breechcloth, a brass bra, and matching neck rings—offended Native Americans. The image both “sexualized” Powhatan’s daughter and appropriated Native American culture. Matoaka was the “private name” by which the historical Pocahontas chose to be called; Pocahontas was a nickname.

The character’s origin also offended Native Americans. According to the fictional Matoaka’s backstory, she was exiled from her South American homeland after she fell in love with an explorer from another land. She then revealed to him the location of her country’s treasure, which led, in turn, to the rape and the pillaging of her own country. In a Twitter comment, Kelly Lynn D’Angelo, a Native Haudenosaunee writer, summed up another related reason for the disgust she and other Native Americans felt. “The sexualization of a real young girl that was r*ped and killed affects our murdered & missing indigenous women TODAY.”

The comic book’s editor, Jason Aaron, apologized for the comic’s depiction of the character. To atone, he announced he would donate his pay for the offending issue to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center and promised that the “character’s name and appearance [would] be adjusted for the rest of this mini-series and in all digital and collected editions.”^[1]

9 DC Giant-Sized Superman

Walmart inked an exclusive contract with DC Comics to sell reprints of original stories, some of which are collected in DC’s Giant-Sized Superman, issues 9 and 10 (2018–2019). However, mindful of its shoppers, Walmart insisted that some changes be made to the original artwork by the late Michael Turner, finding some of his female characters’ manner of dress a bit suggestive.

The “material” of Artemis’s thong-style bodysuit, latex by the looks of it, worn in an issue of Superman/Batman, was extended to cover her hips, lower buttocks, and upper thighs. In a Supergirl from Krypton reprint, Superman lifts Artemis aloft as he chokes her. The choking survives in the censored version of the comic book cover, but Artemis’s original costume does not. Again, its “material” has been extended, this time to cover an expanse of her upper thighs.^[2]

8 Heroes in Crisis

If choking was found acceptable, so, apparently, was the depiction of a dead or dying villain bleeding onto the floor. On the cover of issue 7 of the Heroes in Crisis series (2019), Poison Ivy lies prone on a mat, bleeding from the side of her head and from a slashed wrist. As Andrew Rodriguez points out, after the image was “leaked online somehow, DC retracted the cover, changing it because five people thought that the image of Poison Ivy was too sexy.”

Her exposed cleavage was objectionable; her bleeding was not. In the revised version of Turner’s artwork, her costume is extended to cover her offending bosom. Oddly, in the process, her costume’s trademark green color turned blue, and the floor mat vanished. The blood beneath her head is now concealed by her hair, and the blood around her wrist has been made to resemble a strand of red ribbon.^[3]

7 Miracleman

The first issue of Miracleman (2014) was flagged for revision after Alan Moore took over the comic’s authorial duties in 1982, transforming the protagonist into an antihero who became involved in more sinister adventures during the rest of the series’ run. When Marvel Comics gained ownership in 2009, the company’s editor announced the need to make a few changes to the comic’s digital edition.

In the end, two versions of the comic were released, the original and the censored. The former was made available under a 17+ age restriction as Miracleman: Parental Advisory Edition #1 (2014). The reason for the brouhaha? One of its characters had dared to bare their buttocks. In the censored version, underpants have been added.^[4]

6 Spider-Woman

When Milo Manara, the well-known illustrator whose drawings tend toward the erotic, posed her in a variant cover for the 2014 issue of Spider-Woman, issue 1, the title character became sexualized. Leaning forward on her hands and knees, her legs apart, the female wall-crawler creeps over the edge of the top of a building, several skyscrapers behind her, suggesting the height of her apparent climb. Her familiar costume, rendered in pastel colors, is more pink and light peach than its standard red and gold.

Although her suggestive posture implies movement, the type of action it is intended to imply is open to interpretation. Enough members of the public saw the possibility of lewdness in Manara’s depiction to protest, and Marvel’s editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, responded with both an apology, explaining that the variant cover was for a limited edition of the comic book meant for collectors. For that reason, the company was okay with retaining the image of Spider-Woman as the artist saw her. Manara’s version of the character was sold at auction to a collector who paid $37,000 for the privilege of owning it.^[5]

5 Batman

The first issue in the Batman: Damned series (2018–1019), which appeared in the company’s adult-oriented DC Black Label imprint, shocked readers with its full-frontal nudity. The Caped Crusader appears from the waist down, his nakedness apparent but with details hidden by a dark shadow falling across him in one panel. The only hint of his penis is a few lines, visible despite the shadow, which outline a part of the organ. Based on the feedback the company received from the comic book hero’s fans, DC’s powers-that-be concluded that nudity is not appropriate, even for their mature line of comics.

Future printings of the issue will not include so much as a glimpse of Batman’s genitals, and the digital version of the comic, like those of the printed version, will replace the offending panel of the story with one in which the shadow blocks out all offending parts of his anatomy. Censoring the image was the right call to make, DC admitted, since Batman’s exhibitionism didn’t really add anything to the story.^[6]

4 The Authority

The Authority was originally published by WildStorm, which was owned by AOL/Time Warner from 1990 to 2018, the same company that owned DC Comics during this time period. It was fairly frequently targeted for censorship by DC. Writer Mark Millar and artist Frank Quitely’s inclusion of several characters that were parallels to counterparts in DC’s titles caused much of this censorship. Censored panels were either revised or replaced altogether with new drawings.

In one case, Apollo and Midnighter, it had been implied, might be gay. Their sexuality had never been made explicit, though, until Millar left no doubt that the pair were lovers by allowing them to kiss in issue 27. DC is likely to have censored this act out of concern that Apollo and Midnighter—as characters that paralleled Superman and Batman—might suggest to fans that there was a same-gender relationship between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader, which could damage the sales of their titles. A similar reason might have led DC to censor an image of the Engineer, Hulk’s Authority counterpart, flipping off her adversary’s dead body. In the printed version, the British “two-finger [Victory] salute” replaces the Engineer’s raised middle finger.^[7]

3 Batman/Catwoman

The cover of the seventh issue of Batman/Catwoman (2021) was criticized for its depiction of its protagonist’s bloody face and hands. With the bodies of masked police officers in riot gear heaped and tumbled behind him, Batman clutches one of the fallen by the collar, lifting him from the ground as he stares in anger at the face of the unconscious cop. Against the blue-gray pile of his fellow officers, who are also badly beaten and unconscious, the black silhouette of Batman’s cape and cowl, like his red face and hands, make a stark and dramatic contrast.

Oddly, the revised version of the cover is, if anything, more lurid than the one it replaces. The picture itself is the same. The differences are that the blood does not entirely cover Batman’s face and hands, making him seem masked and gloved. The crimefighter’s face is more visible, as are his hands. The sight of them reveals him to be a man of flesh and blood, rather than a dark, depersonalized avenger.

In the original cover’s illustration, not a single drop of blood has splattered the limp, unconscious body of the police officer whom Batman lifts from the ground or any of his fellow officers. In the censored version, he, like Batman, is bloody, his blood revealing his vulnerability as a victimized human being. In this case, the censorship of the original image results in a much more dramatic and sympathetic portrayal of both Batman and the fallen police officers, showing the humanity beneath their respective costumes and uniforms.^[8]

2 Dark Knights of Steel

The limited series Dark Knights of Steel (2021–2022), set in an alternate universe to that of Earth’s, unfolds a complex, convoluted plot. Part of it involves Superman’s sister Zala-Jor-El’s avenging the death of Superman’s father, King Jor-El, after Green Man assassinates him at the behest of King Jefferson. Her vengeance takes the form of her own killing of the king’s son before she embarks on a murder spree, during which she kills the alternate universe’s Metal Men with a fury of which only she is capable.

Her slaying of Gold is especially brutal: she thrusts her left arm through him so fiercely that her hand, emerging through his back, is covered in and drips his blood. To censor the extreme violence of the drawing, a sound effect, “RNNGH,” was added to cover her bloody hand.

The same tactic is employed in a subsequent panel, a different sound effect concealing the emergence of the ship’s spar through Jefferson’s abdomen. As Ben Sockol observes, in writing about these censored panels, Zala-Jor-El, unlike her brother, isn’t bothered by moral scruples concerning the commission of acts of violence in the interests of personal vengeance.^[9]

1 Punisher

Originally, Punisher was depicted as an unscrupulous, murderous vigilante. In 1974, when he made his debut, and for the last two decades of the twentieth century, such a character was not altogether unacceptable. Crime, including murder, was on the increase, and drug abuse was rampant. The fact that Punisher was himself a victim of crime also made him sympathetic. As times changed, the antihero became an increasingly unfavorable and less bankable character. The Punisher’s weapon of choice, an M16 automatic rifle, also puts him at odds with a growing number of people concerned about gun violence, as does his oft-demonstrated willingness to kill his adversaries.

In 2021, Marvel began seeking to “reboot” the character by adding horns and tusks to the white skull logo he wears on his black shirt to make it resemble the Japanese demon known as an oni and by having Punisher fight his battles without the aid of his trusty M16 rifle or other guns. His fans may not be on board with these censorious revisions. Screen Rant’s senior writer Francesco Cacciatore, for one, is not convinced that Marvel’s modifications of the character’s costume and character will succeed. The company’s efforts to make Punisher more appropriate for today ignore the fact that “the character, as he was originally conceived, is simply not suitable for these times.”^[10]

Quite simply, some people don’t know how to handle money, and having a lot of money can be a recipe for disaster. While the money management blues could be because of ineptitude or bad luck, the common denominator is that these wealthy people would have been better off with less. Here are 10 people who should never have become rich.

10 A Fall from Grace

Eike Batista is not a rags-to-riches story since Batista’s father had been the Minister of Mines and Energy in two previous Brazilian governments. It was natural that Eike Batista made his living in mining, gas, and oil with his family background. It was then a logical step to finance large-scale infrastructure projects that would support his other concerns.

At the beginning of 2012, Batista had a net worth of around $35 billion—this meant that he was the seventh wealthiest person in the world. Unfortunately, he didn’t last long in the world’s top ten. By the summer of 2013, his wealth stood at $200 million and, a year later, had fallen to minus $1 billion.

There were various reasons for this dramatic drop, but not all of them were Batista’s fault. A general downturn in the precious metals industry, underperforming assets, and poor decisions played a part. But the biggest fall from grace may be that Batista is facing 30 years in jail for bribing the governor of Rio de Janeiro.

So why should Batista never have become rich? The answer is simple. A capitalist economy relies on the operation of free markets that depend on trust. Someone who builds a business empire built on sand warps the economy, destroys confidence, and wipes out the investments that pay people’s pensions.

9 From Bad to Worse

Jack Whittaker didn’t need to win the lottery; the West Virginian was a wealthy and successful businessman in the construction industry. But, in 2002, he won the then-largest jackpot in the Powerball multi-state lottery. His prize was worth around $315 million, but he opted to take the one-off cash payment option that left him with over $113 million after taxes.

Whittaker was kind-hearted and well-meaning as he pledged 10% of his winnings to Christian charities and set up the Jack Whittaker Foundation to distribute food and clothing to the needy in rural West Virginia. He also rewarded the man who worked in the store where Whittaker had bought the winning ticket and threw handfuls of cash from his new sports car around the neighborhood.

Then things started to go bad. In 2003, someone stole over $500,000 that Whittaker had left in his car in the parking lot of a strip club. Not a good look Whittaker, but things kept going from bad to worse.

Next, his teenage granddaughter, Brandi, was lavished with cash and gifts, but in 2004, the body of Brandi’s eighteen-year-old boyfriend was found in Whittaker’s home. The boy had taken a cocktail of drugs leading to his death. Later that year, Brandi went missing, and her body turned up dumped on a friend’s property. She had been taking drugs, but the cause of death wasn’t clear, and authorities filed no charges.

Unfortunately, Jack had problems with gambling, and his uninsured house burned to the ground. He died in 2020.

8 Sky High to Rock Bottom

We can’t know what would have happened if Edwards had won just enough money to turn his life around, but he won a lot.

David Lee Edwards was a connected armed robber who had spent one-third of his 46 years in prison. Broke and unemployed, he borrowed some cash from a friend to pay a utility bill. Unfortunately, Edwards had some change left over that he spent on a pizza and a couple of lottery tickets. He won $27 million.

At a press conference, Edwards swore that he would turn his life around and look after his daughter. Yet, he immediately began spending money left and right. His mansion in Florida was full of expensive gadgets, and his body was full of expensive drugs.

Edwards supported his and his wife’s increasing dependence on drugs. He also paid for his friend’s drugs and funerals if they overdosed. Edwards did spoil his daughter, but by 2006, he and his wife were living in a storage unit surrounded by drug paraphernalia and their own body waste.

Mrs. Edwards left him; he died penniless in a hospice in Kentucky. He was 58.

7 Madame Mayor

Maureen O’Connor, a native of San Diego, California, rose through the local political ranks to become the city’s first female mayor from 1986 to 1992. At the time, she was married to Robert O. Peterson—the founder of the Jack in the Box fast-food chain.

When her husband died in 1994, O’Connor’s personal fortune stood somewhere between $40 and $50 million. In the cutthroat world of politics, all successful politicians are big risk-takers. O’Connor was a political winner, but she was a loser when she began to gamble in casinos.

O’Connor lost around $13 million in casinos. She misappropriated over $2 million from her husband’s charitable foundation, which she immediately spent playing video poker. To raise more cash to fund her gambling, she liquidated all her savings and took out second and third mortgages on her home. She attempted to pay off her debts but found herself charged with wire fraud.

She attributed her gambling addiction to a brain tumor. In 2015, a judge formally dropped all charges against her.

6 To the Bitter End

John Werner Kluge (1914–2010) was a successful businessman who became a television mogul. At one time, he was the richest person in the United States. A hard-working philanthropist, he also found time to indulge in his hobby of getting married. He married four times, and Patricia was the third of his wives.

When the couple divorced in 1990, Patricia kept the Albemarle estate near Charlottesville, Virginia. The couple had built a 45-room mansion on the property that hosted parties for the rich and famous. With her new husband, Patricia Kluge opened the Kluge Estate Winery in 1999. This was an excellent place for growing vines, and their ambition was to create a world-renowned winery that would produce some of the finest vintages in the world. To an extent, they succeeded.

However, they had enough money to launch the project and were rich by most people’s standards, but their plans called for much more money than they had available. Patricia took out $65 million in loans but found that she was over-extended. When the economy crashed in 2008, she put the estate up for sale. Donald Trump eventually bought it for a fraction of the asking price. It is now known as the Trump Winery.

It is possible to be rich but not quite rich enough. This is the trap that Patricia fell into.

5 Transfer of Ownership

Atahualpa (1502–1533) was not rich because of his own efforts. He was rich because he was Atahualpa. What happened to his fabulous wealth was not his fault—he was a victim of history.

Atahualpa was the last supreme emperor of the Incas but was unfortunate enough to be in power as the Spanish rampaged through his lands. In Incan society, everything from the fruits of the trees to the gold from the mountains belonged to the emperor. Everything in these vast, rich lands belonged to him.

When the Spanish executed Atahualpa, all of his wealth belonged to them.

Broadly speaking, this massive transfer of wealth ruined the Spanish empire. The Dutch and the British, among others, built empires based on trade. The Spanish did not have to. This unearned wealth meant they tapped their conquests for more gold and silver; the Spanish exported this back to Spain. Many Spanish and Italian merchants got rich, but the economic consequences were dire. The unbalanced Spanish economy suffered from inflation, and massive estates split the countryside into haves and have-nots.

Although Spain was to remain powerful for a while, the seeds of its future failure were sprouting in beds of unearned wealth.

4 “Spend, Spend, Spend!”

Before online gambling, many people in Britain would wager small amounts on the results of soccer matches through a system called “football pools.” These listed the games to be played on the following Saturday, and you could win a lot of money if you could forecast eight score draws.

Viv Nicholson had grown up in poverty. She was pregnant at sixteen and had four children when her second husband, Keith, won the pools in 1961. The prize was over £152,000—over 3 million today.

When asked what they would do with their winnings, the couple famously answered, “Spend, spend, spend.” And they did.

They spent everything. Keith died in a car accident in 1965, and creditors declared Viv bankrupt. She later said that she had had no idea what to do with so much money and that her win had alienated her from her friends, family, and background.

3 Too Much of a Good Thing

Gerald Muswagon was not a well-educated man but was friendly and well-liked by his family and friends. Yet, he had had brushes with the law in his native Canada since 1981.

In 1998, he bought a two-dollar lottery ticket that won him $10 million. He spent a lot of it on luxuries and gifts but did try to invest in his own lumber business. Unfortunately, his business lost money because of low sales. Muswagon was surrounded by hangers-on who were only interested in his money and never got the guidance that he needed about how to handle such a large sum.

He continued to have problems with the police, and things got worse when his wife died suddenly in 2002. Muswagon hanged himself in his parent’s garage.

2 Millions to Manslaughter

Ibi Roncaioli was Hungarian by birth but moved to Canada, where she married a successful gynecologist. She was not short of money but bought a ticket for a lotto game with a friend. In 1991, the two won $10 million and split the money.

Roncaioli started spending her winnings without telling her husband, but she didn’t spend much of it on herself. Mainly, the money went to her three sons. One of these was the son that she had had with her husband, one from before she married, and the third was a child that even her husband of thirty years knew nothing about.

Most people who knew the Roncaiolis described them as a happy, devoted older couple. However, in 2003, Ibi died. The authorities assumed that she had died from natural causes. Still, after careful examination, they found a toxic level of painkillers and alcohol in her body, and there were needle marks on her legs and feet.

The court found her husband guilty of manslaughter. The couple’s net worth was just $300,000 despite Ibi’s winnings and her husband’s considerable earnings. Her 72-year-old husband was sentenced to seven years.

1 The King

Elvis Presley made a lot of money during his stellar career. However, he had no idea how to handle it. He spent a fortune on a luxurious lifestyle and treating his friends. For example, he would pay to have hotel rooms redecorated to look like a room in his mansion, Graceland—he didn’t want to get homesick.

At the time of his death in 1977, Presley was almost broke. And his money had never made him happy.

His ex-wife, Priscilla, eventually took charge of Elvis’s estate after his death because Lisa Marie, their daughter, was still a minor. If Elvis had no head for business, Priscilla did. She converted what little was left into a $100 million business.