Something else that could be a humorous spin: Equipment. The big 
heros have world crushing ships
and all the most fashinable magic items. Even the second stringers 
can get things like hoverbikes,
blasters, and can even man the ship's main gun once it awhile. But 
what about the third-stringers?

 They get table scraps ^_^

 Depending on the setting, most common items are available, but the 
heroic levels items are definatly
worth more then whats in the bank account(Although Kuno and Mr.Satan 
could spring for something from
Mad Eddie's Used Mecha Lot) Almost drained minor artifacts would have 
to be dug out of the trash
(Or they could go for the soul-sucking sword locked in the vault ^_^) 
Getting guns means having
to go through all those things that heros don't have to worry about: 
Local Laws and Enforcement
types. And image that I had was that everyone has to settle on 
reuglar items and ends up looking
like an adventuring party from D&D (Everyone has a flashlight, ten-
foot pole, granola bars, 50' of
rope, etc..) Transportation could be things like taxis or whatever 
can be found at the back of
the hanger(visions of Merle stomping around in Escaflowne ^_^)