| Author | Posts |
|---|---|
| Author | Posts |
| February 15, 2012 at 8:47 pm #55039 | |
 Kiar | So for those of you who are here because you read the title and have no idea what I am talking about, here’s the run down. Real-Life Superheroes (let’s call them RLSH) are people that walk around their city dressed up in superheroes outfits and fight crime and/or participate in a variety of community outreaches. Just like those from the comic books, they conceal their identity, done masks and capes, and have pseudonyms. There are over 50 RLSH registered on the World Super Hero Registry, and over 100 active RLSH world-wide. Most RLSH fall into one (if not both) of two categories. There are those that try to fight crime, and those that do public services. The crime fighters often carry a variety of legal weapons and defensive items such as pepper spray, Tasers, batons, high-lumen flashlights, and handcuffs. Generally, their crime-fighting doesn’t escalate much past preventing intoxicated pedestrians from driving, or the breaking up of rowdy crowds and fights. Occasionally, RLSH have made citizen’s arrests. Some examples of crime-fighting RLSH are Phoenix Jones, Motor Mouth, Dark Guardian, and Citizen Prime. The other side of the coin, which most crime-fighters also participate in, is community outreach. The public service RLSH are mainly concerned with helping those that are not able to help themselves, such as donating toiletries and other necessities to the homeless. They also have participated in educational outreaches, by giving anti-drug and anti-violence talks to children. Some examples of public service RLSH are Life, Zetaman, Thanatos, and Zimmer. Many RLSH patrol in groups rather than by themselves. A couple of the more well-known organizations are the Rain City Superheroes, the Black Monday Society, the Alternates, and Superheroes Anonymous. Over the years (RLSH organizations have been around as early as 2006) RLSH have spawned much controversy. Some believe (with good reason) that many RLSH are not qualified to fight crime. In general, the Police Force frowns on crime-fighting RLSH, believing that only trained professionals should be risking their lives out on the street. Many crime-fighting RLSH, when asked why they do not join the police force, express their belief that the police are not doing their job. Although some, such as Dark Guardian and Phoenix Jones, have extensive martials arts training, the majority of RLSH have limited self-defensive training or are physically inexperienced. This, however, is not an issue for the RLSH that participate in community outreach. OK, so now that you know a bit of their background, what is your opinion? Do you think what they are doing is right? Do you side with some of them but not the other? Are they doing the right thing, but in the wrong way? Tell me what you think. Oh and also, I would recommend checking out the HBO Documentary called “Superheroes” if you want to know a little bit more of what these people are like. Here is a link to the trailer. And another! |
| February 17, 2012 at 4:06 pm #55919 | |
| Kiar | Ah, c’mon Nerdfighters, I figured you guys of all people could whip this in to an interesting discussion. |
| February 18, 2012 at 6:55 pm #56193 | |
 Will | I have never heard of this before now, but OH MY GOD IT’S AWESOME. I just found a new hobby. |
| February 19, 2012 at 12:35 am #56365 | |
| Kiar | I know, right? I’m sort of the obsessed with the idea right now… |
| February 25, 2012 at 4:08 am #58771 | |
 Benjamin | This is so flippin cool. I must watch that documentary. I kind of feel like these people are just asking to get jumped by a gang or something. |
| February 26, 2012 at 1:20 am #59442 | |
 Audrey | I think that these guys win at life. And Benjamin, you are right. But you know who else is just asking to get jumped by a gang or something? Batman. |
| February 26, 2012 at 5:09 am #59564 | |
 Jack | I’ve read about these guys before, and I must say, they sound very, very cool. Like, there is a little part of my brain that is all, “Eh, they’re just doing this for like attention and romantics and such,” but then the rest of my brain is all “WANT DO WANT DO”. |
| February 26, 2012 at 7:28 pm #59716 | |
 Robbie Antenesse | I really need to check out this documentary! My main wonder is how they manage to pull it off… Where on the planet do these RLSH’s generally do their work? Cuz if it’s in the US, I don’t see how they’d really manage to do anything! Anyway, it makes me think of Kickass and it makes me want to learn what kind of person would actually get up the nerve to do that… Do any of you guys think you could ever actually pull off being a RLSH? |
| February 26, 2012 at 7:31 pm #59718 | |
| Robbie Antenesse | @Benjamin Yeah, it seems like you’d have to prepare an awful lot before actually going out and doing stuff like this. I wouldn’t be comfortable with doing anything like this until I was about as physically fit as Batman… And @Audrey Please, Batman jumps gangs.
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| February 26, 2012 at 7:57 pm #59746 | |
| Audrey | @Robbie, I concede, you are right. But my point stands. XD |
| February 27, 2012 at 7:37 pm #60359 | |
 Lisa | for the ones who are just being good people, i don’t understand the need to remain publicly anonymous. there are ways to donate things to the homeless and help people while remaining anonymous — why do they need to dress up as superheroes, attracting attention to themselves, and becoming a public hero of sorts… if they want to remain anonymous? that confuses me, but i’m all for a good cause, and from what you described these people are just humanitarians playing dress up: good people, good clothes. i’m all for it. the other side of the coin bothers me, though. it’s one things to do it for a day: i wouldn’t mind dressing up as spiderman and roaming new york city, playing super hero… but in the long term? i can’t imagine doing it more than once. not only can i not wrap my mind around the danger aspect of it (well, this would only come into play in some situations, in some places)… just, why are you doing it? the police aren’t doing their job? well, i can’t see how you’re helping them do that job. i can’t imagine being a cop and having to worry about people dressing up as super heroes and running around trying to save the day — it gives me, as a cop, the extra burden of having to protect you as you try to protect others. i can’t imagine doing it, definitely not. and i don’t really approve of the crime fighters doing it, either. being a humanitarian is one thing. putting yourself in danger without having been trained to do it — without having the law as your right hand man — seems to me like asking for trouble, rather than helping the situation. |
| February 27, 2012 at 10:30 pm #60470 | |
| Kiar | I would have to agree. Though I fully support the reasons behind those who choose to be crime fighting RLSH, I feel that most local police forces would prefer that they don’t do it. In my opinion, what they are doing is not necessary, but also not to be looked down on. Those guys are just trying to make their city a better place the the way they see is best. Now, being a community outreach RLSH is, I have to admit, something I have considered. Living in a town with a population of not quite 100,000, it would be unrealistic to fight crime. But there are plenty of homeless and others in financial disadvantages that could use all the help they could get. It would be a fun way to give back. As for the outfits: I feel that it is a symbolic sort of thing more than for anonymity. Not having a name or face to put to a figure lets you step into their shoes. It allow anyone to picture themselves in the outfit and realize that they can give back too. I guess, in a way, the suit is a symbol to raise awareness. |
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