Original Blog:
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2012/07/rex_velvet_making_wishes_come.php
It’s a crazy world we live in. On one hand, you’ve got Seattle real-life superhero Phoenix Jones, caught up in yet another drama, with some questioning the motives behind his efforts to get the public to pay for a new $10,000 crime-fighting suit. On the other hand, you’ve got Jones’ nemesis, the purportedly dastardly Rex Velvet, caught up in the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation, having spent the last two days helping a young boy with spinal muscular atrophy live out his dream.
Officially the 5,000th wish granted by Make-A-Wish Alaska & Washington, over a two-day span, Sunday and Monday, Velvet was part of a heartwarming plan created for 12-year-old Colby, or Agent C. Incorporating special agents, spies, kidnapped mascots, tuxedos, forensics, the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts, helicopter rides, flash mobs, the Space Needle, and even silly string, the adventure allowed Colby to live out his dream of being a special agent, solving crimes with his dad at his side, and ultimately bringing down Seattle’s biggest villain of them all, Rex Velvet.
To call it elaborate would be an understatement. By the sounds of it, the operation was downright masterful.
“It’s probably the best birthday anybody is going to get,” Colby, who celebrated his 12th birthday in the midst of the adventure, told Q13 Fox.
But what about Rex Velvet? How did such a well-dressed yet villainous character get caught up in such a decidedly decent deed?
“They had to do some heavy negotiating with the Social Villains Alliance to make this happen,” says Velvet of his involvement. “I really am worried about helping people too much.”
While that may be so, Velvet didn’t let any concerns about maintaining his villainous street cred curb the fun. During the two-day adventure, Velvet took part in an alleged secret party at his lair which Agent C managed to infiltrate, kidnapped Seahawks’ mascot Blitz along with former Make-A-Wish recipient Robin Hall, got chased down via helicopter while on a boat on Lake Washington, and ultimately was on the losing end of a silly-string fight at the Renton Airport.
“He actually cultivated quite the team against me today,” says a slightly defeated Velvet of being bested by a 12-year-old boy.
Even in defeat, however, Velvet maintains his perspective. With an audible sneer in his voice, he warns of “much bigger plans,” coming Seattle’s way “very, very, very soon.” He makes no mystery of his intention to “eliminate superheroes” once and for all.
As for his involvement with Make-A-Wish, Velvet tells Seattle Weekly he’s happy to have been able to help Colby’s wish become reality, but overall his priorities remain unchanged. He’s not against little boys living their dreams. He’s against grown men in costumes pretending to be crime fighters.
“Colby is a wonderful human being. It was wonderful to watch (Colby’s wish) unfold,” says Velvet.
“It’s those superheroes I can’t stand.”
