Tag Comic book

Originally posted: http://newslite.tv/2010/09/14/real-life-super-heroes-photogr.html
You probably think costumed super heroes only exist on the pages of comic books and in Hollywood movies, don’t you? It’s an easy mistake to make.

But there are actually hundreds of ordinary people (without super-powers) who get dressed up each day to go out and fight crime or campaign for what they think is right.
And now Hollywood photographer Peter Tangen – who has shot images for Spiderman, Batman and Hellboy movie posters – is setting out to document the lives of the these anonymous costumed activists.
Along with a team of designers, he each week creates a Hollywood style movie poster for one of the real life superheroes… and to be honest most of them look more interesting than your average superhero film.
Speaking to Newslite about the origins of the project, Tangen said: “I read about a real life superhero in a magazine and the idea that he existed immediately captured my imagination.
“When I learned that there were more then a hundred of these costumed activists I knew I had to meet and photograph them.
“The idea of the Real Life Super Hero Project is to illustrate the deeper story the media had mostly missed in their limited coverage of the subject.
“Knowing they were notoriously difficult to reach I appealed to their interest in the comic book genre of movies as well as offered the opportunity to participate in a positive story about their work
“I first approached Vancouver’s Thanatos and asked him to participate in my project . Once I’d photographed him his advocacy for the project created community wide support and four weeks later I found myself on set with twenty heroes for one big photo-shoot.”
New hero profiles and other content will be added to the website every week through the end of the year and beyond, there are video interviews online so you can hear them talk about their missions.

People who go out in a unique persona to help others and fight crime are called real life superheroes. Much like their comic book counter-parts they actively seek people to help, people to defend, wrongs to right, and ways to make their communities better. They are not like the superheroes of the comics, but they are the closest thing there is.

In the word real life superheroes we need to put some emphasis on the word REAL. This is real life and not the comic books. If real life was like the comics, the world would be one crazy and scary place. Fortunately for us we don’t have to worry about aliens, superpowers, and super-villains.
In the comics superheroes just run into crime. Real life is nothing like that. There are a hell of a lot more police then real life superheroes and a lot of their job is reacting to crime after it has happened. As a real life superhero you can not expect to just patrol a couple hours and run into crime. I know from many many many hours of patrolling. I was patrolling 4-5 nights a week for 3-6 hours a night. Every once and a while you will come across something. You will rarely ever stumble across a mugging, rape, or robbery. Most of the time though you can at least find a way to help someone or your community while out on patrol.
Beating up a criminal, tieing them to a pole, and calling the police works in the comics, but not in real life. If a real life superhero did that they would be considered the criminal. The actual criminal will not get arrested and will not go to jail for their crimes. The real world does not work like the comic books. If you are going to stop a criminal you need to call the police and detain the person until they get there so you can actually serve justice. If you are uneccesarily rough or have no evidence of a crime you are going to be the one in trouble.
So let’s talk about the notion of a hero hiding in the shadows taking on criminals and gangs. In the comics it’s a great story, but in real life you will either get killed or arrested. If the criminals don’t kill you, the cops will find you and arrest you. No matter how much skill, money, or technology you have; you will not last. Batman is one of the most realistic comic book characters, but still very far from reality. You can not be Batman, so please don’t try.
Dont end up like this
                    
I’m not telling you a real life superhero can not fight crime. They most certainly can. Many real life superheores have succesfully fought and prevented crime.

You can deter crime, create a presence in your community, help those in need, investigate things, set up neighborhhood wathes & patrols, do surviellance work, get evidence that leads to arrests, and defend others. You can actually fight crime but it is nothing like the comics.  When you are out there please remember to keep it real.

Originally posted: http://www.dogmaticblog.com/2010/08/31/the-real-life-super-hero-project/

Even for as far back as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by superheroes, comic books and the world of alter-egos and visual characters. That very fascination has moulded who and what I am today. The mystery surrounding a secret identity just astounds me and if it were at all humanly possible – I wish superheroes actually existed. And I wish I could be one!
Cue fanfare, whilst I don my dark shades, slip into my all-black garb and let the wind blow through my hair!
Now, an avenue exists for like-minded freaks, The Real Life Super Hero Project exists to collate this unique subculture of genuine heroes.
Anonymous and selfless, they choose every day, to make a difference in the world around them. Whether it be feeding the hungry, comforting the sick, or cleaning up their neighborhoods, they save real lives in very real ways. These are not “kooks in costumes,” as they may seem at first glance. They are, simply put, a radical response… to a radical problem.
So who are these modern day heroes? They are our neighbors, our friends, our family members. They are artists, musicians, athletes, and yes, politicians. Their actions serve as reminders that as most giving today has become reactive—digital and removed, temporarily soothing our guilt and feelings of helplessness—we have blinded ourselves to simple principles and practice of compassion and goodwill.
Photographer Peter Tangen has earned the trust of this loose network, to visually document the genuine power of these individuals—and in the process, reveal the soul behind their endeavor.
At first, The Real Life Superhero Project was conceived as an avenue to shine some light on this new breed of activism and altruism, through a photographic installation to benefit the established organizations the superheroes believe in. But as more people were brought into the wholly volunteer project, largely through Tangen’s infectious enthusiasm, the scope and purpose expanded exponentially.
Now, what began as a gallery exhibit, has come to serve as the launching pad of something far greater—a living, breathing community that inspires people to become the positive forces for change we all can be. To become more active, more involved, more committed, and perhaps, a little super in the process.
Check out the website here for more info.

Originally posted: http://www.good.is/post/picture-show-real-life-super-heroes/
By Patrick James

In the real world, no man can outrace a bullet. No woman commands storms with her mind. No one spins webs from his wrists or flies across continents or shoots lasers from his eyes. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t super heroes among us. Inside every human is the capacity to do something kind, brave, and strong for our fellow humans; some among us simply choose to do so in secret. In the spirit of the heroes who fill the pages of comic books, an unlikely assortment of men and women have been donning masks and costumes, and venturing into their respective neighborhoods to feed the hungry, comfort the sick, and protect the innocent.
The Real Life Super Hero Project is the photographer Peter Tangen’s attempt to document the work of these loosely affiliated individuals; it’s also a gallery exhibit designed to raise money for the causes with which these men and women are affiliated. Highlighting the people who do good under the secrecy of masks with no hope for personal gain, the Real Life Super Hero Project is a call for all of us to engage with and help those around us.
“Celebrate and honor them,” says Tangen. “And find the hero in all of us.”

Originally posted: http://joyhog.com/2010/08/10/superheroes-come-to-life/
by Jeremy

We may all have our preconceived notions of what constitutes a superhero, especially with the onslaught of comic books currently making the leap into Hollywood. But in today’s society that definition has been redefined.
Meet “The Real Superhero Project,” a loose network of everyday citizens taking on the injustices that continue to run rampant. We’re not talking about masked vigilantes taking on costumed criminals with ironic monikers. These volunteers are less “Caped Crusaders” and more “Extreme Activists,” combating such basic struggles as homelessness to drug addiction.
Originally conceived by photographer Peter Tengen, his photo exhibit has evolved into a movement that has inspired a lot of people to simply take action in their communities. It is the decisive nature of these family members, friends, neighbors, musicians, athletes, and even politicians, who prove that a real hero isn’t made up by the costume, but the very real people who wear them.
Check out the official website here.

Original content – http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/08/01/the-real-superheroes-in-pictures/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+BleedingCool+(Bleeding+Cool+Comic+News+&+Rumors)&utm_content=Google+International
The Real Superheroes In Pictures
Submitted by Rich Johnston on August 1, 2010 – 6:29 am
Bleeding Cool has run a number of articles on real so-called superheroes, people who dress up in costume and perform anti-crime patrols and responses in their local neighbourhood.
But we never thought to make them look as much as comic book superheroes as possible.
Real Life Superheroes is an online project to do just that. And the results are nothing short of spectacular.
And here are a few videos talking to these ladies and gentlemen who take cosplaying to a whole new level.
 

By Captain Black
I like stretching the real life superhero ( RLSH ) concept to include figures who don’t wear costumes or identify with comic books per se.
Malcolm X career had numerous real life superhero ( RLSH ) overtones:
* He changed his name, like many creative activists who present themselves to the public with new names.
* He fought injustice at great personal risk. Attacks and eventual assassination illustrate dangers crusaders face in the so-called real world. Anyone who thinks do gooding doesn’t have serious consequences should study his example long and hard.
* He advocated people embracing a larger vision of themselves through self-education and activism. RLSH often describe their persona as fuller expressions of personal potential. Constant skill development is another wide spread practice among Movement members.
Individuals can either live lives of quiet desperation or dare to become bigger than fear and doubt dictate.
Malcolm X exemplified transformation. Real life superheroes also promote transformation as central to improving society. Absent the power of change we become prisoners of a stifling status quo.
Like us his message challenged conventional wisdom. Like us he had more than a few detractors. Like us he believed in his calling and followed it to the end.
Crime fighters in our ranks should note the very real peril invited by actively opposing evil. Actual costumed adventurers will inevitably make enemies, some of whom may retaliate.
Just food for thought as RLSH determine their role in the Movement.
Malcolm X shows us the risks and rewards of uncompromised courage. In fictional terms he was Batman without the mask. Without a secret identity to hide behind he presented himself to deadly opponents every time he left his home.
How many activists, RLSH or otherwise, would do the same?
Malcolm X was a real life superhero who showed this Movement and humanity what is expected of those who stand up without flinching.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development. http://www.captblack.info
 

I have known about RLSHs for years, but never gave them much though until about march of this year. After finding www.therlsh.net and reading everything i found, i realized this is something i have always wanted to do, i just didnt know how to express it.
My idea for this blog is to simply keep track of my own journey as an RLSH. What i do and what i learn, and hopefully someday i can look back on this and see my own evolution.
I guess i’ll start with this; I never planned on being an RLSH. Well to be honest i was steadfast against calling myself an RLSH. Some of my very first posts on therlsh.net are me stating that i would never call myself that as i dont believe there can be “real superheroes”. Over time, getting to know the members of the community, what they do, and why they do what they do, i have changed my mind on the RLSH title. I still believe there are no real “superheroes” by the comic book definition, but i realized that the word superhero does not just mean those guys in the comic books. “Superhero” in and of it’s self, has come to mean more then characters. It is an ideal that we have in society. it stands for something. For some that puts “Good” above all else. For someone who can be counted on when needed. For the type of person that most people in our world dont believe exists.
Those type of people do exist and it is my hope that over time the world will start to believe it the way we used to when we were children. Back when superman and batman and wonder woman really DID exist. No there were not super powerful beings running around out planet but they did exist. They existed because we believed that that was how things were. We believed that good would always triumph over evil. That if we were ever in trouble that there would be someone there to help us. That no one in our world would ever stand there and watch as bad things happened, without doing something about it.
Unfortunately, the fact is we live in a world  where, be it a purse being snatched, a store being robbed,someone drowning, or a man dying on the sidewalk, our society tends to stand there and think “i’m sure somebody else will help.” “i’m sure somebody else has already called 911 so i wont bother.” It’s called “the bystander effect”. The tendency for everyone to think “somebody else will do it” and when everyone thinks that, it doesn’t get done.
I have though long and hard over the past 4 months about why i want to do this. why i want to put myself in danger to help others. The fact is it is something i have always done, and even as a child i never understood why anyone would feel any other way. now i realize why i felt that way…
..I guess I’m somebody else.
 

Protect Your Neighborhood By Joining The Real Life Super Hero Project
Jun 23rd 2010 By: Josh Wigler
If you’re a comic book fan, chances are very high that you’ve dreamed of being a superhero at some point in your life. It’s a wish that nearly got David Lizewski killed over the course of “Kick-Ass,” but don’t look at that horror story as your example – look at The Real Life Super Hero Project instead.

Initially conceived by photographer Peter Tangen as a way to visually document the actions of real life self-proclaimed superheroes, The Real Life Super Hero Project has since evolved into “a living, breathing community that inspires people to become the positive forces for change we all can be.” In other words, we’re not talking about guys who go out and bring their fists to bear on criminals everywhere – these superheroes are cleaning up the streets through charity work, community service and other similar acts of neighborly kindness.
You can check out the project’s official website for profiles on some of these heroes – such as Life, a bowler cap wearing defender of Manhattan’s homeless population – and more information on how you can contribute to the growing network of real life superheroes.
Original Content – http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/06/23/the-real-life-super-hero-project/

Website documents life with real-life superheroes
Posted on June 21, 2010 – 01:09 PM by JK Parkin

No doubt you’ll remember the various news stories that started popping up over the last year or so about “real life superheroes” — nonfictional, Kick-Ass-esque folks donning costumes to help their communities and fight crime.
Photographer Peter Tangen started a site where he’s shining “some light on this new breed of activism and altruism” with a new website called “The Real Life Super Hero Project” that features videos, feature stories and Alex Ross-inspired portraits of the heroes.
“Now, what began as a gallery exhibit, has come to serve as the launching pad of something far greater—a living, breathing community that inspires people to become the positive forces for change we all can be. To become more active, more involved, more committed, and perhaps, a little super in the process,” the site reads. They also have an active Facebook page, and you can check out a trailer for the site after the jump.
Originally posted –http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/06/website-documents-life-with-real-life-superheroes/