Imagine a super-smart; super strong every man; war hero; former police commissioner; who topped it all off by becoming president of the United States!!
Doc Savage? No.
Definitely Superman, right? Nope
Batman? Gotta be Batman? Not even!
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Teddy Roosevelt holds this distinction of being a larger-than-life example of what America can really produce!
President Roosevelt reminds us how using our nation’s super principles can produce results just as miraculous as those of fictional super heroes.
Our values produce real life super heroes of every size, shape and color. This universal wealth is what allows Americans to triumph.
As two political parties peacefully ( for the most part lol ) battle for the White House during a really bad economy it’s worth remembering that America, for all her faults, is still a super hero nation!
Inspiration is what keeps me going. Consequently I’m always on the look out for people; philosophies, etc that send my spirit soaring. Here are some fictional real life superheroes whose footage I review when I need extra stardust sprinkled on my motivation: HERO AT LARGE (1980 ) I saw this as a kid and decades later it STILL makes me feel like running around in a costume inspiring people! Check out the trailer and tell me how you feel http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080863/ I liked this movie so much I even bought the trade paperback so I could find out more about what made John Ritter’s characterization tick. Years later after discovering real life superheroes ( RLSH ) this movie lurked in the back of my mind, along with this one:
DOC SAVAGE: THE MAN OF BRONZE ( 1975 ) I grew up on Doc’s Bantam paperback reprints and Marvel Comics adaptations. As THE prototype for iconic archetypes Superman and Batman it was only logical I’d be a Doc-Fan, second generation actually, since my maternal grandfather and ” man of bronze ” in his own right read the original pulps in the 1930s!!! Doc Savage no costume option also impacted my choice of dress when I decided to place activism under a RLSH user name. I run around in t-shirt and jeans most days. I wear hoodies and jackets when it’s cold. Still working on the whole gimmick ( uniform ) thing. A late comer to my fictional real life superhero list is: BLANKMAN ( 1994 ): This film put all the whimsy and charm of the preceding movies in a context closer to my direct experience, an urban setting where violent crime turned a young Black man’s life upside down. Same here when Crack hit my neighborhood. On my first internet radio show appearance as ” Cap Black ‘ ( my RLSH user name ) one of the hosts accidentally called me ” Blankman. ” While my approach isn’t slapstick Damon Wayans send up of Adam West’s TV Batman brought two worlds, fictional real life super hero and factual inner city, together. For that alone he has my thanks. While I live a Life Fantastic it’s nonetheless lived in a real world where poverty; prejudice and other leeches sap even the most inspired creative activist- which I why I watch these gents. Doc Savage; Captain Avenger and Blankman are my favorite fictional real life superheroes- relentlesly wholesome peeks into parallel universes we can visit after escaping the ordinary.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAP BLACK, BLACK LIFE SUPERHERO FOR EVERYBODY! promotes creative crime prevention. (504) 214-3082.
[email protected] is where Pay Pal donations can be sent to assist my Hood Conservative efforts which rescues ENDANGERED traditional values like respect for the law and FIRST ourselves inside ” OCCUPIED TERRITORY ( THE INNER CITY! ) ” * I can also run down to the nearest Western Union too! LOL
Captain America has always had a special place in my heart as a comics fan.
The fact he wasn’t superhuman ( despite clearly Olympic-level enhancements ) always sparked my interest in human potential expressed in fiction, alongside fellow icons Doc Savage and Batman.
Cap made patriotism look cool instead of corny. My formative years included images of Watergate; protests and flag burning.
Captain America was a welcome alternative. Like my late grandfather who raised me he actively pursued good citizenship instead of merely discussing it.
The 2011 movie captures his Old School spirit which is much needed as economic fear tightens nationwide.
His transformation from scrawny kind to brawny commando demonstrates our ability to literally become whomever we consistently try to be.
The comic book legend was recently upgraded to acknowledge the role of Black men in defeating the Axis.
The first Captain America was Black http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah_Bradley in this retelling; a nod of the cowl to otherwise unknown soldiers like my late grand uncle Harold who was wounded in 1944’s Normandy Invasion, code named ” Operation Overlord ” by the Allies.
Captain America’s story is every American’s story: idealism despite crushing poverty; determination despite impossible odds. He cuts away every possible point of division by embodying ” E Pluribus Unum ( Out of Many One ) ” in a way that inspires skeptic and supporter alike.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT BLACK promotes finding your ” super ” through creative crime prevention; homeless outreach and political advocacy. (504) 214-3082
Before he heads to the poverty-stricken Downtown Eastside to hand water, food and blankets to the city’s most vulnerable citizens, costume-wearing superhero Thanatos prepares one final item for those living on the streets –
white slips of paper with the word “friend” scrawled on them.
“I hope that they keep it because they remember that they have a friend out there, they have someone out there who cares,” he said. “Even if it’s a crazy guy in a costume, they know that they have somebody out there who’s trying to look out for them.”
For four years, Thanatos has patrolled the neighbourhood performing good deeds, handing out items he buys himself. He was once told by a policeman that the end of life is all some homeless people have to look forward to, so the former U.S. military man – who says he moved to Canada in 1973 – named his alter ego after the Greek god of death. “I thought if that’s the case, death better get out there and take care of these people,” he said.
During an interview at – where else? – a cemetery, he says the slips of paper were found on 16 people who died last year, a testament to the rough shape some of those he tries to help are in.
His dark costume is a mix of The Green Hornet, The Shadow, Doc Savage and even a little Batman. Along with the black and green mask, he sports a long trench-coat, skull-and-crossbones tie, and wide-brimmed hat. Around his waist is a utility belt equipped with, among other things, a Swiss Army knife and bag of marbles.
Thanatos twice taps himself on the chest while describing the costume. A dull knock confirms he’s wearing a bulletproof vest, because even though he doesn’t view himself as a vigilante, trouble sometimes finds him in the form of a knife or gun.
“I was doing a water handout and a fellow came running around the corner,” he said. “I thought he had a black automatic pistol and he put it right up against me here. I grabbed at the automatic because I’ve been trained to disarm someone and my intention was to jack the slide back so the gun couldn’t fire. As I tried to do that, it broke apart in my hand. It was a squirt gun that had been painted black.”
Thanatos is a member of The Real Life Super Hero Project, a league of caped crusaders that aims to feed the hungry, comfort the sick and better neighbourhoods. As a sexagenarian, Thanatos is the oldest member of the group. He’s quick to note the heroes don’t fight bad guys and leave them tied up for police – that only happens in the movies.
As he walks past rows of tombstones inside the cemetery, the interview is continually interrupted by curious onlookers. Thanatos disarms their concerns with a confident hello and tip of the cap.
He talks at length about the missions he makes to the Downtown Eastside several times a month, but is much less willing to discuss the man under the mask.
All he says about his day job is that it’s “in a corner of the death industry.” He won’t release his name because he fears that if his identity is revealed he’ll be drummed from his profession.
Thanatos mentions a wife and teenage daughter, both of whom support his cause, he says. His wife sometimes joins him on the streets to serve as a spotter, and his daughter has said she’d like to help some day as well. She knows she’s not yet ready for the intensity and heartbreak, he says.
Thanatos appears to choke up when talking about a man named Wayne. He says Wayne was “just a nice guy” who suffered from alcohol problems and couldn’t land a job. “They found him behind some dumpsters where he had tried to go and get warm,” he said.
The deaths take their toll but he has no plans to give up. “It weighs on me,” he said. “It hurts. But it just strengthens my resolve. It always reminds me of what I’m out there for.”
Thanatos was not on the streets during last month’s Stanley Cup riot but expresses disappointment that it occurred. For those unsure how to better their city, he has a rallying cry: “If you’re really upset about the riots and you want to make things better, everybody go out and help 10 people. If you can’t give them anything, give them something that’s really even more important – five minutes of your time.”
Vancouver police spokesman Constable Lindsey Houghton confirmed the department has heard of Thanatos, who says he’s been in touch with officers on several occasions. Thanatos says he even collects shell casings on the chance they might be of some assistance to police.
“We’re aware of his existence and that he’s anonymously doing good deeds and helping people out in his own way and phoning 9-1-1 at appropriate times, which is all we ask of people,” Constable Houghton said.
During a tour of the Downtown Eastside, Thanatos heads under a bridge to highlight a narrow crevice where people sleep. Inside lies a blanket. A message has been left for him in chalk, indicating when the owner of the blanket will return.
Thanatos leaves a bottle of water and dashes off, eager to find the next person who needs his assistance.
Has a challenge for the City of Vancouver
Originally posted: http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/246361–meet-vancouver-s-very-own-superhero
By News1130 Staff VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – He takes care of those who live in the city’s dark places, defending and helping people on the mean streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. News1130‘s Mike Lloyd is revealing the details of a clandestine meeting with the man who calls himself Thanatos, The Dark Avenger.
“I’m a real life superhero here in Vancouver. I take care of those who really need help the most. I take care of those in the street, I watch out for them, I defend them, and I help them out. I do monthly hand-outs of food, blankets and necessities. I patrol the [Downtown] Eastside and keep my eye on things. When I see things I report them to the police.”
On a stormy afternoon, Thanatos strides between the gravestones of Mountain View Cemetery, cloaked in black with a wide-brimmed hat and masked behind a twisted, iridescent skull.
Why the dramatic backdrop? “This is an appropriate place to meet Death. Where else would you meet him? At McDonalds?”
Thanatos is the Greek God of Death, and the man behind the mask says he took on the persona after a conversation with a police officer.
“I was told people on the street had nothing better to look forward to than death. That really stung me. I thought if that’s the case, Death had better get out there and start taking care of these people. I originally came up with the idea of going out with the robe and scythe but I realized that would be impractical.”
Instead, he ended up in black overcoat and hat, body armour underneath, and masked behind a green skull-face.
“I started researching and found out other people were using the same idea to draw attention to what they were doing. So, being a comic book geek at heart, I fell back on that and redesigned the figure of death. I’m based on The Green Hornet, The Shadow, The Spirit, a bit of Doc Savage and a bit of Batman. The persona works.”
Thanatos stresses he is not a vigilante. “Swinging in on a rope, beating up the drug dealer, leaving him tied up for police looks good in the movies, but this is the real world and you can’t do that. It doesn’t work. It’s a bigger problem than just trying to take criminals off the street one at a time. It’s a social issue and society has to change to stop people from landing on the street and getting swept up into the drugs and crime down there.”
This is certainly no game for the costumed man as he asks to be tapped on his chest.
“Feel that? I wear a level 3A bullet proof vest. It is dangerous. Some of the people I encounter are coming down off methamphetamine or coming off other drugs. The drug dealers and gangs are also quite dangerous. I’ve had guns flashed at me. I’ve seen guns down there ranging from small handguns to AK-47s. I’ve had knives flashed at me. I had someone try to stick me with a [sharpened] bicycle spoke and when you stick that into someone it usually catches something vital. I’ve had someone throw a bullet at me from across the street.”
As the wind whips and the clouds darken, Thanatos says he feels the need to continue his work. “I’ve helped out over the years as myself. No one remembers. No one cares. The idea of real life superheroes using costumes is to draw attention to what we’re doing. That draws attention to the problem.”
And there are others, many of them chronicled in the Real Life Superhero Project.
“We are all over the world. Right now there are probably 300 of us who are active and out trying to actually help the world be a batter place. Most are in North America, but we have people in Asia, people in the Mid-East and we have quite a few in Europe and Great Britain. There are a few of us in Canada.”
As the meeting draws to a close, Thanatos has one last thing to add, a challenge to the city.
“We have had terrible riots here in Vancouver. We had a great outpouring of emotion shown on the plywood, people saying ‘I love you,’ we need to do something, we need to better our city. So, I’m issuing a challenge to the city of Vancouver. Everyone go out and help 10 people before the end of July, anything they can do. If they can keep someone alive on the Downtown Eastside for a day, give them water, give them cereal bars, give them whatever. If all they can do is stop for five minutes and talk to these people and give them time, that’s fine, too.”
With that, the meeting ends. Thanatos turns, disappearing deeper into Mountain View, preparing for another night of trying to help Vancouver’s vulnerable and, hopefully, inspiring others to do the same.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension movie ( 1984 ) hit my senior high mind like a lightening bolt! I first read about it in ( the now defunct ) Starlog magazine and frantically absorbed the book and movie in that order.
I’ve been hooked ever since. Here was an 80s beat send up to Golden Age pulp proto-hero Doc Savage and his Famous Five. Obviously the 80s beat part has been updated to keep the character fresh. I’ve often wondered if twenty-somethings view the 80s as a distant Golden Age like we did the 30s and 40s?
Updated heroic themes like Renaissance personhood and friends with whom you can save the world were played out before my eager young eyes. Fast forward to 2010 and it’s no small wonder my activism is along Banzai-esque lines?
This character is for many the first glimpse of what a ” real ” life superhero character would be in fictionalized versions of the late 20th and early 21st Century America. While this obviously stretches the ” reality ” by a few light years, it’s borne out by global creative do gooders the media calls real life superheroes ( RLSH ).
While not as involved to violent adventure as Buckaroo; his core group, the Hong Kong Cavaliers and Blue Blaze Irregular auxiliaries, RLSH have proven themselves quite hands on at humanitarianism and crime fighting.
When Buckaroo burst on the scene there wasn’t any really anyone contemporary to pick up the heroic mantle left by Golden Age pulp greats like Doc Savage or the Shadow.
I especially liked the support role played by Banzai’s Blue Blaze Irregulars. Otherwise normal people could be trained as stand bys whenever their beloved leader needed help- sort of a National Guard for a superhero. RLSH should adopt this strategy so we can multiply the amount of good done by adding more visionaries to our ranks. My Street Team is the result of this type of inclusiveness.
While some real life superhero members favor a Lone Ranger approach, others use a Seventh Calvary style to increase impact.
Buckaroo Banzai is a personal favorite! His impact cuts across professions and demographics. While quirky entertainment to some, this unique universe offers creative activists a wealth of inspiration.
** There are Banzai comic books and other content out there!
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development. http://www.captblack.info
Despite being a natural fan of things heroic, if anyone’s at ” fault ” for this love it’s my late grandfather.
He passed along the reading gene that had him devouring Sunday newspapers as a boy in rural South Carolina. I would do the same years later in urban Georgia.
He read Superman and Batman in their debut comics!; along with pulp magazines featuring Doc Savage and the Shadow. The whole film noir epoch of detective movies and thrillers happened before his eyes as a young movie goer.
On his knee I learned a creed reminiscent of the Knights of the Roundtable and his beloved Prince Hall Shriners. Major advice includes:
* Don’t hit girls ( Later amended after one hit me first but to this day the amendment has never been acted upon. it just doesn’t seem right ).
* Keep your wits about you.
* They’ll make a train for you. Translation: Beware being railroaded in situations!
He was a retired math teacher who moved to Savannah’s Depression era Hood variously known as ” the Fort ” or ” Frogtown ” where fighting was a regular rite of passage.
A snubnosed .357 revolver often rode his hip when he’d go out at night. He preached being prepared and aware of one’s surroundings. It’s a major reason I’m a security consultant today.
Grand Dad always set the standard by being a jovial, concerned citizen who stayed informed about current events and provided encouragement for my interests.
Heroism as an interest wasn’t surprising with a grandfather whom cats would deliver kittens to and infants would cry loudly over leaving.
GrandDad had something special about him, just like the characters in our beloved fiction. For him, comics and pulps were entertainment. For me, they offered colorful blueprints for injecting the fantastic into life.
It’s his ” fault ” superheroes and heroism are lifelong passions and I thank him for this gift.
After all, he was my FIRST hero!
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development. http://www.captblack.info .
I’m a life long body weighter ( body weight exerciser ) who’s added weight work to my regimen. It seemed that there was potential inside crying out for even more development and lifting was the sure route. When you look at it that way what else could I do?
You can’t imagine the ” Is THAT me!?! ” reaction when looking at myself while in a bodybuilder pose after four months training with free weights!!! It’s an eye popper guaranteed to keep you lifting! Added motivation comes from the hope that real life superhero ( RLSH ) Movement members should look reasonably well in our outfits and body building makes even more sense! lol.
Physique inspirations include pulp fiction’s Doc Savage and Jim Brown; Carl Weathers; Michael Jai White and others.
My baseline physique was already good but extra bulk and definition are bonuses that lifters have known for generations.
As a mesomorph I have a naturally muscular build but the difference after adding some iron to your self-development diet is literally like night and day. Even on a Recession reduced calorie diet results still clearly show.
Weight lifting can be for strength ( obviously ) or body building for those seeking to change proportions. I wrestled with adding weights to my daily physical self-development because the whole narcissistic bodybuilder stereotype was a big turn off. I’m into wellness, i.e. the sum total of regular mind-body and spirit work.
I’d been around some bodybuilders in my 20s who were stuck on themselves enough to make me stick to bodyweight exercises, that and I was shy for a long time.
The same quiet inner voice that lead me to write; do public speaking; finally become a member of the real life superhero movement as Capt. Black and many other self expressions, told me to start body building. So here I write you, with amateur bodybuilder now on my resume.
Whether I’ll ever compete or be featured somewhere remains to be seen. I do know I’m exploring this avenue and am upgrading practices to get more out of myself.
There is so much within us to exploit to degrees that seem impossible. As times get tighter we need to become more creative in how we life and what we do.
One way I did so was transitioning from body weighter to body builder! RLSH like SuperHero and RazorHawk, among others, weight lift and know well the joy I describe.
*** Current pictures show body weight exercise results. New body building ones on the way!***
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes wellness; crime prevention and self-development. http://www.captblack.info
Real life superheroes ( RLSH ) are a growing Movement of cyber escapists who crusade only online alongside creative activists hitting the streets with new names and outfits.
It’s an exciting time to help stretch the ( usually, yawn! ) concept of concerned citizenship into broader, bolder forms.
As usual I caution against inevitable cultural blowback. I don’t do it as a kill joy nor being a hater. I just look at trends in related fields and consider us with this in mind.
Because we haven’t amassed a series of high profile civil rights violations like 1990s Bounty Hunter Scare ( a RLSH related field if EVER there were one ), there haven’t been Congressional hearings and states tripping over themselves to slap down varying degrees of regulation.
Currently unlicensed and potentially unlimited, we are largely self-policed and advise ourselves on legal and other vital concerns. While a host of RLSH books have been written with many more pending, we don’t have a hand book per se ( though Knight Owl’s RLSH Manual serves admirably ) or defined industry standards.
As private citizens being conscious of HUGE criminal and civil liabilities this caveat keeps the vast majority of us out of trouble. Related fields like private security and bounty hunting have copious case law chiefly documenting false arrest; impersonation of officers and excessive force cases.
Unlike government counterparts, when a security officer; bail enforcement agent and especially a real life superhero grabs the wrong person or unlawfully inflicts injury, he/she QUICKLY goes to jail and has roughly a year to plan his/her defense before a potentially skeptical court.
There’s very real legal risk in being a RLSH. Keep in mind most of us don’t have official status with the local PD like some versions of Batman or Doc Savage commissions from the NYPD and feds of his pulp novel America. Ideally we can work on establishing relationships with law enforcement to avoid future conflict.
We’re still fleshing this role out. Kinks remain to be smoothed out but a doctrine ahs been established. We’ve also grown to include conventional concerned citizens in what I term RLSH-inspired community coalitions ( RICCS ) to patrol the streets and dispense food supplies alongside our colorful peers.
The devil is in the details and regarding the real life superhero Movement, it remains to be seen what ultimate form our details will assume. We’re still a work very much in progress.
That said, there remains very real legal risk in being a RLSH.
Ask an attorney or visit RLSH sites where you can e-mail or chat with experienced folks about this one-of-a-kind lifestyle.
*Informative RLSH sites include:
Superhero Law
Real Life Superheroes
Superheroes Anonymous
Heroes In The Night
Real life Superhero Project
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-developemnt. http://www.captblack.info.
I could have made Capt. Black a separate identity.
Given the flak previous activism stirred that would have been bright. But I LIKE BEING CAPT. BLACK ALL THE TIME: in the supermarket; at the drug store; walking down the street. Cap is me and I am ” he.”
This isn’t another self- it’s my best self with a flashy name tied on like a bow. Comic book, pulp novel and many real life super heroes hide who they are for very good reaons, retaliation being the main one.
Despite my philosophical bent and love of RLSH writing, I’m also a fighter who refuses to run from anyone, anywhere, anytime. Anybody who doesn’t like what I do has a personal problem, one he’s well advised to keep to himself. I’m big on de-escalation and threat management so if you ever read I had to touch an opponent, rest assured it’ll be justified.
That said, secret IDs make alot of sense.
Most people take pains to avoid potential 24/7 confrontation. Another identity, where you’re not sticking your nose in others business, is a smart move.
Strategically, some RLSH need to have public identities simply to avoid hassles with law enforcement and others likely to have problems with masked citizens.
California’s Mr. Extreme encountered this barrier when trying to attend a community meeting inside a police station. While I think they over reacted, government has that tendency when we don’t march in lock step.
My reasons for not wearing a mask are myriad: eye sight ( I’d need prescription lenses; shades or goggles to make it work! lol ); being Black and masked in my hometown of Savannah, GA- not a good idea; Fictional inspirations like Doc Savage; Mr. Fantastic; Luke Cage, Powerman and Buckaroo Banzai bare their faces to the world and last but not least, real life inspirations from the civil rights Movement went unmasked.
It’s my way of telling society’s bullies someone isn’t afraid to stand up and show who he really is.
I’m not knocking secret ID RLSH. If you have kids I understand. Why bring all this heat down because some percentage of RLSH will have stalkers or violent opposition to our do gooding.
That should be factored into everyones game plan.
Our web presence plus movies like Kick Ass and being featured on 20/20 means more attention, good and otherwise. Keeping a safe, seperate other life is worth the trouble when weighing the odds of harassment.
I’m used to being hated. It means I’m doing my job right.
Comes with being big, Black and vocal. Look at the warm receptions Bill Clinton or Karl Rive get from varied factions and you don’t always have to be big and Black to be hated! lol.
Hatred is someone else problem, not mine. If the hater attempts to make his problem mine then I respond with all appropriate measures. Most haters are cowards and wouldn’t attempt harm even if they stood before you.
The violent minority amongst haters have to be dealt with decisively. Anyone making the quantum leap from jealosy to assault needs some sense knocked into him.
Whether pre-RLSH or RLSH, I’ve known that standing up and being vocal invited more hostility than sitting down and shutting up.
When or if some hater gets worked up enough to attack me then I’ll answer this article’s question, ” May I see your ID? ” with a reply that’ll make headlines!
I PROMISE YOU!
Obviously other RLSH are to deal with this in their own manner. My task was to outline some of the unlikely consequences being creatively good to create.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development. http://www.captblack.info
