Tag Real-life superhero

First, I’d like to say that the vast majority of the following is not my work.  Delta, a fellow RLSH compiled this list and posted it on the message board in an effort to help newcomers answer the question “how do I get started?”  Indeed, more experienced RLSHs have benefited from it as well! I found myself referring back to it while talking with others so often that I begged his permission to put this list on my blog for easier reference.   The list began to grow as more and more people added their ideas (credits noted) and at this point, we have 31 ways to be a Hero Without Using Your Fists!
1. First things first. Take a first aid course. Be ready to help someone in an emergency situation. Don’t assume someone else will be able to do it.
2. Be a hero, donate blood. Better yet bring a friend. Can you imagine the publicity the Red Cross could get out of a photo of a half dozen RLSH at a drive?
3. Look for paint, not pain. Go on a graffiti patrol. You don’t necessarily have to get rid of it yourself. Document it and report it to the town/city officials. Some places, like the City of Boston has a special graffiti phone hotline.
4. Serve up kindness. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or free community lunch. What could bring a smile to a downtrodden face more than a hot meal … having that meal served by a caped do-gooder of course.
5. Brown-bag it. Put together a meal in a paper bag, write “for the homeless” on it and leave it where a homeless person can find it. (credit to Knight Hood)
6. Get around. Walk around your neighborhood in order to get to know your neighbors. You can find out who needs what kinds of help and meet people who might be able to help in the future.
7. Be a “Super Scout”. Aim to do one good dead every day. It could be as small as holding a door open for someone or returning an empty grocery cart to the store entrance.
8. Curb appeal. Offer a free lawn mow or snow removal for a neighbor who might have trouble doing it. You could also offer to sweep the walk or wash windows. If they want to reward you have them pay it forward.
9. This is a job for … Trash-man? 1. Get a garbage bag. 2. Go outside. 3. Pick up trash until you fill the bag. Picking-up trash is about the least glamorous thing I can think of, but it can still inspire others to be less apathetic.
10. Clean house. Go through your stuff and set aside anything you don’t really need or want anymore. Take it to a Salvation Army or other charity store and donate it. This one gives you a clean room and the feeling that you’ve done something good. Talk about win/win.
11. Cut back on the caffeine. Skip your coffee/soda habit for a week and give the money to a charity you believe in. You could also buy it and give it to someone who can’t afford it.
12. Go back for a second course. Take a CPR class. Go back to number 1 for the reasons.
13. Speak up! The next time you hear someone say something you know is just plain wrong, call them on it. Write a letter to the editor at your local paper to bring attention to a problem you see. You don’t need to wear a cape for this and, somehow, that seems more heroic to me.
14. Be prepared. Put together emergency preparedness packs for home and travel. Put aside a little extra for others. If you are ready for a disaster you can better help those that are not.
15. People watch. Visit these sites to see if you recognize a missing person. www.amw.com; www.namus.gov; www.missingkids.com. There are more sites if you look for them. (Rook’s note:  I like posting these to my Facebook account and asking others to share. The heightened exposure will hopefully increase the chances of someone being found)
16. Get out the vote. If you are old enough to vote, VOTE. Encourage others to vote. Pass out literature showing how to register. Democracy works better if everyone participates.
17. Do the write thing. Everyone loves to get real mail. Write to someone who doesn’t get out much, an old friend or a member of the armed services. Every letter you send will brighten up someone’s day. Don’t forget about postcards.
18. Food, glorious food. Organize a food drive. It could be as small as your classroom or office. If you can go bigger try to get the whole school, company or place of worship involved.
19. Walk the walk. Many charities have walk-a-thons to raise money and awareness for their cause. Put on your best cape and most comfortable shoes and join in. Once again a crowd of RLSH will really get some notice for the cause.
20. Now you’re cooking. Make a meal for someone who can’t get out or has recently suffered a traumatic loss. If you don’t do the cooking at home it might be a nice gesture there too.
21. Will someone think of the children? You may still be young yourself but there is always someone younger. Visit a children’s ward, tutor someone, read stories at the library and/or be a mentor. Spending time with kids is a top way to prevent crime in the future.
22. Make a dog happy – Dig a fire hydrant out of the snow or cut the weeds back around one. The time it take someone to attach a hose in an emergency can make the difference in the loss of life and property. Heck, unclog a storm drain while you’re at it.
23. Go undercover – Join the local neighborhood watch in your secret identity. It’s a great way to get to know the area and its trouble spots. You may also get some training and possibly a recruit or two.
24. Sign up for amber alerts –Every set of eyes count. It doesn’t matter if they are behind a mask or not (Rook’s note:  See #15 regarding Facebook).
25. Go ahead and jump – If you have a car make sure you have a set of jumper cables and know how to use them. (I keep a cheat sheet). Stow a few other emergency supplies in the trunk like a spare blanket, bottled water and some rope. You’d be amazed how many ways they can be useful.
26. Give of yourself – Sign up to be an organ donor. I know it’s a bit morbid to think about, but if the worst should happen you can still save a life or lives.
27. Be a good listener – Sometimes the biggest help we can be to someone is to be someone they can talk to when they are experiencing hardships. You don’t have to be a therapist to let someone open up about the things that are bothering them the most. It’s not necessary to try to “fix” their problems, just be that “hearing ear” that they need. (credit to The Muse at VisualAdjectives)
28. Go in feet first – Take water lifesaving training. You never know when you may have to dive in and save someone from drowning.
29. Say it with Flowers – Take flowers to a critical care or cancer ward. (credits to Kindrid and Rook)
30. Walk for Pennies – “You wouldn’t believe how much change gets dropped on the ground. While on a boring foot patrol I started picking up trash that turned into finding loose change all over. When I started looking I started finding more than I expected. This sparked the idea, once a week at the least, we should all go out and do a Penny Patrol, you can donate this money to The McDonald houses at any McD’s location or donate to any local cause you may have. You’ll be surprised how many quarters and dimes you will find while doing this.” (Credit to SupermanX of the Super Samaritan Society)
31. Oh, Shoot! – Get certified with firearms. It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t want to own or use one. Becoming certified gives you a grasp of what guns can do. It is an excellent idea to know what you are doing if the unthinkable ever happens. Think of it as knowing (and having a healthy respect for) your enemy.
 
I’ll update this as they become available.  Many thanks to Delta for putting this together!
-Rook
 

My creative activism has certain political overtones. As a ” Noir ” ( i.e real life superhero ( RLSH ) noir activist ) the super villains I oppose don’t wear flashy outfits and sometimes are ideologies as opposed to flesh and blood people.
The ” Far Wrong ” , my name for the Far Right, is a super villain ideology good people underestimate at our peril. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of conservatives, moderates and libertarians in the real life superhero ( RLSH ) community, alongside liberals who defy Far Wrong stereotypes about progressive apathy and paternalism.
Far Wrong plotting led to a costly Iraqi occupation whose only benefit seems to be for shareholders of various private military companies over there under contract. They routinely demonize Muslims ( I am one so I know this alllll too well ) despite the fact that the vast majority of Islamist victims and opponents are themselves Muslim.
Far Wrong media routinely brainwashes traditionalists to stigmatize Democrats; Gay Americans; civil rights leaders; unions; environmentalists and a host of other progressive constituencies. I’m not a liberal by today’s standards but I don’t denounce people who are????!!!!
Far Wrong doctrine is felt daily at airports where its brainchild, the Transportation ” Security ” Administration ( TSA ), treats fliers like inmates on lock down, where even late US Senator Edward Kennedy; former Nixon Secretary of State Henry Kissinger; anyone dark and/or ” Muslim ” looking; blue eyed babies and little old White grandmas are shaken down without probable cause being explained.
The Far Wrong saved its most insane output for President Obama. No low is deep enough when it comes to defaming him; the First Lady and even the First Family in the form of their two daughters. America needs a two-party system with decent, thoughtful debates on the important issues of the day- not attack propaganda that is racist and uncivilized.
This super villain is best combated not by targeted progressives alone but especially by open minded moderates, conservatives and libertarians who declare, ” Enough is enough! ” and wrest the Center Right from its tightening stranglehold.
RLSH embody what Far Wrong talking points pay lip service to: patriotism; civic duty; crime prevention; civil defense; homeland security; mutual aid; volunteerism and last but not least- individualism!
Creative activists attention-getting roles can be used to give voice to the outrage open minded moderates; conservatives and libertarians in sensitive positions in the GOP or professionally would love to say.
Can anyone imagine RLSH Prototype President Theodore Roosevelt keeping quiet today? Not hardly ( LOL ).  RLSH; X ALTS ( Extreme Altruists ) and other creative activists need to use their platform to challenge the Far Wrong while doing its worst to reclaim the White House in November.
Anyone who says our community is non-political has a valid point.
This isn’t a call for more petty partisan bickering.
It’s a call to action against the Far Wrong; a super villain ideology that has gutted our economy; exhausted our military; and strained relations at home and abroad to satisfy their egotism.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT BLACK promotes creative crime prevention (504) 214-3082.

As a ” real life superhero ( RLSH ) ” applied theorist two RLSH I consider reigning best practice examples are Superhero and the Silver Sentinel. They’re not the only ones worth studying but they’ve made profound impressions upon me.
Superhero was one of the first creative activists I discovered during early research into the concept of real life superheroes. I was immediately struck by his larger-than-life iconics and embedded role in his community. He delivered pizza to the local police; did roadside assistance and had become significant enough to even ( legally ) arm himself against stalkers.
That was very important ! Here was someone living this Life Fantastic the way I felt it should be done: openly ( meaning ones identity wasn’t secret and thus not an issue for police ) and with as much emphasis on boosting public morale as on fighting crime.
His admission that Adam West’s Batman TV show was a major influence also resonated. Despite it being embarrassing to the point of curling my now-adult toes, its straight forward promotion of Good Citizenship and Civic Duty resonates to this day.
Superhero’s love of comic book fiction in all its forms and lifelong weight training also demonstrated a commitment to becoming what he so dearly loves instead of day dreaming about it. He’s our community’s archetype figure, the one who embodies in real life what fellow archetypes Batman or Captain America do in fiction.
He’s both larger-than-life and real life simultaneously. This balance Superhero achieves is well worth study by any aspiring RLSH or community supporter.
 

The Silver Sentinel represents what Neighborhood Watch; the Guardian Angels or your local police department’s citizens on patrol could be if filtered through a worldview grounded in DC and Marvel Comics.
Silver ( as I call him for short ) is a RLSH trainer-of-trainers always sharing material to upgrade capabilities and reduce liability. Part of his mission is helping real life superheroes as much as assisting others and those considering this Life Fantastic.
Like Superhero he preaches and practices close relationships with law enforcement. His identity isn’t secret and enjoys membership in a reputable civic organization. No brooding vigilante Silver Sentinel was created to inspire his child and obviously decided to inspire others too!
Silver has combined the best of various archetypes and advocacy approaches to create a role at once responsible and quietly revolutionary in its calm approach to crime prevention and humanitarianism. He’s like Captain America with an upbeat John Walsh tossed in had the show host/crime fighter not lost his son.
He comes across as someone with whom people can discuss their deepest issues without fear of judgement or being brushed off.
Superhero and Silver Sentinel REALLY are doing real life superhero activism and  I recommend them to friend and foe alike to analyze.
These gentlemen have mastered how to take fiction and transform it into fantastic fact!
 
As I continuously evolve Capt Black their words and examples are never far behind.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT BLACK promotes creative crime prevention. (504) 214-3082

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/nato-terror-plotters-arrested/story-fn6s850w-1226361230479


Lately Occupy Wall St. affiliates and related movements have had angry liberal White men accused of plotting to blow up bridges and even firebomb the President’s Chicago Campaign headquarters.
” Angry White men! ” is a phrase usually associated with conservatives and Far right hate groups.
Fairness dictates asking are these cases on the Far Left isolated or symptoms of something more sinister… and widespread?
A progressive activist friend called me today with the same concern. He doesn’t want to associate with anyone preaching violence in any way, shape or form. As a Free Security! activist alternatives to criminal use of force are my specialty.
Black men know only too well that our words can be spun to whip millions of frightened White folks into a politically useful frenzy. The same holds true for angry liberal White men. Images of long haired anarchists terrify Mainstream ( i.e White ) America to its core.
From a security perspective please consider anarchists don’t look ” suspicious ” like, say, Arabs  or Black folks  They blend in with the general populace and thus don’t raise threat flags unless they go out of their way to call attention to themselves. Akin to demonic possession being Anarchist While White causes policy makers; homeland security and police officials sleepless nights.
That’s why a White man who calls himself an anarchist makes the alphabet soup more nervous than a dozen brothers holding Black Power theater at a press conference somewhere. Unseen; unsuspected, Anarchists While White can be anywhere; at any time and are impervious to the usual ( sometimes bias driven ) methods of identifying security threats.
Angry liberal White men are a thorn in the side of a Democratic president seeking to hold the center so he can win another four years. More press on Far Left political criminals could mean more reasons for White Independents to vote for a candidate with a more stable base.
But, raging at the machine is a young man’s birth right. Becoming criminals abusing legitimate causes isn’t being a protester- it’s being a predator! Populist activists should keep that thought firmly in mind in coming days. If the system you critique is so wrong and heavy handed you should be the last ones using violence as political expression.
Had the Chicago NATO Summit plotters been successful in fire bombing the President’s Campaign Headquarters and Mayor Emanuel’s home their only accomplishment would have been crossing the aisle to join ranks with civil rights era church bombers; abortion clinic targeters, etc to name a few felons.
Notice bombing people as a sick form of protest isn’t Far Right or Far Left- it’s just wrong!
Angry White liberal males might be on the rise at precisely the time when such rage is better spent registering voters; peacefully protesting and lobbying decision makers. They’re free to choose criminal acts but should understand they’re on their own if they do.
Nobody has the right to hurt people in the name of so-called political expression.
Angry liberal White men who do so are no better than Angry Conservative ones they scapegoat!
FULL DISCLOSURE: My Free Security! activism led me to become involved with Occupy NOLA here in New Orleans. I addressed safety and police liaison issues with this overwhelmingly non-violent group of reformers. They don’t riot; they try to reform society.
Occupy NOLA did however have one would-be mastermind of a foiled murder/robbery in its ranks http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/02/former_lucky_dog_vendor_booked.html
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT BLACK promotes creative crime prevention and founded the Face Book group, Real Life Superheroes ( RLSH ) 4 Obama. (504) 214-3082

…And it was a “Vigilante Superhero” short. I heard them talking about the Heroes rig & gimmick while he was suiting up & heard some of the things they were thinking about & recomending like “He needs a cape” etc. You just bite your lip & be humble…They didn’t hire me as a technical advisor 🙂
It was made for the “48 hour Gorilla Film fest” where they apparently have 48 hours to shoot a genre film. they got action hero. That night there were plenty of squibs & blanks going off. It’s also funny to watch for me, Nobody would hit S&^% shooting this way 🙂 http://youtu.be/u-8RP8owjas

Social media. Back when I started doing this…you know I’d come home from patrol & Dino the Dino would rush the door & tackle me, I got curious after a few years if there were other guys who were doing the RLSH thing. I looked online & found about 8 guys who were. Neat.
Then Myspace came along & we could all communicate with each other which was even better and over time the 8 became 17 then 22 & so on.
Then forums came along, then Facebook. Yesterday we had my mom over for early Mothers day, then went to lady-heroes Nephews house to watch them while her sister had a night out & periodically thru out the night I’m trying to check Facebook because my phone is going “Ding” telling me people are posting about it instead of enjoying my family time because of some squabble with some idiot who literally lives on the other side of the continent from me who I’m never gonna meet, and who wouldn’t run his mouth at all if he was face to face with me anyway. This nonsense never cut into my patrol/event/charity time…but it does make me wonder how many peoples time it does cut into.
I deleted the damn thing. In the grand scheme of things…do you really care if I’m having Tostadas for lunch? I don’t care if you are. If you are a active RLSH…be active.
Be aware that you can get sucked up in those things & that takes you out of the actual game.  I was fine before they existed…I’ll be fine now.

My name is Tea Krulos and I’m a freelance writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was introduced to the Real Life Super Hero(RLSH) story in late February, 2009. As a lifelong fan of comic books and unusual and unique people and subcultures, I was immediately hooked.
I was determined to find a local RLSH if there was one and found The Watchman, a man who dons a red rubber mask, suit, and trenchcoat and patrols the streets of Milwaukee. I had a long, fascinating interview with him in person one night and determined that the short magazine piece I had successfully pitched did not scratch the surface of the story and decided to write a book. After a few months I also established this blog- both the book and the blog are titled Heroes in the Night.
My book is based on extensive research, interviewing, and field work. I have traveled to meet RLSH in Minneapolis, Rochester (Minnesota), Brooklyn, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, San Diego, New Bedford (Massachusetts) , and Washington DC, as well as meeting regularly with the Milwaukee crew.
I have been quoted as an expert on the subject in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, People magazine, Seattle Weekly, Scientific American, io9.com, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and dozens of other newspapers, magazines, websites around the world. I’ve also made appearances on a dozen radio shows and have been filmed for three different RLSH documentaries.
I have written articles on the subject for Milwaukee magazine, the Boston Phoenix, New York Press, Forces of Geek, Riverwest Currents, and Delayed Gratification.
Heroes in the Night will be available JUNE 2012!

Hey, I don’t know about you guys, but how do you feel when it’s been way too long since you were active, on the streets and in full gear and helping others? It’s been like months for me and I’ve had various reasons, including concentrating on getting arrangements for HOPE 2012 / Comic-Con taken care of (which they are). And then being conservative with my funds to save up for that trip to San Diego. So I haven’t been especially eager to travel to either Minneapolis or La Crosse to meet up with other RLSHs. That stuff requires cash that I’ll need later.
So I’ve been an online RLSH for awhile and that’s been pretty much the extent of it. And it’s not like it hasn’t been sort of interesting and somewhat useful. I guess I can say it has been productive in a way. I mean, a small group of us were trying to do damage control on some of the interesting and volatile events that have taken place. Included in that, there were a few good friends who really needed to talk about the situations. And I was glad to be there for them.
But I still wasn’t suited up and on the streets… And I was feeling guilty. I mean, here we were being featured in Nadia’s awesome Metro articles. Other people have been asking for interviews. And I was feeling like a paper lion. A fraud. A myth. Because it had been so long since I had actually put on the suit and stepped out the door.
Well, Saturday I finally had no choice because it was one of my annual rituals: “Free Comic Book Day.” It’s a national event, sponsored by the comic companies and years ago, I figured it was a good way to make a lot of kids very happy. Thanks to my local comic book shop owner, we’ve worked out an arrangement where he orders extra free books and saves me a stack. I come into his shop on that morning and pick them up to take to kids who aren’t able to visit his store. I take them to family shelters and to Ronald McDonald House.
Craig, the owner, really loaded me up this time and every place I visit got plenty of books. The Book Review was plenty busy, but people barely took notice of me. Weird, huh? Craig even called me Geist instead of my real name, which he knows. Thanks to him, I’ll have lots of comics to give to various places throughout the year. Craig does so much good on that one day that he doesn’t realize. 🙂
So yeah, I took the comics around to the usual places and each time, everyone was so greatful. Heck, I’m just the gaudy “delivery boy,” but I get to hear their gratitude, while making significant mention of Craig’s shop, The Book Review, and his generosity.
It was awesome to have the costume on again and making people happy. It’s something that I really needed. Until then, I had started to get cynical, whiney and depressed. Doing good creates good in yourself. No doubt about it.
And yeah, I did have a couple of side-trips. I looked for a recent sexual assailant without success. I took four awesome loaves of Great Harvest bread to a homeless shelter.
But then, I saw a homeless man in a median with the traditional cardboard sign. I didn’t already know this guy. He was young. 20s. I had some cash and went to a nearby Subway and got a value meal and circled back to him. He was still there at the busy intersection with his sign. I always enjoy the looks of people when I step out of my vehicle and wait for the light to turn to “walk.” I wait patiently while the person I’m headed toward is wondering who the heck I am, holding food to give them. It’s that little moment of amazement and mystery where the world just seemed to get a little bit more incredible for anyone who’s witnessing the event.
I reached him in the median and handed him the food while introducing myself. This is one of the busiest intersections in town. He thanked me profusely, saying that was exactly what he needed and we began to talk. He had just used up his two weeks at the homeless shelter that I had donated bread to. He didn’t know where he was going to spend the night next and was going to have to ask friends if they could put him up.
He seemed clean, well-mannered and completely honest and sober. He explained that he has skills and experience, but just can’t get hired. He’s been up and been down. He applies for jobs and doesn’t get called. I suggested we go to the corner instead of the median. Cars were passing us constantly. I apologized for taking time away from his potential opportunities and he again thanked me for the foot-long.
He told me that when he does get some cash, he has to buy diapers instead of food. He has a baby and a fiancee. I didn’t get into the details, but it sounded like a tough situation that I can’t begin to understand and have no business being nosy about.
As I made my excuses to leave, I looked at his face again. It was an honest face with a clear determination to earn his own keep. I could tell that he was shamed by what he was doing, begging in that median. It wasn’t what he wanted to do at all, but a last resort. He had pride, but this seemed to be the last option for him. I pulled out my money clip and put what was in it in his hands. He tried to refuse, saying that I had done enough, but I made him take the small sum that it was.
I wished him luck and realized I never caught the guy’s name. Stupid me…
It was a good patrol. And it was about time that I was able to help someone who needed it. I guess more than one, but it was definitely nice to have a face and personality on the last part of the patrol.