{"id":5973,"date":"2010-11-29T10:46:00","date_gmt":"2010-11-29T10:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.reallifesuperheroes.org\/?p=5973"},"modified":"2010-11-29T10:46:00","modified_gmt":"2010-11-29T10:46:00","slug":"real-life-superheroes-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/2010\/11\/29\/real-life-superheroes-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Real life superheroes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally posted: http:\/\/www.uwmpost.com\/2010\/11\/29\/real-life-superheroes\/<\/a>
\nBy Kevin Kaber<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\nReal Life Superheroes are protecting communities like Riverwest for the greater good. The red mask-wearing Watchman and the secretive Blackbird patrol the streets during bar time in Riverwest and other Milwaukee areas.
\nReal Life Superheroes are similar to members of neighborhood watch groups. They keep an eye on any suspicious activities and help those in need. More specifically, they resemble UW-Milwaukee Safe Walkers in super hero garb.
\n\u201cThey might not be actual superheroes, but at least they are trying to do something instead of sitting on their ass, watching TV, and whining about how awful everything is,\u201d said Tea Krulos, a local author.
\nKrulos is writing a book on the Real Life Superheroes. He first met with The Watchman in 2009 and his \u201clife has been fantastically weird ever since.\u201d
\nThe Watchman, as his name implies, is a man that watches for the safety of citizens, albeit he does so while in costume.
\n\u201cWhat I do really isn\u2019t that different from what anybody could be doing,\u201d Watchman said. \u201cAnybody could take an interest in their neighborhood; anybody could give to charities or do more in their communities.\u201d
\nWatchman and heroes like him patrol bar-scattered areas as well as places with a history of crime. His utility belt includes a maglight, some pepper spray, a first aid kit, and perhaps most important, a cell phone which is used to call for professional backup when needed.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s [normally] boring,\u201d Watchman said. \u201cOccasionally something interesting will happen.\u201d
\nThe Watchman started patrolling neighborhoods dressed as a superhero in the early \u201990s. Around the same time, he found himself homeless, then enlisted in the Army. Afterwards, he put the super hero life on the backburner while he got married and started a family.
\n\u201cSaving the world starts at home,\u201d Watchman said. \u201cThat\u2019s the highest priority.\u201d
\nOnly a few close family members and friends know his secret identity, though some have figured it out from pictures and videos.
\nLately, The Watchman has received considerable attention from local media outlets. Along with a surge of comic book movies being released, people everywhere have been gaining interest in these caped crusaders.
\nAlong with his counterpart, the wildly mysterious Blackbird, Watchman invests a considerable amount of time in giving back to the community. The duo has organized charity efforts such as toy and food drives. The Watchman claims that his superhero persona garners publicity for these missions.
\n\u201cObviously, you don\u2019t dress like this unless you\u2019re looking for attention,\u201d Watchman said.
\nThe Watchman says he will continue his mission as long as he\u2019s needed. He may not be saving Riverwest from a hipster mad scientist\u2019s plot to steal the neighborhood\u2019s supply of Pabst, but he is making it a better, safer place.
\n\u201cI haven\u2019t had a single person in Riverwest come up to me and say; \u2018I don\u2019t want you here, what you\u2019re doing is stupid,\u2019\u201d Watchman said. \u201cI\u2019m not a vigilante. I\u2019m out there to watch.\u201d\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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