Tag superbarrio

Superbarrio

¡A luchar por la justicia!

Originally posted: http://www.semana.com/noticias-gente/luchar-justicia/152468.aspx
rlshprojectmontageA phenomenon in the streets of the various cities, walking the line between reality and fiction. These are the Superheroes, 100’s of average citizens who fight against evil, dressed in trousers, capes, and mask.
It’s one o’clock in the morning, two drunken gang members are exchanging insults, punches and kicks in a park in Milwaukee, USA. Then suddenly someone who was hidden behind the trees steps out of the shadows and shouts “Stop what you are doing!” The two youths remain frozen, suspended staring at the man dressed in black wearing a red mask with “W” on his chest, who with hands on his waist, threatening to intervene if they don’t stop the fight. The scene isn’t from a comic nor from a movie, it’s any day in the life of “The Watchman,” an average, big guy who is currently 35yrs old, who by day works in an office and by night walks the streets of his neighborhood to “fight against crime”.
Watchman (vigilante) is a part of a movement known as the Real Life Super Heroes, a well organized 400 mortal men and women, who, like the business card for www.reallifesuperheroes.com says, an internet page that is used to connect them, choose everyday to mark a difference. They are not crackpots in costumes as it might seem at first glance. These modern heroes are our neighbors, our friends, our family members. They are artist, musicians, athletes and yes, politicians. The majority patrol the streets of their cities looking for thieves, rapist, and drug traffickers. Others hand out food to homeless, donate toys to sick children in hospitals or hand out copies of the constitution to transients so that they learn about their country. There are also others who care for prostitutes; protect drunken women in bars to prevent men from taking advantage of them.
All of them create their identities and costumes, which generally include a cape and mask. They also have their accessories to help them complete their missions, like a 1st responder’s first aid kit, pepper spray to drive off bad guys, and a cellular phone to call police in case of problems. Some go out alone and others in groups similar to the Justice League of Superman, Flash, the Green Lantern and company.
“It’s an incredible movement” a week ago commented Dark Guardian, superhero and administrator of reallifesuperheroes.com. “We help people, and fight crime, and do it with our own money”. Chirs Pollak is the real name of this New York teacher of martial arts who at night patrols the city to look for drug dealers who work in the parks. Chris feels he was a kid with lots of problems until he started to read comics and discovered what he wanted to be like the protagonist in these adventures. And so he bought a bullet proof vest, cut proof gloves, boots, shades, flashlight, and a megaphone, and went out to pursue delinquents.
The phenomenon of the superheroes that don’t fly and don’t have x-ray vision has grown during the last few years so much so that it has expanded into some European countries. In England, for example, the famous Statesman, a banker who cleans up the streets of London, and says the he has helped the police catch more than a few bad guys. It’s has been four years since publications like The New York Time or the magazine Rolling Stone started to publish articles on this theme. At that time it was calculated that there were approximately a 100. Two years later there was talk of 250, and today they say 400. Though they admit it is almost impossible to get an accurate number, for many youths join the movement week after week.
These superheroes of flesh and bone have become so famous that they already have a documentary movie, which premiered at the most recent Sundance film festival. They have also received photographical exposure thanks to Peter Tangen, who fell in love with the stories like that of Knight Owl, an anonymous EMT who served in Iraq and who after becoming a superhero decided to write a manual so that his colleagues could learn from firsthand knowledge. Peter has also covered the life of Mr. Xtreme, who after he was abused as a child decided that he needed to protect the defenseless and had been patrolling for some ten years now. Also that of Life, a film producer who every night wears his tie, mask and hat to food, soap, shavers and tooth brushes to the homeless in New York.
“I believe that the phenomenon has grown due to interest in comics, movies and TV series base on the theme. Also because many of us want to change the world and since we have always seen superheroes as powerful beings who can get the job done, who we try to emulate” commented Life to this publication. He organizes meetings for superheroes through the net site www.superheroesananymous.com, and who real name is Chaim Lazaros. “The Heroes have always been there, but only started to network with each other after the “hero boom” on the internet. In 2007 I united them to make a documentary and complete my transformation into one of them.”
Tea Krulos is an independent journalist who writes a blog called “justice seekers without superpowers,” and is finishing a book on the same theme he’s planning to call “Heroes in the Night”. Krulos says that the first real superheroes he found during his investigation was active during the 70’s. He was a fat man with a beard who was called Captain Sticky, and he was devoted to uncovering scandals. Years later, other appeared. Like the Mexican born Superbarrio, an ex-masked luchador who defended the housing rights of those injured in the earth quake of 1985 who participated in the presidential elections. Then the phenomenon kept growing until it became what it is today.
“One of the most amazing things about these superheroes is the range of people who participate in this is varied. There are rich, poor, Christians, Atheist” said Krulos about a week ago. But when they put on their outfit they are all the same. They see the wrong that is happening and say this nigh I will go out to help instead of staying home and watching TV.
But not all of them have had good luck in this. Like Dark Guardian who accounts to being threaten and having a gun pointed at him, even though nothing has happen to him yet. The British Newspaper, The Times, published a few years back a story about Mr. Invisible, a Californian who took years getting ready to hit the streets. When he finally did, he found himself confronted with a man yelling at his wife. He wanted to intervene, but the woman punch him in the face and broke his nose. Then he sat on the sidewalk and a beggar urinated on him. The publication commented, what has been done to confirm his invisibility.
For other the hardest part isn’t confronting delinquent but confessing to their love ones that they are superheroes. They explain that not everyone likes the idea of them going out dressed up at night. “Hey today isn’t Halloween!” someone yells at Watchman, he takes it with a sense of humor, it’s precisely his look that has saved him. “In general, Gang members get distracted with my outfit”, he says. “They laugh and they ask me what the hell I am. In a short while they forget they were fighting or causing problems”. And so he is satisfied that he completes his mission to “Make the world a safer place”.

Real life super heroes?

Originally posted: http://www.martialartsclothing.org/real-life-super-heroes.php
And you thought superheroes existed only in fiction? Inspired by fiction superheroes such as Batman and Superman, these people wear masks and capes in order to fight real crime on the strets. Here’s a list with 10 of the most famous real-life superheroes.
Superbarrio (Mexico)
He’s faster than a speeding turtle, able to leap small speed bumps in a single bound. Look, up in the sky … Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Superbarrio — a flabby caped crusader in cherry red tights who traverses the streets of Mexico City, defending the lower class. A high school dropout with a humble upbringing, Superbarrio has become one of Mexico City’s greatest folk heroes. For the past 10 years, he has stood as the champion of the working class, the poor and the homeless.

“I opened my eyes and found myself as you see me with a voice telling me, ‘You are Superbarrio,’” he said, explaining that his name means super-neighborhood. “I can’t stop a plane or a train single-handed, but I can keep a family from being evicted.” His role is primarily symbolic as the protector of low-income neighborhoods. But on behalf of squatters and labor unions, Superbarrio leads protest rallies, files petitions and challenges court decisions. Rumors also have circulated that he attempted to run for the president of the United States to better protect Mexican workers. His followers find him inspirational and recently erected a statue in his honor — a giant lifelike replica that looks like an oversized Cabbage Patch doll at 40. The awed crowd chanted, “You see him. You feel him. Superbarrio is here!”
Terrifica (NY City)
Terrifica patrols New York City’s bars, clubs, and streets by night, in an effort to protect inebriated women in danger of being taken advantage of by men. Since the mid-1990s Terrifica has donned a golden mask, Valkyrie bra, blond wig, red boots and cape, to distract the men she tries to dissuade from seducing drunk young women. She carries a utility belt containing a pepper spray, cell phone, lipstick, a camera to photograph alleged predators, a journal, Terrifica fortune cards, and Smarties for energy. Terrifica has an arch-nemesis, a self-proclaimed philanderer who calls himself Fantastico. “I protect the single girl living in the big city,” says Terrifica. By day, she is Sarah, a 30-year-old single woman who works for a computer consulting company. “I do this because women are weak. They are easily manipulated, and they need to be protected from themselves and most certainly from men and their ill intentions toward them.”
The Eye (Mountain View California)
The Eye is a 48 year-old superhero who patrols the streets of Mountain View, California. He is a street-level, practical crime fighter, who uses various electronic and other means to prevent crime. He has even got a myspace page!
Citizen Prime (Phoenix)
Citizen Prime, a 40-year-old married man whose first name is Jim, has been protecting the streets of Phoenix for a year. He became a superhero to spread the message that people don’t have to be fearful of crime. “Are you going to sit inside scared that a terrorist might attack your city, or are you going to go out and live your life?” he asked. But Prime, who patrols once or twice a week in a black, blue and yellow costume, found one chink in his armor. He couldn’t find any crime. “The only crime I’ve ever stopped is when I was actually walking out of a sporting goods store with my wife,” he said. “A shoplifter came running past me, and I managed to throw him to the ground.”
Tothian (NJ and NY city)
Tothian, 22, is a superhero who protects New Jersey and New York, is one of the more active heroes. He uses his skills as a Marine reservist and martial arts expert when patrolling the streets, and has escorted women home at night and broken up fights. His uniform–he prefers that term to costume–is black combat boots, green cargo pants and a T-shirt. His logo, which is stitched into the middle of the T-shirt with cut-up bandanas, is made from the letters used to spell Tothian. Tothian doesn’t wear a mask because it blocks his peripheral vision, and says he doesn’t wear a cape “because capes get in the way of actually doing real superhero stuff.” Tothian says he doesn’t want to become a police officer because he doesn’t agree with every law on the book. “I’m not out to punish every single criminal,” he said. For example, he would counsel marijuana smokers, but wouldn’t apprehend them as bad guys. Tothian said he gets some strange looks when people find out he’s a superhero. But after people realize he’s out to protect them, he says their trepidation eases somewhat.
Angle Grinder Man (London, and Kent)
Angle-grinder Man patrols by night looking for unhappy drivers who have been clamped and then sets the
IS IT ME OR THESE NUTJOBS CRAZY AND WHAT UR SIGN

A Hero in All of Us

supersuperdaraOriginally posted: http://volumeone.org/magazine/articles/1695/A_Hero_in_All_of_Us.html/page/1
international group the Real Life SuperHeroes
by Eric Larson
Marco Rascón Córdova has always felt a calling to stand out. And for the past 20 years, he’s answered it in a most peculiar fashion: by patrolling the working class neighborhoods of Mexico City in cranberry-red tights and responding only to the name, “Superbarrio.”
One glance at him – overweight, middle-aged, and by all means slower than a speeding bullet – and it’s clear that, by traditional standards, he’s far from super. But to Córdova, “traditional” isn’t the kind of hero he’s going for. In fact, he’s not looking to beat criminals to a pulp at all. He’s striving to protect the rights of the working class through organized protests and petitions, all the while donning his brightly colored get-up. And the best part? He’s not alone.
Over the past several years, dozens of inspired people across the globe – representing both the early-twenty-something and near-senior segment – have tied capes to their necks and set out to do good for the public. Look up to the sky: here come the Real Life Super Heroes. (Holy new phenomenon, Batman!)
Before I continue, I think it’s important to note how widespread this occurrence actually is. In September of last year, an official Real Life Super Hero project was established serving as a meeting ground/alliance for emerging heroes across the globe. According to the website, more than 150 individuals are currently in action, serving both publicly and privately. Meetings and conferences are continually held across the country to share ideas and teach strategies to old members and newbies alike. In short: this is the closest thing to the Justice League this world will ever see.
Within it, the personalities and “powers” are unique to each hero involved. Take Angle Grinder Man from England: lanky with shoulder length hair and a baby blue onesie, he works pro bono on the streets of London by cutting the wheel clamps off paralyzed vehicles. Then there’s Terrifica from New York City, who prowls the downtown bars to keep inebriated women from getting taken advantage of. Polar Man from Canada shovels driveways for the elderly, and Recycle Boy teaches children the importance of being resourceful … and the list goes on.
A particularly intriguing hero is SuperSuperDara, hailing from Brazil. Similar to most RLSHs, she deems public service one of her greatest contributions. To SuperSuperDara storytelling is the best weapon to teach children about the dangers of sexual abuse.
“(It’s) a serious problem, which leads to psychological scars that will last forever,” she told me. “I try to warn children and make parents, educators, and community members aware of this paradigm shift they need to do.”
A day in the life of our Brazilian hero involves visiting schools and reading aloud her favorite story, Segredo Segredîssimo, which, according to her, strongly reiterates the importance of sexual abuse awareness. Her contributions are well-received by her community, and her tweets are regularly followed by congressmen and popular Brazil-based magazines, she said. Her ultimate goal is to make a radical shift and teach protection techniques to the younger generation.
“Changing paradigm is necessary in Brazil, and in order to do so a superhero is required,” she said. “Mere mortals couldn’t do such a thing.”
Now with all these people across the globe standing up to serve their communities, I’m forced to ask: why not Eau Claire? Sure, the city’s been named one of the safest places to live in the country, and the biggest crimes I’ve seen in my four years of residency have been petty at worst. (To the thief of my patio chair: the hunt continues.) But as these RLSHs have proven you don’t need invisibility, inhuman strength, or even web-shooting wrists to be considered super. Volunteering and displaying pro social values in any atmosphere are steps in the right direction. The project stems much deeper than a group of adults who spent too much time with comic books as kids; although, as some have stated, the reading material was definitely an inspiration.
INTERVIEW: Rochester Superhero Geist
Of the more well-known heroes from the RLSH alliance is Geist from Rochester, Minnesota. Although relatively new to the league, Geist has managed to make his name quite well-known. His costume, which he describes as “green Space Cowboy-chic,” is as bizarre as it is badass. I was able to get in contact with him via e-mail a few weeks back. Here’s a snippet of my ventures into his mind:
Volume One: So, Geist – how long have you been doing this?
Geist: I became active as Geist, doing charitable missions and crime patrols, in April of
2007.
V1: That’s cool. What was it that inspired you to pursue something like this?
INTERVIEW: Rochester Superhero Geist
Of the more well-known heroes from the RLSH alliance is Geist from Rochester, Minnesota. Although relatively new to the league, Geist has managed to make his name quite well-known. His costume, which he describes as “green Space Cowboy-chic,” is as bizarre as it is badass. I was able to get in contact with him via e-mail a few weeks back. Here’s a snippet of my ventures into his mind:
Volume One: So, Geist – how long have you been doing this?
Geist: I became active as Geist, doing charitable missions and crime patrols, in April of
2007.
V1: That’s cool. What was it that inspired you to pursue something like this?

Vigilantism and the Superhero

Originally posted: http://mysterio.startlogic.com/WordPress/?p=556
By Brad
As a lifelong reader of comics, I feel like an aging punk rocker, horrified at how my private subculture has been appropriated by the mainstream media. Like an indy music hipster, —dude, I heard it first on vinyl, I don’t even own a cd player— aging comic book readers like myself disdain comic book movies. I read that when I was in high school. The movie totally ruined it.
Comics have become an accepted part, if not the most accepted part, of the American entertainment landscape. Mainstream comics, particularly as depicted in movies, are always dark and gritty. But it’s important to remember that transition didn’t happen until the mid-1980s with Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight and Alan Moore’s Watchmen. Superheroes before that period, who were sometimes wanted by the law à la Spiderman, were never seen breaking the law, but were depicted as trying to uphold it as private citizens. The genius of Watchmen and the Dark Knight is that they follow the thinking process of the classic superhero with two different conclusions. I liked the Watchmen movie, but it glossed over the main point of the comic: the corrosive effects of vigilantism on a society.
I’ve discovered people who are wearing garish costumes and trying to fight crime, but without the benefit of superscience, superstrength or really anything. This is so absurd and charming that one can’t help but support these costumed crusaders. Superbarrio is my favorite of the Real Life Superheroes. It’s hard not to like this over-weight gentleman who puts on a Lucha Libre wrestling mask and has sworn to protect the poor people of Mexico.
These Real Life Superheroes hearken back to another age of comics when morality was presented in simpler terms. We can chuckle at these people and wonder if they’re doing this in earnest or as a form of cosplay. However, the sentiment of the superhero, to go beyond the rule of law and rid the streets of crime, has had expression in the Real World, that isn’t so wonderful.
Bob Kane’s Batman chose his costume and persona in an effort to frighten criminals, who he called a “superstitious and cowardly lot.” The Ku Klux Klan wore their hoods and white sheets to appear as ghosts, to frighten and terrorize Blacks. Placing burning crosses on the property of Blacks was originally an affront to the deeply Christian beliefs of rural Blacks, whose religion and spirituality was their only real possession. It was only later that cross burning was rationalized as a some kind of internal Christian ritual.
The Klan’s illegal actions were applauded and celebrated in D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation. It’s hard to imagine a film about the KKK being presented as the “good guys”, but the film was a blockbuster success. It was the Batman of its day.  After his private screening at the White House, Woodrow Wilson even commented, “it is like writing history with lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true”.
At roughly the same time as the Ku Klux Klan, there was another costumed group, although this time not dedicated to racism, that decided to take the law into their own hands. On paper, the early Bald Knobbers sound like a decent bunch, similar in concept to Curtis Sliwa’s neighborhood watch group,The Guardian Angels. The Bald Knobbers were a secret society of men, who wore an odd, masked and horned costume, and were trying to uphold the peace. The Bald Knobbers were Missouri Republicans, who were loyal to the Union during the Civil War. In the lawless environment of post-war Missouri, they acted like an unaccountable police force. Unfortunately this group that was formed to protect the people of Missouri, drunk with power, applied brutality and murder not only to criminals, but those they felt who were immoral. They later attacked and murdered people for what they believed to be licentious and anti-Christian behavior.
During Woodrow Wilson’s presidency, more Americans got in on the illegal vigilante act, but this time with governmental approval. The American Protective League, which had around 300,000 members, was not a bunch of costumed crusaders, but a large snitch group, dedicated to disrupting Unions, Wobblies, anarchists, anti-war advocates, and other undesirables. These characters opened private mail, broke into people’s houses, riffling through desks and drawers and found 3 million cases of “disloyalty.” There was even a kid-friendly junior version with the Our Gang title, Anti Yellow Dog League.
I thought of these things after watching the recent Batman movie. It does have an explicit desire to go beyond the perceived limits of law. Bruce Wayne uses technology to spy on every single person in Gotham city. He knows it’s illegal and unethical — it’s clearly an unreasonable search and seizure — but does it anyway. The ends justify the means.  Many people saw a connection between the Patriot Act and other erosion of civil liberties with the viewpoint of Batman. When the Soviets had a massive domestic spying network, complimented by legions of snitches, they probably thought they were doing the right thing too.
The graffiti in The Watchmen comic reads, “Who Watches the Watchmen?” Something to think about in these times.

Superveri

Scanned copies by Entomo:
superveri001superveri002superveri003superveri004superveri005
From Extra Magazine
By Claudia Ciammatteo
Bastano una tuta (o un paio di mutandoni), un mantello e una maschera per essere come Batman e l’Uomo Ragno o quasi.
Quelli “iscrittia all; Albo” sono circa 200. Difendono vecchiette, si battono peri lavoratori, fanno pronto soccorso e… spalano la neve.
La criminalita dilaga, la corruzione e alle stele, l’inquinamento cresce, lo spetro del terrorismo inernazionale aleggia in tutti gli aeroporti. Per salvarci ci vorrebbe Superman… E, infatti, c’e. Anzi, ce n’e piu di uno. Anche se puo sembrare incredibile, chi pens ache vegliare sul bene dell’umanita sia solo roba da bumetti sbaglia.
Al mondo esistono quasi 200 supereroi in carne e ossa, che inventandosi un nome altettanto suggestive di quello di batman o l’Uomo Ragno e indossando un costume all’altezza del compito, hammo deciso di combattere le ingiustizie o difendere I piu deboli. O almeno di provarci. Sono riuniti nel Real Life World Superhero Registry, ovvero, il primo Albo ufficiale dei supereroi della via reale, nato nel 2005.
Dai fumetti, al fatti. Il fenomeno ha almeno Quattro capostipiti. Tra questi, a Citta del Messico, Superbarrio Gomez e un’autentica celebrita: in aderente costume di lycra rosso, mutandoni e mantello Dorati sul fisico corpulento, il volto coperto da una maschera da wrestler “luchador”, si batte per I diritti dei lavoratori messicani ed e sempre in prima fila nei cortei di protesta. A New York, invece, e famosa gia da alcuni anni Terrifica, paladin della sicurezza femminile, che pattuglia locali e bar armata di spray irritante al peperoncino, cellular e macchina fotografica. Altrettanto célèbre, nonostante la sua identita sia segreta, Angle-Grinder Man (letteralmente: Uomo Smerigliatrice angolare), in tuta blu e stivali d’oro, che di note pattuglia le auto in divieto dis sosta dale ganasce messe dai vigili. Per non parlare di Captain Ozone, di  Belfast, supereroe ecologista in cappuccino e lungo mantello blu, stemma nero e che dopo le ultime battalglie a difesa dei salmo ni e del riciclaggio delle tavolette del water, figura ufficialmnte tra gli organizzatori del Green Poer Rally, mega dimostazione pacifica in difesa delle energie rinnovabili che avverra simultaneamente in Canada e negli Stati Uniti il 31 luglio prossimo.
C’e chi aiuta la polizia con segnalazioni anonime.
Da Scorpione verde a Zetaman. Scorrendo l’elenco del registro dei supereroi, una cosa e evidente: lo sparuto gruppo originario e andato moltiplicandosi. Sui nomi d’arte e sul tip di missione degli eroi (poco “super” ma molto “utile”) la fantasia nono manca: in Canada opera Polar Man (Uomo Polare), pronto a splare la neve per evitare rovinsoe cadute agli anziani; dale parti di Cincinnati Shadow Hare (Lepre ombra), che con la maschere near sul volto protégé i senzatetto; nell’Oregon c’e Zetaman (l’uomo Zeta), campione di primo soccorso.
A vegliare sui cittadini assediati dai malintenzionati, tra gli altri, ci sono poi Fox Fire (Volpe di fuoco), paladina femminile travestita con un cappotto di pelle near e una maschera di volpe; Dark Guardian (Guardiano Scuro), che porta una maschera veneziana sul naso, e anche il misterioso The Eye (l’Occhino). Ma ci sono ache Green Scorpion (Scorpione verde), che opera in New Mexico; Death’s Head Moth (Falena testa di morto) in Virginia e Mr Silent (Silenzioso), l’angelo delle notti dell’Illinois.
Piu recente e la nascita di gruppi di supereroi, come la “Black Monday Society” (Societa del lunedi mero) nello Utah, la Great Lakes Heroes Guild (la Gilda degli eroi dei Grandi laghi) mello sato del Wisconsin e, a New York, l’Heroes Network (rete gegli Eroi) fondata dall’amomino Thothian, che come superavversario ha scelto addirittura Osama Bin Laden.
Ma chi si nasconde dietro tute, maschere e mantelli? La stragrande maggiroanza dei supereroi in carne e ossa prospera olteroceano. <<Quello dei supereroi della vita reale>> dicono gli esperti intervistati dai network americani come Cbe e Cnn, <<e un fenomeno socilogico che si e sviluppato principalmente negli Stati Uniti, come reazione allo choc dell’11 settembre>>. Ed e stato raffrorzato dalla politica di cittadinanza attivca lanciata dal presidente Barack Obama.
Niente armi e molta rete. Per vigilare contro la possibilita di infiltrazione di violenti, incoscienti, o gustizeri “fai da te” tra le loro fila, il regolamento ufficiale dell’Albo mondiale dei supereroi stabilisce criteri rigidi di ingress (vedi riquadro in queste pagine) e limitazioni, pena la radiazione; no all’uso di armi vere, innanzitutto. Si invece ad armi e coltelli di plastic, e a tecniche di autodifesa. Del resto, anche se non fermano aerie con la mano ne vanno piu veocia della luce, questi emuli di Superman qualche rischo lo corrono ugualmente. Per scambiarsi dritte e consigli, e dare appuntamento ai propri fan a caccia di aggiornamenti sulle imprese del giustiziere perferito, molti di loro utilizzano il social netork MySpace.
La crescent prpolarita di alcuni di loro, che privia di superpoteri hanno necessariamente ambizioni piu limitate di quelle dei supereroi dei fumetti, suscita pero qualche perplessita. <<Ma e un errore>> fa notare lo scrittore Giampelmo Schiaragola, autore di due scherzosi vademecum per aspirant supereroi, <<il primo compito di un eroe non e tanto quello di sconfiggere il male; quanto di dare il buon esempio, ovvero di creare altri eroi>>.
Mentre qualcuno songna perfino di sconfiggere Bin Laden
E a Napoli, Entomo combatte criminalita e inquinamento. Fra le sue mission: dare una mano nell’emergenza rifiuti
L’uomo-insetto partenopeo. E in Italia? L’uncio supereroe di casa nostra ammesso nell’anagrafe ufficiale, e Entomo: l’Uomo insetto che vegla sulla citta di Napoli. Il suo motto: “Ascolta il mio ronzio, temi il mio morso: inietto giustizia”. Ha 32 anni, e attivo dal 2007, e la sua identita e segreta. Ha un costume da insetto verde chiaro, con maniche scure, sul petto il simbolo stilizzato della lettera greca “sigma” e combatte criminalita e inquinamento grazie (a suo dire) alle sue tre armi: I sensi sviluppati come quelli degli insetti, le techiche di autodifesa e le segnalazioni anonime alla polizia.
<<Pattuglio le strade della citta, di giorno e di note, fermo I piccolo crimini come posso>> ha recentemete dichiarato in un’intervista al quotidano Il Reformista. Entomo sostiene che il suo costume giochi da diversivo, sorprendendo e distraendo I malintenzionati; usa una tecnica di autodifesa chiamata Krav Maga per disarmare I nemici, e li intimidisce senza ferifli. Tra li piu recent missioni, l’emergenza rifiuti a Napoli: <<Ho fermato alcuni tentative di teppismo ai Danni delle persone, delle strutture e dell’ambiente>>. Un modus operandi illegal, almeno I Italia, dove per legge (n.152 del 1975) e vitato comparire mascherati in luogo pubblico. <<Ma io non sono un esaltato, non mi oppongo o contrappongo alla polizia, ne mi sostitusisco a essa>> obiettta Entomo. <<Anzi, li auto a distanza con le mie segnalazioni anonime>>. E a chi aspira a emularne le imprese, consiglia: <<Trova il Supereroe nascoasto dentro di te. Quindi Materializzalo come una seconda pelle e sii quello che sei gia veramente. Fine della storia>>.
Boutique per Super
Eora che cosa mi metto?. Il dubbio puo venire anche ai supereroi. Per questo, a New York, e nata la prima boutique dedicate ai paladini dell’umanita, dove si possono acquistare costume personalizzati, maschere, quanti, armi e alteri accessori: si chimama Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., e ha anche um goliardico catalogo online. Quache idea? Un mantello classic da supereroe, o da auito-supereroe, in seta a glitterato (cioe pieno di lustrini). Ha un prezzo oscillante tra 1 22 e 1 35 dollari. Mai pui senza. Ma si puo trovare anche la pistol a particelle ($25), il vaporizzatore sonico ($30), il campo di forza in mylar ($12), un’arma “a protoni” ($20), il dispositivo per leggere nel pensiero  ($99.50) o una pinna meccanico ($39). I piu creative possono anche acquistare il fluido per la clonazione ($9) e il cuore cibernetico ($16.25).
Vuoi essere un supereroe? Ecco I criteri per l’ammissone.
Chi non ha mai fantasticato di combattere il crimine e debellare spaventosi nemici? Non e facile come sembra: per essere accettati nel Registro mondiale die supereroi (www.worldsuperheroregistry.com), e godere del privilegio di una scheda personale, con il proprio nome, area d’azione, abilita speciali, bisogna obbedire a tre regole indergabili.
I precetti degli eroi. Primo: non valgono ne autocandidature ne raccomandazioni. Per iscriversi bisogna essere contattati direttamente dal Registro mondiale, in seguito a una comprovata (attraverso ritagli di giornale o testimonianze dirette di rappresntanti legali) attivita di supereroe. Secondo: l’unica motivazione personale ammessa e la disinteressata vocazione al bene dell’umanita (quindi un candidate non pruo rievere incentive economici di alcun tipo, ne essere stipendiato per la sua attivita o rappresentare associazioni esterne, anche sense scopo di lucro). Terzo: il costume da supereroe non serve a proteggere solo l’anonimato ma e “simbolo indossabile” dei valori a difesa dell’umanita; sono dunque vietati I costume volgari e inappropriate.
Translation to English via Google
With just a suit (or a pair of knickers), a cape and a mask to be like Batman and Man Spider or so.
Those “all members; Roll” is about 200. Defend old women, are fighting dangerous workers, are first aid and … shovel snow.
Rampant crime, corruption and stele, pollution grows, get free of terrorism inernazionale hovering at all airports. It would take Superman to save us … And in fact there. Indeed, there are more than one. Although it may seem incredible ache watch over those who think mankind is just good stuff bumetti wrong.
Worldwide, there are nearly 200 heroes in the flesh, who invented a name altettanto suggestive of that of Batman and Spider or the man wearing a costume to the task, Hamm decided to fight injustice and defend the weak. Or at least try. Met in Real Life World Superhero Registry, ie, the first official list of superheroes by real, born in 2005.
From Comics to facts. The phenomenon has at least four founders. Among them, Mexico City, Superbarrio Gomez and genuine celebrity in tight red lycra dress, knickers and coat the Golden physical portly, his face covered by a mask wrestler “luchador”, fighting for workers’ rights Mexican and always at the forefront of protest marches. In New York, however, already famous and terrifying for some years, champion of women’s security, patrolling and local bar armed with irritating pepper spray, cell phone and camera.
Equally impressive, although his identity is secret, Angle-Grinder Man (literally: Angle Grinder Man), in blue overalls and boots with gold, notes that the patrol car in parking ban dis dale shoes made by the brigade. Not to mention Captain Ozone, Belfast, superhero ecologist in cappuccino and long blue coat, black coat and that after the last psalm ni battalglie in defense of the tablets and recycling of water, figure among the organizers of Green ufficialmnte Poer Rally Mega peaceful defense can show that renewable energy will take place simultaneously in Canada and the United States on July 31 next.
There are those who help the police with anonymous reporting.
From Scorpion green Zetaman. Go down to the register of superhero, one thing is clear: the tiny original group and went multiplying. Names of art and the tip of the heroes of mission (just “super” but very “useful”) lack the imagination ninth in Canada by Polar Man (Man Polar), ready to splare rovinsoe to avoid the snow falls for the elderly; Dale shares of Cincinnati Shadow Hare (Hare shadow), that with the masks on the face near the protégé homeless in Oregon there Zetaman (man Zeta), Standard First Aid.
To ensure the citizens besieged by the bad guys, among others, are then Fox Fire (Fire Fox), a champion female transvestite leather coat and a mask near fox Dark Guardian (Dark Guardian), who wears a Venetian mask nose, and even the mysterious The Eye (the Occhini). But there are ache Green Scorpion (Scorpio green), which operates in New Mexico, Death’s Head Moth (Moth skull) in Virginia, and Mr. Silent (Silent), the angel of nights Illinois.
More recently the emergence of groups of superheroes such as “Black Monday Society (Society of mere Monday) in Utah, the Great Lakes Heroes Guild (the guild of heroes of the Great Lakes) mello Sato of Wisconsin and in New York the Heroes Network (network GEGL Heroes) based dall’amomino Thothian, which chose as superavversario even Osama Bin Laden.
But who is behind suits, masks and capes? The vast maggiroanza superhero in the flesh olteroceano prosperous. << say experts interviewed by American networks like CNN and Cbe, >>. And it was the policy of citizenship raffrorzato attivca launched by President Barack Obama.
No weapons and plenty of networking. To guard against the possibility of infiltration of violent, reckless, or gustizeri DIY “among their ranks, the official rules of the Dawn World of superheroes down strict criteria for entry (see box on this page) and limits the penalty radiation, no use of real weapons, first. It instead weapons and plastic knives, and self-defense techniques. Moreover, even if they do not stop with the hand aerie veocia leave most of the light, these rivals Superman’s some risk it running anyway. To exchange tips and advice, and to meet their fans hunting for updates on the executioner peripherals companies, many of them use social netork MySpace.
The growing prpolarita some of them, without necessarily having superpowers ambitions more limited than those of superhero comics, but raises doubts. <<Giampelmo Schiaragola noted writer, author of two humorous handbook for aspiring superheroes, >>.
While some songna even to defeat bin Laden
And in Naples, Entomo fight crime and pollution. Among his mission: to help in emergency waste
The man-insect Naples. And in Italy? The uncia superhero home nell’anagrafe official admitted, and Entomo: Man insect that watches over the city of Naples. His motto: “Hear my buzz, my bite themes: inject justice.” He has 32 years, and active since 2007, and his identity and secret. It has a pale green insect costume, with dark sleeves, chest stylized symbol of the Greek letter “sigma” and fights crime and pollution through (he said) its three arms: The meaning developed as those of insects, of Techichi self-defense and anonymous reporting to the police.
<< recentemete he said in an interview with the newspaper The Reforma. Entomo argues that his custom games as a diversion, surprising and distracting the attackers, using a technique called Krav Maga self-defense to disarm enemies, and intimidate without ferifli. Among them the most recent mission, the garbage emergency in Naples: >>. A modus operandi illegal, at least Italy, where by law (n. 152 of 1975) and vines appear masked in public places. << obiettta Entomo. << And to those who aspire to emulate companies, advises: >>.
Super Boutique
Eora what I wear?. The question can also be superheroes. For this reason, New York, and founded the first boutique dedicated to the heroes of humanity, where you can buy custom costume, masks, those who alter weapons and accessories: you chimama Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., and also um undergraduate catalog online . Quache idea? A classic superhero cape, superhero-or I help, Silk Glitter (ie full of glitter). Has a price ranging from $ 35 a 22:01. Never without pui. But you can also find the gun particles ($ 25), the vaporizer sonic ($ 30), the force field Mylar ($ 12), a weapon “proton” ($ 20), the device to read minds ($ 99.50) or a mechanical fin ($ 39). The more creative can also buy the fluid for cloning ($ 9) and heart cybernetic ($ 16.25).
Want to be a superhero? Here are the criteria for ammissone.
Who has not fantasized about fighting crime and eradicating frightening enemies? Not easy as it seems to be accepted in the superhero day Global Registry (www.worldsuperheroregistry.com), and enjoy the privilege of a personal card with your name, area of action, special skills, we must obey three rules indergabili.
The precepts of the heroes. First, they are not worth candidate, nor recommendations. To enroll you must be contacted directly from the Global Registry, following a proven (through newspaper clippings and eyewitness accounts of rappresntanti legal) activities of superhero. Secondly, the only permissible motivation and selfless vocation for the good of humanity (thus not a candidate pruo rievere economic incentives of any kind, be they salaried for his activities or associations representing the external sense even for profit). Thirdly, the superhero costume is not only to protect the anonymity but “symbol wearable values in defense of humanity, are therefore prohibited the suit vulgar and inappropriate.

Super-homens

heroi-1bOriginally posted: http://super.abril.com.br/cotidiano/super-homens-573741.shtml
Pessoas comuns usando fantasias e nomes falsos para fazer o bem e combater o crime. Conheça o fenômeno dos super-heróis da vida real
por Alexandre Rodrigues
tem uma tragédia em sua origem. O Batman assistiu ao assassinato dos pais ainda menino. O Super-Homem sofre por ser o único sobrevivente de um planeta que explodiu. O Homem-Aranha se balança em teias para compensar um erro – deixou fugir o bandido que depois matou seu tio. Mas Sarah só precisou levar um pé na bunda para se tornar Terrífica, que luta para impedir que outros tirem vantagem de mulheres indefesas.
Ela é magra, tem os cabelos louros, bonitos olhos azuis e um gosto péssimo para uniforme – o seu consiste em máscara, calça, malha e botas púrpuras e um sutiã de metal por cima da roupa. Carrega uma “pochete de utilidades” na qual há de chocolates a preservativos para cumprir sua missão: percorre a noite de Manhattan e adjacências abordando mulheres. Por sua obsessão em tentar impedir que homens se deem bem com as mulheres que beberam demais à noite, a heroína nova-iorquina foi apelidada de anti-Sex and the City. “Minha motivação é simples. Eu tento ensinar a mulheres que elas não precisam de proteção, admiração, o que for”, diz Sarah, a mulher de coração partido. “Não é preciso ter superpoderes para alguém cometer erros. Erros terríveis.”
Terrífica é uma candidata a terapia e também a representante feminina mais famosa de um bizarro fenômeno da cultura pop que vem ganhando força no hemisfério norte. É cada vez mais frequente pessoas comuns vestirem fantasias para defender uma causa ou mesmo combater o crime. Há um boom de super-heróis da vida real (ou RLSH, sigla mais ou menos popularizada nos países onde eles atuam). São bancários, universitários, ex-policiais, que usam nomes como Lebre da Sombra e Capitão Discórdia sem medo do ridículo. Em vez da Liga da Justiça, se aliam em organizações como Sociedade da Segunda-Feira Negra e Tropas dos Combatentes do Crime. De acordo com o site Super Hero Registry, há mais de 300 na ativa: são 6 na Europa, 2 no Canadá, 1 no México – no Brasil, até a publicação e repercussão desta matéria, nenhum. Todo o resto está nos EUA. Se ainda estivesse vivo, um sujeito chamado Fredric Wertham veria essa estatística com orgulho e preocupação.
Tradição americana
Em 1954, o Senado americano organizou o equivalente a uma CPI para diagnosticar o suposto mal que as histórias em quadrinhos estavam causando a milhões de crianças e adolescentes. Assumidamente inspirada no livro Seduction of the Innocent (“Sedução do Inocente”, sem versão em português), lançado naquele ano pelo psiquiatra Fredric Wertham, a comissão era um palco para o doutor expor suas ideias. Acuados, editores tiveram de engolir que seus gibis eram “um fator importante em muitos casos de deliquência juvenil” – lembra a polêmica atual sobre videogames (ver pág. 38).
Se Wertham foi preconceituoso por um lado, acabou acertando por outro: detectou entre alguns fãs de super-heróis o complexo de Super-Homem – um senso exagerado de responsabilidade, aliado à crença de que ninguém é capaz de se virar sozinho e uma necessidade constante de “salvar” os outros. Seria o contrário do “efeito espectador”, em que cidadãos obedientes à lei, diante de um crime, não se envolvem, achando que outros vão fazê-lo. Para Bart Beaty, especialista na obra de Wertham, essa compulsão por se envolver já existia na cultura americana, mas pode ter se acentuado após a comoção com o 11 de Setembro, levando ao surgimento desses heróis de verdade.
“O movimento está crescendo. Já são mais de 300 no Super Hero Registry? Veja só, há um ano eram 200”, diz Ben Goldman, historiador informal do fenômeno e também um herói – ele usa o nome de Cameraman, por sua dedicação a documentar em vídeo as ações dos colegas. Segundo ele, a crise financeira que abalou os EUA no ano passado deu o impulso que faltava para que alguns caíssem no heroísmo . “Muitos perderam renda, o emprego, suas casas, passaram por crises existenciais e pararam para pensar em quem eram de verdade. Algumas pessoas começaram a dar mais valor a sua vocação do que a suas posses. E muitos acham que nasceram para ser super-heróis, por que não?”
Fazendo diferença
“As pessoas estão cheias de indiferença e apatia, mas há homens e mulheres que querem fazer diferença. Somos um movimento, mais do que um bando de caras usando roupas de elástico”, diz Dave Pople, ex-profissional de luta livre, ex-boxeador, ex-fuzileiro naval, ex-cadete da academia de polícia. Ocupação atual: super-herói sob a alcunha de… Super-Herói. O uniforme, como os de seus colegas, foi claramente inspirado nos dos heróis dos quadrinhos (ver quadro nesta página). Como os outros super-heróis, não pode carregar armas para não correr o risco de ser preso por vigilantismo. Apesar do corpo avantajado (ou talvez por causa dele), garante que jamais precisou agredir um suspeito. No que consiste, então, o seu super-heroísmo? Bem, em um domingo à tarde pode estar patrulhando a praia de Clearwater, Flórida, onde vive, verificando se os vendedores têm licença. Ou trocando um pneu numa estrada. Mas, como a maior parte de seus colegas, faz caridade: com outros heróis da região, ele formou o Time Justiça, que reúne e doa brinquedos.
heroi-2e3
Mas alguns mantêm uma aura de mistério e dizem viver nas sombras espreitando malfeitores. “É como eu posso ajudar os outros”, diz O Olho,herói de Mountain View, Califórnia. Na internet, se apresenta como um ex-detetive particular que passou 25 anos em empresas do Vale do Silício e hoje vigia sorrateiramente o crime, reunindo provas para a polícia. Aos 51 anos, percorre a cidade de carro usando equipamentos que ele mesmo inventa – como uma bengala-câmera, um rádio-periscópio e uma lanterna laser – para vigiar criminosos. Ao seu lado, leva a mulher, ela também uma super-heroína, que adota o codinome de Lady Mistério. “O parque Mercy Bush tem sido a cena de alguns avistamentos estranhos em várias patrulhas. Eu vi vandalismo, duas pessoas fazendo sexo sendo filmadas por uma terceira e, em geral, todo tipo de esquisitos que são atraídos para esse lugar quando cai a noite”, registrou em seu blog sobre uma patrulha noturna.
O fenômeno é mais forte nos EUA, mas já atravessou o Atlântico. “Sou detetive e combatente do crime”, se apresenta Entomo (latim para “inseto”), italiano de 32 anos. Com a identidade mais ou menos secreta – diz que 13 pessoas próximas sabem quem ele é -, dedica-se a evitar o vandalismo nas ruas de Nápoles desde 2007, quando se inspirou com a história de Terrífica. Ele conta que passou por treinamento antes de assumir a vida dupla, mas sua grande vantagem, assegura, são as habilidades paranormais. “Eu injetojustiça“, diz, sem dar mais detalhes. “Hoje é meu terceiro aniversário comoherói. Obrigado a todos pelo apoio. Eu irei celebrar patrulhando as ruas toda a noite”, comemorou Entomo dia 2 de março na sua página no MySpace – que, a propósito, também informa que está interessado em conhecer mulheres.
Sala (virtual) da Justiça
Não haveria os super-heróis de verdade sem a internet. O fenômeno é efeito da web 2.0, que impulsionou uma profusão de blogs e páginas de redes sociais, para heróis e grupos dos quais fazem parte. “Os interessados no assunto juntaram forças, viram que não estavam sozinhos”, diz Goldman/Cameraman. Em fóruns na rede, veteranos e novatos trocam experiências e dicas. Onde encontrar spandex, o tecido dos uniformes dos super-heróis, mais discretos? Camadas de Kevlar, como nos quadrinhos, realmente protegem contra uma bala? (A resposta é não.)
heroi-4e5
Às vezes, esses fóruns servem para mostrar que a realidade não é tão exigente quanto a ficção. Em seu livro Becoming Batman (“Virando Batman”, sem versão em português), o neurocientista canadense E. Paul Zehr estimou entre 15 e 18 anos o tempo que Bruce Wayne levou treinando para ser o Cavaleiro das Trevas. Para o autor, Wayne é um atleta capaz de ser campeão olímpico no decatlo. “Quero virar um super-herói, mas tenho vergonha da minha barriga”, explica o novato em um tópico de discussão. “Calma. Você deve ter notado que há muito super-herói fora de forma”, responde, tranquilizador, um veterano.
Mas a internet ainda não foi capaz de proporcionar a qualquer dos novos heróis o tipo de fama do veterano Superbarrio Gómez, na ativa desde os anos 80. Quando jovem, nos anos 70, foi guerrilheiro e afirma ter participado de 3 assaltos a bancos. Mais tarde, nos anos 80, o militante passou a se apresentar como um bizarro personagem que, com uma máscara de luta livre e um uniforme que lembra o do Chapolin Colorado, começou a aparecer em protestos populares e greves de trabalhadores na Cidade do México. Embora nunca tenha concorrido em seu país, em 1996 se tornou uma celebridade internacional ao se proclamar candidato alternativo à Presidência dos EUA.
Desde então, foi tema de dois livros, apareceu na série inglesa de quadrinhos2000 AD Presents e também foi tema de um curta-metragem animado, La Vuelta de Superbarrio (“O Retorno de Superbarrio”). Com quase 60 anos – sua idade correta é desconhecida -, aposentou-se no início da década e revelou a identidade secreta: Marco Rascón Córdova. Mas, assim como o personagem Fantasma, a honra de ser Superbarrio parece passar adiante: desde 2005 outro sujeito veste o uniforme. Sua página no Facebook informa: ainda está na ativa.
Vida real
A Califórnia é um dos estados americanos onde o Olho pode agir. Na Carolina do Norte, por exemplo, cidadãos comuns são proibidos de prender alguém. Se algum deles fizer isso, pode ser detido por sequestro. Apesar de até achar positivo um grupo de cidadãos dispostos a ajudar, a polícia de San Diego, também na Califórnia, que vive uma epidemia de heróis, deu o recado: o combate ao crime só pode ser feito sem violência. E sugere aos heróis apenas denunciarem crimes e depois servirem de testemunhas. A resposta do público – como era de esperar – fica entre o apoio e o deboche. Em Nova York, um encapuzado chamado Vida reclama de moradores que atiram objetos das janelas – o paladino da justiça foi atingido por um pedaço de carne crua.
Mas os super-heróis da vida real têm um motivo para não desanimar: conseguiram empolgar ninguém menos do que Stan Lee, o criador de Hulk, Homem-Aranha, Homem de Ferro e outros heróis. “Se alguém está cometendo um crime, se alguém está machucando outra pessoa, é quando um super-herói entra em cena. É bom que haja pessoas ansiosas para ajudar as próprias comunidades”, declarou ele em entrevista à rede CNN. E até Hollywood já embarca na onda: está prevista para 11 de junho a estreia no Brasil de Quebrando Tudo (Kick-Ass), filme que liderou as bilheterias americanas com a história de um jovem que resolve combater o crime fantasiado – e encontra outros como ele. É, claro, uma comédia.
Super-Herói viu o filme e não gostou muito, por achar que ridiculariza algo que ele leva muito a sério. Mas não se incomoda diante de uma pergunta bastante repetida: os super-heróis da vida real não passam de adultos que não querem enfrentar a própria vida? “Eu acho que as pessoas são conformistas”, ele responde. “Eles acham que nós devemos viver apenas vidas normais. Vidas normais são um saco.”
Para saber mais
Watchmen
Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons, Panini Livros, 2009.
Fredric Wertham and the Critique of Mass Culture
Bart Beaty, University Press of Mississippi, 2005.
worldsuperheroregistry.com
reallifesuperheroes.org
heroi-6English Translation
Every superhero has a tragedy in its origin. Batman witnessed the murder of her parents as a boy. Superman suffers from being the sole survivor of a planet that exploded. Spider-Man swings on webs to make a mistake – gave away the villain who later killed his uncle. But Sarah just had to take a walk in the butt to become terrifying, struggling to prevent others from taking advantage of defenseless women.
She is thin, has blond hair, beautiful blue eyes and a bad taste for even – your mask is on, pants, sweater and purple boots and a bra metal on top of clothing.Carries a “utility pouch” in which there are chocolates to condoms to fulfill their mission: traveling the night of Manhattan and vicinity approaching women. In his obsession with trying to prevent men get along with women who drank too much at night, the New York heroin was dubbed anti-Fri and the City. “My motivation is simple. I try teach women that they need no protection, admiration, whatever,” says Sarah the wife of a broken heart. “You do not need superpowers to someone making mistakes. Mistakes terrible.”
Terrifying is a candidate for therapy and also the most famous female representative of a bizarre pop culture phenomenon that is gaining strength in the northern hemisphere. It is increasingly common people wear costumes to defend a cause or even fighting crime. There is a boom of superheroes in real life (or RLSH, which stands more or less popularized in countries where they operate). They are banking, academics, former police officers, who use names such as Hare’s Shadow and Captain Discord without fear of ridicule. Instead of the League ofJustice, are allied organizations as the Society of Black Monday and the troops fighting crime. According to the website Superhero Registry, there are over 300 on active duty: six are in Europe, two in Canada, one in Mexico – in Brazil, until the publication of this material and repercussion, no. Everything else is in the U.S.. If he were still alive, a guy named Fredric Wertham would see that statistic with pride and concern.
American Tradition
In 1954, the U.S. Senate held the equivalent of a CPI for diagnosing the supposed evil that the stories in comics were causing millions of children and adolescents. Admittedly inspired by the book Seduction of the Innocent (“Seduction of the Innocent,” without version in Portuguese), released that year by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, the commission was a stage for the doctor explain his views. Intimidated, editors had to swallow that his comics were “an important factor in many cases of juvenile delinquency” – remember the current controversy about video games (see page 38.).
If Wertham was biased on the one hand, ended up hitting the other: caught between some fans of the superhero Superman complex – an exaggerated sense of responsibility, coupled with the belief that nobody is able to turn yourself and a constant need to “save” others. It would be the opposite of “bystander effect” in which law-abiding citizens, faced with a crime, do not get involved, thinking that others will do it. For Bart Beaty, a specialist in the work of Wertham, this compulsion to engage in American culture existed, but may have been accentuated after the commotion with the September 11, leading to the emergence of these real heroes.
“The movement is growing. There are now over 300 Super Hero Registry? Look, up from 200 a year ago,” says Ben Goldman, informal historian of the phenomenon and also a hero – he uses the name of Cameraman, for his dedication to video documenting the actions of colleagues. He said the financial crisis that has rocked the U.S. last year gave the boost that to fall in some heroism. “Many lost income, jobs, their homes, went through existential crises and stopped to think about who they were real. Some people began to give more value to his calling than his possessions. And many think they were born to be super- heroes, why not? ”
Making a difference
“People are full of indifference and apathy, but there are men and women who want to make a difference. We are a movement, rather than a bunch of guys wearing elastic,” says Dave Pople, former professional wrestling, former boxer, ex-marine, ex-cadet at the police academy. Current Occupation: superhero under the name … Super-Hero. The uniform, like those of his colleagues, was clearly inspired by the heroes of the comics (see box this page). Like other superheroes, he can not carry weapons as you run the risk of being arrested for vigilantism. Despite topping the body (or perhaps because of it) ensures that never needed to assaulting a suspect. As is, then, your super-heroism? Well, on a Sunday afternoon may be patrolling the beach in Clearwater, Fla., where he lives, making sure the vendors are licensed. Or changing a tire on a road. But like most of his colleagues, does charity: with other heroes of the region, he formed Team Justice, which collects and donates toys.
But some maintain an aura of mystery and they say live in the shadows lurking criminals. “It’s like I can help others,” says Eye, hero of Mountain View, California. On the Internet, presents himself as a former private investigator who spent 25 years at companies in Silicon Valley and today oversees sneak crime, gathering evidence for police. After 51 years, runs through the town by car using equipment that he invented – as a cane-camera, a periscope and a radio-flashlight laser – to monitor criminals. At his side, takes the woman, she is also a superhero, which adopts the codename of Mystery Lady. “Mercy Bush Park has been the scene of some strange sightings on several patrols. I saw vandalism, two people having sex being shot by a third and, in general, all sorts of weird that they are attracted to this place when night falls” , noted in his blog on a night patrol.
This phenomenon is stronger in the U.S. but has already crossed the Atlantic.”I’ma detective and crime fighter,” presents Entom (Latin for “bug”), Italian 32.With more or less secret identity – says 13 people nearby know who he is – is dedicated to prevent vandalism in the streets of Naples since 2007, when he was inspired by the story of terrifying. He tells that went through training before assuming the double life, but its greatest advantage, ensures they are paranormal abilities. “I inject justice, “he says, without elaborating. “Today is my third anniversary as hero. Thank you all for your support. I will conclude by patrolling the streets all night, “Entom celebrated March 2 at his MySpace page – which, incidentally, also says it is interested in knowing women.
Room (virtual) of Justice
There would be the superheroes of truth without the internet. The phenomenon is the effect of Web 2.0, which boasted a profusion of blogs and social networking pages for heroes and groups to which they belong. “Those interested in the issue joined forces, they saw that they were not alone,” says Goldman / Cameraman. In forums on the net, beginners and veterans share experiences and tips. Where to find Spandex, the fabric of the uniforms of superheroes, more discreet? Layers of Kevlar, as in the comics, actually protect against a bullet? (The answer is no.)
Sometimes, these forums serve to show that reality is not so picky about the fiction. In his book Becoming Batman (“Batman Turning” without version in Portuguese), the Canadian neuroscientist E. Paul Zehr estimated between 15 and 18 years time that Bruce Wayne took training to be the Dark Knight. For the author, Wayne is an athlete able to be Olympic champion in the decathlon. “I want to become a superhero, but I am ashamed of my belly, “says the rookie on a topic of discussion. “Calm down. You may have noticed that there is much super-hero out of shape, “says, reassuringly, a veteran.
If you think that conflict is missing, not missing more: virtual protected by anonymity, have begun to emerge the first supervillain. “Your actions mean nothing to me. You are heroes like a plastic toy. An insect asking to be crushed,” Black Horizon challenged in his introductory video on YouTube. Like most real heroes, he does not lose the chance to give interviews.”There can be a superhero without super-villain, “advocates. “And, as superheroes are spreading out there, here I am.” And to be a villain can be enriching?”I like to see adults and children suffer.” As the heroes gather in groups, “supervillains” also formed his own: the Black Circle – for now, its evils were only on the promise.And feel forgiven those who start to laugh knowing that one of the architects of the forces of evil is Masturbator Black.
But the Internet has not yet been able to provide any kind of new heroes of Fame veteran Superbarrio Gomez, both active since the 80s. As a young man in the ’70s, was a guerrilla and claims to have participated in three bank robberies. Later in the ’80s, the militants began to present itself as a bizarre character with a mask of wrestling and a uniform reminiscent of Chapolin Colorado, began appearing in popular protests and strikes by workers in Mexico City. Though he never competed in his country in 1996 became an international celebrity when he proclaimed alternative candidate for U.S. president.
It has since been the subject of two books, appeared in the series Britishcomic 2000 AD Presents, and also was the subject of an animated short film, La Vuelta de Superbarrio (“The Return of Superbarrio). With nearly 60 years – his correct age is unknown – he retired in the early and revealed the secret identity: Marco Rascón Cordoba. But like the character Ghost, the honor of being Superbarrio seems to pass along: since 2005 the other guy wears the uniform. His Facebook page states: is still active.
Real Life
California is one state where the Eye Americans can act. In North Carolina, for example, ordinary citizens are forbidden to arrest someone. If any of them do, be arrested for kidnapping. Although even find a positive group of citizens willing to help, police in San Diego, also in California, who lives an epidemic of heroes, gave the message: the fight against crime can only be done without violence. And it suggests to the heroes only report crimes and then serve as witnesses. The public response – as expected – is between the support and debauchery. In New York, a hooded called Life calls from residents who throw objects from windows – the champion of justice was hit by a piece of raw meat.
But the superheroes in real life have a reason not to lose heart: could excite none other than Stan Lee, creator of the Hulk, Spiderman, Iron Man and other heroes. ‘If someone is committing a crime if someone is hurting someone else, is when a super-hero enters the scene. It is good that there are people eager to help their communities “he said in an interview with CNN. Even Hollywood has embarked on the wave: is scheduled for the June 11 premiere of Breaking Everything in Brazil (Kick-Ass), a film which topped the U.S. box office with the story of a young man who decides to fight crime dressed – and find others like him. It is of course a comedy.
Super-Hero saw the movie and did not much like, thinking that ridicules something he takes very seriously. But do not mind facing a much repeated question: superheroes in real life are just adults who do not want to face their own life? “I think people are conformist,” he replies. “They think we just live normal lives. Normal lives suck.”
To learn more
Watchmen
Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons, Panini Books, 2009.
Fredric Wertham and the Critique of Mass Culture
Bart Beaty, University Press of Mississippi, 2005.
worldsuperheroregistry.com
reallifesuperheroes.org

EL ASOMBROSO MUNDO DE POLUZZA!!!

Originally posted: http://www.fotolog.com/poluzza/65648625
who
DARK GUARDIAN, CIVITRON, CAPTAIN OZONE, SUPER BARRIO… no son nombres cutres de superheroes sacados de algun comic… Estos son SUPERHEROES REALES que operan en USA y Mexico
Tienen hasta su propia base de datos de heroes, sus grupos y cada uno defiende su territorio de rateros, maltratadores y demas delincuentes de poca monta….
Alguna ya se ha llevado un susto y mas de uno ha sido detendio por extralimitarse en sus funciones de “vigilante”
Cualquier chalado yanki, experto en artes marciales, exmarine o lo que sea puede fabricarse su propio traje y lanzarse a defender las calles de su cidudad
A Londres ya ha llegado la moda de los Superheroes reales, ¿cuanto tardara en llegar a nuestro pais?
De momento estos son los mas famosos: http://reallifesuperheroes.org/rlsh-roster
English Translation
DARK GUARDIAN CIVITRON, CAPTAIN OZONE SUPER BARRIO … crappy names are not taken from any superhero comic … These are REAL SUPERHEROES operating in USA and Mexico
Have up their own database of heroes, their groups and each group defends its territory of thieves, abusers and other petty criminals ….
Some have already taken a shock and more than one has been detendio by overstepping its boundaries to “police”
Any crazy Yankee martial arts expert, exmarine or whatever can make its own suit and start to defend the streets of his cidudad
A London fashion has reached the real Superheroes, how much will take to get into our country?
At the moment these are the most famous: http://reallifesuperheroes.org/rlsh-roster

5 KICK-ASS Real World Heroes

Originally posted: http://www.mania.com/5-kickass-real-world-heroes_article_121849.html
Costumed Crusaders aren’t just found in comics and movies any more.
By Rob Worley
“Why does everyone want to be Paris Hilton but nobody wants to be Spider-Man?”
That’s the question Dave Lizewski poses to his friends just before he embarks on a life of crime-fighting in the comic and film Kick-Ass. In that fictitious world there are no super heroes or even costumed heroes.
In the real world, it turns out, there are plenty of people trying to be Spider-Man. Mania is here to guide you through a few of the costumed adventurers that inhabit the world outside your window!
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5. TERRIFICA

Alternate Identity: Sarah
Milieu: New York City
Special Ability: Devastating Cock Block
Nemesis: Fantastico
Gadget: Gold-leaf fortune cards
Signal her: http://www.myspace.com/12511747
Terrifica definitely doesn’t want to be Paris Hilton, and doesn’t want the ladies of New York City acting like her either. Born in the fires of a nasty hump-and-dump, a young Brooklynite known only as Sarah forged a secret identity in order to steer drunken young lasses away from regrettable hook-ups from the city’s Lotharios.
“Sarah is a very weak woman. Very needy, very insecure,” Terrifica said derisively of her alter ego in an interview with “New York Magazine,” revealing a Hulk-like identity split.
Reports from various NYC magazines had her patrolling the bar scene in the mid-2000s, looking for evil gents who dispense the lethal combination of “lies and alcohol” to dupe wide-eyed women into the sack. She’d also hand out gold leaf cards with words of wisdom for the unwary party girls. As with any force, her actions were soon opposed by a costumed male villain of the bar scene named Fantastico.
Terrifica is presumed retired.

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4. ANGLE GRINDER MAN

Alternate Identity: Unknown
Milieu: London
Special Ability: Auto Liberation
Nemesis: Wheel Clamps
Gadget: The Angle Grinder (duh)
Signal him: 07984-121043 (disconnected)
So you’ve parked your car in the city, only to come out and find one of your tires locked down by a parking boot or wheel clamp. That’s right, you parked illegally and now have to jump through hoops and pay fines to liberate your ride,right? Well, not if you’re in London and Angle Grinder Man is on the scene!
This populist hero is known for rushing to the aid of confined motorists with his special weapon (the angle grinder, natch) and cutting the wheel clamps off illegally parked cars. What does he charge for this service? Nothing! Action is his reward.
Naturally Angle Grinder Man has numerous and high-ranking enemies in the government so his identity has always been a carefully-protected secret. In fact, we fear the authorities have gained the upper hand because AGM’s phone number has been disconnected and his website went offline in 2007

human

3. THE HUMAN FLY

Alternate Identity: Rick Rojatt
Milieu: The Friendly Skies
Special Ability: Super Tough
Nemesis: 195 MPH Rain
Gadget: Rocket Cycle
Status: Presumed retired
Rick Rojatt not only wanted to be Spider-Man, but Evel Knievel as well. And in the 1970s this motorcycle stunt-man tried to one-up America’s favorite body-cast wearer by doing his stunts in an awesome red superhero costume. The trick worked, sort of: we saw 19 issues of “The Human Fly” published by Marvel who billed the star as “The Wildest Super-Hero Ever–Because He’s Real!”
But the Human Fly’s greatest super-human act, and tragic defeat, came right around the same time. The Fly had arranged a highly-publicized stunt to wing walk on a DC-8 jet plane in flight. Pilot Clay Lacy recalls taking the Fly up for several test runs in the Mojave Desert. Then the stunt moved to Texas for a television taping, although bad weather was threatening to ruin the show. His reputation on the line, the Fly took to the air and was battered by rain at 195 miles per hour. Lacy reports the hero suffered terrible bruises.
As far as we know, he never attempted the stunt again. His comic was canceled in 1979

super

2. SUPERBARRIO GOMEZ

Alternate Identity: Marco Rascon Cordova
Milieu: Mexico City
Special Ability: Inspiring Hope
Nemesis: Poverty
Gadget: Leaflets of knowledge
Active from the late-1980s to the late-1990s, Superbarrio roamed the streets of Mexico City in red tights, a gold cape and a Luchador mask. His mission: to champion the rights of the poor and the homeless.
“I can’t stop a plane or a train single-handed, but I can keep a family from being evicted,” the costumed character told CNN in a 1997 interview.
Superbarrio has donned the red suit to distribute literature, lead protest marches and challenge his enemies in the court of law. He even declared himself a candidate in the 1996 U.S. Presidential Elections where he was defeated by Bill Clinton.
The character hasn’t been seen in the real world lately, but he lives on in a series of new cartoons available on YouTube.

spidy

1. THE FRENCH SPIDERMAN

Alternate Identity: Alain Robert
Milieu: Worldwide (Based in Paris)
Special Ability: Wall-crawling
Nemesis: Global Warming
Gadget: Climbing shoes
Signal him: http://www.alainrobert.com/
If anyone wants to be Spider-Man it’s Alain Robert. Not only did the French rock-climber turned crusader start his super hero career wearing a Spider-Man knock-off costume, his remarkable claim to fame is that he scales the walls of the worlds’ skyscrapers without any special equipment. He even calls himself “Spiderman”.
He began wall-crawling in 1994 and since then has scaled such world wonders as The Eifel Tower, The Empire State Building, The Sears Tower, The Petronas Towers and the Jin Mao Building to name but a few. He’s an environmental activist as well, sometimes capping his exploits by unfurling banners with messages like, “Global warming kills more people than 9/11 every week.”
Robert remains active and was registered in the “Guinness Book of World Records” this year for having scaled more than 100 towers.

If you are looking forward to the Kick-Ass premiere, check out some of our Movie Maven Kick-Ass coverage.  Here is Tara’s interview with Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.  If you missed it last month, Tara got to check out the premiere in Austin at South By Southwest, check out the red carpet coverage

Real-life superheroes

Originally pubished : http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/movieextras/top10s/real-life-superheroes.php
With DIY superhero Kick-Ass bursting into cinemas, we meet the real men and women who have dedicated their lives to helping others…
Squeegeeman
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Who? A “mass do-gooder” who vows to rid New York of both crime and grime. His superhero weapon of choice? A squeegee.
Why? Claiming to have been born with “Super-squeegee abilities”, Squeegeeman not only fights crime, but also goes on hospital visits, plants trees and collects money for charity. He claims that when someone walks down a clean street in New York or makes it home without getting mugged, they have him to thank, which kind of steals credit away from the city street-cleaners and the NYPD.
Movie hero equivalent: WALL•E, the only movie character to equal Squeegeeman’s superhuman dedication to cleaning and tidying.
Entomo, the Insect Man of Napels
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Who? This Italian hero claims a near-death experience connected him to “a spiritual plane of existence involving insects”.
Why? Entomo lists his superpowers as sharpened senses, agility and an insect-like psychic ability he calls ‘parallelogram’ – apparently this helps him to establish “a specific psychological/physical profile only based on tiny, almost insignificant details”. Entomo battles criminals as well as corrupt politicians, and he even has his own superhero catchphrase: “Hear my buzz, fear my bite: I inject justice”. Catchy.
Movie hero equivalent: Spider-Man, who also developed creepy-crawly superpowers of agility and a special ‘spidey sense’.
Terrifica
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Who? A guardian fighting for sobriety, chastity and the way home for drunk, vulnerable females in need of protection from lusty men.
Why? Like a disapproving parent in a costume, Terrifica patrols bars and parties in New York late at night defending inebriated women from lecherous guys looking to take advantage while armed with pepper spray, a camera and Smarties (to keep her energy levels up). Curiously, she even has her own arch-nemesis, Fantastico, a ‘supervillain’ lothario who dresses in velvet and skulks around bars trying to pick up defenceless women.
Movie hero equivalent: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who also rescued damsels in distress from preying monsters and predators.
Zetaman
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Who? A self-confessed nerd who adopted a costume and name to be more like the superheroes in his favourite comics.
Why? While Zetaman tries to steer clear of actual crime-fighting (“I guess it sounds kind of less heroic, but I don’t want to die”), he arms himself with a collapsible baton, a stun gun, an air horn and a mobile phone just in case. The most important items in his arsenal, however, are blankets, gloves, socks and sandwiches which he hands out to the men and women who are forced to live on the streets of his home town Portland, Oregon.
Movie hero equivalent: Superman, who shares Zetaman’s humanitarian attitude and his chest-based insignia.
Angle-Grinder Man
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Who? A costumed vigilante who fights the system by offering a free wheel-clamp removal service for frustrated motorists in the UK.
Why? Rebelling against what he considers to be oppressive measures such as congestion charges, CCTV and speed cameras, Angle-Grinder Man takes a stand against “arrogant” politicians by providing wheel-clamp aid to persecuted vehicle owners in Kent and London (at weekends). His website lists his mobile number for such emergencies, presumably because no one has access to a giant Angle-Grinder signal light to shine in the sky.
Movie hero equivalent: V from V For Vendetta, another British vigilante who fights against a corrupt government.
Master Legend
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Who? A costumed crime-fighter who claims to have psychic abilities, as well as powers bestowed to him by a voodoo queen.
Why? The daddy of superheroes, Master Legend has been thwarting criminals for over a decade and the local sheriff in his hometown of Winter Park, Florida has even confirmed that the masked hero has helped with many arrests. With his own means of transport (the Legend Cycle) and armed with his Master Blaster personal cannon (a spud gun), this old defender shows no sign of hanging up his tights any time soon.
Movie hero equivalent: Professor Charles Xavier from X-Men who also has psychic powers (minus the silver body armour).
Superbarrio
realheroes-superbarrio-431x300
Who? A Mexican hero who takes a realistic approach to fighting crime and corruption: by organising labour rallies and filing petitions.
Why? Donning a red-and-yellow costume, complete with wrestler’s mask, Superbarrio is a champion for the working class and homeless of Mexico City. His work protecting low-income neighbourhoods by leading protests and challenging court decisions has resulted in the hefty campaigner becoming a folk legend – he even had a giant-size statue erected in his honour and once met with Fidel Castro.
Movie hero equivalent: Nacho Libre, the tubby Mexican wrestler who also has a secret identity.
Dark Guardian
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Who? Criminals of New York beware! This highly-trained martial artist is “dedicated to making the world a better place”.
Why? Despite going through some costume changes in the past, Dark Guardian is a committed superhero who claims to have helped the police in apprehending various drug dealers and tracking down an illegal gambling den. Unlike most of his other superhero colleagues, he does not keep his true identity secret – his real name is Chris Pollack. Dark Guardian sounds better though.
Movie hero equivalent: Batman, the Dark Knight, as another hero of the night fighting against injustice.
Citizen Prime
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Who? A recently retired superhero who fought crime in $4000 body armour and helped to found the Worldwide Heroes Organization.
Why? A financial executive by day, Citizen Prime would patrol the streets clad in a helmet, breastplate, pads and codpiece and was also particularly involved in his local community, often visiting youth centres and schools. News of his retirement was met with much mourning among the real-life superhero community, although criminals in his area presumably rejoiced.
Movie hero equivalent: Robocop, who wore similar armour and shared his attitude towards promoting good citizenship.
Death’s Head Moth
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Who? Strikes fear into criminals with sinister imagery and a scary name. Probably doesn’t do many school visits.
Why? Armed with ‘moth-a-rangs’ (specially made metal throwing ninja stars shaped like moths) and a dark, brooding attitude, Deaths Head Moth fights crime in Norfolk, Virginia and is a well-known name in the superhero community, often teaming up with other heroes and being an active member of the Great Lakes Heroes Guild.
Movie hero equivalent: Rorschach, the cynical anti-hero in Watchmen who has an attitude as fearsome as his fighting skills.
Tothian
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Who? Dispensing with the costume and novelties, Tothian focuses on the most important part of being a superhero: fighting crime.
Why? Having served five years in the Marine Reserves, Tothian has the discipline, as well as the physical capabilities, to treat crime-fighting as a serious calling. Claiming that martial arts is only one aspect of the training required to be a superhero (he also lists law, criminology, forensics and first aid, among others), this patrolling defender uses his special expertise to prevent crime and ensure the safety of the residents in his hometown, New Jersey.
Movie hero equivalent: Steven Seagal in every one of his movies. He has the combat skills and mental attitude to take criminals down
Captain Prospect
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Who? Founder of the Capital City Super Squad, a team of superheroes who help to protect and serve Washington DC.
Why? Along with his superhero colleagues Nice Ninja, Spark, Siren, Justice, DC Guardian and The Puzzler, Captain Prospect helps the people of Washington DC by undertaking safety patrols, contributing to community events and organising fundraisers, as well as feeding the homeless. This patriotic do-gooder even chose the colours and design of his costume to reflect the DC flag.
Movie hero equivalent: Captain America, the leader of The Avengers, who will be starring in his own movie due out in 2011.
Mr. Xtreme
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Who? Part of the Xtreme Justice League, a team of costumed superheroes who tackle violent crime on the streets of San Diego.
Why? Using a camouflage mask with bug-shaped mesh eye-holes to keep his identity secret, Mr Xtreme patrols the streets late at night armed with a stun-gun, pepper spray and handcuffs in order to apprehend criminals as well as promote a positive message to youngsters and raise public awareness about local crime. By day, however, Mr Xtreme is merely a mild-mannered security guard. Presumably, he takes the mask off then.
Movie hero equivalent: David Dunn (Bruce Willis) from Unbreakable, a security guard who discovers he has superhero-like abilities.
Shadow Hare
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Who? A caped crusader who fights crime on the streets of Cincinatti with the ominous symbol of a demonic rabbit on his chest.
Why? Declaring to “see the shadows of shadows”, this costumed hero claims to have stopped “many evil doers, such as drug dealers, muggers, rapists and crazy hobos with pipes”. Despite being a trained martial artist who carries mace, a taser and handcuffs, Shadow Hare actually dislocated his shoulder while assisting a woman who was being robbed, just to prove that you shouldn’t be trying this at home. Luckily he can speed away on his Segway scooter if the fight gets too much for him.
Movie hero equivalent: Frank, the demonic rabbit from Donnie Darko who also liked to stick to the shadows.
Polar Man
realheroes-polarman-431x300
Who? Hardly a crime-fighter, this local hero helps his community by shovelling snow off the steps for day-care centres and the elderly.
Why? Hailing from Nunavut, a particularly icy region of North Canada, Polarman is the friendly neighbourhood superhero who, as well as clearing snow for those in need, helps to keep playgrounds in order for the local kids and deters vandals. He is said to model himself on a man in Inuit legend who provided food and clothing to the poor while riding a polar bear.
Movie hero equivalent: Iceman, the sub-zero superhero from the X-Men who doesn’t, unfortunately, ride on a polar bear.