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Real Life Super Heroes

IcalasariIcalasari
edited 2011-10-27 16:00:37 in General
No rainbow star
I still find that term odd. Don't you need super powers for that? But then, Batman is a superhero despite not having super powers. But he does have insane amounts of wealth Then there is Nightwing. I never thought about that, but, well, he doesn't have insane amounts of wealth or super powers, does he? And of course these people are going far beyond what a normal person would do Gah... Anybody want to weigh in?

Comments

  • AHRAHR
    Watchmen.

    --leaves--
  • IcalasariIcalasari
    No rainbow star
    ^ I still need to read that and watch the film
  • ClockworkUniverseClockworkUniverse
    edited 2011-10-27 16:02:59
    OOOooooOoOoOOoo, I'm a ghoOooOooOOOost!
    You could say that the term "superhero" could also be interpreted as meaning "above normal heroism."

    Not sure that I would, but you could. That's the only context in which I expect it to apply to reality, anyway.

    ^^Manhattan.
  • IcalasariIcalasari
    No rainbow star
    ^ I guess in that case there are real super heroes

    ...Still seems odd in my head
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    ^^Manhattan.

    AHR's point is not that all superheroes in Watchmen don't possess super powers, but that there are a lot of examples in there.

    Of course, that's dumb, because we all know that all the superheroes in watchmen have the power of being plot relevant. :P
  • ClockworkUniverseClockworkUniverse
    OOOooooOoOoOOoo, I'm a ghoOooOooOOOost!
    Aren't a lot of the characters in Watchmen referred to as "vigilantes" in-story, though? (It's been awhile since I read it)
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    Yes, but let's face it, though. The whole story is about super heroes from Charlton Comics being depressingly grim dark.
  • ClockworkUniverseClockworkUniverse
    OOOooooOoOoOOoo, I'm a ghoOooOooOOOost!
    Yeah, true.

    And frankly, I'm not going to use the definition of Superhero I suggested above because I'd have to change the title of the story I'm working on, and I suck at thinking of titles >.>
  • IanExMachinaIanExMachina
    I am Dr. Ned who is totally not Dr. Zed in disguise.
    I remember watching a channel 4 documentary on this phenomenon in the UK.

    The people on it weren't judged they were just given a chance to explain what they did and why.
    Quite a lot of them quite clearly came off as having unresolved issues and/or social problems, most notably the kicked out the army guy who was bullied in his childhood and still very very angry about it as he would be very likely to end up seriously harming someone physically.

    Also the young teen who was on the autistic spectrum who was really into comic book superheroes, as he had no self defence training and was often having panic attacks even being out in public he was very likely to get himself hurt.
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    I don't condone vigiilantism unless you were trained by the league of assassins yourself.

    And, as long as you don't murder, of course.
  • MoerinMoerin
    As far as I see it, they're not superheroes unless they're fighting supervillains. >.>

    "Costumed vigilantes", perhaps, but not superheroes.  At least not in my eyes.
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    but but but but but but

    The Spirit D:
  • IcalasariIcalasari
    No rainbow star
    ^^^^ ...Uh, wow, some of them sound really unstable and/or stupid
  • AHRAHR
    Yeesh.
  • IanExMachinaIanExMachina
    edited 2011-10-27 17:06:02
    I am Dr. Ned who is totally not Dr. Zed in disguise.
    ^^
    Yep.

    I mean some of it was just painful to watch.

    There was a guy in a full outfit who had a cane, he didn't really know any self defence and said that he could scare criminals by just brandishing it vaguely like a sword, and he could store his Irritable Bowel Syndrome medicine in the detachable handle.

    EDIT:
    Quote from the channel 4 website:

    Will is 'The Dark Spartan', a 27-year-old father of two who dreams of smashing drug syndicates in Torquay. Every Friday and Saturday night he patrols the town dressed in full police riot gear. But his wife worries that he is not as invincible as he feels.

    Ken, 'The Shadow', is a former soldier who thinks the police are failing the people of Yeovil, in Somerset. With his own, perhaps controversial, approach to crime-fighting - using the ancient Japanese art of the ninja - Ken is about to deal with a group of boy racers who are terrorising local families. (Pretty sure this was the ex army guy.)

    In Yorkshire, Keiran, AKA 'Noir', is a 17-year-old comic-book obsessive with autistic tendencies. Normally Keiran is shy and awkward, but wearing his costume he feels brave and strong. Keiran hopes his mask and alter ego will help him as he tracks down a mugger.(This was the young guy.)



  • MadassAlexMadassAlex
    One foot in front of the other, every day.
    scare criminals by just brandishing it vaguely like a sword

    To be fair, this works on a lot of criminals. Most are opportunists; difficult resistance will send them running.

    On the other hand, I would hope that anyone attempting this superhero thing would seek good martial training beforehand in striking, grappling and weapons. A minority of criminals are going to be part of something more organised, and if you must oppose them, you want to ensure every possible advantage. I know of one Melbourne criminal who walks around on crutches to avoid suspicion, and then wields them like clubs when the moment is right. Horrible, horrible man and I wish I took him down when I had the chance.

    But I guess that leads into doing what these guys do.
  • IanExMachinaIanExMachina
    I am Dr. Ned who is totally not Dr. Zed in disguise.
    ^
    When I say vaguely I mean very vaguely. It was clearly meant to look like fencing but it was just waving a cane around in roughly circular motion.

    The only one on that list who actually had any training was the guy ex army guy but he was really really quite scary, in a way you'd feel safer he wasn't in your neighbourhood.

    That crutches guy sound pretty vile.
    You had a chance at taking him down?

  • MadassAlexMadassAlex
    One foot in front of the other, every day.
    Pitiably, he's still around and I didn't get to play my hand.

    It's complex, but it'll suffice if I say that he'd drag others down with him. Mostly small-time pot dealers that don't deserve the stench of his company, some of which are my friends. Or rather, one is my best friend's younger brother and a completely good guy.

    When you have a situation like that, there's a choice between the law and imposing your own sense of justice. Right now, I'm uncomfortable with the implications of both.
  • IanExMachinaIanExMachina
    I am Dr. Ned who is totally not Dr. Zed in disguise.
    Yeah I can see why that would be a problem.

    Hopefully he gets tripped up for some other reason leaving him without recourse to grass up others.

  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    To be fair, this works on a lot of criminals. Most are opportunists; difficult resistance will send them running. 

    I read that in Batman's voice.

    "Criminals are a cowardly, supersticious lot" and all that.


  • MadassAlexMadassAlex
    edited 2011-10-27 17:56:48
    One foot in front of the other, every day.
    ^^ He's moved from his usual "spot", which was right outside the steps of Melbourne's central train station. The cops did a bit of a clean up there, and I suspect he moved on out as a result.

    ^ -joins RLSH-
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