Real Life Superheroes

The world has always had superheroes, revealed especially after 9/11. After all, who hasn't heard of your friendly neighborhood fireman, policeman or paramedic? This article, however, isn't about them. Today I want to talk about the men and women who dress up in colorful (or not so colorful) outfits and go out and patrol the streets without the sanction of city, state or federal governments. Today I want to talk about the Real Life Superheroes.

Real Life Superheroes are men and women who dress up like their comic book namesakes. At times they have been given the distinction by the local news or by people they've helped. Other times they've given the title to themselves. Real Life Superheroes, inspired by the adventures of the comic book variation take to streets when they can, out to help those who need help.

They are not always on the lookout for a fight. Many Real Life Superheroes only get involved in stopping an individual crime if someone's life is in danger. Often they report crime to the local police and perform community outreach tasks such as helping the homeless or escorting defenseless women home. One RLSH, known as "SuperBarrio," based in Mexico City, rarely uses violence at all. Instead he is known for organizing protests and filing petitions.

In fact, one thing that can be gained from Real Life Superheroes is that it's not necessary to punch out a bad guy to be a hero. In Washington DC, a heroine named Metrowoman uses her superhero costume to let the public know the benefits of mass transit and public transportation. The aptly named "Superhero" based out of Clearwater, FL provides roadside assistance in his Corvette Stingray, possibly the coolest form of rlsh transportation so far. Portland, Oregon's Zetaman gives food and clothing to that city's homeless population.

One thing we can learn from these crimefighters... they're not going away anytime soon. While so far there are only a limited number of real life superheroes operating in the United States and even fewer in Europe, we can be assured that in the years to come more will be revealed.