Real-Life Superheroes: They Actually Exist?!
What makes someone a hero?
Everyday you probably interact with or see someone that could be called a hero. Maybe they are a firefighter, police officer, paramedic, veteran or an active military member. However, you don’t need to put your life on the line to be a hero. A hero can be anyone who helps you in life in any way. Whether that is a teacher, coworker, parent, friend or stranger - anyone can be a hero in their own right to someone. So undoubtedly, heroes do exist. Then the question is what makes them super?
What makes someone a Real-Life 'Super'hero?
The term ‘Real-Life Superheroes’ (RLSH) may be a bit over-the-top for what most people think of superheroes. For most people, you think of characters who can fly, shoot laser out of their eyes and have enormous amounts of strength - like Superman. These people aren’t real and probably never will be. However, there are characters like Hawkeye, Black Widow, Batman, Robin, etc. who are considered superheroes but in most iterations are just highly skilled regular humans who are trying to do good. Those characters may not be real but the things they are and can do are possible. This is somewhat where RLSH exist.
RLSH may not be highly skilled trained professionals, though some are and dedicate a lot of time to their efforts, but they are normal regular humans who use their free time to do good. Most operate like a neighborhood watch just with a flashy costume or name to add to the experience. They go around making sure people get home safe and potentially giving out food and needs to the homeless. In most serious circumstances - if they happen across one - they just stand back, call 911 and perform basic first aid, CPR, etc. until first responders arrive. However, there are a few who go the extra-mile which falls into vigilantism.
Some people will go out with bulletproof vests, cut restraint costumes and sometimes homemade weapons - that may be illegal - looking for crime to stop. This is where RLSH come into some controversy with the public and especially police. Realistically, you won’t be going out everyday and saving the world from some huge threat. Plus, actively looking for crime will only get you in more trouble than you’d be able to handle eventually - especially if you’re on your own. However, some people aren’t on their own. There is actually a lot of groups or organizations with an actual structure, rules and accountability out there. Some even have great relationships with their local police and have been known to help with investigations.
The HIStory of Superheroes in real life
Captain Sticky and Superbarrio Gómez are considered to be two of the first RLSH. In 1970, a businessman named Richard Pesta took up the mantle of Captain Sticky. He was an activist that stood against shady businesses in a peanut butter and jelly themed costume as well as a car named the Sticky-mobile. Superbarrio Gómez, whos public identity is unconfirmed, started in 1997 as he donned red tights plus a red and yellow mask to organize labor rallies, protest, and file petitions to prevent families from being evicted. These people just used the names and costumes to get publicity to help out with their causes.
Captain Sticky with his Sticky-mobile.
CREDIT: Unknown
However, in the mid 2000s, along with the rise of the internet and comic book movies becoming mainstream, the community began to grow. A whole online subculture started that lead to more people creating their own heroic personas and groups. In 2010, the most popular and mainstream RLSH showed up on the scene. His name was Phoenix Jones, real name Benjamin Fodor. He was inspired to don a mask after his car was broken into and asked someone to call 911, as someone who was recording the incident refused to because it would ruin his video. This frustrated Ben and in another incident, when his friend was seriously assaulted, he supposedly ran to his car to get his phone where he found the mask of the person who robbed his car. He put on the mask, tracked won the assaulter and held him until police arrived.
Ben Fodor was not an ordinary person though, for he was a World Series of Fighting (WSOF) fighter and practiced mixed martial arts. His costume eventually was a custom built one, with bullet and stab resistant material, that was black with gold accents. He would eventually go on to form the Rain City Superhero Movement in Seattle, Washington where he operated. This was a group he lead, along with his wife, Purple Reign, that had strict rules and regulations. They had certain requirements to join, a command system when out in the field and would film and post their patrols online. He even had his own villain, named Rex Velvet, who was actually an actor called Ryan Cory. He wasn’t an actual villain but used social media and videos to mock Phoenix.
Phoenix Jones and Purple Reign.
CREDIT: Unknown
Phoenix and his wife got so popular they were on the news, tv shows and began to get a following on social media. Plus, even though originally his relationship with his local police wasn’t great, they even began to work together on some things. However, Phoenix is unfortunately a tale of how “if you don’t die a hero, you live long enough to become a villain.” Potentially due to head injuries while fighting, unchecked mental illness or just stress related to the backlash and receptions he’s gotten for some of his actions - he had a hard fall from grace.
In May of 2011, he was accused of pepper spraying a group, who he believed was fighting, but avoided criminal charges. Then in October of the same year, in another pepper spray incident, he was arrested on assault charges where in court he had to reveal his identity. In 2012, he fought a man who agreed to mutual combat on the street, which is legal in in Seattle, that was supervised by police. Plus, over the years he insulted much of the RLSH community for essentially being push-overs and not actually helping their cities. People close to him saw his behavior change and become more erratic. His wife left him, his group disbanded and then in January of 2020, he was arrested for selling MDMA and cocaine to an undercover police officer. He slowly became the thing he fought against.
THE FUTURE OF THE RLSH MOVEMENT
With Phoenix being the face for the public for RLSH, his actions really slowed down and hurt the RLSH movement in the public eye. His nemesis, Rex Velvet, even expressed how sad it was to see him fall like this even though he was against him. Ever since the fall of Phoenix Jones, there has yet to be a new mainstream face like he was for the movement. However, many groups and people still exist to this day. Some people think it’s silly and goofy to wear a costume. Some people think its dangerous and gets in the way of police or people actually trying to help. However, no matter what you think, in most cases, these are just people trying to find ways to help their communities and what they believe in.
Should they go unchecked and have free reign? No. Just like everyone, they should have to follow the law and help out in reasonable ways. Which most people do. They just like the costume to bring people smiles, bring more attention to them or let their good deeds be anonymous. As with everything, their will of course be people who take it to extremes, like Phoenix Jones, who probably shouldn’t be doing what they do. However, does it really hurt if someone is wearing something they created to do good? Personally, I don’t think so and these people should stay passionate about wanting to help, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Thank you for reading, stay happy and healthy.
