"Super"Man
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
I've met Phoenix Jones. He doesn't wear a suit of body armor on patrols. I don't know anyone who does that.
To clarify, I am one of these "real-life superheroes," and I think these films are a slander to the inspiration that our costumes are supposed to inspire.
Most of us don't even like the word "superhero." Superheroes aren't real. A more acurrate term would be "citizen hero" or "costumed activist." The latter might not fit because any serious RLSH will tell you that more than half the work we do is out of costume/gimmick.
Every RLSH has their own goals and mission statements. No two are exactly alike. I for one do a variety of work: charity, volunteering, first response, search and rescue, counseling, missing persons, and safety patrols. If I see a crime, I report it.
PHYSICAL INTERVENTION IS A LAST RESORT. I'm a pacifist. That isn't to say that I would never raise my fist if it meant saving someone. In fact, I made a vow that the only time I'll ever commit an act of violence is so that I might save someone's life, and only when every other response has been attempted and failed. I believe any act of violence, defensive or not, is a failure.
We don't fight crime. Nobody fights crime because it is impossible to stop crime. If it were possible to do it then someone would've done it by now. I've prevented crime, investigated crime, and reported crimes in progress. I once stopped a shoplifter from making off with over $200 worth of merchandise, but no fists were thrown (and that was before I ever donned a costume). We act as eyes and ears for the real heroes, the cops. We are NOT the hammer.
Movies like Kick-ass and Super are so not like the RLSH community at all. The most accurate portrayal of RLSH I've seen in film is Defendor, and even that has its shortcomings. All these films do is marginalize our efforts.
If you want to see a true-to-the-source movie about real costumed activists then I'd recommend Michael Barnett's documentary "Superheroes."
Will I see "Super"? Yeah. I like Ellen Page. Were there parts of "Kick-Ass" that I liked? "The three assholes, laying into one guy while everybody else watches? And you wanna know what's wrong with me? Yeah, I'd rather die... so bring it on!" Yeah, there were parts I like. As a whole, though, I think it was poorly handled.
Standing up for what is right, helping others, and saving lives. To me, that is what the RLSH philosophy is about. NOT clubbing people you disagree with. That's just sadism.
To clarify, I am one of these "real-life superheroes," and I think these films are a slander to the inspiration that our costumes are supposed to inspire.
Most of us don't even like the word "superhero." Superheroes aren't real. A more acurrate term would be "citizen hero" or "costumed activist." The latter might not fit because any serious RLSH will tell you that more than half the work we do is out of costume/gimmick.
Every RLSH has their own goals and mission statements. No two are exactly alike. I for one do a variety of work: charity, volunteering, first response, search and rescue, counseling, missing persons, and safety patrols. If I see a crime, I report it.
PHYSICAL INTERVENTION IS A LAST RESORT. I'm a pacifist. That isn't to say that I would never raise my fist if it meant saving someone. In fact, I made a vow that the only time I'll ever commit an act of violence is so that I might save someone's life, and only when every other response has been attempted and failed. I believe any act of violence, defensive or not, is a failure.
We don't fight crime. Nobody fights crime because it is impossible to stop crime. If it were possible to do it then someone would've done it by now. I've prevented crime, investigated crime, and reported crimes in progress. I once stopped a shoplifter from making off with over $200 worth of merchandise, but no fists were thrown (and that was before I ever donned a costume). We act as eyes and ears for the real heroes, the cops. We are NOT the hammer.
Movies like Kick-ass and Super are so not like the RLSH community at all. The most accurate portrayal of RLSH I've seen in film is Defendor, and even that has its shortcomings. All these films do is marginalize our efforts.
If you want to see a true-to-the-source movie about real costumed activists then I'd recommend Michael Barnett's documentary "Superheroes."
Will I see "Super"? Yeah. I like Ellen Page. Were there parts of "Kick-Ass" that I liked? "The three assholes, laying into one guy while everybody else watches? And you wanna know what's wrong with me? Yeah, I'd rather die... so bring it on!" Yeah, there were parts I like. As a whole, though, I think it was poorly handled.
Standing up for what is right, helping others, and saving lives. To me, that is what the RLSH philosophy is about. NOT clubbing people you disagree with. That's just sadism.
It is a crime against God and man that the Specials is not the best selling super hero movie DVD ever.
That is all.
That is all.
I recently saw the preview clip where Wilson's character bashes the random cutting jerk's skull in and I kind of lose any interest I had in the film. For some reason when I first heard about this I figured it was going to be lite and funny and saying, ooh look a clip, and finding out the truth was semi-disturbing to me.
Obviously not a film for me.
Obviously not a film for me.
Can you explain to me how RLSH is better than joining and serving faithfully in a Police department? You get more authority over civilians, more money, and more tools to help you with your job. You also get more freedoms in jurisdiction when compared to a citizen's rights in things like preventing crimes. The only thing you don't get is fame, which isn't really a selfless thing to want...Icarus_Inferno said:
I'm not saying I'm right, I'm saying this is what I can understand in my limited knowledge and I'm asking you to explain.
EDIT: Also, welcome to The Escapist! The guy writing this is MovieBob, he does our movie reviews and hates Halo. I don't know if you are a gamer, but even if you aren't we definitely have some interesting articles and hilarious people!
I'm a fan of Gunn's work. From Slither, to Humanzee and PG Porn in between. His sick sense of humor is down my isle, and I love it.
I've been following James Gunn on Twitter and, when he first announced 'Super', I got excited by what he was saying.
Looking at something like 'Kick Ass', there's still a lack of realism in what's being told in the story (made evident with the minigun-toting jetpack).
However, 'Super' looks to be even more 'based-in-reality'. And, with Gunn's humor behind it, it'll be a winner in my books.
I've been following James Gunn on Twitter and, when he first announced 'Super', I got excited by what he was saying.
Looking at something like 'Kick Ass', there's still a lack of realism in what's being told in the story (made evident with the minigun-toting jetpack).
However, 'Super' looks to be even more 'based-in-reality'. And, with Gunn's humor behind it, it'll be a winner in my books.
Interesting, glad the "hero" isn't a teenager, that one was getting a bit old.
Theres is only so much childish moaning and bad sexually charged scenes an adult can take
Theres is only so much childish moaning and bad sexually charged scenes an adult can take
Sounds like this isn't a super hero movie at all. Aside from the tangential use of colorful costumes the characters aren't heroic?
"Missing the point" has been my new favorite phrase this last couple of years and stuff like this is why. Super Heros have never been about meeting out punishment based on black and white moralism.
Don't believe me? Take a look at heros from mythology like Hercules and Thor. They aren't perfect in fact they are very boisterous and obnoxious most of the time. Their heroic quality comes from them using their powers to vanquish equally powerful forces that would destroy humanity. Hercules fights colossal monsters and Thor fights the elements themselves(represented as giants).
Why does that matter? because a heros job isn't to directly interfere with the day to day lives of normal citizens. It is to take action against forces beyond what the average person can handle and even then there needs to be a sense restraint. Stop the aggressor and then stop yourself and let people act for themselves.
Maybe that's the point this movie is trying to make? Ill need to go see it then.
"Missing the point" has been my new favorite phrase this last couple of years and stuff like this is why. Super Heros have never been about meeting out punishment based on black and white moralism.
Don't believe me? Take a look at heros from mythology like Hercules and Thor. They aren't perfect in fact they are very boisterous and obnoxious most of the time. Their heroic quality comes from them using their powers to vanquish equally powerful forces that would destroy humanity. Hercules fights colossal monsters and Thor fights the elements themselves(represented as giants).
Why does that matter? because a heros job isn't to directly interfere with the day to day lives of normal citizens. It is to take action against forces beyond what the average person can handle and even then there needs to be a sense restraint. Stop the aggressor and then stop yourself and let people act for themselves.
Maybe that's the point this movie is trying to make? Ill need to go see it then.
Ashoten said:
I think that's the point -- not that they aren't heroic, but that they (or at least, the Bolt) IS heroic. To himself. To others?... maybe not so much.
He IS fighting those that average citizens can't -- or won't.
I don't know. I'm going to have to see this movie. I could go on at great length about the Bolt's motivations and mindset but I'd just be going on about my impression of Bob's impression, and I don't think that's fair, and probably a fair shake of self-projection too. Maybe I'm nuts too, but I can understand completely how Bolt could see someone cut in line and decide that they are unquestionably a bad person. It's not the cutting in line, it's all the other things you don't see -- the lack of caring for others, the self-absorbed, self-centered, obnoxious rudeness -- that makes them a bad person. They take advantage because they can, because they know everybody else is a good person, because nobody will stop their endless small transgressions -- everybody else doesn't want to offend, doesn't want to confront, doesn't want to cause a commotion. Everybody else would rather be taken advantage of than rock the boat, than invite conflict.
Now, I'm a nonviolent person, and I do not enjoy conflict. After that tirade I feel I'm coming off as a bit less than stable. Just to clear things up, I have not and have no intentions of ever violently destroying the bad elements of society.
My point is simply this. What else is a hero if not someone who does good when others are afraid to? Are unwilling to? That sounds exactly like what the Bolt is doing.. though in the end it doesn't turn out to be the sort of good anybody wants.
I thought about enrolling in the police force once. I told my friends what I was planning on doing, and 100% of them told me not to. They all said that I was too nice.cairocat said:
I was insulted at first, but I eventually took that advice to heart. I've decided to go to school to become an EMT.
And I don't have fame, nor do I want it. That's the point of wearing a mask: nobody knows who you are. I believe I mentioned that I do most of my rescues out of costume.
And thank you for the welcome. I've been on for a while now. This is my second account which I made specifically to reply to this article.
If you really, really, really want to find out what my secret identity is, then it wouldn't be that hard. IP' aside I'm sure you could figure it out with enough google-fu.cairocat said:
I'm more worried about crazy, small-minded locals. I know someone found out where Zetaman lived once. This person went to his home, at night, with a knife, and slashed Zeta's tires. This scared the poo outta me, because something far far worse could've happened.
Since then I've tried to be more careful. When I saw MovieBob's article about "Super," and how he was comparing it to the RLSH, I weighed in the risks and decided that I ought to stand up and say something.
"Super" isn't about heroism. Does Bolt do anything heroic?
I have a partner of mine who used to be a real vigilante. He was in a group that decided to take the law into their own hands and stop the rapists, dealers and pimps in their neighborhood. They figured once they stopped all the crime and it was all over that they'd turn themselves into the police.
Do you see any flaws in that logic? It could never possibly be over. Sure they stopped a lot of gangs and crimes, but there's always going to be crime. It won't ever stop. And yeah, I'm sure you guessed it, they didn't stop. A lot of them ended up being criminals themselves.
The partner I mentioned above realized what was happening and did everything he could to break up the group. Why? Because he knew that was what Batman would do. Batman wouldn't tolerate vigilantes that were just as bad as the criminals he'd sworn to put away.
So most of the former group he was in are either missing, in jail, or are carefully being watched.
And now my friend is studying to become a criminal profiler. He's really pretty good at it, too.
But as I was saying, what bothers me most about movies like these is the affect it has on the public's understanding of real heroism. It is one thing to stand up for what is right, and another thing to kill people you disagree with. If someone sees me in my regalia, will they think I'm someone that is trustworthy and helpful, or some disturbed fool out for blood?
And yes, I understand that the costumes and masks are ultimately useless. I'll probably give them up entirely at some point. But I remember something Thanatos told me once.
"I'd been doing this work for decades, and nobody ever noticed or remembered. When I started wearing a mask, people started noticing."
Or something like that. I hope that people will start noticing that something is very wrong with the world. People are suffering, resources are running out, and the systems we've depended on for government and education are failing. People like me shouldn't exist. The world deserves better.
Sorry for the lengthy reply, but I like the questions you ask. It means you're using your brain
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