Does America need superheroes?

Since the introduction of modern superhero movies, the idea of a real-life superhero has been put into question, specifically whether a superhero could be effective in real life. In 2009, this question was answered with the emergence of several real-life superhero groups, such as the Rain City Superhero Movement and the Michigan Protectors. The individuals in the groups, such as “Animal,” “Phoenix Jones,” and “Reverb,” had already started their careers as early as 2009.

Although their introductions to their careers varied, they all shared one common goal: protecting their city for the greater good.

The superhero known as “Animal” began his career at the tail end of his high school years, donning his first outfit and embarking on his first endeavors. However, in his own words, “I would walk around at night imagining I was going to stop crime like Batman… but I quickly realized that wasn’t realistic.” So he changed focus to trash pickup and cleaning his city. It wouldn’t take long before he started his research and found other in-the-process superheroes in his area, leading him to his first group in the “Michigan Protectors.” This is where he found a new ally that he would stick with for the rest of his career in “Reverb” (formally known as “Venge”)

Phoenix Jones had a much different upbringing. Starting in 2009, he had a much more violent introduction, which would lead him to acquire a much more expensive costume and a much more violent brigade in the RCSM—with their AO in Seattle, Phoenix, and his team, had taken measures that led to larger fight breakups, chases, and multiple severe injuries that led to significant hospital bills. In fact, the bills cost more than his $10,000 suit.

With the introduction of these new superheroes, so too came the scrutiny they received. The criticism had come in multiple forms, whether it was a laugh from a passing driver or groups of people surrounding them and publicly showing their disgust. In fact, multiple news sites sought interviews with these superheroes in order to pluck out information they had been looking for.

However, with the introduction of these modern superheroes, we have people crossing the line into vigilantism. We see examples of this in Bee Sting and Petoskey Batman, who both faced criminal charges for attempting to stop crime in place of legal law enforcement. While some heroes get in trouble with the law for bringing weapons to crime scenes, others get in trouble with the law for more extreme reasons.

In operations involving superheroes, it is key to understand the boundaries of your work, and when you do not, you may end up in a case like “Bee Sting” or “Petoskey Batman.” Some can end up in simple misunderstandings, such as Petoskey Batman, with him trespassing and carrying a skin-irritant, which in Michigan counted as carrying a dangerous weapon. In “Bee Sting’s” early career with the Michigan Protectors, “Animal” had seen the capabilities that “Bee Sting” had, being that he had military experience. This would backfire horribly, as on patrol, he carried a shotgun. Members of the Michigan Protectors saw this behavior as threatening, and soon “Bee Sting” would be turned over to the police for attempted assault with a weapon.

In the case of Phoenix Jones, the downfall rose slowly, with many disagreeing with how he handled situations, such as using pepper spray and his baton. However, the breaking point would come in 2020, when he was caught by undercover police while trying to make a drug deal with a client, thus ending his career.

Throughout these many stories, we gain insight into whether superheroes would be necessary, or even welcomed, in America. While some heroes, like the animal and reverb, we see promise and hope for people who wish to help their community. However, we see examples in people like Bee-Sting and Phoenix Jones of the dark path that fame can lead someone down.