BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?

Subject: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Wesley S
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:21 PM

The current Superman thread got me to wondering about costumed crimefighters in general. Has anyone heard or read of anyone in real life attempting to actually be a vigilante type? With all of the folks in the world who are a little "off-kilter" I'm surprised we haven't heard of someone dressing up and trying to apprehend criminals on their own.

Or maybe they have and were blown away for their efforts early in their career. I can't imagine someone lasting very long if they tried to be a real life Zorro, Batman, or Green Arrow.

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: MMario
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:22 PM

Wes - are you saying Batman, Zorro and Green Arrow aren't real?

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Peace
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:24 PM

Mr Silent

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Peace
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:26 PM

These guys and gals . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Peace
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:28 PM

. . . and this guy.

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: bobad
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:29 PM

The Guardian Angels

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Troll
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:34 PM

The Klan comes to mind. (To them - the original Klan - the reconstruction was criminal)

There have been various vigalante groups that dressed in disguises to shield their identities as they righted percieved wrongs ala Zorro and, of course, the Militias.

And, naturally, we can't forget the FBI in their dark suits and shades.

troll

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Amos
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:39 PM

I really like the Mister Silent bit! And I think the Red Berets are a brilliant innovation and deserve support.

Thanks!


A

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 04:58 PM

There's The Shusher, who fights library noise where ever it is found.

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: ClaireBear
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:13 PM

Took me awhile to retrieve this superhero from the dusty recesses of my brain, not to mention the dusty recesses of my e-mail archives (and still longer to find a live link with a photo so you could see the adorable costume).

That being done, I proudly present Angle-Grinder Man!

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Peace
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:16 PM

LOL. I think the link is cool, but the lead-up to it written by CB is great. I am in stitches here. LOLOL.

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: ClaireBear
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:30 PM

Funny it is indeed, but after I posted the link the pop-ups started coming, so my recommendation is DON'T click it! Here's another one that has not quite so good a photo, but is mercifully free of such annoyances: blicky

Cheers,
Claire

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Troll
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:38 PM

I've had some limited experiences with the Guardian Angels and found them (at least the ones I come in contact with) to be a group of highly egotistical goons who didn't hesitate to take the law into their own hands.

I'll be glad to share if anyone wants to pm me. I just don't want to do that much typing right now.

troll

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:44 PM

And there's always--in a never-ending battle against tarists--THE DECIDER!

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Troll
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:46 PM

What are tarists?

troll

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 05:48 PM

There is the IRA.

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Don Firth
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 06:16 PM

One "Conan The Barbarian" movie too many.

About fifteen years ago, there was a guy wandering around Seattle who was pretty striking. I don't know whether or not he was a crime fighter, and there is some doubt in my mind that he could be considered "costurmed," considering the fact that he went around bare-chested, and didn't wear much else, other than leather pants, or in warmer weather, a loincloth, along with bits of leather, such as armbands with studs on them. He was a big guy, and he was in great shape:   shoulders about as wide as two people, massive pecs, arms as big as most people's thighs and thighs like tree-trunks. He could give Arnie a run for his money. Very impressive looking guy!

But there were a couple of problems. First, Seattle is very nice in the summer, and it does occasionally get up into the eighties and nineties, but a lot of times it can get pretty chilly, not to mention it's well-known penchant for rain (being the meteorological garbage-dump of the entire North Pacific). A lot of the time, he must have been freezing his butt off for the sake of his image.

Second, he carried a genuine broadsword in a scabbard on his back (sort of like a back-pack) where he could draw it very quickly by simple reaching over his shoulder and grasping the hilt, which would leave him in a position for a fearsome downward log-splitting or beheading chop. It was one big, heavy damned sword! This made a lot of folks nervous, and eventually the police picked him up and pointed out to him that if someone could be busted for carrying a switchblade, he could sure as hell be busted for carrying something that made Excalibur look like a pen knife. This, along with the fact that most of the time he went around damn near bare-assed, and this also upset a lot of people, and quite possibly broke a few laws. Dunno what ever happened to him, but after a few months, he disappeared.

THIS is the look he was going for, and he made it.

Or MAYBE. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: GUEST,Rapaire
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 07:52 PM

Well, there's always...Conan!!!

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: bobad
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 07:57 PM

And of course...Ahnold

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Peace
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 08:08 PM

Ya want the facts, here they are. The one, the only . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 10:04 PM

Yes, Peace! That's the costumed crime-fighting superhero to end all superheroes!

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Matt_R
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 02:04 AM

The greatest real-life costumed crimefighter is England's own Angle-grinder Man. I've been a fan of his for several years now.

The man himself


The legend

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: John O'L
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 03:26 AM

Manilowman

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 12:53 PM

Captain Beany

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: gnu
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:26 PM

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Peace - PM
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 08:08 PM

Ya want the facts, here they are. The one, the only . . . .

Cannot be displayed man?

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:33 PM

Some may remember in Nottingham, England in the late early 70's there was a group of men who used to visit the families from hell and suggest to them that they curtail their violence and antagonism in certain communities. Not sure if the Police knew about them and ignored what happened or had no idea but the vigilante group was successful in quelling certain behaviours on downtown estates in the city...It may have been unlawful but it worked to a large degree. Are we for or against this sort of activity?

Subject: RE: BS: A real life costumed crimefighter?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 02:16 AM

I don't think this is the standard costume, but:

Hero to some?

John