Real-life superhero Phoenix Jones breaks up car theft in Seattle suburb
Thursday, January 6th, 2011 at 5:17 pm Category: NewsCitizens in Lynnwood, Washington are protected by a masked figure, wearing a rubber cowl, bullet proof vest and carrying a taser-baton: Phoenix Jones.
Lynwood is a sleepy little burg of 35,000, north of Seattle, nestled between the Puget sound and Interstate 5– an unlikely place as any for a superhero, but Jones prowls the streets on most nights looking for crimes to stop. His mission? Jones says “When I walk into a neighborhood, criminals leave because they see the suit. I symbolize that the average person doesn’t have to walk around and see bad things and do nothing.”
Rather than changing in a phone booth, Jones emerges every night from a secret room in the back of a comic book store. His constant vigil was much less Kick-Ass and more Stan Lee’s Who Wants to be a Superhero? until last week when Jones interrupted an attempted car-jacking. See the news video from Seattle, via CNN, here:
Jones is a part of the burgeoning Real Life Superhero movement, and despite being warned by Seattle police to not get involved and just dial 911 instead, continues his lonesome vigil. Actually, it’s not so lonesome: Seattle, it seems, is busting with superheroes like “Buster Doe,” “The Green Reaper,” “Thorn,” “No Name, “Gemini,” “Catastrophe,” “Penelope” and “Thunder 88.” They call themselves the Rain City Superheroes.
I salute them, I salute Jones’ actions, and am glad people like him are around. We need more folks who stand up for their convictions and act on them (says the blogger from the comfort of his chair).
But what does everyone else think? Someone might eventually get killed. Is this a type of movement we should embrace, or is it best left to comic books and movies?
Responses to “Real-life superhero Phoenix Jones breaks up car theft in Seattle suburb”
I think it’s great! They are the gap between police and regular citizens. Often people afraid to give information to police, worry about backfired. But with super heroes, people will not have to worry about police bureaucracy and give super heroes tips/information instead. Great job! ^_^
This is a great movement, i cant believe it hasnt been done earlier tbh. i have however heard of some ppl pretending to be super villains which to me ruins the point of what these ppl are trying to do.
It takes courage to go out there and do brave and selfless acts, a true selfless act, which is void of any reputation or benefit to the person undertaking it.
Of course people are going to think he’s insane etc., but those people are what’s wrong with the world today, they do nothing when something needs to be done.
Maybe one day, I might join Phoenix Jones… Or perhaps I’ll just stick to an equally rewarding and less dangerous pursuit *shrug*
We should embrace these people, they do what other’s won’t, help other people. Yes one of them may get seriously injured or even killed in their line of duty, but at least they help. Fuck maybe I’ll join these Rainy City Superheroes!
Hi im ash and im gay for superheroes.
I feel safer because of him. I hope he stays forever. He’s someone everyone needs to look up to! I’m a 15 yr old girl that is proud of what he does. There are so many druggies even in my school at my age. It’s terrible! THANKS PHOENIX JONES! I wish you all the best of luck!
Sorry to be the dissenting opinion, but this guy’s an idiot. I don’t even want to get into the fact that vigilante actions are illegal since comics have already done that for us more than once.
I won’t say he isn’t brave, or even admirable, but he’s still an idiot. He’s going to get himself hurt or killed for starters. Worse yet, he easily could have gotten the carjacking victim hurt or killed as well. Not mention any other bystanders.
There you have a realistic reason it’s idiotic. Matt H. broached a more extreme reason above. Superheroes create supervillains all the time in comics. Do we really think people will want to become “supervillains” instead of just criminals on their own? No, but they might do it if it gets them the same attention as the “heroes” are getting. Remember, the Joker and Batman define one another. There would be no clown without the bat.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Hew Leith, Rick Todd, B., DJ Semo, Rob Pech and others. Rob Pech said: YES! Finally a REAL vigilante hero stopping crime http://www.bigshinyrobot.com/reviews/archives/20360 [...]
[...] Jones is a part of the burgeoning Real Life Superhero movement, and despite being warned by Seattle police to not get involved and just dial 911 instead, continues his lonesome vigil. Actually, it’s not so lonesome: Seattle, it seems, is busting with superheroes like “Buster Doe,” “The Green Reaper,” “Thorn,” “No Name, “Gemini,” “Catastrophe,” “Penelope” and “Thunder 88.” They call themselves the Rain City Superheroes.-BSR [...]
We need a Punisher in every American city.