In part of our ongoing series exploring the reasons behind the costumes and the various things you should keep in mind when designing a costume, we bring you this article discussing the superhero chevron.

The Chevron

One of the most defining features of a superhero’s costume is the chevron. A chevron is that triangular symbol you see on Superman’s chest, the logo that’s projected onto the sky when Gotham needs Batman, and that little ornament that crowns the hood of every Mercedes Benz. A chevron is a brand and for Mercedes, they hope that brand represents a beautiful car. For a superhero, we hope that brand represents a beautiful cause.

That’s why designing a cool chevron can be one of the most important forms of identity for a superhero. The Superheroes Anonymous logo was designed before the project even began. That logo can now be seen on business cards, flags, pins, banners, paintings and even carved into a podium. A chevron allows for something to be immediately branded and creates a unique sense of ownership and it’s important for any Real Life Superhero to have.

Here are the three S’s that make for an effective chevron (or logo):

• Self-contained
  The image should be self-contained and easily reproducible in multiple formats. For example, the logo should be relatively equal in diameter since if its dimensions are too disproportionate, it will be harder to translate across any medium.
• Simple
  Superman was onto something with his simple yet creative use of the letter “S.” The simpler the image, the more likely it is to be memorable. If a chevron is too busy, it will be hard to recreate and hard to remember.
• Symbolic
  Don’t let the symbolism of your superhero be lost in translation. Make sure your chevron accurately reflects your superhero persona. Don’t just go with the coolest drawing you can think of. If your mission is homeless outreach, don’t you think a skull and crossbones might be inappropriate?

Though following the rules of the three S’s is the easiest way to ensure a good chevron, they don’t need to be followed to a T. As we said above, creativity is essential in creating your superhero persona. Feel free to experiment and try out several different variations and go with what your gut tells you.

In part of our ongoing series exploring the reasons behind the costumes and the various things you should keep in mind when designing a costume, we bring you this article discussing the balance between Functionality and Flair.

Functionality vs. Flair

Real Life Superhero Citizen Prime

The superhero Citizen Prime spent over $8,000 on designing a costume that is bullet-proof, stab-proof, fire-proof and pretty much everything-proof. However, while one might think that his costume is an exercise in functionality, it actually is better categorized as an exercise in flair. This is because Citizen Prime doesn’t actually fight crime. Rather, he focuses on inspiring kids, volunteering in his community and raising money for causes. So why would he spend so much money on creating such a protective costume? Because it looks awesome!

Functionality and flair are both important characteristics for a costume to have, but depending on what kind of superhero you are trying to be you will either lean one way or the other. Civitron has a bright costume that incorporates the colors red, blue, yellow and black. He also wears a sleek pair of shades, combat boots and silvery armbands. While he has never needed to block a punch with his armbands, they do add a touch of detail to his costume thereby making it more eye-catching. For Civitron, who is more of a volunteer superhero, having a bright, colorful and cool costume helps him draw attention to his causes.

On the other hand, a superhero like Dark Guardian wears a full body leather motorcycle suit on top of a bullet proof vest, arm bands and knee pads. He also has a belt equipped with mace, a flashlight, first aid materials and other crime-fighting tools. The only two colors in his costume are red and black. This is because he doesn’t want the drug dealers he’s busting to spot him from a mile away. Though his costume isn’t as visually impressive as someone like Citizen Prime’s, it’s much more effective for what he does since it is not weighed down with unnecessary features such as fire-proof helmets.

As part of our ongoing series exploring the purpose of the superhero costume in do-gooding efforts, we bring you this issue on functionality. Aside from needing to look good, a superhero costume must be functional and this article will give you some of the basics to take into consideration when choosing your outfit.

Functionality

The cape has been a staple of the superhero costume, but functionality-wise it serves no purpose.

If symbolism explains the abstract purpose of the costume, functionality explains its practical purpose. Functionality refers to how your costume directly aids you in your missions. For crime-fighting superheroes, your costume may play a vital role in ensuring the success of your efforts: bullet-proof vests protect you from harm; masks conceal your identity; pockets and pouches can hold your gadgets.

Functionality should be taken into account for all superheroes, not just crime-fighters. This can range from making sure the material that you use in your costume is strong and flexible, to simply avoiding heavy fabrics if you live in a hot area.

Additionally, if you are involved in activities such as street outreach, making sure that you have pouches or a bag to hold supplies in is one of the simplest expressions of functionality.

The bottom line: practicality must always be taken into consideration when designing your costume.

Keep in mind that certain aspects of the classic superhero costume don’t quite translate all that well into the real world. Capes, for instance, more than any other accessory embodies the image of a superhero, but Real Life Superheroes have consistently run into problems when trying to incorporate the cape as part of their costume. Capes can be unwieldy, annoying, and even dangerous as they run the risk of getting stuck in escalators, caught in doors, or stepped on – by you or someone else.

So, for functionality purposes, the cape is almost entirely useless. But for symbolic purposes, the cape remains a very desirable accessory – precisely because it immediately evokes the classic image of the superhero. That’s why capes still remain popular additions to costumes of Real Life Superheroes involved in volunteerism, homeless outreach, and, especially, public speaking. In fact, the symbolism of the cape in making the superhero can be so strong that the cape alone can identify someone as a superhero, which is why we highly recommend making it a part of your costume if you are involved in any non-crimefighting activities and need that extra bit of superhero seasoning.

The following article was written by our contributing writer Captain Black. Cpt Black promotes crime prevention and self-development. Check him out at http://www.captblack.info/

The group that the media calls real life superheroes ( RLSHs ) offer a “super” lifestyle for everyday people. Garish uniforms, colorful names and brilliant ideals inspire folks to step outside the ordinary. These steps can lead to involvement in crime prevention; combating hunger or promoting limitless worthy causes. Super lifestyles aren’t the exclusive province of so-called real life superheroes. Activists across the political spectrum and creative professionals use innovation and inspiration to enhance message impact.

Being “super” is a habit. Done consistently “super” persons routinely touch other lives. They reach out by first reaching within. This rationale prompts leaving personal comfort zones to create “super” people. This lifestyle doesn’t have one vocation or religion. Anyone, anywhere can do it. The price of admission is paying attention to potential opportunities to serve society. Instead of observing problems without taking action “super” people take ownership for providing solutions. Resolving matters for others becomes equal to resolution done for personal benefit. “Super” people are bridges to greater civic involvement. Their example prompts observers to get involved. They often shame skeptics into listening to the better angels of their nature.

Steadfast skeptics dismiss being “super” as a pipe dream. They recite endless lists of charities filling the roll as proof that things never change for the better. They’re right in a way. The alphabet soup of relief agencies haven’t permanently ended crime or poverty. They have ended some crime and poverty. The “super” mindset commits us to eating elephant-sized problems one benevolent bite at a time. That’s why marketing is all important.

Real life superheroes are obvious drum majors for this lifestyle. The rest of the parade includes people from all walks of life. Casting the net narrowly under serves public mobilization. Publicity generated by RLSHs catalyzes citizens to creatively engage their sphere of influence.  Service is the end result of the ” super” choice. Location and occupation are secondary to simply assisting. More people going above and beyond the ordinary promotes sanity; increases safety and offers opportunity.

Our world is where folks give up; Our world is someplace people choose harm over help. Our world seems to have too many problems and too few solutions.

This same world can also be incrementally changed by the daily choice to be ” super. ” What are YOU waiting for?

NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development. http://www.captblack.info and http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nadraenzi

The "Guardians of the Gate" have prevented countless suicides

As part of our ongoing series where we look at the superheroes that surround us in our daily lives, we bring you this classic interview from Story Corp with Kerry Davis and Ken Hopper. Having worked on the Golden Gate Bridge for over 25 years, these two superheroes have saved as many lives as any superhero – all through the power of compassion. By speaking to people on the verge of jumping to their deaths, they have managed to prevent an enormous amount of suicides. Someone needs to buy these guys a cape, because they are true superheroes.

Listen to their interview HERE:  StoryCorps »  Stories » Ken Hopper and Kerry Davis

From NPR:

For 25 years, ironworkers Kerry Davis and Ken Hopper have climbed around on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, where the tops of the towers rise 746 feet above the water below.

The job requires them to walk on a 3-foot-wide pipe, in the face of the wind and bad weather. But the pair says that’s not a drawback — they both love working in what Hopper calls “the world’s biggest jungle gym.”

For safety, Hopper and Davis wear full-body harnesses that are anchored to the bridge. But they also rely on one another.

“We have each other’s back,” Davis said. “We do all the stuff that nobody else wants to do.”

But those heights, and the bridge’s easy public access, also make the Golden Gate Bridge a destination for people contemplating suicide. And often, Davis and Hopper have been the first ones called to help when someone goes out over the safety rail.

Wearing their harnesses, they try to get close to the person and talk to him — or at times, just grab him to stop him from jumping.

“I’ve got to the point where I walk up to them,” Hopper said, “and I just flat-out say it: ‘You thinking about jumping off this bridge today?’ And I’ve had them truly answer, ‘Yeah.’ ”

It’s difficult to see people at that level of desperation, Hopper and Davis say — especially the ones who succeed in ending their lives. But thankfully, many of them do not.

“The majority of the time, we’ve been pretty successful,” Davis said. “I’d say we’ve gotten 90 percent of the people that we’ve gone out after.”

In particular, Davis recalls a San Francisco bartender who was considering leaping off the bridge after he couldn’t find a job. The two wound up having a conversation on the bridge, and the man came down safely.

“He was one of the guys who said, ‘Thank you,’ ” Davis said.

The men often have no idea what happens to the people who decide not to jump. But they’ve also gained some nicknames: “The Guardians of the Gate, or The Angels of the Gate,” Hopper said. “It was nice to hear.”

This is part of an ongoing series where we explore the reasons behind the Superhero costume. In this segment, we explore the symbolic importance to a Real Life Superhero’s costume:

Symbolism

Symbolism may be the most important feature of a superhero's costume

Perhaps the most universal reason that we wear the costume is for the symbolism. The costume allows us to be transformed into another person entirely – a superhero. By becoming this other identity, we can shed the weight of our past selves and start anew. In starting over, we are allowed to shape ourselves to represent a cause – and become a symbol for the world.

You’ll soon see that the effects of such a symbol are astounding. When handing out food to the homeless, or volunteering at a local shelter, you will find total strangers approaching you to ask what exactly it is that you are. People who would have otherwise gone on about their day without taking a moment to stop suddenly will engage in a conversation with a real life superhero!

“What do you mean, real life superhero?” they’ll ask. They’ll be giddy, want to know more, and, most importantly – they’ll want to know how they can help.

A Real Life Superhero stands out in a crowd of people like the Batmobile in a parking lot. People in society are so used to associating superheroes with the pages of comic books or the screens of movie theaters that when they see us walking among them, they react as though they have spotted the Loch Ness monster taking a stroll down the street. And this is ultimately where we draw some of our greatest power from as a superhero – the ability to draw attention to what it is we represent.

While no doubt a few will be incredulous and, perhaps, even hostile, far more often people will gasp in disbelief, choke back a torrent of hopeful tears, throw their arms around you and hug you tightly, repeating over and over again, “I knew superheroes were real!”

With this attention comes great responsibility. You should be prepared to not only inspire these people, but to also have outlets and materials that tell them how to get involved if they are interested.

But sometimes being that symbol also provides opportunities to help in addition to inspiring others. One particular story that comes to mind occurred during a road trip from New York to New Orleans for the second annual conference of Superheroes Anonymous.

On this trip, 10 superheroes piled into an R.V. and set off from New York, picking up superheroes all along the way to New Orleans. At every gas station and at every restaurant the superheroes would be dressed in full regalia, eliciting questions and stares in equal measure. However, while stopped in West Virginia to restock on snacks and to stretch our legs, we were flagged down by a woman across the streets who saw the banner on the R.V. which clearly read “SUPERHEROES ANONYMOUS.” At seeing this banner and then seeing a bunch of costumed superheroes idling around, she started to wave at us yelling “Are you guys really superheroes?!”

We crossed the street to talk to her and see what’s up, telling her “We are indeed superheroes. Real Life Superheroes to be exact.”

“Oh thank God!” she exclaimed before going on to explain. “I just moved in to this house behind me and there’s a wild squirrel inside. I’ve called animal control and the police but nobody has come to help!”

Well, she was in luck because not only did we help her remove the squirrel but we were also able to help her fix a hole in her fence as well so her dogs couldn’t escape. When all was said and done she hugged the superheroes and gave a tearful “farewell” and wished us a safe journey to New Orleans. She has kept in touch with us to this day.

The point of this story is that without the superhero costume, she never would have known that she could turn to us for help. In that way, wearing your superhero costume can turn you into a pillar on which people in need will lean.

By Ben Goldman

Photo courtesy of martinboz

Past & Press is a series that looks at some of the best and most positive press that the Real Life Superhero movement and Superheroes Anonymous has received. In February 2009, Russia Today wrote a very insightful and inspirational piece on Real Life Superheroes. The text below:

Real-Life Superheroes – out of the comics onto the streets

17 February, 2009, 20:02

There is a growing number of people serving their community. They dress and act like superheroes even though they don’t have any superpowers, they have one advantage over their comic-book idols, they are real!

Russia Today: Superheroes Out of the Comics and Into the Streets

These low-profile but visually arresting altruists go by such names as Fox Fire, Black Arrow, Polar Man, Civitron, and Knight Owl. They design their own costumes, ranging from outlandish all-in-one latex suits to motorcycle gear. They call themselves Real Life Superheroes, or Reals for short and they are united by a goal to make the world a better, safer place.

According to Chaim Lazaros, a film student by day and a Real-Life Superhero by the name of ‘Life’ by night, the movement is not entirely new: “We’ve seen several waves of activity among people calling themselves Real Life Superheroes for almost thirty years. I personally know some who have been doing it for twenty years. After the September 11 attacks and thanks to social networking sites on the internet there has been a resurgence of the superhero movement. There are currently about 250 active Reals all over the world.”

The enthusiasm for the US-based movement knows no borders and the causes the Reals adopt are as varied as the personas they assume. Super Barrio hails from Mexico where, rather than fight crime, he uses his image of red tights and matching wrestler’s mask to organise labour rallies, protests and file petitions. Ireland’s Captain Ozone conducts his environmental activism while dressed in a light blue body suit, complete with cape, while Canada’s Polar Man concerns himself with shovelling snow from the old people’s driveways, entertaining children and prowling the streets at nights keeping an eye out for vandals.

Ciaran Walsh for RT

Story Corp – LISTEN HERE!

Dr. Pedro “Joe” Greer has been practicing medicine for more than 25 years. He’s devoted most of that time to helping Miami’s homeless and poor — many of whom know him as simply “Dr. Joe.”

As he recently told his wife, Janus, Greer’s career headed in that direction early, when he was serving his internship and working in the intensive care unit of a Miami hospital. One patient was dying of tuberculosis.

“He had a little wristband that had his name, and it said ‘no address,’ ” Greer remembers. “I knew that this man had, at the very least, parents — maybe siblings, a spouse. And we went out to try and find his family.

“And what I saw was a little window into this world of poverty that existed in my backyard, that I didn’t even know was there. And then we went out under the bridges, started seeing patients on Tuesday nights.”

Dr Pedro Greer and his wife, Janus.

Story Corps is an “independent nonprofit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening.”

The project is brilliant and unprecedented, allowing anybody to interview somebody they know in a private interview booth. Sons interview fathers, teachers interview students, and in this case a wife interviews her husband – a Florida based Doctor – about how he got started helping the homeless.

The interview is heart-wrenching and gives you a glimpse into the mind of one of the many unsung heroes walking among us.

That’s why we’re beginning a new series where we will promote stories about Everyday Heroes in order to bring to light some of the invisible heroes of the world who too often go unnoticed.

So take a listen to the first in our series of Everyday Heroes.

Story Corp -Listen Here

The following is a profile of the prominent Real Life Superhero and a key figure of Superheroes Anonymous – Civitron! Most recently, Civitron organized and hosted the 3rd meeting of Superheroes Anonymous as well as having been an integral part of the past 2 meetings of SA.

Enjoy!

Civitron Profile – Superheroes Anonymous from beginnorth on Vimeo.