[SKRIVA] Superhjältar på USAs gator

From: Ahrvid Engholm <ahrvid@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "skriva@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <skriva@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2012 02:11:09 +0200
(Kopia av artikel jag postade på en utländsk lista. En mycket intressant 
dokumentär, på Kunskapskanalen. Länken skall funka i Sverige iaf, åtminstone 
ett tag till. Går nog också i ett par repriser på K-kanalen. Man blir helt 
fascinerad av fenomenet, att vuxna människor klär ut sig till superhjältar på 
riktigt... --AE)

This is incredible: a documentary about "real-life superheroes". It was shown 
on the Knowledge Channel om Swedish TV:



http://www.svtplay.se/video/343056/superheroes



(Don't know if the video is region locked. But chances are you in that 
case can find it elsewhere. Language English, Swedish subtitles.)

  It seems some people have read too many comics. I loved good old 
Superman as a kid, but I only fantasised about dressing in red, blue and
 yellow and sweping up the criminal trash of my innocent Stockholm 
suburb. Never did it - villains wouldn't have been too scared of a 
9-year-old in a pyjamas, anyway.

  But for some people this fantasy has become a *reality*.

  They borrow granny's sewing machine, make a fancy costume and invent a
 cool name. They tend to know some karate or something, buy a taser, get
 some pepper spray, or whatever a Batman-style utility belt needs - and 
start patrooling their city.

  A number of US cities have them: New York, San Diego, Orlando, others.
 It seems to be scores of them, and they often work in groups. One group
 is called XJL (Xtreme Justice League). Before seeing this documentary, I
 have heard of this phenomenon, with mixed reviews. Sometimes the 
"superheroes" seem to have helped people, but in at least once case the 
"hero" was himself charged for excessive violence (possibly with the 
intention to protect someone; I don't know).

  The police seems to be tolerant. In the film the "superheroes" (yes, 
we can follow them on their patrools) say "hi!" to officers who seem to 
be sympathetic. Some of the "heroes" seem to be local celebrities. 
Ordinary people approach them on the streets and seem happy to see them.

  What good they do, I can't say. They complain about the official 
police being very inefficient (which may be true - I believe it's true!)
 and that these "superhero" societies are needed. Maybe it's enough if a
 potential robber just sees one of these strange figures. It's difficult
 robbing when you're laughing your ass off...

  If only Dr Wertham had known! Comics don't create juvenile deliquents, but 
juvenile-minded real-life "superheroes"!



--Ahrvid
--
ahrvid@xxxxxxxxxxx / Be an @SFJournalen Twitter Follower for all the latest 
news in short form! / Gå med i SKRIVA - för författande, sf, fantasy, kultur 
(skriva-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, subj: subscribe) info 
www.skriva.bravewriting.com / Om Ahrvids novellsamling Mord på månen: 
www.zenzat.se/zzfaktasi.html C Fuglesang: "stor förnöjelse...jättebra historier 
i mycket sannolik framtidsmiljö"! Nu som ljudbok: 
http://elib.se/ebook_detail.asp?id_type=ISBN&id?86081462 / Läs även AE i nya 
Vildsint Skymningslandet, årets mest spännande antologi - finns bl a på 
SF-Bokhandeln! - och nya E-antologin Skottdagen, 
http://www.elib.se/ebook_detail.asp?id_type=ISBN&id?86081454 / YXSKAFTBUD, GE 
VÅR WCZONMÖ IQ-HJÄLP! (DN NoN 00.02.07)

 
                                          
-----
SKRIVA - sf, fantasy och skräck  *  Äldsta svenska skrivarlistan
grundad 1997 * Info http://www.skriva.bravewriting.com eller skriva- 
request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx för listkommandon (ex subject: subscribe).
[SKRIVA] Superhjältar på USAs gator

Other related posts:
