Mark Schmidt's Abode

I've actually been thinking about this for some time as well. I noticed those particular "superheroes" you mentioned, and I have to say that while they try, they're pretty lame. I've given it some thought, and I've decided that I would try my hand at becoming a vigilante when I become older. I'm a 2nd degree black belt in karate, so I can defend myself and I know how to fight. I know this whole idea sounds stupid, but I'm just replying to the topic :). Training starts this summer...

P.S. spider-man 2 does look badass!

So if...I'm sorry...WHEN you become a superhero, what will your name be? All the other names are corny, so it has to be cool. Yes, I'm excited to see spiderman 2 but probably more excited to play the game that's coming out around the same time.

I lije it

I have also often wondered why no one has tried helping out the police or something like that, and I have also thought of trying it my-self. I am a 2nd degree Black-Belt ( Like the person up their -funny- ) In kung-Fu and a rising Green-belt in Karate. The only problem in this would be tecnology and money, but I guess I have plenty of time to think of something. I think I would pick a simple name like, Scorpion !

It can be done. I know Iv'e done it. As far as the gadgets it's not hard to get them if someone ows you a favor.

I'm only a red belt in karate but I would love to got around helping people - there are definately more than a few bad neighborhoods around where I live. I've been training alot harder lately (going for yellow belt in october!! yay!!) and my friend and I have been contemplating the idea ALOT. We can make our own weapons easily but the only problem is getting the project off the proverbial ground.

P.S I saw Spidey-2 on the second day it was out and I was truly inspired also the CGI and effects kicked major octo-butt! (I also managed to use my powers to sneek a McDonald's breakfast of pancakes and sausage into the cinema with me! I ate it during the trailers!)

ahhhh nooooooooooooooo

I'm back again with nothing better to do. But can you guys believe that they arrested Batman and Robin after they infiltrated Buckingham Palace. We Brits are truly insane (when it's for a good cause!). I saw all the action from my sofa and couldn't believe that he'd lasted an entire SIX hours stood up there on his own after they caught Robin as they were scaling the walls. These guys are real heros.

P.S. Mystery Men kicks ass too!

The link didn't come through. Try again. I'm curious.

Sorry guys the link didn't work - but if you check out the new link then you should be able to find the link in the search engine - Key word: fathers 4 justice

I have actually patrolled my neighborhood by myself - Did not have too much happen except for me scaring two kids with baseball bats - I don't know what they were up to but they went back to where they came from and did not carry out what they were going to do.

If you are interested like some have showed in becoming in a way a superhero which in our day do not exist - but a vigilante which is more suitable a name please e-mail me and possibly if you live nearby we can work together or even if not we can share ideas.

E-mail me at chrischaosvas@aol.com

Why be the hero, when you've obviously got the know how to be the villan.

. . .well, that wasn't the first response I was expecting. . .

I feel kind of embarassed now about throwing all that out there. It's just, where do you vent about something like this? Who'd understand, you know? I've been checking this page just waiting to see if anyone replied.

But you want to hear something funny? That's occurred to me before, too. I mean, look at it from an "Unbreakable" perspective. My head is larger than a normal person's should be. It's noticeable, I've had a lot of people ask me about it (including a naval petty officer during a brief stint where I thought I should be a soldier, funny story). And I have beautiful, blue eyes that are slightly larger than the other characters, too. I'm obsessed with heroing, and torn up about it not being real. I'm prone to disregarding laws and religions because I think they're just man-made things, and whatever a person does doesn't matter in the universal scale of things. I've got a slight megalomaniacal streak. Despite a very muscular body, over the past few years I've developed a lower back problem that had me unable to walk for two weeks back in 2002, just because I twisted the wrong way standing up. And damn the Scriptwriters if my high school football team wasn't called "the Warriors", too. And I injured my wrist and had surgery at 17 that stopped me from weightlifting two hours every day, and I've never been back into it the same since.

There was a time, a few years back, that my best friend from high school told me over the phone that she'd switched from only being a smoker and drinker to weed and harder drugs. I nearly had a breakdown the next morning in an IHOP with my family, sobbing all over my pancakes. Later that day, I was just storming around, and wishing I could invent something that would just make alcohol and drugs poisonous to humans - you use it, you die, instantly, no cures. And I remember thinking, "I wonder if this is how supervillains get their start?" How many villains do you know that really thought they were the bad guy?

It's even occurred to me that a person could buy a large warehouse, and spend years outfitting it with traps and death-dealing devices without anyone else knowing, and then do something bad to lead the cops to it, but only in the end have it set up so that someone comic-book-heroish could get through and catch you. *Force* a hero to rise, sort of like Elijah did, even if it means you have to be the bad guy.

But. . .I don't know. It's all up in the air. I think it's just the choices you make in life. I've been on both sides, just like everybody else is in smaller, less garish ways that don't require a matching cape. Square jaw, big head, I guess it's just the one you choose to pay attention to.

Okay, I promise, no more super-long-winded replies. I don't want to eat up this entire page. Thanks for reading.

I know how you feel. There are always those questions and sometimes I feel like comics like Marvel, DC and Dark Horse have made us a promise of realism with the depth of their characters - then I realise that I'm an idio for thinking that. I know they're not responsible. I also think it would be awesome to be an actor as a superhero - then you'd have yourself saving people on screen with all the wire work and stuff! I also agree that capes suck! They look great but still suck! I really wish there was something that people like us can do but there isn't...yet. Maybe WE NEED to start something. Something big...
P.S. Check out the link it might help. Got my yellow belt! Going for Green!

I'm sorry, Madaline, what link? The Battle Orders one under your name? I'm not sure how it applies. :)

www.battleorders.co.uk - it sells weapons and training stuff if you click on the name it should take you to it, if not just copy and paste.

Thanks. . .I'm just glad I did a little more research online about non lethal weapons before I spent a bunch more money. Apparently stun guns aren't all they're cracked up to be, although Tasers still seem to be strongly favored, unless they miss and you use up your one shot. And pepper sprays seem to be unpopular, too. I found dozens of accounts from online people who tested things on themselves and weren't even remotely disabled by them. One guy recounted an ongoing story of a customer at his gun store he knew that just bought a Myotron, and the guy took the Myotron from him and tested it on himself, through clothing, bare-chested, all of it, with barely any effect. "Designed for the FBI" indeed. Doesn't mean the FBI actually uses it, or asked for it.

I've been thinking more about what you said about needing to start something. . .I can't help feeling that if just one person managed to do this stuff, there are hundreds of people ready to follow suit, who just needed that extra push. Of course, then comes the bad with the good, and you've got a lot of nutjobs doing it too. I've also thought a lot about the "alternative" ways of doing it, like the Video Vigilante that films prostitution in action and performs citizens' arrests, or cyber vigilantes that go after child pornographers. No masks, just brave people making a difference one case at a time. After all, in real life, there's no such thing as patrolling rooftops and happening upon a crime in progress (not as often as they do in the comics, certainly). I know that law enforcement agencies almost universally discourage this sort of citizen involvement, because of the safety and legality issues concerned in trusting untrained people not to be stupid and get themselves or others hurt. But it's funny to think that if someone like that makes it on the news, a lot of people will probably think, "What makes them think they have the right to try to fight crime like that?" When really, they never should have forgotten that *everyone* has the right.

People are fickle. Like those dudes who watch the football on sunday and scream at the players for not doing something right - yet not having the balls to play the game for themselves. e.g. "don't fight crime like this, do it like that because we wear blue hats." People don't think like they do in the comic book world - no one takes vigilantes seriously enough to trust people like us. Remember - Laws are like eggs - they're made to be broken... or at least bent enough to find loop-holes.
Did any of that make sense?

P.S. Self testing, although dangerous, does cut costs on human guinea pigs!

When you really think about it, it's kind of ironic to be truthful. Because of all these laws etc. the heroes (if caught) will be, treated as the very criminals we want to stop in the first place. It's a weird world out there...

After some very heavy thought the past few days, I finally came to a very liberating conclusion. There has not been a *single day* in at least 10 years that I haven't thought about wanting more than anything to do this. (Before that, it's spotty. I don't know what I thought about when I was 3. :) But what I decided was, hell with it. I'm doing this, no matter what happens. I'll go further into debt, I'll risk my health, life, freedom and sanity to chase this crazy dream. Because I don't want to be sitting in my house when I'm 75, and wishing I had taken the chance back when I was 25, instead of choosing to live afraid forever. And I feel so happy right now to have finally just let go and made the choice. Nervous, but happy. :) I think I've got a good plan laid out. We'll see how it works out. If it does, I probably won't be back here again. I'll still check in, though. Wish me luck!

You seem so passionate about all of this. It seems like being a fire fighter or police officer would be something you would be suited for. So the question is, why not? Is it the target incident. That you would become too passionate to your work and end up in some sort of Legal trouble? The police officer would be just punishing people again, so I could understand why you wouldn’t want that. But a fire fighter would be helping people. It may not be the glamorous super - hero thing, but it seems like it would be helping people. It sounds like something you should at least check into, maybe. I just recently had a co-worker leave to be a fire-fighter, he had been trying for years to become one, and when he finally left he was happier. That may be irrelevant, but it just seemed that he was happier with the job helping people. Plus it seems that fire-fighting would be able to help you in some ways to at least get closer to what you are wanting. Or is it because of your back that your not able to try the fire-fighting thing?
*Well, anywaz, I hope you find what your searching for.*
Good Luck in what you are trying, and be careful. :)

Thanks for the response. . .and actually, both of those had crossed my mind before, and you hit the nail on the head with each one. I couldn't stand being a cop, because almost your entire job is to punish people. Too many rules, too much structure, and for good reason, but obviously, the system doesn't work. There are too few cops against the entire human race, and I think people need to know that there's something beyond the law that can still get them. As for firefighting, yeah, I am kind of worried about my back, as it would be a full time job and I don't want to pop suddenly when I'm carrying a victim from a burning building. The nice thing about vigilantism is that you really can pick your battles, and then take as much time to get healthy again in between as you need. Besides, I don't deal well with heat. :) I've grown up in almost exclusively cold places, and Texas summers alone sap the strength out of me. But my older brother has been a firefighter for about 8 years now, for the military. Ironically, he hardly ever fights fires, most of their calls are emergency medical situations. But I don't want to be an EMT, either.

I think. . .I think it's the whole anonymity thing. It's the feeling of being free to do what you have to and not worry about the legal system or crooks getting off on stupid technicalities or what the public will think of you after they see your face and name on every news channel later that night. Any time I've considered alternative, legal careers to try to satisfy my dream, they always come up short. It just feels like this is what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. And ever since I gave in to that feeling when I made my choice, I have been so happy. My life feels like it's been thrown into sharp, clear color. I have been working hard and making things move since then, although I'll skip out on the details here. I've already said quite a bit about myself, so I'd rather stay semi-anonymous and therefore out of jail, thank you. :)

Children, put on your tights, and give 'em hell.

I just hope that you don’t turn villain. You said it yourself, looking for real life super hero’s there just are not that many. But I’m sure there are more than enough villains to go around.

Although one other thing seems ironic to me, this:
“and whatever a person does doesn't matter in the universal scale of things.”

Do you really mean something like this, when you obviously have so much passion for the real life hero thing. I guess I’m not even really sure what I’m asking, It’s just that from the sound of things, you really want to try to make a difference, but at the same time, you can’t possibly mean this, right?

No villains! And Good Luck. :)
Fanboys growing up to be villians is such a sad story! Lol. ;)

No, I promise I won't turn villain. :) Of course, a really *clever* villain would say exactly that. . .hmm. . .you'll just have to take my word on it.

As for the universal scale of things, it's a tricky one for me. . .I think most problems people stress about are ridiculous, when you finally get a mental grasp of just how unbelievably huge the universe is compared to you. We are subatomic-sized creatures riding around on our atom-planet and getting angry because another subatom-chain pulled its car in front of ours at an inopportune moment. Or there's the "Silent Earth" theory I think about. . .an atom bomb goes off in a city, killing millions. The world is horrified. Everything changes, globally. Now jump to the surface of Jupiter. You might see a bright flash coming from Earth, but you wouldn't hear anything, airless space, right? Now to the edge of the Milky Way. You don't see anything, or hear anything. Now a few galaxies over. You don't even know our galaxy exists. At the outer edges of the humongous universe, the Earth is comparatively the size of an atom, or less. That's why I always get amused when every alien we run into in movies and TV is the same size that we are. We have a conditioned, egocentric view of everything that we can't help. But when was the last time you worried about one of your atoms losing an electron? This theory makes me think that (any religious or metaphysical views aside) the universe *does not care* what we're doing down here. No good, no bad, just whatever a person does or doesn't do. Emotions, morals and so on are solely based on our survival instincts, and the things that interfere with them. Good and bad are based completely on the perception of the one perceiving them. Since he lost, Hitler was a monster who killed and experimented on helpless humans. If he won, Hitler was a hero who just wanted to make everyone the best they could be, the perfect race. See? You find a dollar, that's good. The person that lost that dollar thinks its bad. Same event, two perceptions. And so on, with everything.

But, on the other hand, and this is something I only realized a week ago, I will probably never see the edges of the universe. I'm down here, for life. So the things around me have to matter. It's all I'll ever have. To refer to "Watchmen" again, Dr. Manhattan changed his mind about life and its inherent miraculousness, and decided that there were so many miracles going on all around us, all the time, that we forgot they were miracles. That *this* atom would strike *that* one and form this particular life that affects that one, and so on in an ever-weaving ripple pattern on the pool, is unbelievable to think about. Maybe there still is no good or bad, but there is always choice, and how you feel about that choice. So I'm going to fight, and I'm going to help people, no matter how strange it seems.

PS, I saw the picture in that English newspaper of Batman and Robin at the sports arena, after chasing off the streakers. Those guys are awesome! And it made me think, I could always wear a costume under my clothes, just in case someone needs help. . .you never know. :)

Well, Even if it is strange, You should be glad you have a dream. That in at least some ways can be met, it sounds like. I grew up dreaming of one thing, and when I got older I realized that I didn't want that at all. It wasn't just that I lost I dream, but in reality I never had one to begin with. With each failure I've faced, it's become more difficult for me to find a new dream. I dunno, I guess I'm just slightly venting now. Anywaz, thanks for replying.

It's a shame Nighthawk was taken, that would've been an awesome name. :)

And one more thing, I found a few more articles using vigilantes rather than real life super heroes. I’m sure you’ve already figured that out, but just in case. ;)

Hey Hero - I e-mailed you - hit me up - I would like to talk

Hey Chaos, yeah, I e-mailed you back. Should be there shortly. :)

And Angel, thanks for the encouragement. Same to everyone else. As far as the Nighthawk name goes, it's not like Marvel could sue me unless they found me first. :) But I definitely think I've come up with a better one. Or two. You never know. It's funny to think, but real-life-practical costume requirements can change the entire identity you were aiming for, and skew you off onto a different one. I'm still curious how a concealable bulletproof vest will look under spandex, and should be finding out in the next few weeks, my new creditors willing.

I can't help wondering if the gracious Mr. Schmidt has been keeping tabs on this ongoing conversation, and how he feels about it.

Actually I have been keeping tabs and reading every last word. Honestly, I'm not in the same boat. My wish is more along the lines of telekinesis and/or flying both of which are impossible. Therefore, it's simply a "man that would be cool" kind of thing rather than what you're going through. Anyway, its late so I can't write much. Take care and if I see you on the news, let's just hope it's for doing something good.

Happy Turkey Day, everybody!

Happy Turkey Day to you too!!! What's a turkey day?

You know. . .up at 6, peck some corn, mill around, stare at things, some light squawking and then back to bed at dusk.

Oh you mean like a chicken's day. Well, whatever lights your candle! I hope you had fun doing that all day.

Madaline: Just to make sure, you do know I was talking about Thanksgiving, right? :)

me: Actually, I've been discussing that with one or two people. Even one person fighting the good fight in any major city is more than before.

I haven't stopped back in a bit just because of the holiday, but I'm still raring to go. Minor setback, the credit got denied, but I make enough salary that I can save in the meantime for the things I need. And I really appreciate the people who have contacted me. . .this has turned into a very cool experience all around, because so many people seem to share the same dream.

I'll be in touch as developments continue. Here's an interesting thought to puzzle over: Rorschach's mask is two layers of clear plastic-material with viscous fluid in between them, right?

So how does he breathe? :) Anyone who's had to wear just a spandex mask knows how labored that can get. Just another example of where comics have to cut off and real life design has to step in. :)

Hero, you know who this is...

I find, especially in darkness, that a hat and hoodie covers the top half of the face quite nicely - without the eyes, its very difficult to make someone out.

Just to think about.

Hi guys, it's been a while - alot on these days and collage is simply craptacular!

Hero: I didn't know you were American (I just saw the word Liverpool!) and (I think) I knew that you were talking about Thanksgiving - I was just screwing with ya :P My humour is a terrible thing.

It's good to see some new faces around here. It's really promising to think of. We should start our own organisation! AND because this is the internet we could have branches all over the world...I know I'm getting ahead of myself but I can still dream, right!

Cheers, cheerio and all that, Miss Madaline. :) Yeah, it's a funny thing, but a lot of people get confused when I say Liverpool, New York. My family actually almost ended up in England a few years back, but fortunately didn't (no offense, I just like living in the US. All my stuff is here.)

I think Hero can answer the surveillance/criminals questions. Actually, I'd like to know some of that stuff myself. (hero, hit me up)

Just a thought though... maybe you guys shouldnt be broadcasting all your intentions OVER THE NET. If 'they' want to, its not difficult to trace it back to you...

Personally, being a ring-leader intrigues me...

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Elijah. You want to know something funny? Two people have already figured out who I really am now. :) Ah, well. It's unbelievably easy to do anyways, I just wasn't being cautious enough. I just hope any other curious seekers will be equally discreet with their knowledge.

Oh, and Elijah - I *would* promote you to Ringleader, but due to my potophobia, I have never raised a Glass.

Thank you! Good night! *bows*

Okay, anyways. Seriously. One of the big things I want to warn up-and-comers of out there is, *don't* waste your money before you ask someone else who's already used the product you're interested in. There are plenty of self-defense forums full of people who got suckered into buying pen-style stun guns, or Myotrons, or dozens of other self-defense and surveillance items that don't do the job well. I know quite a bit there myself, i.e. all the credit debt I've loaded myself down with finding out what doesn't really work. I freely invite anyone considering buying something vigilantism-related to e-mail me first and ask me if I've tried it, or if I know a place they can get it cheaper.

As for finding criminals, anyone out of their late teens would probably be surprised to discover just how many people they knew from school or work are into, or have done, something illegal. And almost everyone loves to brag about the stuff they've gotten away with. An ex-coworker of mine grew up in some bad hoods, and despite being a really nice guy has extensive knowledge of how the crime flows around his home town. Beyond that, if you're drug-prevention-aimed like me, it's pretty easy to find people in your area into drugs just by searching online in member lists for popular websites. Most marijuana smokers are pretty open about the fact they do it, because many don't think it's wrong. One of the big conundrums once you know who they are is the question of following, or hitting at home? Do you want to catch them in the act, or just "put the fear into them"? Tricky.

I *would* say, if anyone wants to discuss the more in-depth stuff about possibly networking, learning more about surveillance and tactics and so forth, we should do it privately, by e-mail. The last thing I want is to tell some 12 year old on here that it's okay to run out and try to find dangerous criminals, and then tell them how to do it, too. I remember being that old, and being sure I was strong and no one would hurt me, but to any kids reading this - wait. Learn, grow, and wait until you're an adult to go into a field this weird and dangerous. And I think that actually trying to set up a webpage is going too far. Despite the rampant publicity this page seems to be getting all of a sudden, having a place for the police to go right to would not be smart. Better to just keep it to straight e-mail between the people who end up being serious about all this, to keep prying eyes away.

Anyways, this vigilante needs some shut-eye. Stay healthy, all, and I'll talk to you soon.

"Luck favors the prepared. I didn't know Jak-Jak's powers, so I covered the basics."

"Jak-Jak doesn't have any powers!"

"No? Oh well. He'll still look fabulous."

If you haven't seen the Incredibles yet, *go*. :)

Seriously, thanks for the vote of confidence, me. I'm curious about what sorts of ideas you've had toward superheroing or vigilantizing, yourself.

*blushes* ummmm....just so you know, that me who wished you good luck not the me been putting up messages before, (that would be me *rolls eyes*) been busy for while, but checking here much as possible. good luck to you to, though. i try much harder check back more. if not sure which me i be, use email i put up earlier. if still want me to, next week or so, when i have better time, i send you email with ideas.

sprry for the confusion- i didnt realise there was another 'me'. im a tad confused, but my amazing ignorance should help me out there...

if anyone has read American Psycho, the main character would make a very interesting villain. If you havent read it, be warned: its gore content is unparelled (but its a damn brilliant book)

Maybe there *is* only one Me, and they're schizophrenic. . .*da da DAAAAA!!!* (evil surprise music)

i think this one at least is a little schizophrenic. now why did i go and post that on the internet? shut up! you shut up! stop it! oh...

yes, another message from (mixed up) me. Hero, me and my friend have been considering e-mailing you. can you please repeat your e-mail? or if you prefer, mine is edgar_allen_poe@hotmail.com.

Sure. . .I've got a new one, heroesarentborn@hotmail.com. Feel free to e-mail me any time.

i just might take you up on that, thanks

If you are serious about doing something like this, you must truly think about the risks that are involved. You must think about the skill, time, money, courage, and desire needed to do this.

I'm going to say in 2006 - you will all be hearing about vigilantes and heroes cleaning up crime.

If you are serious leave your e-mail and you will be contacted.

Don't waste anyones time if you do not posses the skills or drive to do this.

edgar_allen_poe@hotmail.com. i couldnt be more serious, ive been planning for years. please put 'hobby' in the subject.

also, i fully understand the risks- i was once arrested while on 'patrol', incase you have doubts.

Thinking - it might be the right way to go if I was the Giles or Wesley of the forming group.

eyeforakill@hotmail.com
I am the friend mixed up me is talking about (wrongfully arrested on the same patrol). Don't take the address name the wrong way - trust me, this for the GOOD

you know they were going to make a series called 'ripper', about giles when he was younger?

wesley and giles are pretty cool, but that robin wood guy (the principal) has gotta be the best vamp slayer, unless spike counts.

out of all of them (even van helsing!) Blades gotta win hands down. id like to see a vampire slayer of somekind in the next Underworld movie.

Just a quick and vague update - my posts on here are slacking off because things are now moving out in the real world. It's becoming extremely interesting times for all of us, and like Dark Angel said, anyone with the serious capability and drive is welcome to leave an e-mail address for us. I still check this post at least once a day, so don't worry about being ignored or missed.

have you read about this 'Captain jackson and Crimefighter Girl'? http://www.captainjackson.org/captainjackson/

Heh. . .nothing but respect for people that go out like that (i.e. Terrifica, Captain Jackson) and do the publicly welcomed, mascot-style safety patrol things. And Crimefighter Girl is certainly a gorgeous defender of justice (if way too young to be saying that about :). Not many girls could make yellow work for them. But why do they actually spell out their whole names on their chest plates? I could make them *much* better costumes. *lol*

Still and all. . .some people are just meant to be out in the daytime, encouraging people and being civic-minded. I guess I'm just the other kind. Even Terrifica, ridiculous as her getup is, spends her time in bars at night, dealing with the darker side of life, trying to directly stop women from making stupid mistakes. You have to wonder how many times she's thought "Why the hell am I still doing this? Does anyone even care?" But the point is, she's out there. Somebody's got to do the dirty work behind the scenes. If the system worked, we probably wouldn't have invented the idea of superheroes in the first place.

im new but i read all the above. All of you have great ideas but maybe i can help. I dont mean to be rude but you guys need as much help as you can get to take this thing global.

like you, i too have dreamed of being a superhero or vigilante for a long time. what i need is how to make my own gadgets. i want something like batmans utility belt with a grappling hook and bat-arangs. i also need gas pellets of all kinds. if anyone can help me find a website or something to help me make my gadgets. you can reach me on AIM (colombianguy129) or gamefan129@msn.com

As for the people like terrifica they have no right to wear those costumes. LOL. Im taking thing too serious but i guess thats how vigilantes are supposed to be like ;-)

Robin - Hi there. . .you know, your name was one of my original identities way back when. :)

I'd like to offer my real-life experience and advice about utility belts and gadgets. There is nothing in the real world that even closely matches what Batman has in there. . .like the "batline" attached to his grappling hook, that despite being wire-thin, is also supposedly a deceleration cable with some give to it so your arms won't be ripped off when you hit the end of it. Real ropes are too thick to coil up inside a belt pouch, because they're several millimeters thick at best.

The closest thing I've been able to find so far are fall protection and fire escape self-descender packs that only work one way, down, and have to be re-loaded by the company after each use. (They only do it for free if it's a real emergency situation and you can prove it.) The one I've seen most online is at http://www.lifecender.com . There's also a cool one-hand descender designed for military and law enforcement at http://www.capewell.com/mcd.cfm , although I'm fairly sure it's not available to the public. Also there's a "Micro Rappel System, Black Belt II" sold all over the net for about $380. However, I'd say the chances of you needing to be on a rooftop are pretty slim to none in this business. And all these items are for going down only. If you want to go up, you should either learn a sport called "Le Parkour", and rock climbing, and how to climb a rope, or bring along a collapsible ladder. I can go hand-over-hand up pipes that run the back of most stores and commercial buildings, with my feet braced against the wall. And most cities have a lot of fire escapes, if you can reach the first landing in the first place. You might consider carrying only a ten or fifteen foot length of rope with knots tied in, and a good collapsible four-prong hook (or solid one or two prong) just for climbing short distances up to low rooftops. A lot of low roofs on multi-level buildings have no ground ladders or access, but once you're actually on the roof, there are ladders to the upper roofs for janitor use.

And Batman's handheld, launching grapnel that automatically hauls him in? Definitely nothing close in real life. There are some good new lightweight collapsible grappling hooks, like the TRG Grabber. (Usually about $150, search for it on Google.) I would *never* trust your life to any "Ninja Collapsible Grappling Hook" that always comes with 33 feet of rope for some reason. And to the best of my knowledge (although I'd like to be proven wrong, if you know different) there are no small, lightweight devices strong enough to reel up an adult human.

I suppose for roof work, your best bet for real-life vigilantism is to be on the rooftop where you think a crime down below is going to happen soon through normal climbing means, and have a one-way-down rappelling set or descender to get you down quickly and get the drop on the crooks.

About Batarangs - the closest thing I've found in real life is either throwing stars, knives (or just hurling your baton). The problem there is the sharp edges. You don't want to kill anyone, and I doubt you'd ever learn enough skill to hit someone with enough accuracy just to wound them non-lethally (or paralyze some limb, like Green Arrow seems to be able to do, such is his skill). I'd say a better idea is to have something heavy but blunt, like a solid steel ball bearing an inch in diameter or more. This could still kill in a hard enough head strike, but is much less likely to than a blade. Or, if you can afford the noise, a shotgun with the new less-lethal rounds (note: less lethal. These can still kill from internal laceration and damage from the strike) or if you've got connections I don't, rubber-ball grenades and the like.

I'm pretty sure gas pellets don't actually exist. Governments freak out if other countries' soldiers use knockout or nerve gas of any kind, and it's not available to the general public anyways. You see Batman & Robin always spraying people with canisters of "VerSed" to knock them out. This is a chemical called midazolam hydrochloride, which is supposed to be used as a conscious sedative before surgeries. It has strong amnesia effects, and works completely in about three minutes after application, which has made it increasingly popular with rapists and robbers. However - you shouldn't use this for the same reason you shouldn't buy a tranquilizer gun and shoot people with sedatives. You have no idea whether a person is going to have an allergic reaction, or if you're overdosing for their weight, or one of many other bad reasons to give a stranger chemicals. You could very easily kill someone. And the other kinds of pellets he usually has, smoke pellets - unless there are some chemistry geniuses out there, you're probably going to have to stick with smoke bombs and pyrotechnics. Rescue smoke distress signals and flares are good, if you don't mind colored smoke. Lots of places sell fuse-lit smoke bombs with good smoke thickness and quantity. Just strap a small lighter to the side, and bend the fuse down and tape it in place so it's fixed right above the lighter for fast one-handed lighting.

I personally don't intend to use a belt if I can help it. On a vigilante costume, if it's looped through your pants, the extra weight of your weapons and tools tends to drag your pants down. And if you are wearing a spandex suit, it tries to slide right off. If you pull it tight enough around your waist so it won't slide, it interferes with your mobility. I usually sew special pockets, compartments and holsters right into my coat or somewhere on my upper body, directly to my oufit.

Anyways, none of this is meant to discourage anyone. Just real-world perspective on stuff the comics and movies has been showing us for too long. Remember, if you see a super-cool weapon or gadget on TV, there's a reason it works. It's TV. But if anyone knows of some new technology that I haven't heard of yet, please, please tell me about it. I'd love to have a handheld grapnel launcher that'll do all the work for me. :)

And about Terrifica, Captain Jackson and so on - they may not be the classic ideas of vigilantes and crimefighters, but I do think they have the right to be out there. We're trying to skulk around in the dark and be secretive, can you imagine how much guts it takes for them to put on such ridiculous outfits and go out in public, in daylight? It may not be "cool", but there's got to be someone out there encouraging people to do the right thing, and I think that makes them as much superheroes as any of us could ever be.

You dont need gas pellets or any gadget for that matter.

Fear is your greatest weapon. The element of surprise is your greatest ally.

i guess i could be like the scarecrow (whoops, he uses gas too) :-/
gadgets are still helpful and its nice to know that you have something to defend yourself besides fighting skill.

The only gadgets I would ever consider using would be a bullet-proof vest (That is, if I can find one versatile enough), armor plated forearm guards, a grapple - would be nice, you can rapell down pretty quickly on any rope if you know how, smoke bombs/sticks/whatever - to aid my disappearance. Ninja vanish.

If you do things right, you dont NEED to actually have a physical confrontation with someone. Theyll be out before they know youre there.

Sorry, Robin, but I can't figure out what in that link was what you were talking about. :) The Superhero Supply Company is (so far) just a front for a tutoring and writing class service. Where were the advanced techniques you mentioned?

And Elijah, I agree with you on the element of surprise, and I always said I'd rather be a throw-in-a-few-knockout-bombs and tie-'em-up-once-they're-unconscious kind of hero. :) I also considered dressing up so terrifyingly that people would think I was really some kind of monster, but I want people to at least partially trust me, if word gets around.

P.S. - If anybody's tried to e-mail me in the past few days, I haven't gotten it because Hotmail won't let me in for some reason. I think they're updating their image again and my dialup can't handle the download or something. In the meantime, anyone who did write, please send your message again to look_upinthesky@yahoo.com. Thanks!

Much personal information is being communicated from folks here. Might be wise to ask Mr. Schmidt to remove certain elements given the nature of the possibilities being explored here. Certainly am intrigued by the response user Hero has gotten, have chatted with him myself. Think Terrifica is a well-intentioned woman doing good in society and approaching a practical issue, but certainly is engaged in a different vocation than the one being discussed here. Some of you will be receiving e-mails.

Mr. Schmidt actually very kindly agreed to remove some of my posts with personal info (to be re-posted in an edited version by my later), but I haven't been able to reach him lately for some reason.

link you ask? why yes! does that mean i have a link, you ask? why yes! am i really this annoying you ask? yes :(

http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=2381

With his colorful lifestyle, television appearences, and action figures, Mr. Armes recalls to mind the excesses of the fictional Ozymandias.

Am curious to what extent or what lack of blessings he would bestow on the differing options being explored in this discussion.

I personally am more interested in precedents in realistic citizens vigilantism. The Guardian Angels come to mind.

my thoughts exactly, although the more dramatic superhero style stories are very interesting.

I was just pointing out that whether or not people can actually have 'super powers' , but people ARE more capable of things that they might think.

i think many phsycic powers are probably acheivable, through meditation, and that they (and possibly other abilities we have yet to imagine) come from the other 90% of the brain that humans dont use! this in mind, it could probably be said of dogs and other animals with similar brains as they also use only about 10%. although i have to say telekenesis im not so sure about; defying gravity? its too physics-ignorant to really happen.

'bruce almighty' couldve made a great superhero!

hero, you sound like a total loser. Get a girlfriend, please!

Baked: Heh. . .I was wondering when someone was going to say something like that. I was really surprised everyone else was so supportive. Three responses: 1 - If I'm a loser, what were *you* doing on this page in the first place, then? 2 - Read my first post more closely, man, I have a girlfriend. (Congratulate us, everybody, first anniversary next week! :). And 3 - With a name like "Baked", I'm assuming you're probably into marijuana or some other drugs. Go get rehab, then tell *me* to get a life again.

Okay. . .feel free to post whatever terrific, well-thought out comeback you can come up with, to put me in my place and crush my spirit utterly. Or, oh wait - I just remembered this was the internet, and you have absolutely no way to do anything to me that actually matters. *shrug* Sorry. Feel free to insult me anyways, if it helps.

you're right, I apologize. I guess I'm a total idiot. I'll go to rehab in the morning. thank you, hero!

No, no, don't thank me. It's all part of my commitment to help my fellow man. I'd do the same for any idiot. Up up and awaaaaay! *flies into the sunset, then remembers his house is several million miles down from the sun, and returns to Earth sheepishly*

first anniversary eh? Congratulations!

Thanks, Raven. :)

Mr. Baked -

The Internet has long proved itself a difficult medium for discourse. Without the social inhibitions of face-to-face communication, the endless binary landscape of the World Wide Web becomes a playground for folks unable to act restrained once offered the ability to post anonymously. Inane chatter, pointless commentary, and poorly-executed perjoratives become the rule of the land. Cliché cut-downs relying on the ubiquitous title "loser" and the disgusting charge to "get a girlfriend" do nothing to improve this landscape and leave those of us two or three steps above such immaturity often glad that we will never have to meet a person such as yourself in person.

Regardless, I do not see how the potential actions of concerned private citizens engaging in the enforcement of the social contract and the protection of their fellow citizens can be termed actions of a "loser." The obvious thing would be to point out that your own pointless aside in this discussion would be more appropiate to the conduct of a "loser," but I think I have already made my point.

whhaaa ttcchhh. that was supposed to be a whip sorta noise.
ubiquitous ? perjoratives? are they real words??
seriously though, good points!

I've always been impressed by a good "ubiquitous". No one can stare down the barrel of a loaded vocabulary!

Although my first thought afterwards was "We're naught but humble pirates. . ." :)

Anyways, we've all kind of gotten off topic. Anybody have anything heroic on their minds they want to discuss?

Curious what motivation people would have for wanting to engage anonymous crimefighting - or crimefighting in general.

I could see various reasons. One stated here is the specific disgust with the traffic and usage of illegal narcotics. A possible issue is that some people may think certain drugs are unjustly banned, but either way I would venture that the drug culture is rooted less in civil disobedience to obtain liberties of consumption as much as willful rebellion against the social contract. However, this serves as an example of a specific vendetta that a particular person may have to bring them into the field of crimefighting. Another motivation could be that perhaps a loved one was shot, or raped. Perhaps white collar crime ruined one's livelihood.

But the aforementioned social contract could also be a major factor in the decision to join the fight against crime. Human nature often makes the act of "getting away" with something forbidden by society glamorous. The ability to cast doubt on the viability of criminal activites into the hearts of those who would willingly or unwillingly chip away at the foundation of society could be a strong motivation.

However, there are many points in past and contemporary human history where the social contract has been flawed - frankly, I doubt that the practiced, applied social contract of any society in the history of mankind has not had its cracks due to human nature. There have indeed been times in American history where unjust laws existed or certain people groups were unjustly persecuted by society. We can never be too arrogant to say our modern era is free of such things, but perhaps should never be too careless to think of every new social innovation as something worthy of celebration. Some vigilantes may see themselves as fighting condoned or ignored crimes. This type of vigilantism would seem to bring one more closely in conflict with society, but for the person engaged may be a necessity in order to act on one's convictions.

It may be just for the adventure of it. With a simple set of rules and standards based off our criminal law, one could have an exciting time attempting to bring the allure of the costumed crimefighter into real life.

What do you think inspires the existing (yet more low-key than what we are discussing) costumed agents in real life? Terrifica seems to have a vendetta concerning the protection of women. Angle-grinder Man seems to me to be more of a criminal, but indeed is acting out of his particular views on the social contract.

Someone earlier mentioned a book by MacIntyre. I shall try to obtain a copy this next week.

I think the ideal situation would be a team of anonymous crimefighters choosing a specific metropolitan area and then targeting specific hot spots of illicit activity after careful deliberation upon the various factors of crime in that city.

If the mission is prevention of street crime, then specific areas are targeted and high-risk businesses or residences guarded. Presence is kept clandestine as much as possible, and the area is committed to until visible change is seen or a revolution of civil participation is ignited in the residents.

If the mission is aiding the law in tracking down specific criminal individuals, then careful surveillance should be employed and the goal should be to work as an auxiliary to the police (which should be the goal in all endeavours if the upholding of the social contract is preserved, unless the police force of the city in question is corrupt). "Hero" has enumerated some very brilliant particulars in this vein to me, though I doubt they bear repeating in this thread.

A sense of perspective should always be kept. This is not a comic book. Anonymous crimefighters are unlikely to find themselves fighting the denizens of Hell or an invasion from another world. Instead, crimefighters acting without a governmental mandate should respectfully enforce the social contract and seek to inspire feelings of civil responsiblity in the citizens they protect for the sake of starting a greater cultural revolution where crime is never glamorous and citizens strive to aid law (and thus become stronger participants in their government, perhaps working to put more pressure from the constituents upon any potential corruption in the governing bodies). We want society to function to its fullest.

I would hope that any anonymous crimefighter would spend equal time in his public identity working to improve safety and society.

These are just some thoughts.

for me, its doing the right thing, really the only way to do it would be anonymously (is that spelt right?) fighting crimes and 'spend equal time in his public identity working to improve safety and society' as you said. its the best way to live, setting an example of hope and justice for the 'underdog' and the victims of crime.