# Real-life superheroes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894 "2002-12-11T00:57:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Geenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Geenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geenius)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/1 "2002-12-11T00:57:37Z")
Not sure what got me thinking about this—maybe one of the ubiquitous “Spider-Man” DVD ads—but I’m wondering whether any real-life individual has ever taken a stab at being a costumed crime-fighter. I’m not talking about the clearly delusional (I’m sure there have been plenty of those), I mean people who actually happened to have some exceptional skill or gadgetry and came to the conclusion that they should use it in the service of justice. If there have been such people, how long did it take for the police to put the kibosh on their vigilantism, what kind of consequences did they face, and did they actually accomplish anything in the interim? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/2 "2002-12-11T01:53:03Z")
Robin Hood? There was a historical figure upon whom the legend is thought to be based, at least in part. The Earl of Huntingdon? Can’t remember his alias ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/3 "2002-12-11T01:54:31Z")
Here’s one. Supposedly :rolleyes:. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/4 "2002-12-11T02:10:40Z")
Wow. That’s joke, right? I mean: > [@](#): > > “I do this because women are weak. They are easily manipulated, and they need to be protected from themselves and most certainly from men and their ill intentions toward them.” and: > [@](#): > > “People are happiest when they’re alone and living their solitary lives.” This one is good too: > [@](#): > > “Bartenders tend to be men, and they tend to be attracted to me,” she says. “Most men are. That’s part of my power.” You really have to wonder what drives her. It’s great to want to help people, and certainly trying to keep women from being molested is a noble pursuit, but there are some real anger issues at work here. Even Batman respects peoples potential to look after themselves. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/5 "2002-12-11T02:44:47Z")
[Does this count?](http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/stories/Detail_LinkStory=24922.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/6 "2002-12-11T03:59:49Z")
I think [Super Barrio Man](http://www.drake.edu/artsci/PolSci/ipe/BarrioManpage.html) is about as close as you’ll find (although it’d be cool if someone came along and proved me wrong.) > [@](#): > > A popular professional wrestler shows up at demonstrations, mass meetings and strikes in Mexico City dressed in this costume to rally common people in their fight against social injustice. Try googling “Super Barrio Man”, I’m pretty sure there’s a better site about him out there. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/7 "2002-12-11T04:43:11Z")
How about the Guardian Angels? ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/8 "2002-12-11T05:23:27Z")
Well, from what I can tell, the fellow from **AndrewL** ’s link obviously doesn’t have the power of orthodontia. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/9 "2002-12-11T08:32:34Z")
How about [Ned Kelly](http://www.abc.net.au/btn/australians/nedkelly.htm), the original [iron man](http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/slv/exhibitions/treasures/nedkelly/) himself? Well, more of an anti-hero, really. Possibly even a minor [supervillain](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=130187). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/10 "2002-12-11T11:26:18Z")
Real-life amateur crimefighters come off as vigilantes (More Bernard Goetz than Matt Murdock). So I was thinking: Above-average abilities or achievements? Altruistic? Distinctive costume/appearance? Hmm… Karen Silkwood Erin Brockovitch Red Adair Audie Murphy Bo Gritz Muhammad Ali Malcolm X ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/11 "2002-12-11T17:00:46Z")
You could add Mother Teresa to that list. ---
**Author:** ![OfBlinkingThings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ebca7d/32.png) [@OfBlinkingThings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OfBlinkingThings)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-superheroes/141894/12 "2002-12-11T17:05:08Z")
If you look into ancient japanese history you will find lots of stories about lone samurai taking out entire armies. They werent fighting crime per se, but they are said to have exhibited some superhero like abilities (i.e. ability to take strong or even leathal blows, coming out of nowhere and killing any number of people without being seen, etc.)