Comic Book Resources

Chris Weston ... crimefighter?

from The Filth, by Chris Weston

He's collaborated with top industry writers to lend his highly detailed art to such memorable titles as Mark Millar's Swamp Thing run, Grant Morrison's The Filth, Warren Ellis's Ministry of Space, Joe Casey's Fantastic Four: First Family, and J. Michael Straczynski's The Twelve. But has artist Chris Weston's greatest contribution to the fight for truth and justice just taken place in the real world — where he just may have helped the cops catch a bank robber?

According to a post on his blog, Weston was waiting in line at the bank yesterday and doing what many artists do to kill time under such circumstances — meticulously observing the guy in front of him — when that guy proceeded to approach the teller and forcibly demand cash.  Weston writes:

By the time I realised what was happening he'd escaped with the loot. I gave my contact details to the bank and then ran like the wind back to my studio and set about hastlily drawing some pictures of the robber. I'd studied this guy quite intensely and could remember every detail of his likeness and clothes.

Weston then provided the sketches to the local constabulary, who reacted with near-disbelief: Apparently, the man in Weston's drawings perfectly matched a suspect they'd already picked up.

The sketches remain in the hands of the police, and since the case is pending Weston says he can't comment further. But he promises to scan and post the crime-busting portraits if and when he's given permission to do so. In the meantime, read the full story here and congratulate Chris for giving the filth a hand!

(Via Tom Spurgeon)

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Superman and Batman fought the law; the law won

Batman ... RIP (New York Post)

It seems the World's Finest are no match for New York's Finest.

Putting the Daily Planet to shame, the New York Post reports in an "exclusive" that New York City police took down Batman and Superman yesterday in Times Square.

Make that Frank Frisoli and Maksim Katsnelson, who were dressed as two-thirds of DC Comics' Trinity.

It seems Katsnelson (Superman) may have been panhandling. When approached by police, he allegedly hit a female officer in the face. One witness says that it took seven officers to take down the Last Son of Krytpon -- er, I mean The Bronx.

The Caped Crusader, Frisoli, was handcuffed and then released because he hadn't punched an officer in the face, I guess. The Maine resident said the Not-So-Dynamic Duo had dressed up for a laugh.

Unfortunately, they didn't have the required license to perform in costume in public. Wait, a license? Has the Superhuman Registration Act finally spilled over from the Marvel Universe?

Damn you, Tony Stark! Damn you!

When times get tough, the superheroes get real

Geist

The recession can be blamed for any number of things, ranging from home foreclosures to layoffs to business closings. Now add to that list the rise of real-life superheroes.

CNN reports that the dismal economic environment is leading more people to don masks in an effort to help their communities and fight crime.

Ben Goldman of Superheroes Anonymous estimates there are somewhere between 250 and 300 real-life superheroes worldwide, up from around 200 just last summer.

"A lot of them have gone through a sort of existential crisis and have had to discover who they are," Goldman tells CNN.

Of course as we, and Shadow Hare, have learned, more supervillains are discovering who they are, too.

But Stan Lee, for one, sees the increase in real-life superheroes as a positive sign.

"I think it's a good thing that people are eager enough to want to help their community," he says. "They think to do it is to emulate the superheroes. Now if they had said they had super powers [that would be another thing]."

They don't have super powers yet, but they do have BattleSuits. And, in the case of Rochester, Minnesota's Geist, bolas.

Real-life superheroes, your days are numbered!

ROACH

Since gaining national media attention as Cincinatti's self-appointed caped crusader, Shadow Hare has faced public mockery and a $10 bounty for his secret identity.

But now the black-clad protector of the Queen City may pray for the day when those were his biggest concerns.

It seems the rise of real-life superheroes, who organize via the World Superhero Registry, have triggered the inevitable backlash -- one far worse than the so-called Consortium of Evil that sought Shadow Hare's identity.

Introducing ROACH -- Ruthless Organization Against Citizen Heroes -- whose "primary goal is to be a counter balancing force against the Superheroes of the world who's [sic] goodwill and penchant for spreading hope has gone on unchecked for far too long. Where they exist to help and motivate society, we exist to help and motivate ourselves and to bring society under our boot!"

Unearthed over the weekend by io9.com, ROACH appears highly organized, with a mission statement, a youth-outreach division called LARVA -- Lower Aged Recruits for Violence and Aggression -- and, of course, T-shirts.

And, yes, ROACH is recruiting. There's even an ominous-yet-inspiring recruitment video. For more, see io9's interview with the group's mysterious founder The Potentate.

Shadow Hare, what have you gotten yourself into?

The perils of real-life superheroes (and Craigslist)

Shadow Hare

The worst side effect of publicizing your superhero efforts apparently isn't widespread mockery. No, it's attracting the attention of potential arch-nemeses.

Case in point: Cincinnati's self-appointed protector Shadow Hare, whose mission to patrol the mean streets of the Queen City received air time last week on CNN.

The masked defender and his teammates in the Allegiance of Heroes apparently weathered the laughter of television anchors, Cincinnati residents and the online minions. But can Shadow Hare survive ... the Consortium of Evil?

Io9.com points out that the mysterious E, a member of the equally mysterious Consortium, is determined to learn Shadow Hare's secret identity -- at any cost!

Okay, not any cost. It's more like $10.

On Tuesday E placed an ad on Craigslist offering the reward for the identity of Shadow Hare. (The ad since has been removed.) That's right, Our Hero already has a bounty on his head.

So far, there's no response from the Allegiance of Heroes, the World Superhero Registry, or the Guild of Calamitous Intent.

Developing ...

The worst thing about crimefighting is the laughter (oh, and the chafing)

"Allegiance Assemble!"

The people of Cincinnati, Ohio, can sleep easier knowing they're protected by Shadow Hare and the Allegiance of Heroes -- "Allegiance Assemble!" -- who brave the mean streets to "intervene on crimes if there is one happening in front of us."

Ohio's WLWT, via CNN, has the laughter-inducing story.