A Hero Without Powers?

Can you be a superhero if you have no powers?

The Tick, pilot episode, 2001

This is a question that is often asked in jest, as if we’re all 10 year olds on a playground and someone wants a cute answer.

No, we don’t have superpowers.  What makes us superheroes, aside from our uniforms, are positive intentions, purposeful training for safety and defense, and the fact that we get ourselves out for regular patrols.

We aim for color uniforms to distinguish ourselves apart from regular people and the criminals.  It also is a way to divert the attention of any attacker.  If you watch the news footage of the first protest in Seattle where ICE was present, unleashing tear gas and using rubber bullets, you’ll see Justin Service, a local RLSH, trying to get between the gas/bullets and the protesters.  At another time, Justin Service and Red Ranger were both at another protest where they broke up a fight, administered aid to some folks who were pepper sprayed, and put out a small fire (literally).

We have no superpowers and yet we are out there trying to be helpful if we are needed, have eyes in the area, and to prevent bigger issues from arising.

Some people think that we must be utilizing technology and weapons, as if we’re powered by money like Batman.  Sorry folks, we’re all pretty working class and middle class type of people.  With today’s economy, we’d rather make sure we can pay our bills than drop $800 on some bulletproof vest or something; although some have.

What we have are skills of varying sorts and determination, not powers.

Some comic book heroes without superpowers.

On an entire other note, if you are an RLSH, please take a moment to fill out this RLSH 2025 Demographics Survey. It's anonymous. Just looking to gather some general information to study.