It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's...Some Dude?!

Jon Ronson, our Boswell of 'the part of no part', turns his gaze upon the RLSH movement.

Phoenix Jones, center

I'm rather ambivalent about all this. I have no problem with people wearing what they want, but when they start acting as vigilantes that's a horse of a different color. What if they mistakenly harass or injure an innocent citizen? What happens if some of them go after "illegal immigrants"? What if they go full-on Death Wish?

"The real-life superheroes like to portray their motives as wholly benevolent, but if they were driven purely by altruism, they'd have become police officers or firefighters or charity volunteers. Something else is evidently propelling them—a touch of narcissism. It's an odd sort of narcissism, of course, when the narcissist disguises his face, but the lust for fame and glory is unmistakable."

I can't help thinking that before long we'll see "supervillains" appearing and this will all degenerate into a street level Pro-Wrestling match.