Rain City Superhero Movement

The Rain City Superhero Movement was a Seattle-based organization in the U.S. state of Washington. It was composed of costumed activists who describe themselves as a crime-fighting brigade.^[1] Witnesses have reported that the group has intervened in crimes on several occasions, while the police maintain they'd prefer that individuals other than sworn officers not place themselves in danger, and act as good witnesses instead.^[2]

In July 2011, local police recorded ten citizens patrolling the city of Seattle in superhero costumes, using the names Thorn, Buster Doe, Green Reaper, The Mantis, Prodigy, Gemini, No Name, Catastrophe, Thunder 88, Penelope, and Phoenix Jones. An individual using the pseudonym "Red Dragon" was also a member of the group.^[3] Midnightjack, Karma, SkyMan, and El Caballero are further members of the movement.^[4] Finally, "Purple Rain" was a member, working mainly on intelligence and advocacy against domestic violence.^[5][6]

The group stopped four people pretending to be law enforcement from robbing a blind man whose pockets they purported to be lawfully searching.^[4] Red Dragon notes that the group has also "stopped car-jackings, helped stranded vehicles on the highways, stopped people from driving drunk, chased down and aided in the apprehension of a sex-offender, and even escorted people to their cars late at night".^[3] They have dealt with a man making threatening statements while swinging a golf club.^[2]

On May Day, 2012, El Caballero, Midnightjack and Phoenix Jones confronted vandals damaging an old federal courthouse, including perhaps with a smoke bomb (the video reveals a fire at the side of the building).^[7][8]

On May 29th, 2014, Phoenix Jones officially declared that the Rain City Superhero Movement was over. ^[9]

References