Intellectual Property Law

Masked Superheroes Patrol Cincinnati Streets

By Kevin Poulsen

Evildoers beware! A team of self-styled crime-fighters called the “Allegiance of Heroes” has taken to patrolling the mean streets of Cincinnati, righting wrongs and defending the defenseless. The superheroes — who carry handcuffs, pepperspray and stun guns, but no batarangs — are part of a global network of masked avengers who organize and team-up through the online Word Superhero Registry.

This awesome video from Cincinatti’s WLWT focuses on 21-year-old Shadow Hare, the leader of the Allegiance. Shadow Hare has joined with superheroes in other states to fight crime. ”I’ve even teamed up with Mr. Extreme in California — San Diego — and we were trying to track down a rapist,” he told the station. As io9 notes, what could possibly go wrong?

If nothing else, the presence of real-life superheroes seems to be suppressing the emergence of super villains. Of the 26 active heroes listed in the registry, only one, east coast-based Tothian, notes an official arch-enemy: Osama Bin Laden.

Full post as published by Threat Level on April 29, 2009 (boomark / email).