Light Fist, a three-year member of the league and a security guard who has trained with the police explorer cadet program. “I contacted the local group when I was 16. I wasn’t old enough to join, so I waited two years. I always grew up loving superhe- roes. I wanted to change the world. For me, this is the first step. Doing this led me to an interest in law enforcement. I may pursue that someday.” Colonial, the newest
and youngest on tonight’s patrol, has a similar story. “I wanted to join the mil- itary, but I didn’t qualify due to a disability, so I con- tacted Grim online a few months ago. I love super- heroes. They’re always helping others.” “They always do the
right thing,” says Light Fist. “Except for Punisher,” Colonial corrects.
“They almost always do
The league is accosted by Snapchatters “Do you have a cell
the right thing,” Light Fist concedes. “When people look for hope, they look at superheroes.” That may sound like
do-gooder’s rhetoric, but a few blocks later, the league comes across exactly that: a person looking for hope.
phone I can borrow just for one second?” asks a maybe 20-year-old kid in a backwards Agent Orange cap with a lapel pin that reads “SHUT THE FUCK UP!” in bold letters. His name is Bob, and he’s just been thrown out of a hair-
metal show for trying to sneak backstage. Bob’s from Tucson, just visiting with friends, and he has no idea where he is, where his friends are, or where the show was. He looks a little glossed over but he seems mostly there, apart from being hopelessly lost.
RESEARCH STUDIES
“I need to call my
friends,” he insists. “I think they’re at the Marriott.” The Grim and his team
do some Googling for Bob, who already feels like our pushy little punk brother, and when it is announced that he can walk to a Mar- riott nearby, Bob digs in his heels and declares, “I have no idea where I am. I’m just going to hang out with you guys until I figure it out.” So, Violet gives him a
bottle of water and Colo- nial keeps him marching in the middle of the for- mation. Bob veers around the sidewalk, lighting ciga- rettes, talking to strangers, and every time he gets loose, Colonial pulls him back into the march. It dawns on me that I
may be watching Bob’s own origin story unfold in front of my eyes: a ragtag punk rocker living a go-
nowhere life in Arizona discovers his true calling on the mean streets of San Diego, where, with the help of his new super- hero friends, he learns to channel his millennial angst into valiant deeds. He’s no longer Tucson Bob, the stoned kid who gets kicked out of hair- metal concerts for stupid reasons. No. He is Twisted Brother, and he will put your Spandex game to shame while exacting jus- tice on a fallen metropo- lis with all the bittersweet finality of a power ballad. Could the rest of the
league’s beginnings be just as charmed? Mr. Xtreme, aka Clark
Stark (probably also not his real name), grew up in the College Area before moving around East County and City Heights. School was always rough, with kids bused in
ALLERGIC DERMATITIS, ALLERGIC ECZEMA, ATOPIC DERMATITIS, ATOPIC ECZEMA
As part of a paid research study, 2 small skin samples will be taken from volunteers who have been diagnosed with Dermatitis or Eczema. Procedures for this single visit study will involve providing health information and 2 skin samples. Participants will receive $150.00 compensation paid at the end of the visit.
For further information, call Araceli Rayas at 858-847-0117 Ext. 206 or 1-800-519-8810
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHAD DEAL
22 San Diego Reader July 21, 2016
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