#ScreamPhoenix number 6- Phoenix Jones disbands Rain City Superhero Movement?!?

So for the record, I was kinda worried (although also excited in my nerd brain) when I first learned about the Rain City Superhero Movement, a collective of costumed community activists ("real life superheroes") that formed around charismatic crime-buster Phoenix Jones. Initially, I followed Phoenix's exploits half expecting some kind of tragedy to happen, as he and his teammates donned masks and costumes and threw themselves in harm's way. It seemed likely to me that Phoenix would end up getting killed or maimed, or worse turn into a violent criminal vigilante like Rorschach or the Punisher. But Phoenix proved me wrong. While there have been a few missteps, Phoenix has shown a level of patience, restraint and mental toughness that is (dare I say it) heroic. As I chronicled some of Phoenix's exploits in my illustrated column #ScreamPhoenix, I became a reluctant fan of Phoenix and his band of costumed comrades.
So I was not happy to find an email with the subject line "Phoenix Jones ends superhero group" in my inbox yesterday.But it looks like Phoenix had the same concerns I had in the beginning. As the Rain City team was growing large, some members were taking short cuts he didn't approve of, like of using illegal weapons like "Illegal knives, pepper grenades, smoke bombs, really crazy stuff" and not maintaining their physical fitness. Taking short cuts is a bad sign. Superheroes need to have a high level of moral authority and accountability, or they are just villains waiting to happen. As questionable incidents started to crop up, Jones was blamed, even when the masked actors were not affiliated with him. So in order to avoid singling anyone out, Jones disbanded the group.
But as I learned in this newscast, Jones has started the group back up with 4 members who have explicitly agreed to his terms, which includes making their secret identities known to the authorities. So it's more of a reboot, actually. I am not usually a fan of reboots, but in this case, I'll be glad to make an exception. Hopefully, Phoenix will be able to learn from this incident, and grow as a leader. He will need to find a way to bring some of the old members back into the fold, lest some of them grow bitter and turn a potential Oracle or Professor X into a Mister Glass. 

Physical shortcomings do not rule out heroism...

Some that will not be able to keep up to fitness standards Phoenix has set will still be able to support the movement in other capacities. Physical shortcomings do not rule out heroism, as anyone familiar with Barbara Gordon will tell you. There are many dull but necessary aspects to running any kind of team that these people would be happy to do for the cause.  In the right context, nerds and geeks can be just as heroic as athletes and warriors. As one commenter on the Facebook page said "What you need is an organization..." and it definitely takes all kinds. 

peace...
-samax.
Samax Amen draws people, places and things for a living.  CLICK HERE to buy a copy of Samax's artbook SPONTANEOUS Volume 1 so you can say "I liked the first one better" when the new one comes out...
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