Monday, December 23, 2013

Happy Holidays from Heroes in the Night!

2013 was a great year for Heroes in the Night-- we saw publication, some great reviews, and some fun in-person events. We've got more of the same planned for 2014, but now it's time for a holiday break.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Author Tea Krulos with local Real Life Superhero team The Challengers at their annual charity toy drive.


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Thursday, December 19, 2013

PHANTOM PATRIOT REPORT 2013

If you've read my book Heroes in the Night, then you'll probably recall a story in the "Early Prototypes" chapter about a man named Richard McCaslin aka the Phantom Patriot.

McCaslin now lives outside of Las Vegas and is still active as the Phantom Patriot. He compiled the video below which has reports on his activities over the last year (and also includes a shout out spot to Heroes in the Night!)

Presented without further comment:



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Sunday, December 15, 2013

Challengers Christmas Toy Drive a Huge Hit!


Local Milwaukee RLSH team the Challengers do a charity toy drive every year and this is the fourth year I've done a small part in helping them with their mission. At this annual event the team asks for in-person donations of toys and art supplies for two charities. Gingerbread House donates toys to low income families in Washington County. Meta House is a rehab program in my neighborhood (Riverwest) for women and their families. They incorporate a lot of art therapy into their programs.

This year, we set up the RLSH appearance at Dryhootch, a non-profit benefit coffee house that helps veterans and their families with a variety of issues.

It was a cold and snowy day, but that didn't prevent the Challengers from showing up in force. The Watchman, Blackbird, Night Vision, the towering Skyscraper, and the Junior Challengers--Wonder Boy, Badger Boy, and Guardian Girl-- were all there.

Overall, the toy drive was a huge success. Our friends at comic book store Lost World of Wonders hosted a show earlier in the week and offered free admission with a toy donation, and donated generously themselves. The Junior Challengers even pooled some of their own money to buy donations. Good work!

FOX 6 stopped by to shoot some footage for last night's News at 10. Here's the clip:


Pretty cool, huh?

When I returned home and checked in on Facebook, I realized the Challengers weren't the only ones try to do some good out there this weekend.

For example, Crusader Prime reports that he and fellow Chicago RLSH handed out supplies-- gloves, blankets, shirts, socks, hand warmers, and food-- to the homeless yesterday in the area around lower Wacker Drive yesterday. He says they ran into a lot of people in need and handed out the amount of supplies they usually spend all night distributing in about an hour and twenty minutes.

Meanwhile, on in the West, teams were participating in a quarterly RLSH outreach program called S.I.G.N.S. of HOPE. In San Francisco, the California Initiative handed out supplies including water, first aid kits, cookies and 240 homemade burritos (!) yesterday in the Mission District. Also, in Seattle, members of the Washington Initiative and other Seattle superheroes teamed up to do a similar hand out of supplies and food.

WAI members will discuss S.I.G.N.S of HOPE tonight (9PM EST) on the Initiative hosted Tribe Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tribetalk/2013/12/16/5-of-7-neighborhood-heroes--tips-training-and-tales-ft-the-wai

Tune in!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Heroes in the Night Answers Your Cyber Monday Questions



-What formats is the book available in?
Paperback and also a few different types of e-books.

-Do I need to be a comic book geek to understand this book?
No! I was careful to write the book to be accessible to people without comic book knowledge. If you're into comic books, a lot of references will be familiar terrain. If not, you'll still be able to follow along and will pick up some comic book history along the way. The book also appeals to anyone interested in contemporary sub-cultures and unique social movements. Heroes in the Night is listed under social studies/pop culture, and sometimes placed in cultural studies or true crime. 

-Will my Uncle Joe like it?
Yes. Probably.

-Do you have any reviews of the book I can read?
Yes. Here's a great one from Pop Mythology:
http://www.popmythology.com/heroes-in-the-night-review/#

-Where can I find copies of the book online?
Here's a list of links to places that sell it online:
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS GROUP
BOSWELL BOOK COMPANY
BARNES & NOBLE
AMAZON
POWELL'S
INDIEBOUND
iTUNES
MICROCOSM

Happy Cyber Monday Shopping!

Friday, November 29, 2013

Hollywood HEROES and Holiday Shopping

Tea Krulos signing stock at a recent Barnes & Noble appearance.

Hello! I hope you're enjoying the holiday season. Here's a treat for Heroes in the Night-- we were featured on the blog My Book, the Movie, in which authors are asked to pick out the perfect cast for a Hollywood adaptation. I went in trying not to over think it, I went with a lot of my immediate thoughts. Some I think are serious candidates, others are just a dose of humorous vision.

My dream casting can be found HERE. Someone get Hollywood on the line!

The post was also linked by related blog Campaign for the American Reader.


Also, today is the shopping holiday known as Black Friday. I, personally, am not a fan of the crowds and the ugly sweaters, but I know it is a tradition for many people. Have fun and be careful out there!

And consider a gift of Heroes in the Night, perfect for anyone interested in superheroes, social movements, pop culture, social science, true crime, or high adventure.

You can find it at a variety of independent and big box stores (or ask them to order a copy) as well as online at the links below. Have a wonderful day!

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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

HERO PROFILE #17: The Black Rat


Operates out of
: Sydney, Australia

Inspiration: "I first began thinking of being a RLSH after seeing the HBO documentary Superheroes."

Activities: "I use my RLSH alter ego to make sure broken street lighting in my area in a timely manner and that zebra crossings (crosswalks) and other street markings are maintained by the roads authority. (I do this) by highlighting these issues in the local media and by organizing local residents to report problems to me via social media."

Black Rat also does safety patrols on the streets of Sydney.

"I do these plain clothes so as not to scare people or have idiots try to fight me." He adds he is well trained in martial arts.

Future plans: "I hope to use the Black Rat as a platform to speak on issues such as law reform, drug and alcohol policy, and to send an anti-bullying message. As Gandhi said, 'be the change you want in the world."

Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Black-Rat-RLSH/173343772828711

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

RAIN CITY BLUES

The author with Purple Reign and Phoenix Jones in Seattle. Photo by Lucien Knuteson

THINGS NOT-SO-SUPER IN SEATTLE FOR PHOENIX JONES AS PURPLE REIGN, EL CABALLERO QUIT RAIN CITY SUPERHERO MOVEMENT

Phoenix Jones was riding high at the beginning of the month with another win by his MMA fighting alter ego, a unanimous decision victory on November 2. But recent public revelations show that Jones's team, the RCSM, is also facing a knock out.

A Facebook status update by El Caballero followed by an article yesterday with the Seattle Weekly reveals that the luchador mask wearing RCSM member has quit the team and will be doing his own thing. In the article, "Cabby" (as some call him) alleges that Jones stole his "class 3 military helmet" and that four other undisclosed RCSM members have issue with Jones not providing armor ordered or giving a refund.

Even more damning, today Jones's significant other Purple Reign posted the following status on her public Facebook page:

"I feel it is time to make a public statement announcing that Phoenix Jones and I are no longer together and will not be working together on any future projects. I have always conducted myself in a professional and respectable manner and do not wish to list the details of our separation.

I also do not have information about any of the allegations made against him, so please do not inquire. I do need to make it clear that I am not affiliated with him or the Rain City Superhero Movement, however, I will continue to help those in need as Purple Reign. I wish Phoenix and the RCSM the best of luck in their future endeavors."


I met Phoenix, Purple, and other members of the RCSM and wrote about them quite a bit in Heroes in the Night. My best wishes go out to everyone. What will be the results of this Seattle Shakedown? We'll have to wait and see.

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Thursday, November 7, 2013

HERO PROFILE #16: Knight-Hood


Operates out of
: Saint Petersburg, FL

Activities: Hands supplies to the homeless, reports crimes to police, writes pulp fiction for charity

Origin: After a string of misfortunes, he adopted the Knight-Hood persona in 1989

Author's notes: Two things here. If you missed the Q and A I did with Knight Hood for Pop Mythology, you can find the interview here: http://www.popmythology.com/interview-with-knight-hood-rlsh/

Also, Knight-Hood has a paperback fiction out.

"The Adventures of Knight-Hood is the only novel about a man becoming a real life masked crusader written by one who did," Knight-Hood tells me. Proceeds from book sales will be donated to Feeding America Tampa Bay. You can find the book's Amazon page HERE.

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Thursday, October 31, 2013

HERO PROFILE #15: Thanatos

Eva Siu/ Citizen Heroes documentary

Operates out of: Vancouver, BC

Activities: Hands out supplies to the homeless, gathers evidence and reports crimes to police

Date of first patrol: Halloween

Origin story: After an officer told him that homeless people only had death to look forward to, Thanatos adopted a look that reflected the Grim Reaper.

Author's notes: I couldn't think of anyone better to feature as a Halloween Hero Profile than Thanatos. He has a somewhat creepy looking exterior, but is motivated by a heart of gold.

I have a chapter of Heroes in the Night that focuses on Thanatos titled "The Man in the Green Skull Mask." I document his status as a legend among Vancouver's large homeless population. You can read an excerpt from that chapter that Vancouver newspaper Georgia Straight posted on their site here: http://www.straight.com/life/498621/heroes-night-documents-local-masked-crusader-thanatos

Happy Halloween!

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Thursday, October 24, 2013

HERO PROFILE #14: Evocatus

Photo by David Carnahan
Based out of: Seattle

Team Affiliation: Rain City Superhero Movement

Team title: Executive Officer, Director of Human Resources
Author's notes: After asking Evocatus to sum up who he is and why he joined the Rain City Superhero Movement in Seattle, I thought I would just repost most of his response here.

From Evocatus: 

Hi, I’m Evocatus, or “Evo,” for short. I joined the RCSM candidacy program in September 2012, and became a junior ranking member shortly after. I had been a fan of Phoenix Jones for a while prior to that, and was fascinated by an actual team of people who chose to make an active difference in their community, by patrolling the streets of Seattle.
Having spent nearly a decade in the military, I was drawn to working in a team element, and had honestly missed that particular component once I’d left that life behind. This, combined with a strong sense of community service, seemed to make me a shoe-in for this line of volunteer activism.
Learning about each individual member, helped me understand why we’re all here. Most of us are in our mid-20’s to mid-30’s, married, children, work regular jobs, and live otherwise quite normal lives, which wasn’t what I’d expected. I think most of us presume anyone in the RLSH community is likely in their teens, live with their parents, and play video games for a living. The members of this team are quite real, and aren’t the normal caricatures of spandexed heroism we’re used to imagining. Simply put, we’re everyone. 
We’re you, reading this. We’re that guy that helps you jump start your car at work, or the woman that offers you to go ahead of her in line at the store. We are that kind person that offers a smile every morning at the bus stop, we are that person that kept the door open a few more seconds so you could get in from the rain, we are the volunteer at that one crisis clinic a friend you know went to.
I’ve since been patrolling at least once per week for over a year now, have done several blood drives, spoken at schools, worked with a camp for disabled children, conducted/participated in almost two dozen food & clothing handouts for the homeless, and I’m excited for the future of this team, and the things we may inspire others to also do.
The question often comes up, about why I joined the Rain City Superhero Movement. Being a part of this is simple; the tangible differences I make to my community keep me motivated, and in love with this city. The real questions I wonder are, “Why not,” and, “Why did I wait so long to start?”
Be safe, be kind.
 -Evo
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Monday, October 21, 2013

HEROES in Madison and Saint Paul!

It was a great weekend for Heroes in the Night as I got to get out and visit two cities that are my favorites but don't get to as often as I like. I saw some old friends and met some cool new people, too, and got to tell people all about my book.
First I made a stop Saturday night at Westfield Comics in Madison, WI. I was joined by Electron, who used to live in Madison but is now in La Crosse. On Sunday I made an appearance at Common Good Books in Saint Paul, MN. We had a nice, enthusiastic crowd and I was joined by four RLSH: Razorhawk and Geist (who star in a chapter of the book) and Misery White and Blue. The book sold well. Common Good also now has a stock of signed copies of the book, if you're in the Twin Cities area.


Next up for me-- I'll be tabling at the Milwaukee Zine Fest on Nov. 9.

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Friday, October 18, 2013

Heroes in the Night Hits the Road!


Tea Krulos will be making two appearances with his book Heroes in the Night this weekend.

First up, Westfield Comics (West location, 7475 Mineral Point Road) in Madison, WI this Saturday the 19. 6PM. Our special guest will be Electron.
More: http://westfieldcomics.com/blog/home-page-highlights/meet-author-tea-krulos-this-saturday-october-19/

On Sunday the 20th, we'll be at Common Good Books in Saint Paul, MN at 4PM. Special guests Geist and Razorhawk will join Tea in a Q and A. Other Minnesota RLSH will be in attendance as well!
More: http://www.commongoodbooks.com/event/tea-krulos-discusses-heroes-night-inside-real-life-superhero-movement


Two more things to mention:

At my Milwaukee event on Friday, we did a silent auction to benefit the HOPE charity. I originally announced we had raised $531, but that number jumped up a little to $576 thanks to generous additional donations by bidders Bridget, Matt, and Tracey.

One item that did not sell was a gift certificate for AtomX Wear, the designer and costume creator that has done dozens and dozens of RLSH costumes. Me and Jack, of AtomX Wear, decided to list that item paired with a signed copy of the book on EBay to try to raise more funds for HOPE here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heroes-in-the-Night-Super-Pack-/131022877844?roken=5gw6GG
This is a great item for RLSH, cosplayers, anyone looking for a copy of the book and some serious superhero threads!

Last, our friends at Forces of Geek have a book giveaway contest! To enter, you must submit a superhero themed haiku. Remember, that's 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.

Entry info here: http://www.forcesofgeek.com/2013/10/contest-win-signed-copy-of-heroes-in.html

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Thursday, October 17, 2013

HERO PROFILE #13: Emerald Fáel

Photo by Gregg Simpson

Based out of: San Diego

Team affiliation: Xtreme Justice League, CAI, Missfits 4 Life

Activities: Charity and humanitarian efforts

Legacy: Her son, Rouroni, was an RLSH. He died on May 25, 2012.

Author's notes: Emerald Fáel has a brief but memorable appearance in my book Heroes in the Night. I can say with no uncertainty that she is a hero to me. She is again joining Miss Fit's team, Missfits 4 Life, in raising money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital by participating in a Warrior Dash. (See yesterday's post, which includes a video and more info.)

I have a book appearance at Westfield Comics in Madison, WI on Saturday and will be donating $2.99 for each book I sell to Emerald Fáel's fundraising page, which is open for the next nine days or so.

You can make a donation of any amount of money and help a great cause at her page here:
https://waystohelp.stjude.org/sjVPortal/public/displayUserPage.do?userId=850273&programId=2252&eventId=349830

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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Miss Fit on Mission to Help St. Jude's!


One of the interesting people I met on my journey into the word of Real Life Superheroes is Miss Fit, an RLSH that focuses on health and fitness promotion. I always love to use her as an example because she smashes the knee jerk response that some people have when they hear about RLSH-- that oh, these must be a bunch of white-n-nerdy comic book guys.

As you can see from the photo above, Miss Fit does not fit into that category. I got to meet Miss Fit at HOPE 2011 and am looking forward to her documentary The Adventures of Miss Fit. I also mention in the book the fantastic success Miss Fit and her team of friends had in raising money for Saint Jude's Children's Research Hospital by entering into a Warrior Dash competition as a team. Miss Fit and her "Missfits 4 Life" raised $16,000.

Wow!

Miss Fit is leading her group into the Warrior Dash again. They are about halfway to their goal of ten thousand right now and have about ten days left. I'll let the video below from Miss Fit speak for itself, but here's a couple notes.

--One of Miss Fit's team members will be featured Hero Profile tomorrow here on the blog.
--This Saturday I will be appearing at Westfield Comics in Madison, WI with my book. I will be donating $2 for each book I sell to tomorrow's featured team member. Will that be a lot of money? No. But every bit helps.
--Here is the donation site: http://www.active-ism.com/

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

HEROES a Hit in Milwaukee!

RLSH and costume contest entries. Skyscraper, the towering robot in the back, won the contest. More pics to follow soon!

BOSWELL BOOK COMPANY PACKED--SURPRISE GUEST--SILENT AUCTION A SUCCESS 

What a fun night! I presented Heroes in the Night to my hometown crowd (as I pointed out, I was born just down the street at St. Mary's hospital) at Boswell Book Company. Lots of friends and family and a good number of curious people I didn't know. I read the book's introduction and showed some slides. Then for the Q and A I called up a surprise guest--Milwaukee area RLSH the Watchman. The crowd reaction was great.

I'm glad to say that book sales that night were good enough that Heroes in the Night was listed as Boswell Book Company's bestselling paperback non-fiction for the week! Here's the mention on their blog:
http://boswellandbooks.blogspot.com/2013/10/sunday-bestseller-post-mary-oliver-and.html

The after party was fun, too. We had a costume contest with  three honorary judges: fashion designer Miranda Levy (she was a contestant on the current season of Project Runway. She also has an exciting Kickstarter going on now HERE) as well as my friend, photographer, writer, and fashion guru Lacy Landre and comic book artist David Beyer, Jr., who contributed a few pages of art to the book.

Some of the local RLSH-- Watchman, Blackbird, and Night Vision-- proved they were good sports by entering the contest. A man dressed as Hermes got third, Watchman won second, and the crowd was wowed by first place winner Skyscraper, a giant homemade robot costume (over ten foot) who vowed to "tower over evil." Good show!

We also had great entertainment by Nineteen Thirteen and later DJ Beta.

From 9PM-Midnight we had a display of about 16 items generously donated by friends. Some of these included original art from the book, lots of certificates, and other unique items. After final bids were in, we had raised $531.00 for the RLSH run charity HOPE, which helps distribute supplies directly to homeless people.

All around a great night, and thanks for everyone who supported me and my book.

Up next:
Westfield Comics, Madison, WI 10/19
Common Good Books, Saint Paul, MN 10/20

Tomorrow on the blog, I'll be talking about another great RLSH charity event going on right now: Miss Fit's Warrior Dash to raise funds for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

HERO PROFILE #12: Blackbird


Operates out of: Milwaukee, WI

Team Affiliation: The Challengers

Activities: Patrols, charity events

Author's notes: Tomorrow is a big day for me here in Milwaukee. I'm doing a hometown event to celebrate the release of Heroes in the Night. I'll be presenting my book at Boswell Book Company and then having an after party. Rumor is that local RLSH the Watchman and Blackbird might be around.

At the after party, I'll be doing a silent auction to benefit HOPE. Included in the items will be a nice print of the above photo taken of Blackbird by local photographer Paul Kjelland. It appears in the color photo section of the book.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Everyone's Talking About Heroes in the Night!

Tea Krulos with Chicagoland RLSH Crusader Prime (left) and Wraith at his appearance at Quimby's Bookstore in Chicago.

"(A) colorful new page-turner."
--The Onion's A.V. Club

"A very entertaining book!"
--Nick Digilio, WGN Chicago

"Heroes in the Night is a great example of the promise of creative non-fiction. Tea Krulos lays a solid foundation of fact and then builds an entertaining story on top of it."
--Matt Hlinak, Pop Mythology

"...A well written and intelligent look...."
--Patrick Challis, The Curiosity of a Social Misfit

"Honestly, one of the best books I've ever read. Tea Krulos takes a completely unbiased view into our order and should be commended for it."
--Electron, RLSH of La Crosee, WI

"Tea captures it."
--Geist, RLSH of Rochester, MN

* * *
My next big event is a hometown appearance this Friday. I'll be at the Boswell Book Company at 7PM, with an after- party at Stonefly Brewery, 9PM. Also doing appearances at Westfield Comics in Madison 10/19 and Common Good Books in Saint Paul 10/20. 


* * *

And a special thanks to the WOWW Bookclub of Green Bay, WI, who made Heroes in the Night their October reading selection. Thanks, ladies!

* * *
Heroes in the Night is now available in paperback and as an e-book at the links below!

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