THE WATCHMAN GOES TO CAMPUS

In the last week, two college productions have featured pieces on local real life superheroes The Watchman and Blackbird.

MARQUETTE TRIBUNE

The first was a front page story by Matt Campbell for the Marquette Tribune, the student newspaper for Marquette University. It is titled "Masked Avengers Keep Milwaukee Streets Safe," and it is online HERE. Much of the article was based on a phone interview conducted with me. They got permission to reuse photos taken by Brian Jacobson for Third Coast Digest. I think it is a good, simple article although in the print version Blackbird is mistakenly called "Birdman" in the sub-header and photo caption.

The editors are usually the ones who write headlines and captions, so it's probably a sleep deprived editorial intern's mistake, but still- don't they know about the Blackbird? I thought everybody knew Blackbird was the word.

Angela Payne prepares to be interviewed for Panthervision

PANTHERVISION

Not to be confused with the flashlight headgear of the same name, Panthervision is a news program put together by journalism and tech students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who take turns filing stories, anchoring the show, and so on.

For this report we were followed during the Riverwest Superheroes United community walk that was part of the Girls To The Front Fest(see previous entry). In addition to interviewing The Watchman, Panthervision reporter Sean Willey and a cameraman interviewed Girls To The Front organizers Evelyn Sempos, Lauryl Sulfate (aka 3-D Girl!), and walk attendee Angela Payne.

I think they kind of blurred Girls To The Front and Real Life Superheroes (which was what we were doing) but it's a positive looking piece on both parties trying to do something fun and community involved. You can see the report HERE- it is toward the end of the show so you might want to skip ahead if UWM campus news isn't your thing.

Good job, student journalists. Remember to study hard this fall but don't let your evil deans try to stop your right to party!

Longboard Update

I finally got a few extra bucks and so I was able to pimp my ride the way I wanted it.

On the front end of the board I attached two small but powerful LED flashlights. The initial problem was that they were rattling loudly within the brackets, but this was solved by stuffing foam between the flashlights and the brackets. The lights came in handy when I joined Watchman and Blackbird for a patrol during a streetlight blackout (Which I wrote about HERE.)

Moving down the board I painted a design just for fun. I used light blue spray paint with a couple of diamond shaped stencils and hand painted the dark blue with acrylic.

I bolted down a small am/fm radio so I can listen to the oldies station (or 91.7FM- the college radio station) while I'm cruising around town. I was concerned I wouldn't be able to hear the radio, but it turns out the volume is pretty adequate.

Next to the radio you'll notice I pasted a pin up of my favorite green skinned superheroine, the Sensational She Hulk. I guess she's there to keep me company on lengthy commutes.

Last, at the very end of the board I attached a blinking red light designed for bicycles. This is also for cruising on dark streets- I'd rather motorists saw me and I also have a blinking red light that I can attach to my back pocket or belt.

There is only one more thing I'd like to get for the board and that's a new set of wheels.

All of the supplies I used totalled up to be about 15-20 bucks. Poor men know how to find a good deal.