Heroes in the Night Author Tea Krulos Co-stars in Episode, Reveals New Book Project
Behind the scene photo: Phantom Patriot and G'nik confront Illuminus in Area 51
Welcome to rare new post on the Heroes in the Night blog. While working on my book Heroes in the Night, I was introduced to a person named Richard McCaslin aka the Phantom Patriot, who has an interesting life story I thought would make a good book in itself. It's been an exercise in patience-- I've slowly been working on this book since 2010. There is still a way to go, but it is getting there.
I decided one thing I needed was a trip down to Nevada, where Richard now lives, so I could visit him in his home environment. I asked if there was anything in particular he'd like to do when I visited, and he mentioned shooting an action packed script he had written, with myself as a co-star (along with actor extraordinaire G'nik and villain Illuminus). I was game, and the result is the following video, which I am told will be an official selection at the High Desert Film Festival in Pahrump, Nevada. Exciting stuff!
Hey, it's been a long time since I've posted here. However, this blog is very slowly going to wake up out of hibernation as I continue work on my current book project. That book is yet untitled, but the main person appearing throughout the book is Richard McCaslin aka the Phantom Patriot.
There are many aspects to the Phantom Patriot, but for now enjoy his latest project: "Phantom Patriot's Retro Cinema," a show that combines the Phantom Patriot persona with classic horror host style shows like Mystery Science Theater 3000, Commander USA's Groovy Movies, etc.
Here now is the pilot episode for Phantom Patriot's Retro Cinema. Episode 2 is already in the works and will have a special guest star...me! Yes, I went down to Nevada for a few days to meet up with Richard. I got some interview time and co-starred (along with Phantom Patriot's alien head sidekick G'Nik and the sinister villain Illuminus) in episode 2. It was a wild adventure and I can't wait to write all about it.
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!)
Activities: Political protests, street patrols, charity hand outs
Team Affiliation: The Protectorate
Inspiration: various American folk heroes, the Human Fly, Captain America
Author's notes: The Phantom Patriot is one of the people discussed as in a chapter of Heroes in the Night titled "Early Prototypes." Here is a video in which he explains more about himself titled Phantom Patriot: An Inside Look.
Last post I wrote about a RLSH named Beast who was arrested outside of a Home Depot after observers thought they were witnessing a copycat of James Holmes, the man responsible for the shootings at the Dark Knight Rises premier in Aurora, Colorado. I received an e-mail from the conspiracy theorist RLSH known as Phantom Patriot who informed me that he traveled from his home in Las Vegas to Aurora just to protest at the Century 16 Theater, where the event occurred. He held a sign that read "Don't let a mind-controlled , Prozac-popping Joker destroy your freedom !" He says reaction was mostly positive. Police told him to stay on the public sidewalk. He further elaborates:
"I want the RLSH Community to understand that (as crazy as this sounds) one of the (minor) reasons that the New World Order staged this bizarre crime might have been to scare us into inactivity. They don't want a bunch of "Zorros and Robin Hoods" running around and inspiring the common people to take a stand against a corrupt government. More and more , we are being sidetracked into charity events and reality TV. Where's the risk ; where's the heroism in that ? It has become apparent that my previous advice to other RLSHs was correct...don't dress like a Black Blok Anarchist / terrorist. Of course , a protest sign does wonders , to explain yourself to the public. I stuck my neck out (again) to make a point. I challenge the other RLSHs to do the same!"
Richard McCaslin aka the Phantom Patriot has released a new comic book that he has written and illustrated titled RLSH Team Up #1. The comic stars himself and San Francisco RLSHs Motor-Mouth and Mutinous Angel in a fictional storyline, inspired by the meet up the three had for a protest of the Bohemian Club in January. I was there to witness the protest (see entry HERE ) and am also mentioned (along with Heroes in the Night) in the comic.
You can get a copy by sending a SASE 6x9 with 2 stamps, 1 copy per request. To also get a copy of McCaslin's last comic, Phantom Patriot, include 1.40 worth of postage on the SASE and send to: Richard McCaslin PO Box 7450 Las Vegas , NV 89125 .
"Any orders I get before June 1st will be handled immediately," McCaslin says. "Any orders sent in the month of June won't be handled until July."
Bee Sting, right, shown here chatting with Master Legend, is the latest RLSH arrest.
People ask me what the relationship between RLSH and the police is like. I'm somewhat relieved to say that the majority of the time it is ok, if not a little awkward. That is because most RLSH patrols are done unarmed, like a concerned citizens foot patrol.
But over the last 9 months there has been... incidents. Consider the following RLSH Arrested While Masked (AWM):
--October, 2011. Phoenix Jones and "the Pepper Spray Incident." One of the more hair-raising parts of my upcoming book, Heroes in the Night, details a night I spent in Seattle. Phoenix Jones, along with his Rain City Superheroes Movement team mate Ghost, myself, and videographer Ryan McNamee saw a street fight between Russians, Jones intervened and pepper sprayed the combatants, and all hell broke loose. Eventually the Seattle Police Department showed up and read us all our Miranda Rights. They let us all go except Jones, who was taken to jail with assault charges. The charges were later dropped.
Infamous video HERE
--November, 2011. I was the one who broke the story of the arrest of The Ray, a Bay Area RLSH and former member of the Pacific Protectorate. The Ray was beaten down by police and arrested for "assault" and "failure to disperse" at an Occupy Oakland protest. See my write up HERE.
--January, 2012. I traveled to San Francisco to meet a man named Richard McCaslin aka Phantom Patriot aka Thoughtcrime for a protest. Although he hasn't been arrested recently, the event reflected on the 10 year anniversary on his 2002 arrest for raiding a place called the Bohemian Grove. It is a complex story and I try to make sense of it HERE.
--April, 2012. The Bar Harbor Batman finds himself in hot water after he posts a Facebook update meant to be an April Fool's joke that says the Bar Harbor Batman will blow up a hospital unless his demands are made. A trial is still pending. See my blog post HERE.
--April, 2012. Bee Sting arrested. See entry after this one.
Formerly known as: The Lynx, Crackdown, the Phantom Patriot
Activities: Various protests against politicians, the "New World Order," Bohemian Club, etc.
Quote: "It is a sad day in America when someone has to resort to gaudy street theater to get the truth out to the masses, but you have left me no choice."
Author's notes: To get a fuller picture of who Richard McCaslin aka Thoughtcrime (and his other alter ego, Phantom Patriot) is, read the post on this blog previous to this one.
Ok. It is time now to talk about Richard McCaslin aka the Phantom Patriot aka Thoughtcrime.
This is a story that I've gotten to know since Fall of 2010. It is a complex story that I've often had a hard time wrapping my head around, but we'll look at this story in simple steps.
PRE-PHANTOM PATRIOT: McCASLIN BEFORE 2002
McCaslin was in fact one of the earlier known RLSH prototypes.
McCaslin served in the Marines and even as Batman for a Six Flags stunt show in the late 1990s. Submissions sent in to comic book letter pages show he was talented at duplicating the costumes of his favorite superheroes.
In the 1980s, McCaslin read Night Rider’s How to Be a Superhero book, a self published guide to being a RLSH written in 1980. McCaslin had mail ordered the book via an ad in the back of a Marvel comic book. McCaslin was excited about the book and drove from Zanesville, Ohio (where he was living at the time) to Morgantown, West Virginia (where the book lists a po box as its address) and spent a night cruising around, hoping to run into Night Rider on patrol.
He adopted a new persona, The Lynx, in 1985 and began patrols of Zanesville with a partner named Iron Claw. Iron Claw, still a teenager, was probably the first RLSH sidekick. McCaslin developed other personas over the years, mostly for TV, stage, or movie ideas.
THE PHANTOM PATRIOT
In 2001 McCaslin developed the Phantom Patriot persona, who had the goal of protesting the “New World Order.” Phantom Patriot’s gear featured a navy blue jumpsuit, boots, and a skull mask with an American flag wrapped bandana style on the head. An elephant decorating one arm and a donkey on the other both were cancelled with a red circle and slash.
He travelled to make a series of “symbolic appearances” on the east coast, leaving literature he had written about the New World Order government conspiracy at the Minuteman statue, the White House, and the Boston Tea Party Ship. A trip to the Statue of Liberty was aborted because of security.
Back home in Austin, Texas, where McCaslin was living at the time, he saw a documentary produced by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on public access. The documentary, “Dark Secrets of Bohemian Grove,” claims there are satanic rituals held there.
The Bohemian Club, located in San Francisco, owns the Bohemian Grove, located north of San Francisco near Monte Rio. The Grove is a 2,700 acre resort deep in the redwood forest. It is members only, men only, with no media access allowed. Members include the most powerful and wealthy men in the country-- every Republican president since 1923 has been a member as has several Democrats, as well as lots of high level politicians, CEOs, businessmen, actors, and entertainers. The Grove is open year round, but the biggest event of the year happens in July, a two week long Midsummer celebration. This more or less consists of the Bohos networking, getting drunk, and partying in the woods.
What conspiracy theorists have latched onto is this elite gathering of powerful men’s opening ritual for their Midsummer meet up-- a bizarre ceremony called the “Cremation of Care.” In this production, several members of the club (McCaslin refers to them as “Bohos”) dress as druids and burn an effigy at the foot of a 40 foot owl statue, the “Great Owl of Bohemia.” There is eerie music, pyrotechnics, and the owl statue even speaks to them in some cryptic poetry (and to make things even weirder, the owl’s voice is a recording made by beloved news anchor Walter Cronkite - I can’t make this stuff up!)
Many people who have written on this suggest it’s nothing more than theatrics-- a sort of frat boy ritual for rich old men.
The Phantom Patriot didn’t think so, though, as he informed me through a series of e-mails and hand written letters. He was (and still is) convinced that live human sacrifice took place there, and he planned a raid to save the victims and expose the Grove. On Jan. 20, 2002 he slipped into the Grove with the following: a rifle, a pistol, a knife, a sword, a bullet- proof vest and a homemade smoke bomb launcher. He also had a crossbow and a baton in his truck. What he didn’t have was adequate batteries for his flashlight, so after he entered the Grove he found himself lost in the dark. He broke into a cabin and spent the night.
At daybreak he found the Owl of Bohemia, which he had planned to destroy, but found it was made of concrete instead of wood as he had anticipated. He decided to burn down a nearby mess hall instead. He lit it on fire, but the sprinkler system extinguished the blaze and sounded an alarm. After a short but tense standoff with the Sheriff’s department, he surrendered.
McCaslin was sentenced and imprisoned from 2002-2008. During this period he drew a comic book version of the events and developed a new, Jehovah’s Witness - themed superhero - The Revelator. He abandoned this persona after he dropped out of the religion.
“I quit, in front of my whole congregation after learning that their founder, Charles Taze Russell, was a 33rd degree Freemason and Knights Templar - a major player for the Illuminati!” McCaslin explained in a letter.
The Phantom Patriot was paroled in May 2011. His parole conditions stated he must stay 35 miles away from the Bohemian Grove, and informed him, “You will not possess or have access to costumes-clothing.” POST-PAROLE: THE THOUGHTCRIME TOUR
After his parole period was over McCaslin adopted a new persona-- a George Orwell inspired hero named “Thoughtcrime McCaslin.” In summer of 2011, he hit the road traveling to all 48 lower states to hold peaceful protests against the New World Order. I actually met him and shadowed him for his protests in downtown Milwaukee and at O'Hare airport in Chicago, where he protested specifically against the TSA.
McCaslin currently lives in Las Vegas where he incorporates the Thoughtcrime persona to protest appearances by politicians and has protested with the 9/11 Truthers. Thoughtcrime in Milwaukee during the Thoughtcrime Tour
THE RETURN OF THE PHANTOM PATRIOT
In January I was invited out to San Francisco to witness McCaslin return as the Phantom Patriot to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his raid on the Bohemian Grove. He recreated his Phantom Patriot outfit and marched to give a protest at the Bohemian Club headquarters in downtown San Francisco. RLSHs have been reluctant to reply or participate with McCaslin in protests because they don't share his beliefs, but in this case he was joined by two members of the Pacific Protectorate-- Motor-Mouth and Mutinous Angel.
Outside of the Bohemian Club, McCaslin spoke for about ten minutes, describing his beliefs about the Bohos and reading an excerpt from the book Trance-Formation of America, written by Cathy O'Brien and her husband Mark Phillips. In the book, O'Brien claims that she was brainwashed under the government's MK Ultra program and used as a sex slave by several prominent American and foreign politicians. McCaslin read an excerpt in which O'Brien describes being used as a sex slave in the Bohemian Grove.
A full video of the appearance is below. I am currently developing a book that will follow Heroes in the Night that will be about McCaslin, his life and beliefs, working title: Phantom Patriot.
My name is Tea Krulos and I'm a freelance writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was introduced to the Real Life Super Hero(RLSH) story in late February, 2009. As a lifelong fan of comic books and unusual and unique people and subcultures, I was immediately hooked.
I was determined to find a local RLSH if there was one and found The Watchman, a man who dons a red rubber mask, suit, and trenchcoat and patrols the streets of Milwaukee. I had a long, fascinating interview with him in person one night and determined that the short magazine piece I had successfully pitched did not scratch the surface of the story and decided to write a book. After a few months I also established this blog- both the book and the blog are titled Heroes in the Night.
My book is based on extensive research, interviewing, and field work. I have traveled to meet RLSH in Minneapolis, Rochester (Minnesota), Brooklyn, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, San Diego, New Bedford (Massachusetts) , and Washington DC, as well as meeting regularly with the Milwaukee crew.
I have been quoted as an expert on the subject in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, People magazine, Seattle Weekly, Scientific American, io9.com, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and dozens of other newspapers, magazines, websites around the world. I've also made appearances on a dozen radio shows and have been filmed for three different RLSH documentaries.
I have written articles on the subject for Milwaukee magazine, the Boston Phoenix, New York Press, Forces of Geek, Riverwest Currents, and Delayed Gratification.
Heroes in the Night will be published in Fall 2013 by Chicago Review Press.
Tea Krulos is an award winning freelance writer from Milwaukee, WI. His first book is titled Heroes in the Night: Inside the Real Life Super Hero Movement.
