Crusader Prime, a masked 40-something Indiana man in red spandex, a fedora and a thrift store trench coat, hit the streets on a cold day to hand out blankets and food to homeless people.

He would soon be joined by Patchwork, another Real Life Superhero — RLSH for short — who was traveling with a suitcase full of socks.

Call it comic book fantasies coming to life or 21st-Century altruism. The RLSH movement has ballooned across the country since the mid-2000s, united through the internet on www.reallifesuperheroes.com.

At first, The Real Life Superhero Project was conceived as an avenue to shine some light on this new breed of activism and altruism, through a photographic installation to benefit the established organizations the superheroes believe in. But as more people were brought into the wholly volunteer project, largely through Tangen's infectious enthusiasm, the scope and purpose expanded exponentially.

Now, what began as a gallery exhibit, has come to serve as the launching pad of something far greater—a living, breathing community that inspires people to become the positive forces for change we all can be. To become more active, more involved, more committed, and perhaps, a little super in the process.

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