The Dark Knight works the streets of Brazil

[sherkahn]

No, not that. Not what you think. Minds out of the gutter.

io9 has managed to find a new method to deal with their criminal element.

Someone that defy common sense and most laws of reality.

Someone to take back the night.

More from the article behind the cut.




From the article:


"Unbeknownst to DC Comics, a new sequel to The Dark Knight Returns is unfolding in the Brazilian city of Taubaté. Police have recruited 50-year-old military retiree and local Batman impersonator André Luiz Pinheiro to patrol crime-ridden neighborhoods.

And unlike other fictional superheroes who have made the jump to the corporeal realm — such as the Washington Deadpool — the gutsy Taubaté Batman will be on the beat in dangerous neighborhoods. According to the Brazilian news site O Vale, Pinheiro will hopefully become an approachable presence in these troubled communities and act as a recognizable beacon for lost children."


A grown man with military training walking around an actual crime ridden neighborhood, fighting crime and reconnecting with the citizens.

In full Batman costume.

I shit you not.

I am standing up and applauding this man and the sheer balls/guts it takes to bear the Mantle of the Bat, and yet sad that a community has become so desperate the Bat-signal has to be used.

Oh, and the article also has more super-hero love.

Like this gem.

Which, of course, leads you to this crack.

For legality, a moment of longing:

Comments

[biod]

I didn't know Batman and Superman starred in West Side Story.
Congratulations Mr. Pinheiro, you are living the dream of an entire gender and some more beside.

[shadowpsykie]

I didn't know Batman and Superman starred in West Side Story.

*Sigh* now i am visualizing Bruce and Clark singing One Hand/One Heart, and parting saying

Clark: Te adoro Bruce
Bruce: Te Adoro Kal-El.

[baihu]

In what kind of situations would he see himself in? The thing is he's not very young, even though he has military training. How well-equipped is he? Is the suit at least bullet-proof? How would he be able to deal with a sizable armed gang? And will he have at least some squad prepared to help him should he need to?

Seriously, as much as it sounds awesome, I can't help but imagine it'll end in tears.

[his_spiffynesss]

I expect he's more public outreach than crime fighting. Brazilians are probably thinking more Adam West than Christian Bale.

[tsunamiwombat]

From the sounds of it he's patrolling to help lost children and such get home, the batman costume is because Batman is a recognized and trusted symbol. Good to see that used for good, because it could be used for evil so easily.

Honestly though, if you wanna see how to turn a violent city around Brazil, look to Medellin in Columbia, their transformation over the last two decades has been nothing short of miraculous, due to a renewed focus on education, public equality, and public works and transportation.

[brooms]

lmao taubaté is not that bad. taubaté isn't even that big, actually. it's between our two largest cities (rio and são paulo), that's its main claim to fame.

Columbia

my former colombian rowing trainer would be upset at me if i didn't point out that it's colOmbia. the U seems like it's a common mistake with english speakers.

[deleonjh]

Yeah, that always bugs the crap out of me too.

[deleonjh]

Forgot to ask: the bounties that shopkeepers in Sao Paulo put out on street kids for the cops to kill them, is that still a thing or what? Last I read about it was years ago so I'm not really up to date.

[brooms]

hard to say, since it was never something heavily publicized bar that one time ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candel%C3%A1ria_massacre ), but with the rise of NGOs and private citizens armed with mobile cams, if it hadn't gotten better since the late 80s/early 90s, we'd have seen more candelaria-like "incidents" on the news.

also, there was a substantial change in the police force in both rio and são paulo in the late 90s. são paulo's in particular got a lot less lethal.

i think it's pretty safe to say the biggest threat to street kids (maybe kids, period) in all our medium-to-big urban areas now is crack-cocaine, not the police.

[leoboiko]

I agree, though the current strategy of the police to battle crack addiction—“punch crack addicts out of sight”—probably doesn’t help very much.

[gamerguy]

Most of the around two dozen or so costumed US superhero/samaritans work on that principle. They do charity walks, hand out rape whistles, pass out bottle water to the homeless in the summer, etc etc.

[brooms]

Estou a noite. Estou vingança. Estou Batman!

* Eu sou a noite. Eu sou a vingança. Eu sou Batman!

[atom_punk]

"The Dark Knight works the streets of Brazil"

-wait what-

"No, not that. Not what you think. Minds out of the gutter."

-oh thank the universe- XD

Nice to see people trying to do something for the greater good. Thanks for sharing sherkahn

[pyrotwilight]

"The Dark Knight works the streets of Brazil" "No, not that. Not what you think. Minds out of the gutter."

Aww. My first thought was he was finding all the orphaned children and starting a Robin army.

[icon_uk]

When they make the Robin costume more glittery, and it's STILL not the campest costume on stage, the world has gone loopy.

(Stick thin Batman is ALL kinds of freaking me out though)

[halloweenjack]

That version of the Cristo Redentor is sacrelicious.