The Oregonian
April 12, 2014
Violent Incident at Council Crest Leaves Two Injured
Billy Dugan, Supers editor for the Oregonian
On Friday there was an unusual, unexplainable incident centered at Council Crest park in southwest Portland. At 2:40 P.M. Portland City police were called to the park by neighbors who reported that a thick, almost inpenetrable hedge had suddenly appeared surrounding the park. There were apparently also calls to 911 from several people that were trapped in the park. People throughout Portland could also view what appeared to be monstrous plant-like vines rapidly growing up and around the KGON radio tower. Police could not gain entry through the thick hedges, but police and news helicopters reported that all of the plant life in the area of the park had started growing rapidly, and strange creatures resembling animated tree stumps were moving around the area. It was also reported that a woman was standing on top of the water tank in the middle of the park, seemingly controlling all of the plant life.
Soon after, three members of the newly-formed Portland superhero group the Rose City Five arrived, the superpowered beings known as Shimmer, Quantum, and Hex. They immediately were able to traverse the thick hedge, and according to reports engaged the woman on the water tank and several of the stump-like creatures. The trapped people on the scene reported that the stump creatures attacked anybody that was moving, bystander or super-powered being, and two of the bystanders told of being severely injured by them. Also according to reports, the members of Rose City Five were able to defeat the stump creatures, and successfully made the woman controlling the plants to return things to normal.
Some of the witnesses reported that the woman, who went by the name of “Venus Flytrap”, used some mystical ability to heal the injured bystanders, but this has been uncorroborated by the hero team or the police on the scene. The woman was not apprehended, and apparently escaped. The hero group's official statement was that they were unable to detain her, and were more concerned with the safety of the bystanders.
If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of the woman, “Venus Flytrap”, please contact the Portland Police.
The Oregonian
April 12, 2014
“Power Files”
Billy Dugan, Supers editor for the Oregonian
So the new Portland hero group, the Rose City Five, is off and running, and apparently doing good for the city. They defeated the giant rock monster on the Burnside Bridge, and just yesterday dealt with a new villain, “Venus Flytrap” on the top of Council Crest. It looks like they are here to stay, and truly intend to be a positive force in the community.
In my first interview with members of the group, I spoke with Hex, the mysterious person inside a suit of powered armor, the suit courtesy of Adaptech as a fairly obvious way of promoting their technology. Hex was very enthusiastic about the newly-formed group, and was eager that they make a name for themselves in Portland. He was also very glowing in his comments on the apparent leader of the group, the veteran Lady Paladin. More details of this interview are available in the downloadable Oregonian Online.
I hope to be able bring you interviews with other members of the group in the future. But now, let's answer some reader questions. Thomas J. asked, “Lots of superheroes wear masks and have secret identities. Is that allowed? Is that even legal? Why do they do that?”
It does seem pretty common, and very cliche', to have a superhero identity separate from that person's everyday, normal life. There are no rules or laws concerning that. In the state of Oregon, it is legal to walk around wearing a mask in public, but private locations (schools, stores, restaurants) can individually allow or deny people wear face coverings. The Oregon Bar Association told me that there might be issues with masked heroes testifying in court, but a major trial involving a masked superhero has not yet taken place.
As to why they do it, I imagine there are many different reasons. The obvious one is to protect that hero's family and friends from enemies that want to hurt the hero where they live, so to speak. But this almost never happens. There hasn't been a reported incidence of a family of a superhero with a secret identity being attacked in seven years, not since the hero Power Princess's family was kidnapped by the Muddy Brawlers. The efforts by a multitude of heroes to rescue her family and bring the Brawlers to justice made it pretty clear to everyone: you don't touch a hero's family.
The more likely reason to have a secret identity is to be protected from being a public figure constantly under scrutiny. You have the fans, the paparazzi, people needing help, or wannabe villains looking to challenge somebody. It's not worth it, as far as I am concerned. You want to put your work behind you when you go home, especially if your work involves saving the world. You can't be on call twenty-four hours a day.