“Summer of Super” Leads to 400 Percent Increase in “Fantastical Vigilantism”

With the release of both Superman (2025) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) this summer, superhero mania has reached a height like none before (except after Superman (1978), X-Men (2000), The Dark Knight (2008), Iron Man (2008), Avengers (2012), and Avengers: Endgame (2019), amongst others). Yet, amidst the now-diminishing complaints of superhero fatigue, a never-before-seen emergence of real-life heroism has started to make itself known, all because of this sudden superhero revival.

All across the streets of America, spandex and tights are becoming a common sight as many brand new vigilantes have started appearing day and night. Ambitious heroes are trying to follow in the footsteps of their big-screen counterparts, with or without powers like their on-screen counterparts, and their impact on local communities is staggering.

In Astoria, Queens, a masked man calling himself “Pancakeman, Man of Pans” has been spotted chasing down pickpockets with a pan on his head, squishing them with said pan, and drenching them in pancake syrup upon capture. So far, he has been recorded catching thieves on at least seven different occasions. After one such event, the man said, “Yeah, it’s totally hopecore to fight crime now. After I saw Superman, I wanted to be a better man, so I stopped just making pancakes and started making man-cakes!” 

A man, who declined to be identified, was saved by Pancakeman. He told The Spectator upon his rescue, “I’m really grateful to him, since I really didn’t need to be pickpocketed today, but did he really have to bring all that spectacle? I mean, the poor guy’s covered in syrup, probably has a concussion, and I’m late for work. Was it worth it for the four nickels and one dime in my wallet?”

Another woman, Dacey Camics, who witnessed the rescue, proclaimed adoringly, “Men are really shaping up nowadays. I think it’s really cool and manly that he decided to step up for this community. And it doesn’t help that he’s so handsome, even with a pan on his head. And he wears his underwear on the outside. And he smells like pancake syrup.” 

Similarly, in the Bronx, a man in a costume reminiscent of Spiderman was caught on camera lassoing a passerby from atop a gargoyle. In the video, he is heard yelling, “I am vengeance! I can do anything a spider can! I am Iron Man!” While he managed to tie up the man—who had an outstanding warrant for tax fraud—this self-proclaimed hero also captured many people just walking by, reportedly resulting in injuries including a concussion, a broken femur, and a dislocated pinkie finger. Despite the millions of views garnered on social media and the roaring outrage from internet users, the mysterious Spiderman was ultimately unable to be caught or identified.

Some community members have less than favorable views on these neighborhood vigilantes. “You know, I miss when nerds kept their interests to their mothers’ basements. Now, because of them infecting the public with their nerdiness, we have these losers tryin’ a make a problem outta nothin’,” Mayell A. Cloude said to The Spectator about the rope-swinging vigilante in his neighborhood, while pasting flyers outside his home with the words “NO SPIDERS ALLOWED!” written on them.

Other people have also spoken out about the negative repercussions of having random superheroes appearing after the summer’s superhero mania. “srsly [sic] just saw a dude get pummeled to the ground by some guy in spandex AND THEN ANOTHER GUYHY [sic] IN SPANDEX PUNCHED THE FIRST OEN [sic] FRO [sic] VILLAIN STEALING?????? WHAT IS WRONG WITH VEGAS?” X (formerly Twitter) user @alienradiationk1lls said in a post from last week.

User @beecewanhye replied to the post, stating, “dude, try being in jersey. i was trying to get on a bus and instead saw the power rangers trenton force or somethinngggggg [sic],” alongside a blurry photo of five figures dressed in primary colors pushing a car out of the way of a grandma crossing the street. 

In response, some social media users have taken to “stanning” their local heroes, dedicating their social media accounts to posting about said heroes 24/7. One such account, @kansascitypowergirls on Instagram and X, posts daily “Power Girlie Reports” with photos and summaries of the group’s activities, akin to K-pop fan culture in online spaces. The account posts updates as fights happen, with close-up shots of the Power Girls in action as well as play-by-play commentary. The Power Girls are a “magical girl group” based out of Kansas City, with five members who dress in frilly princess dresses while fighting crime. It is important to note that these girls seem to be in their teenage years, which makes the actions of @kansascitypowergirls more strange.

Another internet user, @nanananaBOOTMAN on TikTok, posts videos of a vigilante the creator has affectionately taken to calling “Bootman.” The vigilante is always recorded dropkicking perpetrators, leaving bootprints across their faces. The recordings are always shaky and handheld, to which “Bootman” is always seen fleeing from, screaming, “No press! No photos! And I’m not Bootman or Bruce Wayne, I swear!” The account’s success on TikTok has led to a flood of Bootman-themed merchandise flooding stores, with the iconic bootprints available on any piece of clothing there is, as well as an explosion of fan-created media like edits and fanfiction about Bootman.

Many have cited @nanananaBOOTMAN as part of the rising backlash against real-life superheroes and hero-worship culture. “What I want the youth to realize is that these ‘heroes’ are just some guys in panties punching other people. That’s not remotely legal, heroic, or cool. That doesn’t have aura or ‘hopecore’; it just is lame,” New York City local James. J. Jayson said to The Spectator when asked about his thoughts on the superheroes making themselves known across the country.

The NYPD has also put out a statement regarding these caped crusaders, stating that “Although these masked men have brought a sense of identity and security to some communities across the city, we urge people to remember that they are ultimately extra-legal actors who do not submit to the law.” Additionally, the NYPD has established a hotline for reporting hero sightings, 1-S33-H3R0, and urges citizens to submit any evidence relating to these heroes’ identities to authorities. 

This backlash from authorities has inspired many to release information regarding the benefits of heroes in communities, with one peer-reviewed article making its way around hero fan circles in particular. Super Stats on Superheroes, written by C. Kent et al., has been widely cited for its numbers on the hero boom after the “Summer of Super,” stating that vigilante heroes have increased by 440.4 percent compared to the previous year, tourism in areas with a hero have gone up by 19.38 percent, and public approval of heroes has remained above 50 percent for several weeks already.

While the actual effects of heroes on crime have yet to be further investigated, hero fanatics are calling for both current and yet-to-be-revealed heroes to step up to the plate to combat rising crime rates. Though no attempts have yet been made for the legalization of heroism-related activities, these hero groups may face a tough legal battle from the masses of anti-hero activist groups interested in challenging any court cases heroes and their devotees may bring.

Being a superhero has always been a dream job for children across the country, and now many have realized that dream in real life after being inspired by heroes in public media. Still, the contention between hero fans and hero detractors is heating up, even as heroes are becoming more of a mainstay in our society. Ultimately, the fate of superheroes will be a long battle to fight by those who fight evil and the forces of evil, whoever those people might end up being.