This is a picture from happier times. For one Saturday night, three peculiar individuals who make it their business to patrol Seattle’s streets to help the good guys and beat back the bad guys teamed up to take on the mean streets of Capitol Hill. Since that night a week ago, we have learned that the peace has been broken. Phoenix Jones of the Rain City Superhero Movement, and White Baron and Sky Man of Real Life Superheroes worked together on Capitol Hill last Saturday night. CHS was lucky enough to be there. But according to posts on Facebook, there’s a fissure between the super pals that even Superman couldn’t squeeze back together.

We first told you about a superhero patrolling Capitol Hill earlier this month. This isn’t comic book kind of crime fighting. Here’s an example of some of the daring do — two guys making sure a boisterous homeless guy looking for a cigarette hadn’t bothered anybody near the Capitol Club. SeattleCrime went out on patrol with Phoenix Jones and found similar levels of bravery on display.

The new Phoenix Jones suit (Image: Facebook)

Things didn’t get any more exciting on the streets last Saturday night when CHS met up with all three caped crusaders. We did learn one valuable piece of information about Phoenix Jones, however, that you’ll want to consider as he patrols Capitol Hill on one of his five nights a week he says he’s on Seattle’s streets: that wand he carries? That’s a real, honest-to-god cattle prod, permitted by the Seattle Police Department, he says. Just an fyi.

Last Saturday was one of the first nights that Jones openly patrolled in his full costume, abandoning his previous Clark Kent method of disguising his costume under normal clothing. Jones admitted how ridiculous he feels when wearing a costume but he said he must keep his true identity under wraps for the safety of his family.

So as not to be mistaken by the police as a criminal, Jones has taken measures to call out his identity and intention to help not harm.  On Saturday, Jones and his counterpart superheroes patrolled the streets openly, and while some snickered at their costumes, many reacted with awe and thanks upon recognizing the heroes.  Jones was like a gracious celebrity, shaking hands and posing for photos with those who recognized him, urging all to friend him on Facebook.  Despite the public attention, he was still on the lookout for dangerous situations, and managed to guide a drunk to safety and help a man whose car had been rear-ended. Jones acknowledged that nights without a wild bar fight or other criminal activity are unusual, and the lack of crime he encounters makes him question if it is happening somewhere he isn’t.

Phoenix Jones took on the role of a superhero out of frustration as he witnessed his friends and loved ones suffer through accidents and crimes while his peers did nothing, and law enforcement took too long to respond.

After the one night of working with White Baron and Sky Man, things haven’t really gelled with the representatives from two different camps of superheroes. Jones sees more importance in fighting crime, he said and thinks others in Seattle’s superhero scene are too focused on easier pursuits like handing out free food.

Regardless of the Facebook tiff, Phoenix Jones is out there, he hasn’t gotten hurt too badly and the people we saw him meet on Capitol Hill seemed to think he was cool. Maybe there’s a lesson there for some of the people on the Hill who have been interested in starting a Q-Patrol for the neighborhood. The nicknames are fun. And the costumes are fabulous.