I want to be a vigilante

Dear Doctor BS,

There is too much crime out there. Every night on the news there's a new one. I don't understand why the cops can't take care of their shit, but it looks like they can't. Law abiding citizens are under attack, and I for one don't plan to take it any longer. I want to be a vigilante! Any words of advice before I begin my crusade?

CU

Dear CU,

Becoming a vigilante is a wonderful idea, and I'm sure you'll be quite successful at it. But before you hit the streets, make sure you have your bases covered.

First, you'll need a name. Not your real name, but your vigilante name. This can be tricky, as there have been some very clever people coming up with clever names for vigilante characters for many years. It's hard to find something that's not taken, and that doesn't sound totally stupid. But I'm sure you'll think of something.

Second, your look. Unless you plan to go out and fight crime in your street clothes, you'll need a costume. Body armor? Mask? Tights? And what's your color scheme? Perhaps something that ties in with the name.

Third, your alter ego. As I'm sure you know, vigilante justice doesn't pay very well, so your alter ego has to be the one that pays the bills (rather like most actors). So you need to think of something that is reasonably lucrative without being too demanding or time consuming, otherwise when will you find the time to fight crime? Obviously, the best possible job for an alter ego is rich playboy. Barring that, journalism has its share of adherants. Science seems to be another popular choice.

Next, you need a backstory. A mythology. It just won't do to go out all willy nilly trying to fight crime without a clever yet poignant backstory. So think hard about this one. Figuring out an arch-enemy can go a long way in creating a good backstory, so you'll need one of those too.

And finally, will you work solo or will you have a sidekick? I understand that vigilante work can get pretty lonely, so you might want to give the sidekick serious consideration.

So there you are. Figure out your shtick and then don those tights and get out there. Freak.

Doctor BS