Avengers to the Rescue

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by melissabanczak

With so much sadness and despair in the news recently, I thought it was the perfect time to call in a few heroes. Please welcome David Vick, my first guest blogger. David, a marital artist, choreographer and teacher, is part of the group, Arizona Avengers. Members use cosplay (dressing up as favorite film, novel or video game characters) to bring smiles to kids in need at events like the SuperHero Age of Empowerment: Superhero Shopping Spree

Today, David talks a little bit about what brought him into the world of superheroes.

Avengers Assemble!

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Icons and Representation: An Arizona Avenger’s Journey

img_1727 Comic books were never a big thing for me when I was younger. They loomed in the background occasionally rearing up here and there in various ways, from animation to companion books with toys. I never sought them outright. Then, in the summer of 2005, my brother got me a ticket to San Diego Comic Con and I got a nerd reset!

Ten years later, I took the plunge into costuming as a hobby when working at a daycare center in a resort and having to craft things for and with the kids. And when my friend Jessy, who I knew through my martial art of Capoeira, needed a costume buddy to pair with her comic version of black widow, I had to say yes. It was a great excuse to bleach my hair!

Representation Matters

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That lightbulb was lookin’ at me funny

When I read issue 19 of Fraction’s Hawkeye, I saw a perfect representation of the isolation I have felt most of my adult life thanks to my hearing issues. (Hawkeye becomes deaf in a 4 issue miniseries in 1983 and in the modern comic version uses hearing aides) It struck me in a way I didn’t expect and not only made me appreciate Clint Barton as a character, but the creators of that issue who touched on a sensitive subject with such a high level of respect and skill.

To finally see someone dealing with an issue similar to mine was a profound experience about how comic books can affect perceptions of others and of the self in a positive way. One of my favorite moments in cosplaying was signing with a deaf person as the character Hawkeye.

Right now, I cosplay many different Marvel characters, but Hawkeye will always be my favorite. It was the first costume I put together. I have Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Matt Hollingsworth to thank for that. This is what led me to the second motivation in life.

Altruism and Iconography

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Yeah, that kid was shocked

For a hobby to stick with me, there has to be some element of altruism involved. Otherwise, I feel somewhat selfish; I’ve learned to give in order to get.

Have you ever seen the face of a person, young or young at heart, see a character they held to a high regard in their own lives in person?

It’s a mesmerizingly splendid experience, to bring that sense of wonder and happiness to a person, especially if they’re in a condition when they need it the most. Volunteering with the Arizona Avengers and becoming an officer for the organization has been rewarding on a very deep level.

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Those nurses and doctors put up a good fight

Doing our best to make these people happy for charity is all the payment I need. They’ve kept me motivated to do my best, and now I have 18 or so characters thanks to help from others in the costuming community. I didn’t do everything by myself.

It can be a challenging hobby, but it has been a rewarding one so far. Who knew all these good things could happen when I was able to embrace my inner nerd?

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Thanks David!

If you are in the Southern Arizona area, and need the Arizona Avengers at your next charity event, you can get in touch with David here.

In the meantime, don’t let your cape get caught in any airplane engines and Write On,

Melissa

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melissabanczak

Melissa Banczak has lived all over the country, thanks to her now-retired military spouse. She currently resides in Florida, where she’s a reasonable driving distance to roller coasters in the Orlando area. An unexpected encounter with her daughter’s nine foot boa, Strawberry Margarita, led to the idea for the first book in her June Nash Misadventure series. When she’s not writing, she and her husband run. Slowly. She accidentally completed her first marathon in 2017, when she didn’t hear her husband ask if she’d like to stop at 13.1. She would have. You can contact her at MelissaBanczak.com

2 thoughts on “Avengers to the Rescue”

  1. so great to hear about the “good people” still fighting the good fight! I can totally relate to David’s experience with children finally seeing the real deal right in front of them! I’ve seen the same wide-eyed wonder when I’m away doing fund raising with our old war planes. I volunteer at the Air Heritage Museum in Beaver Falls PA, about 40 miles NW of Pittsburgh. Every day I meet veterans with stories and artifacts you could never dream of — great experience like David’s. You can find us at http://www.airheritage1@verizon.net. Going to Key West? Don’t plan on flying down this spring It’s just too soon. Looking forward to your book! Write on, Melissa, and I’ll keep my cape out of the props!

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  2. What a great volunteer job you have. My husband is a retired AF Navigator and our favorite dinner was an event at a air and space museum with one of Dolittle’s Raiders and other heros from ww2. So many great and funny stories from that night. A man at our table talked about getting shot down over Paris and ending up on the ground with the stick still in his hands. He still has it.
    Won’t be down in Key West until January when we’re finally running the half marathon there.

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