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AHC: Vigilantes/'Costumed Heroes'

SinghSong

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For this alternate history challenge, can you come up with a plausible, realistic timeline (i.e, no superpowers, guns still exist) in which vigilantes, or 'costumed heroes', akin to the 'Watchmen' universe, are actually a widespread cultural phenomenon? And where would be the most plausible place for the practice of 'costumed heroism' to become a respected, lawful institution? The USA, as in the Watchmen universe? Meiji-era Japan, perhaps (as an effort to redefine the role of the 'Samurai', or attempt at their revival in a crimefighting/peacekeeping role, rather than simply abolishing them as IOTL)? Or places like Somalia and the DR of Congo, in Sub-Saharan Africa in the present day (where policing by the authorities effectively doesn't exist- e.g, movements like these, but with better PR and celebrity status)?
 
There were real vigilante groups in 1970s/80s New York like the Guardian Angels and citizen anti-crime groups, so you could more or less plausibly say a bunch of people decided to wear masks and prowl the streets looking for muggers. The main problem would be that they'd have to be effective and not just an odd local story ending with "and then the local pimp found out who they were & had them shot".
 
I assume you're not looking for gun violence as vigilantism, so that rules out the likes of Bernie Goetz copycats or people imitating the killing of Ken McElroy. In fact, probably best to rule out the US altogether and focus on a country with less entrenched of a gun culture.

For a more positive view, perhaps ignored minority communities forming self-defense or neighborhood watch committees when police fail to respond to their needs. Of course, this is how a lot of organized crime groups originally started so maybe that's not it either.

It might not be as dramatic or glamorous but what if TV gets in the habit of frequently interviewing masked witnesses or whistle-blowers and they're viewed more positively by the public? They're honestly going to be more effective at targeting anything above petty street crime than someone who packs a good punch.
 
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