The Superhero And The Law

Reason Magazine has a piece calledAnti-Government Superheroes in which I found this:

1.) Superheroes act outside the law, so why can’t you? “Comic book superheroes don’t ask for any official government sanction to do what they do. There is an inherent antigovernment message there: We don’t have to rely on the state for law enforcement!”

But in comic books where the government isn't the enemy, don't the superheroes generally operate in accordance with the aims of the police? The bad guys in these things are usually way too violent to permit the distinction, but I suspect any real world superhero would have to confront the fact that legality and morality aren't synonyms.

And the superheroes act outside the law because law enforcement can't use force against them. For the rest of us, the reality of state violence being used against us is enough for us to be more circumspect in our activities. Prudence, especially when dealing with illegitimate authorities, is very much warranted.