Comic book fans in costume prevent comic robbery

[Mr March]

Now this is irony

The best arrest ever, starring Spider-man, Jedi and the Flash

IT SOUNDS like a crazy comic book splot: Spider-man foils a robbery as Jedi knights block the would-be thief's escape and the Flash watches on.

This was just what happened on Saturday morning when a business owner dressed as Spider-man stopped a man from stealing a comic book worth $160.

Adelaide Comic Centre's Michael Baulderstone, 45, noticed a man "behaving suspiciously" at the back of his store.

Upon closer examination, he sAW that the man had put a valuable book in his backpack.

"We had about 40 people dressed up as their favourite superheroes to celebrate International Free Comic Day, so he didn't have much of a choice but to hand the X-Men Omnibus back after a little bit of a scuffle," he said.

"I've had a look at the security footage and it shows Spider-Man running down the corridor of the shop, grabbing this guy, hauling him off.

"Everyone in the store thought it was a play, that it was street theatre of some sort. It wasn't until I said `Call the police' that people started to realise."

International Free Comic Day is held around the world on the first Saturday of May.

In Adelaide, two businesses, the Adelaide Comic Centre and Pulp Fiction Comics, encouraged customers to dress as comic heroes and handed out free comics to mark the occasion.

"One of the funniest things about the incident was that I called for people to stand near the door and it just so happened we had people dressed as Jedi knights there blocking the exit, the Flash was there at some point too," Mr Baulderstone said.

"It was a bit serious at the time, but now we're looking back laughing at what greeted police when they arrived."

David Humphrey, a member of the Rebel Legion, a group of Star Wars fans, said: "It was quite funny to think that our Spider-man actually did catch himself a bad guy."

Giving cosplay a good name

[dreamweaver13]

Now this is irony

Giving cosplay a good name

Very cool.

The thief should count himself lucky he wasn't caught by a Punisher cosplayer.

[grss1982]

Very cool.

The thief should count himself lucky he wasn't caught by a Punisher cosplayer.

LOL!!! JUST LOL!!!!!

[reddsun1]

Now this is irony

Giving cosplay a good name

That's not irony. That's some damned fools who are lucky they didn't get themselves killed.

ed: read through the article real quick, and realized just where this would-be larceny took place. My bad; didn't realize at first that they weren't exactly "on the wrong side of the tracks", cast amongst the lawless and forlorn of society.

damn, I just need to lighten up...

Edited May 5, 2010 by reddsun1

[VT 1010]

The story would have been perfect if Spider-Man had shot at the guy with Silly String web shooters...

[Vepariga]

I remember seeing this on the news, i laughed hard when he was jumping around for the camera in the outfit making web noises, the actual finding of the xmen omnibus was gold. my sister actually lives prety close to that shop, good store too ive been in there a few times.

[spiderman]

I saw this early this morning and it made my day. Cracks me up that the Jedi had their light sabers out defending the door.

[505thAirborne]

To bad someone wasn't dressed up as Yoda, he could have told the crook “Do or do not... there is no try.”

[Vostok 7]

That guy is not nearly overweight enough to be a comic book store owner!

Edited May 5, 2010 by Vostok 7

[spiderman]

That guy is not nearly overweight enough to be a comic book store owner!

I thought the same thing.

[VT 1010]

Weird, all of the comic book store owners and their employees look to be at a rather healthy weight around here...