Joshua Bearman spent months following self-proclaimed real life superhero Master Legend for a story in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, but not everything Bearman wrote appeared in the article. Luckily, the Rumpus managed to save one of the more fascinating excised parts of the article, and have shared it with the world:

Dave is tall and lean and handsome despite missing half his teeth from fights in his youth. He styles his team after the meaner edge of Marvel — sleek, stark, intimidating — and then turns the sketches over to Mother One, the Black Monday Society’s official tailor. She just stopped by Frankie’s on costume business, picking up material for the newest team member’s pants. “One day,” she says, “Dave asked me ’can you do this?’ and slid a sketch in front of me.” Eight yards of vinyl later, Mother One found herself with a new name and a vocation. “Now when I watch X-Men, Spiderman, any of those movies,” she says, “All I’m thinking is: can I do that at home?”

The "lost" section of the article deals not only with the origin of the heroes' costumes, but also about what inspired them to fight crime in real life:

It’s no accident in Dave’s mind that he quit drinking around the time he started BMS. Another team member’s life was in shambles and joining up helped him right the ship. “There are reasons we all put on these masks,” he says. “I know you can’t jump any farther, but you feel like you can.” And once you put it on you’re committed. “It gives you a nudge,” he says. I ask Dave more about his alter ego, but he pauses and finds himself at a loss. As Dave, he says, it’s sometimes hard to relate to Insignis. “Maybe if I put on the suit, I’ll figure it all out.”

It's a fascinating - and kind of touching - insight into the world of those who have retreated from the real world, slightly, even as they try to make it a better place. It's highly recommended.

(Updated to add: You can find another "deleted scene" from the story on Bearman's own blog.)

Costume Shopping For Superheroes [The Rumpus]

Lesson One: Teleportation messes with your mind

It makes sense, of course; who could deal with zapping from place to place in the blink of an eye without losing it every now and again? Luckily, Trek writers thought to categorize the number of different ways of going insane - and even included German subtitles for those who prefer that particular language.

Lesson Two: Teleportation can be dangerous if two things accidentally get merged in transit

No, I mean even more dangerous than Jeff Goldblum's career - I'm talking about the risk of overacting like this:

Lesson Three: Teleportation may lead you to alternate dimensions with hot chicks showing off their bellies, but, dude, Leonard Nimoy with a goatee.

I think you know what I'm saying.

With empirical proof like this, you're forced to reconsider scientific process and decide who you trust more with your future: Jon Stewart or Gene Rodenberry? Wait. Don't answer that.

The Rolling Stone 40th Anniversary Issue [Rolling Stone]