Steven Vance and I are your mild-mannered Streetsblog Chicago reporters, hustling to bring you the Daily Planet of walking, biking, and transit stories in our fine Metropolis. As part of the Streetsblog family of transportation advocacy websites, we’re colleagues with outstanding journalists in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, and, of course, DC Comics.

But Steven and I aren’t Men of Steel. We need support from readers like you so that we can continue to provide hard-hitting coverage of issues that affect every street, avenue and Lois Lane. Please join the dozens of generous readers who’ve already become Streetsblog Superheroes by making a tax-deductible contribution to our spring pledge drive.

With your support, we’ll be able to use our keyboards and cameras to battle the enemies of a safer, more efficient transportation network, whether they be speeding cars, the traffic shackling our powerful buses, or tall buildings with way too many parking spots. You don’t need to be a Brainiac or have X-ray vision to understand that without your help, we’d lack the wherewithal to fly around the city on bicycles and the ‘L’ to chase key transportation stories. We’d be stuck in a virtual Fortress of Solitude.

Over 200,000 people read Streetsblog and Streetfilms every month. This pledge drive, we need just 400 Superheroes to reach our goal – please join this proud legion of supporters by donating today! We now accept both one-time gifts and recurring donations (think of them like a monthly subscription payment to Streetsblog), and you can earmark your contribution to support Streetsblog Chicago.

To sweeten the deal, if you contribute to Streetsblog by Tuesday at midnight, you’ll be entered to win two packages of zines and books donated by bike-writing Wonder Woman Elly Blue — including The Culinary Cyclist, PDX by Bike, and Bikes in Space. I’d take those over a Kryptonite lock any day!

Thank you for reading and for supporting Streetsblog and Streetfilms.