As someone who eats, sleeps and breathes football, every Saints game is a new adventure for Alan Brunet. For as long as he can remember, Brunet and his good friend, Brooks (aka Saint Thor), have been awed by the Saints Super Fans they saw at every home game. So in 2011, they worked to meld their own superhero admiration into Super Fan personalities.
The making of Brunet’s Iron Saint costume is both creative and complex. The original version, an online template
cut out and hot-glued to foam mats, was a good look, but not so durable. Brunet kept improving on it. His current
“iron” armor is a strategically executed combination of tough fiberglass and sturdy foam padding held together
by parachute clips and nylon webbing. The result is an impressive black and gold tribute to one of the most
famous of the Marvel Comics heroes.
On game day, Brunet drives to Saint Thor’s house several hours before kickoff time. From there, the day is largely
based on a shared superstition that the same game-day routine every week equates to good luck for the
team. For this pair of protectors, that means the same driving route, same spot in Champions Square, same entrance gate, same security guard and even the same restaurant following every game. After all, when there’s a Saints win at stake, even superheroes can’t take unnecessary chances.
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