A few years ago, I discovered a site run and populated by fellow Batman fans who took their love of the character to the next level: The Brotherhood of the Bat. I joined up as a member so that I could see the costumes these guys (and girls) created with their own hands. These aren't cheap Halloween costumes, these are movie-quality (and in a lot of cases, superior to movie quality) costumes that cost lots of money and hard work and dedication to make.
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| Batman costumes and cowls by the super-talented Shawn Reeves |
It would just be a neat thing if these folks made really cool costumes and wore them to comic book conventions, and some of them do only that. There are others, though, who become The Batman, or Robin, or Catwoman, or Nightwing, or the Joker, for the entertainment and delight of children. These men and women suit up and bring joy and wonder to children in need, whether they're sick, underprivileged, or even just for their birthdays.
I dreamed of doing this myself, but couldn't afford the expensive costumes. I purchased a Batman cowl and then put together a costume passable for Halloween. I enjoyed the experience of becoming The Dark Knight, especially seeing the looks on the faces of little kids who had never seen a six-foot Batman, even on Halloween.
I wanted to do more, however, but put aside the desire to focus on other priorities, like job changes and family. Then a longtime friend of mine, Alexa Marceaux, asked me if I or anyone I knew had a Batman costume. One of her friend's sons, Grant, was having a birthday party and they were hoping for Batman to make an appearance. I was thrilled to accept the offer to appear for Grant's birthday, all the while hoping my costume would hold up to the scrutiny of children, which can be quite unforgiving.
I "armored" up and made the drive to Kaplan in everything but my cowl. Alexa had presents for Grant wrapped in black paper with yellow ribbon, which looked awesome. I walked over from an adjacent lot where I parked the "BatMeauxbile" and entered, asking for Grant. He was speechless, and soon the other kids at the party gathered around to watch Grant open his presents. One boy told me he wished I could have gone to his birthday, that it was in June, and that he lived two doors over. I told him I'd be sure to make it next year. Another boy asked me how I got to there, and I told him I parked the Batmobile a few blocks over. We posed for the picture below and then Grant gave me a hug. My friend, who has serious connections, had the mayor of Kaplan arrive to tell me that the Joker had broken out of prison! I told everyone I had to go and exited the scene.
I had a great time, partially because I've always loved wearing costumes, but primarily because I got to make a child's birthday a little more special. My goal is to acquire a better costume and continue offering my services, free of charge, to anyone who would like The Batman to visit a child or children in need.
