How Batman Inspires Us

It’s the rare superhero that has a day set aside to honor him. Presidents? Sure. Martin Luther King Jr.? You bet. But no one’s going to adjust the calendar for Ant-Man or The Hulk.

But for Batman, we’ll make an exception.

D.C. Comics has declared Sept. 26 to be Batman Day. And while it doesn’t come with a long weekend (it’s already Saturday, after all) or any special traditions, the Dark Knight is really worthy of a nice day. Few characters, real or fictional, have inspired us as much.

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Consider the story of Miles Scott, a 5-year-old boy suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia. When the Make-A-Wish Foundation asked him what he dreamed of more than anything else, he announced he wanted to be “Batkid.” On Nov. 15, 2013, 12,000 volunteers made his wish come true.

The city of San Francisco turned into Scott’s very own comic book, wherein he battled bad guys, saved innocents and was handed the key to the city from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. A documentary called “Batkid Begins,” chronicling the incredible event, hit theaters in July.

Or there’s Leonard B. Robinson, better known as Route 29 Batman — a normal guy who dressed up as Batman to visit children in hospitals. He was killed when a car slammed into his custom Lamborghini Batmobile earlier this year. Hundreds attended his funeral, and Robinson’s three sons wore yarmulkes that bore the word “BATMAN,” stitched in yellow cord.

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Batman has inspired people in so many ways that director Brett Culp created an entire documentary, “Legends of the Knight,” to showcase some of their stories.

“I think the story of Batman is ultimately a statement that — even though there are certainly darker versions of Batman — I think ultimately at the core of it is a statement that you can rise up from evil; from tragedy; from heartbreak; and still be a great hero in the world,” Culp told Redeye Chicago.

That’s absolutely true. Batman is, in some respects, as flawed a superhero as you’ll find. He’s the product of tragedy — the death of his parents. He has no superpowers to speak of — no inhuman strength, Spidey sense or ability to fly. Batman is mortal, burdened with everything that entails. And yet night after night, the guy ventures into Gotham City’s darkest corners and takes on the evil that no one will.

Batman is, in some respects, as flawed a superhero as you’ll find.

We can’t hope to be like Superman or Scarlet Witch — not with their dizzying array of superhuman skills. But Batman? He’s just like us, in a way. And even if we can’t afford a Batmobile or don’t want to dress in a cape and cowl, we understand that those things aren’t what makes him a hero. It’s his courage that does that. His dedication. His sacrifice.

In my book “God on the Streets of Gotham,” I framed Batman in spiritual terms: He’s not a godlike savior like Superman, but one of us — a fallen man trying to do the best he can in a fallen world. He’s prone to rage and despair. He’s felt the sting of pain and death and disappointment. And yet, Batman follows a higher calling — a moral code not written by man, but by a higher power. One need only to look at Batman’s “one rule” — his famed refusal to kill — as evidence of that.

The guy ventures into Gotham City’s darkest corners and takes on the evil that no one will.

But you don’t need to be religious to feel Batman’s moral oomph, or to be inspired by him. Despite all his darkness and imperfection, this Caped Crusader embodies traits we all hold dear: the sacrifice; the dedication; the pursuit of justice; the high regard he has for human life.

When Americans think of a hero, they may name statesmen or presidents, teachers or doctors, mothers or fathers. But as laudable as all those people are, the first person many of us imagine — the first picture that comes to mind — could be a black-cloaked figure standing on a steeple, looking down at the dark streets he’s sworn to protect.

Batman’s deserving of a special day. In fact, he’s overdue for one.