Duluth Batman: "I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman!"
They roam the night as the Duluth Batman. Photo Credits: Duluth Batman
In the movie Batman Begins (2005), the character Bruce Wayne (Batman) says, “It is not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” Heroes are made up of those who are willing to step up to help. In some cases, this means saving lives. In others, it’s entertaining your community.
On an evening walk around the beautiful city of Duluth, you may have encountered a person wearing a bat costume, running around the city. Or maybe you have opened your phone to find a video of the bat symbol pictured on the moon. You may not have experienced these events personally, but if you understand where I am going with this, you may know that I am referencing the Duluth Batman.
Yes, it is true! Duluth has its very own Batman. This Duluth character was invented by an anonymous creator on the internet who posts videos dressed as the familiar caped crusader: Batman. Often seen scaling rocks, being chased by dogs and posing ominously in the night in front of the lift bridge. You can find @DuluthBatman on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. I first stumbled across this creator at the beginning of this semester at UMD, and after laughing profoundly for multiple minutes, I immediately wondered why this person chose to do this. What was their mission? I decided to reach out, and to my surprise, I obtained an answer.
“Duluth needed a hero, or at least someone willing to suit up and bring a bit of energy to the night. What started as a fun idea turned into a way to connect with the community, explore the city from a new perspective and bring a smile-or a double take- to people’s day. The mask stays on, but the mission is simple: keep Duluth entertaining and remind folks that anyone can step up,” said the Duluth Batman.
As they said, “the mission is simple.” Anyone can step up, and anyone can be a hero. Whether you believe Duluth Batman is a hero or not, I believe there is a lesson here. There is potential for everyone to take on this role of the “hero.” What makes you a hero? Sometimes just making others laugh makes me feel like a hero. Not all of us are motivated to get out and take initiative to entertain or help a community, but we can still do our best to help the people around us and care for others. Not everyone can save lives, but everyone has the potential to be a hero.