6 Times The World Became Better When People Dressed Up Like Superheroes
by Ian Fortey
People love superheroes precisely because of their unattainable abilities — nobody's sitting at home dreaming about that glorious day in the future when they'll trim their department's budget by 12%. Superheroes represent such a greatness beyond normal human levels that they're what we imagine when we close our eyes and invent the best version of ourselves. And while we can't actually obtain web-slinging or laser-eye abilities, sometimes just putting on a costume and pretending you're a superhero is enough to empower you to be awesome.
Random Acts of Kindness Iron Man
Midway through 2019, Corey Adams decided that even though he couldn't be a superhero in the literal sense, he could at least do super things downtown in Pasadena, Maryland. Complete with an Iron Man motorcycle helmet and costume, Adams has been committing random acts of kindness around town, just making sure everyone's having a good day and getting help when he can’t pitch in himself.
What qualifies as a random act of kindness for a modern day Iron Man? Adams has given out flowers to mothers on Mother's Day, offered gifts and gift cards to EMTs and other emergency responders, and even helped a stranded motorist get their car moving.
Adams was inspired to give back to others after being in a serious motorcycle accident in 2018. He suffered a broken femur and had to have a rod inserted, but he’s aware of how much worse it could have been. He received such exemplary care from the nurses, EMTs, and others that he felt like if he could do something, even if it was on a small scale, simply to make other people's lives a little bit better, he’d be in some way paying back that good karma.
Pasadena Voice / Zach Sparks
And looking rad while doing it.
He documents his work on his Motor Corey YouTube channel where you can check out regular updates of Iron Man just doing what he can.
Kids Work Harder When Dressed As Batman
Remember back when you learned how to read? Of course not, because you were too young. But rest assured, for most of us it was a fairly dry ordeal that may have involved Doctor Seuss, a splash of Sesame Street, and parents who were forced to read the same book about a thousand times because you had yet to learn that variety is the spice of life.
Now imagine how much cooler it would have been if you could have done the whole thing as Batman.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota have confirmed that Batman works harder than the rest of us at tasks, ranging from reading, to distracting yourself with an iPad to avoid reading. Three groups of children aged 4 to 6 were instructed to do some mundane reading work on a computer. There was an iPad handy that they could play with if they got bored, but they were specifically asked to work for as long as they could before they gave in to playtime.
One group of kids was instructed to think about themselves doing the job, another was asked to think of themselves in the third person, and the last bunch got to pretend to be someone else entirely; in this case, Batman— or some other costumed character who they then got to dress up as. Then the kids from the first group were asked something like, “Are you doing a good job?” The second group of kids were asked, “Is Jimmy doing a good job?” And the final group of superheroes were asked if Batman was.
Pixabay
“Batman is doing great; now please stop interrupting the Bat Process lest he Batarang your questioning face.”
The children who were thinking of themselves doing the job fared most poorly and gave in to temptation the quickest, but the ones who donned the mantle of Batman or other heroes were able to stay on task the longest. It turns out that the kids were able to focus longer according to how far they removed themselves in a personal way from the assignment at hand.
So while it may not be one of Batman’s most noteworthy skills, he’s able to help kids be more productive learners, and that’s pretty damn cool.
Spider-Man Goes Shopping For The Elderly During Coronavirus Pandemic
Heroes are not an exclusively American phenomenon, and across the pond in Horsham, England there's a Spider-Man currently doing good deeds for the benefit of those trapped indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Often known by the alter ego of Steve Goodwin, this particular Spider-Man is helping a self-isolation support group in town by heading out to stores and shopping for those who can't leave home or don't feel comfortable doing so. Goodwin normally spends his time entertaining children dressed as Spider-Man, but since the birthday party industry has ground to a halt because of the pandemic, he's found a way to stay in character and still make a difference.
West Sussex County Times
While he's taking precautions to keep himself safe and healthy, he's been able to go out and get groceries as well as pick up prescriptions for those in need. The fact he dresses as Spider-Man obviously just adds a bit of good cheer to what is otherwise simple, albeit crucial, errand running. But admit it, if you had a “Spider-Man Delivery” option for Instacart you'd totally take it.
The Cat-Saving Superman
It's been said that there are two kinds of people in the world: dog people and cat people. If you're wondering where Superman fits on that list because you forgot about the existence of Krypto the Superdog, it looks like Superman is definitely a cat person. And so is Batman, The Flash, and Spider-Man for that matter. At least when five-year-old Shon Griffin is behind the mask.
Shon works with his two aunts in Philadelphia on the weekends to help the city's homeless cat population. He dons different costumes and heads to the streets and alleys to fill up food and water bowls and give the odd ear scratch to about 50 stray cats that he takes care of as part of an organization called Kolony Kats.
People
Despite the fickle nature of feral cats, and their reputation for having unpredictable tempers, the local felines really seemed to take a shine to Shon. Because of him, a number of hard-to-reach cats were able to be neutered and then re-released to help control the population of cats in the area. He may not be saving the world from extraterrestrial threats, but Shon is showing the kind of heart and compassion you expect from any hero five or six times his age.
And for what it’s worth, Superman also had a cat named Streaky.
Captain America Raises Spirits
Since the coronavirus took hold, we've come to realize that there are a number of people that we can't do without if society is going to keep running. And in many ways, these have been the unlikeliest of people, the very workers who are most often overlooked and underappreciated in our everyday lives. Now, they are our essential workers, working at grocery stores and gas stations and restaurants, keeping everyone fed and as healthy as they can during the pandemic.
In Summit County, Colorado, at least one person is going out of their way to ensure that everyone who still has to be at work is being thanked not just in a general way, but in a personal, face-to-face visit, but obviously from a reasonably safe distance.
Steve Kennedy, accompanied by his father Scott, has been traveling from business to business in the area to thank those people who are still hard at work. The younger Kennedy, who has Down Syndrome, has been dressing as Captain America to encourage those who are doing what they can during uncertain times, as well as acknowledging the contribution they're making to the community. Their goal is to travel to 100 businesses to spread some cheer.
WBNS-10TV
It's a small thing that Kennedy is doing, but the fact that he's doing it at all, expressing a heartfelt and sincere expression of gratitude for the people who are putting themselves at higher risk for the rest of us, is an absolute bright spot in a world that's currently blanketed in terribleness.
Wonder Woman Takes on Cancer
Leslie and Madeline McDermott have had a tougher run during the COVID-19 pandemic than many of us. That's because seventeen-year-old Madeline has had to step up a little more than most other seventeen-year-olds by taking care of her mother Leslie as she goes through cancer treatments. Madeline stepped into the caregiver role and began cooking, cleaning, and even cutting her mother's hair during the course of her chemotherapy.
For her part, Leslie has been handling the battle as well as anyone could expect, and maybe even a little better considering that after each successful round of chemo she's been given a piece of Wonder Woman's costume to celebrate her victory and her strength.
Leslie was first diagnosed in December 2019 and things progressed rapidly. In January she had a mastectomy, and in early March she had her first round of chemotherapy. The very next day COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic and ... well, you know.
So how did Wonder Woman get into the mix? Leslie just happened to have a pair of Wonder Woman underwear, and her daughter had an old Wonder Woman Halloween costume. So, starting with the underwear, Leslie got the idea to add one more piece to the costume every two weeks after a successful treatment, building herself up to the powerful Amazon warrior. The intention is that by the time her treatment is done and she's cancer-free, she will fully be Wonder Woman.
Leslie McDermott
Though it kind of seems like she already is fully Wonder Woman.
It's a testament to the personal strengths of both mother and daughter that they can face something that is so destructive to families, and in the midst of an unprecedented global event, and still be able to have some fun with the entire thing. And if you find Leslie's story inspiring, you can donate to her GoFundMe to help her and her daughter continue down their Wonder Woman path.
