Page 3 Profile: Batkid, real-life superhero

Batkid, real-life superhero (Reuters)

Who is that masked boy?

Pint-sized superhero Miles Scott donned a mini cape and transformed into Batkid for the day in his crusade to rid Gotham City (actually San Francisco) of its fiercest foes. The five-year-old, who is in remission after a long battle with leukaemia, fulfilled his dream with help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation and thousands of volunteers.

To the Batkid-mobile!

Miles was called into service by Police Chief Greg Suhr on Friday and spent the day zooming around the city in a fair imitation of the Batmobile: a black Lamborghini with removable stickers. Thousands of onlookers cheered him on as he rescued a damsel in distress tied to the tram tracks and foiled a faux robbery.

Crime never stops?

As the crowd raised clenched fists and chanted “Batkid, Batkid”, Miles disabled a plastic replica bomb and apprehended his arch-nemesis, the Penguin, after he attempted to kidnap a famous Gotham City mascot – Lou Seal. In preparation for his heroic efforts, Miles underwent acrobatic training with his “Batman” sidekick, Eric Johnston.

And was America grateful?

President Obama sent Miles a video message from the White House, saying: “Way to go, Miles. Way to save Gotham.” The San Francisco Chronicle was also transformed into the Gotham City Chronicle with a front-page story by the mysterious Clark Kent.

So has November 15 officially been declared Batkid day?

It has indeed. After a full day of fighting crime, heroic Miles stepped down from a stage outside San Francisco’s City Hall with the key to the city and memories to last a lifetime.