Superheroes are everywhere these days. They fight villains on our screens (big and the small), they roam theme parks year-round, they trick-or-treat at Halloween, and they even panhandle in Times Square (at least they used to). And in 2020, some superheroes have found a new mission: bringing comfort, aid, and entertainment to people in need. Here are their stories.
Stephan and Isaiah Torres and Jasmine Saenz (Drive By Heroes) 
Ben Bohl as Spider-Man (Instagram @518spidey) 
Even Superhero Action Figures Wear Masks (Instagram @wirehon)
Drive By Heroes: Texas Teens Visit Kids, Collect Donations During Pandemic: In May, 18-year-old twins Isaiah and Stephan Torres joined a birthday car parade wearing Spider-Man costumes, and they were such a hit with kids that the brothers wanted to keep wearing superhero costumes—for a good cause. They created Drive By Heroes to visit kids in the Pearland, Texas area in exchange for food or monetary donations for the Pearland Neighborhood Center. Their friend Jasmine Saenz joins them for many of the visits dressed as Wonder Woman and other heroines. The trio have already visited more than 300 homes and donated 4,500 lbs of food, but their heroic mission has only just begun. To reach kids outside their city, Drive By Heroes now offers Virtual Visits and a “Super Summer Show & Tell Video Series” where they talk about pictures of items that kids have shared with them. All of their visits and videos are free—they just ask that you donate to your local food bank!
Superheroes Encourage Social Distancing: The first time I saw some of these photos, they had me fooled. Popular Malaysian photographer Ng Wire Hon is known for using forced perspective to stage clever photographs starring real people…and his action figure collection. Many of Ng’s recent photos show his superheros practicing social distancing, good hygiene, proper mask use, encouraging people to stay home, and expressing their appreciation for healthcare workers. For more clever action figure tableaus (and COVID-19 PSAs), follow him on Instagram @wirehon and on Facebook.
Schenectady Man Cheers New Yorkers With Spider-Man Impersonation: With gyms closed and birthday parties downsizing, what’s a Spider-Man impersonator gotta to do to stay in shape? For 20-year-old Ben Bohl, the answer was to take his Spider-Man act to the streets to delight passersby across New York while dressed as their friendly, neighborhood @518spidey. Like the real Spidey, Bohl is a bit of an acrobat and he poses on top of street signs, scaffolding, and even hanging upside down on a cord. Bohl recently headed west for a year-long assignment with AmeriCorps, which means #518spidey won’t be hanging around New York for a while. But does that mean Spider-Man will make an appearance on the west coast?
Santiago’s Own Batman Brings Food to the Homeless: Like much of South America, Santiago, Chile has been hit hard by the pandemic, with unemployment that skyrocketed to over 12%. But the city’s homeless population has a dark knight working to help them. An anonymous man who goes by Solidarity Batman (Batman solidario) is prowling the streets in his black SUV (and shiny Batman suit) to deliver hot, free meals to Santiago’s homeless. This Batman is masked—twice—in Batman’s classic cowl and a pandemic-friendly face mask. As quoted in Reuters, Santiago’s Batman hopes to bring both food and good cheer, and he wants others to do the same. “Look around you, see if you can dedicate a little time, a little food, a little shelter, a word sometimes of encouragement to those who need it”.
Not All Heroes Wear Capes (On Screen or Off): And then there’s Chadwick Boseman, best known for his portrayal of the Marvel superhero Black Panther in four films, including the record-breaking, barrier-smashing 2018 film, Black Panther. Boseman died August 28 from colon cancer at age 43, and his passing shocked the world. This incredibly talented man, who portrayed fictional superheroes and iconic trailblazers, was at the peak of his career and seemed to have his whole life ahead of him. But what we didn’t know is that Boseman had been diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and was battling the disease for four years while filming Black Panther, two Avenger films, Marshall, Da 5 Bloods, and more. This gifted and humble man gave the world his talent, dedication, and love, and he did it with a quiet, unassuming bravery and resilience that makes his loss heart-wrenching, even to those who didn’t know him. He was a superhero on screen and in real-life.
More Tributes to Chadwick Boseman:
- Chadwick Boseman Gave Us Something We Had Not Had Before (The Atlantic)
- Shock, Grief, and Gratitude After Death of Chadwick Boseman (The Associated Press)
- Chadwick Boseman, Who Starred in ‘Black Panther,’ Is Mourned as a ‘Superhero’ (New York Times)
- When Chadwick Boseman Visited Children with Cancer While Battling the Disease Himself (The Indian Express)
- ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman Dies of Cancer at 43 (The Associated Press)
- Chadwick Boseman Kept His Eyes on a Greater Mission. I Can’t Think of a More Generous Act. (The Daily Beast)