He’s a bat, bat kid

Miles has had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since he was 20 months old. His cancer went into remission, and with his last round of chemotherapy in June, he said he wanted to be Batman. He didn’t get to be Batman. Instead, he became Batkid.

TO be an aspiring superhero these days, most five-year-olds must enlist clueless younger siblings, restless parents, backyard shrubs, fire hydrants and all manner of pets to serve as their foils and damsels in distress.

Not Miles Scott, for whom much of San Francisco morphed into Gotham City recently.

He pulled a woman from the cable car tracks as crowds cheered, then busted the Riddler during a bank heist. The Gotham City Chronicle ran a banner headline: BATKID SAVES CITY.

Miles has had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since he was 20 months old. His cancer went into remission, and with his last round of chemotherapy in June, he said he wanted to be Batman.

Coordinated by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and with at least 12,000 volunteers to cheer him on, his wish came true in a spectacular display of communal whimsy.

“Batkid”, as he was known, captured the attention of an entire city, and even, the country. San Francisco seemed to come to a virtual halt, with all eyes on Miles.

Local television covered it live, beaming aerial images of his adventures. Members of Congress issued video pleas for help, and President Barack Obama offered kudos in a brief video: “Way to go, Miles, way to save Gotham.”

Maybe it came at the perfect time in this politically-riven nation. For

Batman assists Miles the Batkid, as he prepares to save a damsel in distress on Hyde Street in San Francisco. – MCT Fans cheer on Miles the Batkid, as he battles crime on the streets of Gotham for a day. – MCT

Not only does the kid have a batsuit, he has a cool ride to go with it, driver included, of course. – MCT