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Beware The Batman, Criminals Of … San Diego?

By Nick Tylwalk

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There might not be a major U.S. city more unlike my mental picture of Gotham City than San Diego. One is known for its dark alleys, the other for its sunshine and beautiful weather. And I could be wrong, but I don’t think Gotham has a beach.

Despite that, San Diego has its own Batman. Not Bruce Wayne, mind you, but Chris Banner, who works in real estate and trims weeds by day. He’s also a huge fan of the original Batman, as he told NBC 4 in Southern California:

"I’ve got a problem. Everything I have is a bat. All my tractors have bats; my trucks, bats. Socks, underwear, you name it. I’m bat."

While most fans would be content to stop there, Banner went on to turn a 1947 Ford Galaxy into his own Batmobile, complete with a custom back-up camera and smoke machine. No shields though. As far as we know.

Like Japan’s Chibatman and the Australian Batman, Banner dons his cape and cowl mostly to cheer people up, occasionally working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Talking to kids is the way he figures he can do the most good.

"I’ve gone into their classrooms and stuff, and I think I make a positive reaction and hopefully help them out in life and teach them to be good kids. There’s a lot of troubled kids out there, so keeping them safe and on the right path."

Still, I wouldn’t commit any petty crimes during Comic-Con International this summer. Batman might be watching, and not the cosplayers at the convention either.

(via Comic Book Resources)

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