Batman, the comic book superhero, stalks the night saving Gotham from villains but Baltimore’s Caped Crusader just wants sick kids to feel better.
Clad in a heavy leather and neoprene Batsuit, the Baltimore man drove up recently to the orthopaedic wing of the east coast city’s Sinai hospital in a slick Batmobile – a perfect replica of the Hollywood one.
Excitement bubbled over just inside the entrance, where children in wheelchairs, parents and medical personnel were eagerly watching the Dark Knight arrive.
In a game room set up for the special visit, a cardboard replica of Batman stood amid piles of Batman-themed crayon boxes, t-shirts, glasses, and necklaces made of bats.
The man behind the costume is Lenny Robinson, 48, a tall, muscular father of three adult children.
For the last 11 years, the wealthy former businessman has dedicated himself to these visits, bringing gifts and a bit of fun to the young hospital patients.
On his arrival, Batman approached six-year-old Farrah, whose legs were supported by metal braces.
“Farrah, do me a favour,” Batman said, leaning towards the shy little girl, before whispering in her ear.
“I never ask kids how they are,” Mr Robinson later explained.
“I say hi, it’s nice to meet you, and I give them a present.”
Then he tells them to “do Batman a favour: get better. That will make me very happy”.
Mr Robinson took up the Batman mantle at the inspiration of his son, who, he said, was obsessed by the character.
Mr Robinson inherited the obsession, and then transformed it, ultimately organising his efforts into a charity: superheroesforkids.org.
He doesn’t get paid for his appearances, which average twice a month. Instead he spends some €48,000 a year from his own pocket on gifts for the kids. And he spent another €172,000 this year on a new Batmobile, which he donated to he foundation.
Mr Robinson, who sold his commercial cleaning business for a great profit in 2007, said he has plenty of time and money for the job.
“I swim, go on vacation, and go be Batman,” he smiled. “It’s a full-time job.”
“When the kids know he’s coming, there is excitement,” said John Herzenberg, head doctor at Sinai Hospital’s orthopaedic wing.
“Anything to divert their attention from their troubles and the pain they are having is a good thing.”
Mr Robinson has earned local stardom in his hometown and his fame only grew last spring when, dressed as the masked vigilante, his Batmobile was pulled over by police.
Officers stopped him because the car – an earlier version of the Batmobile that was really a decked out Lamborghini – wasn’t displaying its licence plates. In their place was the bat symbol.
The police thought they were pulling over “some rich dude in a freaking Batman outfit”, Mr Robinson laughed.
Then they realised that Mr Robinson had the real plates in the car – and that he was on a superhero mission to visit a local hospital.
A video of the incident went viral on the web.
But his mission suffered more of a setback last month, when a gunman massacred 12 people and wounded dozens more in a Colorado movie theatre, on the opening night of the latest instalment of the Dark Knight trilogy.
Two hospitals immediately cancelled their long-planned dates with the Winged Avenger.
“The timing was unfortunate for Mr Robinson’s visit, as it was scheduled just three days after the shooting,” a spokesman for the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri said.
“We felt our patients – and their families – needed some time and distance from those images,” she explained, adding the hospital planned to reschedule the visit.
“I understand and respect the hospital’s decision,” said Mr Robinson. “The last thing I want to do is to upset the children. That would be the opposite of what I want to do.”
Despite the shooting, Baltimore’s Batman remains in high demand across the US – with upcoming stops scheduled for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and New York. Even European hospitals have requested a visit.
Mr Robinson, who at times adopts the voice of the children’s cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants to avoid scaring the littlest patients, says, unlike the comic book hero, his Batman has no connection to violence.
“I’m the comical, funny, caring, polite, respectful side of Batman,” he insisted.