The Confession of a Funeral Home Batman

October 6, 2017 6:07 AM

"It was a gig I had for about two weeks in October of 1989. I was broke, ready to take any job. And I ended up dressing in a Keaton Batman-like suit and attending wakes and funerals in a suburb South of Chicago." (scroll down)
posted by MrJM (13 comments total)

I don't believe that I have ever wanted pictures of anything as badly as I want those of Batman pallbearer. And that he got paid for it... I would have paid for the privilege. I still would, probably.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:17 AM on October 6, 2017 [8 favorites]

I remember a news story about someone dressed as a superhero for a funeral not too long ago. I think they've mainly been for children who were big fans.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 6:44 AM on October 6, 2017 [1 favorite]

I think they've mainly been for children who were big fans.

Last week someone was saying that the Israelis put children's letters to God in the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, and this made me wonder: is the USPS handling children's letters to Batman correctly? It would be so sad if there are children out there waiting, waiting, waiting for a reply from Batman, a reply that never comes. I suppose their parents could tell them that Batman is very busy fighting crime, and doesn't have time to answer every letter. But, if it were me, I'd then wonder: couldn't Alfred at least reply?
posted by thelonius at 7:13 AM on October 6, 2017 [3 favorites]

I think they've mainly been for children who were big fans.

Caution, this is a link to the Daily Mail.
posted by chavenet at 7:21 AM on October 6, 2017 [1 favorite]

And this one is about a funeral for that sort of Batman.
posted by chavenet at 7:26 AM on October 6, 2017

I am reminded of this orthogonal piece from The Onion: Child Sees No Reason Why Iron Man Costume Can’t Be Worn To Grandfather’s Funeral
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 8:27 AM on October 6, 2017 [5 favorites]

is the USPS handling children's letters to Batman correctly?

It's not Batman, but Canada Post has a program where kids can send letters to Santa (postal code H0H 0H0) and receive a reply.
posted by transient at 8:28 AM on October 6, 2017 [3 favorites]

It's not Batman
NOT BATMAN
posted by thelonius at 9:49 AM on October 6, 2017

And I ended up dressing in a Keaton Batman-like suit and attending wakes and funerals in a suburb South of Chicago." (scroll down)

No need to ask me twice.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:53 AM on October 6, 2017 [3 favorites]

I had a college roommate who came from a Chicago funeral industry family and boy howdy did she have a lot of stories. I have zero trouble believing someone thought Batman funerals were a good idea.

I am STILL BITTER that when her grandfather offered her a used hearse so she'd have a car in college, she turned it down. STILL BITTER.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:05 AM on October 6, 2017 [7 favorites]

couldn't Alfred at least reply?

But Alfred is Bruce Wayne's butler and what would a billionaire playboy like Bruce Wayne be doing with Batman's mail?
posted by ckape at 12:23 PM on October 6, 2017 [4 favorites]

Somewhere there is a message from me, made from a funeral home, on October 31st, that tells my friends that should I die in late October they are pretty much required to come to my funeral in things like Iron Man costumes. Being carried out the the hearse by the Avengers would be like a capstone on a life worth living.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:31 PM on October 6, 2017 [2 favorites]

I don't see why, given the right set of circumstances, Batman funerals wouldn't be a good idea.
posted by Aleyn at 1:40 PM on October 6, 2017 [3 favorites]