Batman spotted helping Montrealers dig cars out of snow

Batman has a bit of a sore back this weekend after shovelling cars out of the Montreal snow for several hours on Thursday.

A devastating storm covered southern Quebec on Tuesday and Wednesday, leavingresidents strugglingto get around later in the week.

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Sidewalks weretreacherousand many cars were encased by about 40 centimetres of snow.

But the owners of children's entertainment companyMJ Anim'Actionsaw it as anopportunity to brighten people's day.

They decided to sendBatman to therescue.

"We went into all the side streets to find people who were trying to get rid of snow and when we found a person who was working we helped them right away," MJ Anim'Action co-founder MehdiBennani Smires told CBC News.

The duostayed close to their headquarters in Montreal's Rosemont borough,delivering about five hours of good deeds to their neighbours.

By Saturday, a video compilation of their exploits, which they posted on YouTube, had almost 50,000 views.

BennaniSmiressaid almost everyone was very happy to see the CapedCrusader joining the snow removal efforts except the first person he offered to help.

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"They didn't want help, but we decided we wouldn't give up," Bennani Smiressaid.

Bennani Smiresand MJAnim'Action's other co-founder, JulienBauby,also went to senior's residences in costume to help elderly people cross slippery streets.

Those searching for acomic book reference to explain why it wasBatmanroaming the streets with a shovel, instead of another superhero,won't find one. The Batmancostume simply had the most insulation.

"I couldn't be Spiderman. It was too cold,"BennaniSmiressaid.

Volunteering for kids

Shovelling as Batman has all the makings of a publicity stunt, but Bennani Smiressays it's the kind of volunteer work that's integral to what his companydoes.

"We have nice costumes and we know how to talk to kids because we used to be children's educators. We know children's needs," Bennani Smiressaid.

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They now volunteeratSainte-JustineHospital,meeting kids in costume,as part of the Starlight Foundation and Rves d'enfants two charities that work to lift the spirits of seriously ill children.

"We're people who dress up as superheroes but the real superheroes are the kids, the ones fighting illness," Bennani Smiressaid.

The co-founders each have kids of their own and both came to Quebec from France in the past ten years.

BennaniSmiressaid Thursday's creative volunteering was a way thank their new home.

"We love Quebec, we never want to leave. We really found happiness here."