‘The Flash,’ ‘Black Lightning’ & DC Comics Salute Our Heroes Without Capes (VIDEO)

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While everyone was having all sorts of reactions to the news that Robert Pattinson might be the new Batman, the folks behind the cowl were bringing the love to some real heroes: the men and women of the our armed forces stationed in Kuwait.

As part of Batman’s 80th anniversary celebration, DC Comics teamed up with the United Services Organization and recruited an honorable battalion of talent to toured five military bases in Western Asia, including Camp Buehring, Camp Arifjan, Ali Al Salem, Camp Patriot and Al Jaber.

“It was an absolute honor to meet with brave service members that exemplify real life heroism,” said DC Chief Creative Officer, Publisher and comic artist Jim Lee in the official release about the trip. “These heroes inspire the world every day with their valor and commitment to freedom, the same courageous qualities that Batman has symbolized for eight decades. DC is extremely proud to have joined forces with the USO to deliver an unprecedented Batman experience to our troops.”

 

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‪Finally can talk about it. Spent the last week on a @theuso tour with @jimlee, @candicepatton, @dpanabaker, and @nafessawilliams visiting our forces in Kuwait. ‬ ‪Can’t speak highly enough of the soldiers I met there, doing impossible work in impossible heat. One of the honors of my life.‬

A post shared by Tom King (@tomking_tk) on

Lee, a favorite on Twitch for his late-night drawing sessions, offered an art class for service members interested in illustration, while The Flash‘s Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker joined Black Lightning‘s Nafessa Williams at meet-and-greets with fans to sign autographs, hold panel discussions, and hang with military folks on the job.

There were also screenings, cosplay contests, and special discussion where noted DC author and CIA alum Tom King (who just signed on to pen the New Gods superhero feature with Ava DuVernay) opened up about going from counterterrorism operations to writing Batman.

Jim Lee (DC Chief Creative Officer, Publisher and legendary artist) and Danielle Panabaker (star of The CW’s “The Flash”) pose for a photo with a service member during an autograph signing at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait on May 30.

And speaking of the Dark Knight, the troops also got to snap selfies with Bruce Wayne’s coolest whip, the Tumbler from the movies. Later this year, DC and the USO will be shipping out special Batman-themed USO2GO kits featuring comics, movies, TV shows and games to service members stationed in remote locations around the globe.

Check out this video from the mission below and for more on DC Comics’s work with the USO, as well as upcoming #Batman80 events, click here.