New Berlin Man Dons Spider-Man Costume To Make People's Day

NEW BERLIN, WI—If Tom Holland ever needs a Spidey break while doing press for "Spider-Man 3," New Berlin resident Mike Justman is the right guy.

Justman has put on a Spider-Man costume since March, when the pandemic first hit, to brighten the days of local residents.

"Kids were getting their birthdays canceled," Justman told Patch.

He put on the costume for one of his daughter Mia's soccer teammate's siblings. He posted a note on social media for people to come to see the superhero webslinger in action, and soon everyone was requesting an appearance by Spider-Man.

"We were driving around all day waving at kids, and they were freaking out," he said.

He and his wife, Jill Justman, starting getting calls and messages asking him to swing by. He even jumps atop his car in a signature Spidey move.

During the winter months, the Justman family did their best to make someone's day and created a Facebook page to help them stay organized about scheduling appearances. "Spidey in a Civic is a local New Berlin superhero who visits those in need of a smile or a birthday wish. When times are tough, remember to STAY SUPER," the page said.

Spider-Man also visits adults in need of a smile. Justman said he just made a birthday appearance for a 90-year-old who told him he thought he had seen it all.

New Berlin isn't the only area the webslinger appears. Justman has been to Franklin, Greenfield, Waukesha and Milwaukee.

Neighbors told friends about Justman's Spider-Man, and soon he was traveling around in his Civic all day. "It was a tour," he said. "They would take us all over the neighborhood."

With great power comes great responsibility

Mike and Jill aren't the only do-gooders in the family. Mia, 9, has been active in charity work for years. She has a lemonade stand every summer to raise money for the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County. Mia raised $800 this year to be donated to the society.

"Any opportunity to give back is a good thing," Justman said.

Justman and some other New Berlin residents joined forces in December to give a Waukesha County child a super present.

Amy Jandrisevits runs a nonprofit, "A Doll Like Me," from her dining room table. The New Berlin resident makes dolls for children that look like them. Jandrisevits has created more than 400 dolls of children with their birthmarks, missing limbs, illnesses or other conditions.

Mike and Jill Justman do freelance graphic design when not making appearances. They worked with Jandrisevits on her logo. "She offered to pay me, but I said to put it towards making a doll for someone," Justman said.

Jandrisevits used Mike's fee to make a Spider-Man doll for Eli Hansen, who has been dealing with cancer for several years.

Jandrisevits' son, Elijah, a student at New Berlin West High School, created a fun video of Justman as Spider-Man and Mia preparing the doll for delivery to Hansen. "I was all for doing it, because Eli sounds like a really cool kid," Justman said. "I wish I could meet him as Spider-Man," Justman said.

Justman said he hopes to visit more sick children at a hospital once the pandemic is over.

The Justman family has been personally touched by cancer. Jill Justman's mother died from cancer in October and was very proud of Spider-Man visiting those in need.

"We had kids going in for heart surgeries or one for a bone marrow transplant," Justman said. "As a human being you relate to that."

Justman said as long as Spider-Man is needed, he will be there.