Even Spider-Man Takes The T: The Man Behind Boston's Spidey Mask

BOSTON, MA — The MTBA can't be that bad if Spider-Man takes it... can it? On Wednesday someone who looks suspiciously like Spider-Man — if Spidey wore red sneakers — was spotted on the Green Line and later the Orange Line during the commute. He was dressed head-to-toe in the red-and-blue Spider-Man costume, complete with spider symbol on the back. He even hung around upside down on the train for a bit as some folks stared, children gasped, and others tried to pretend everything was normal.

Although he looked the part, this Spider-Man is from Boston, not Queens. And this wasn't the first time he's been out on the MBTA as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

"Well. It was me," Jalen Latimer, the Boston teen behind the spidey mask, told Patch Thursday. "I usually spend my days after work as Spidey."

Wednesday just happened to be a day a photo and video of him made more rounds than usual. He says he didn't know the folks who took them, but friends will often forward him photos of him they've seen.

"I woke up this morning to a bunch of texts," he said, adding that was both surprising and great.

After work (Latimer works at a Chipolte and a movie theatre) on Wednesday, he went into character on the Green Line and headed to the Boston Common. The images captured of him on the Orange Line were during his ride home.

How does one become Spidey?

When Boston Comic-Con came to town a little more than a year ago, Latimer, then 18 years old, and a friend decided to go. Latimer bought a spandex Nightwing costume.

It changed everything for him.

"I used to have extreme social anxiety and cosplay was just a way to get away from it all. I can interact with people and am able to have fun. I'm the character; I'm not Jalen," he said.

He got more and more into it. Latimer has since upgraded his Nightwing costume, has a Robin costume, and is working on a male version of Poison Ivy. He now has three Spider-Man suits, including the one he was spotted sporting this week.

He credits the support from the new group of friends he's found in cosplay.

"The entire cosplay community itself is just so helpful and nice and everyone is about lifting one another. I've made friends at that convention and we've become friends forever," he said.

Eat Your Heart Out, Peter Parker

When he first started heading out into the world as Spider-Man, Latimer said he had to make a decision about whether people would know his secret identity. And unlike spending four-plus decades in secret like Peter Parker, he decided to let the world know.

"It's really hard for me to see with the mask on sometimes because I wear glasses. I figured I'm gonna have to take it off sometimes, so I may as well be open about it," he said.

But Latimer enjoys the attention walking around as Spider-Man brings, especially as he hopes it gets him closer to his goal of volunteering at Children's Hospital in character.

"What's up Spider-Man"

Reactions range from the "What's up, Spider-Man," to moments with awe-struck children. He finds special amusement in watching how there will be people who stare - and how some will act as if Spider-Man isn't hanging out on the train with them.

"It's just fun. Most of all I like seeing the kids' faces when they see me." he said. Recently he was out and about and he crossed paths with two families, each with a small boy in Spider-Man costume, too. "It was adorable," he said. He spent some time chatting with the little ones, and asked one why he dressed up as Spider-Man. The little boy told him it was because he had hoped Spider-Man was there.

"It made my day," he said. "I really like bringing smiles to these kids faces. Ultimately [I do this] to bring joy to the kids."

If you're paying attention (or even if you're not) you can find him about once a week on the Green or Orange Line. And he takes his role seriously, happy to spend time with children or high-five the adults who need a little radioactive-spider pick-me-up.

Unlike the Spider-Men in Times Square, he doesn't charge for photos. And unlike the real Spidey, he isn't climbing up many walls ... but he is brushing up on his gymnastics while he practices acrobatics and Parkour.

What do his parents think? At first they weren't very on board with it, because they just wanted their son to be as safe as possible, Latimer said. "But once I explained why I do it, they were back on board," he said.

Just check out what his mom posted after the attention a Spider sighting got.

"When you have a child, you never know how they're going to turn out and you pray or the best. Welp, mind turned out to be Spider-Man! <3 "

And from last month wearing a different version of the spidey suit:

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Photos at the top by Jeff Monaco, courtesy.