Burleson has its own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. And he is making a difference.

If you notice something a little different about Burleson these days, don’t be alarmed. It’s just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

That’s right, Spider-Man, or Spidey for short. Burleson has its own superhero, complete with the appropriate red-and-blue web designed garb, and he can be seen helping folks with their groceries, posing for pics with a cute kid, and just generally bringing a smile to the citizens of his hometown.

And while his real name isn’t Peter Parker, that is what he prefers to be called when discussing his favorite comic book character.

“I prefer to stay anonymous as I don’t want to be credited for what I do, and it adds to the Spider-Man character. Plus I don’t want actual weirdos to look me up or message me on my personal things,” he said.

The 22-year-old had been portraying the Webbed Wonder for about three years, going to conventions, charity events and such. Then, he decided, why not share his persona with the fine folks in Burleson on a more regular basis? After all, it’s his home, too.

“The community’s response has been positive, a lot more than I initially thought it would be, which has been really motivating for me. There have been a few people with doubts who think I’m a weirdo in spandex on something — I’m definitely a weirdo,” he said with a chuckle.

“The people having my back as much as I have theirs when they don’t even know me has uplifted me a lot, and I’m thankful for the people I’ve met and the future people I haven’t yet.”

Margaret Walker recalled her experience meeting Spidey one day in a pleasant surprise.

“I was driving home from work and saw him walking. I rolled my window down to yell, ‘Hey Spidey! Do a flip!’” she exclaimed. “He geared up to flip, then stopped and yelled back, ‘I haven’t stretched yet.’ He shrugged, I laughed and we both continued on our way.”

Likewise, Jerry West met him unexpectedly, though it was him who surprised Spidey.

“I was able to sneak up on him while on my bike. Scared the hell out of him and got a selfie with him. Seems like a good kid,” West said.

Rather than flying from rooftop to rooftop hanging onto a web, Spider-Man mostly walks around town stopping for coffee or going to the grocery store. Though, as previously mentioned, if someone needs a helping hand, he’s always ready. Plus, just knowing there’s a superhero nearby can be uplifting.

“It’s a good workout, honestly. I like to think I help people. I know I’ve definitely come across people that have been going through their own rough patches, and they get a kick out of seeing me and brighten up,” he said. “I try to be as genuine and kind as possible with everyone I meet. To quote Peter Parker in one of the films, ‘I like to think that Spider-Man gives people hope.’”

Because of Spider-Man, Russell Artmier was able to give his 5-year-old daughter the best birthday ever when her favorite superhero showed up.

“I told her one day that I saw him walking down the street and she got so sad because she didn’t see him. She would talk about him every day and leave her Spider-Man wallet outside her door at night so he would see it and give it back to her,” Artmier recalled.

“I reached out on Facebook and found Spider-Man and asked if he could stop by our house one day and give her a present that we would leave on the porch to wish her a happy birthday. He agreed with enthusiasm and really made her birthday so special. She was so excited and still talks about it all the time, how Spider-Man visited her for her birthday.

“This young man has a very big heart and is such an amazing person. Burleson’s very own superhero.”

While he’s mostly seen in Burleson, he has been known to wander. He’s traveled to the Hulen area in Fort Worth, Grand Prairie and even Dallas on occasion.

He’s also portrayed other heroes from time to time, such as the White Power Ranger, Doctor Who, Marty McFly from “Back to the Future” — which was the first cosplay he wore at a convention. And he’s even portrayed some Spidey villains, such as Mysterio and The Prowler.

But he grew up a Spider-Man fan, and that’s where his heart is.

“The costume gives it away, huh?” he said. “But seriously, I’ve been a fan honestly as far back as I can remember. I would watch the (director) Sam Raimi films on repeat as a kid, watched the ‘90s cartoons, had so many toys, too.

“It died down the older I got, but the love for the character was always there. I never knew why. I enjoyed the entirety of my life at 15 purely because I made a mental note that that’s when Peter Parker became Spider-Man. Now that I’m older I understand the character a lot more and that spark came back.”

He’s also brought a spark to the community, an excitement that can be summed up in a simple phrase from Teresa Cunningham Baker.

“We love our Spidey!”