Rosenblum: Minneapolis retiree is the superhero of smiles

Ask Bill Martin the pressing question — Batman or Superman? — and he's ready with an answer.

Yes. And yes.

Seventy-four-year-old Martin is an equal-opportunity superhero. Every morning at 7:30, the retiree takes off for his 2½-mile stroll around his Linden Hills neighborhood in Minneapolis. Up and down hills, along bustling sidewalks, over to the gas station, where he takes his $1.71 coffee with "just enough" sugar.

The tall and trim Martin, his hair short and white, his eyes sky blue, enjoys a sweet reward beyond lowered blood pressure. His walks elicit smiles, photo requests and social network shares.

That's what happens when a 6-foot-1 fellow steps out in size XL Batman or Superman pajamas, and an animal-themed hat topped with a spinning pinwheel.

"Kids come up and hug my leg," Martin said. "They tell me, 'We like your hat.' Many, many individuals say, 'You make us happy. Thank you for the smile. It's so much fun to see.' "

And fun is the point.

He married for the first time 15 years ago, when he was nearly 60, and has enjoyed traveling with his wife, Kaye.

At Halloween time about six years ago, Martin walked into a Target store and was captivated by bins of animal-themed foam hats — elephants, giraffes, hippos, pigs — costing just a dollar each.

He bought 25 of them and handed them out to kids at a neighborhood Halloween party. When those hats ran out, he went online and bought more, handing those out the following Halloween.

After retiring four years ago, Martin decided that kids shouldn't have all the fun. He bought the large onesie pajamas ("closeout," he noted) and started his own collection of holiday-themed hats, from turkeys to Christmas red to celebratory New Year's Eve to St. Patrick's Day green. He topped them with dazzling pinwheels, using globs of hot glue.

"Professional job," he said with a laugh, "as you can tell."

Still, if Martin goes shopping with Kaye, he knows that street clothes are required. "He always wears a hat, though," Kaye said. "He loves his hats."

After dropping Kaye at work each day, Martin begins his daily walks. On days too cold or rainy, Superman or Batman drives to the Galleria to walk. On days too hot for onesies, he wears one of his many T-shirts with funny sayings.

His favorite shirt features Mighty Mouse and "Don't worry about your health. It will go away" stenciled on the back. That one really cracks him up.

Once in a while, a cynic will try to shoot down the happy hero. "That's their problem," Martin said. "It doesn't embarrass me. I'm too young to be embarrassed."

But mostly, the reaction is gleeful. "The other day a guy stopped in his car with his two kids," Martin said. "He asked, 'Can I have your picture?' " Of course, Martin said.

When he enters his grocery store wearing a new hat, the produce department employees leap out with their cameras. A neighbor regularly takes pictures of Martin to send to Martin's friends and family in Europe.

There's no magic or dark secret to why he does it.

"Everybody's too serious," said Martin, who notes that a Spider-Man costume is coming in a few weeks. "They're caught up in things that really aren't that important. Go have some fun. Be grateful that you can get up and walk around.

"If somebody wants a picture of me, and it keeps them smiling, that's what counts."