Many people use cosplay as a hobby and for fun, but some use their love of cosplay to help people. When that happens, foundations like Heroic Utah come into existence. Heroic Utah has been around for 13 years and is a nonprofit organization that uses its members’ cosplay abilities to help different organizations. Organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and Make a Wish Foundation. 

“We have a monthly appointment at the Ronald McDonald House that we go to read books to the kids and play games with them,” Eric Hall, one of the founding members said. “Also schools will call us for literacy nights. We’ll come and read to the kids there. We’ve worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation to grant wishes to kids. And we’ve done the Muscular Dystrophy Association as well.” 

Heroic Utah has been helping kids in many different ways with the events they are a part of. Making kids’ days with being able to see their favorite superheroes, villains, or even Disney characters. 

“One of my favorite experiences while I was in costume with Heroic was at a library event, Mellissa Zane, an officer at Heroic said. “And for that, there was this little boy. He had to be no more than 3 or 4 years old, and he was doing the ‘I’m just awestruck’ thing, and his parents were trying to bring him over, and he was hiding behind their legs. But they said, he just really loves Catwoman, and he loves your costume. He’s just too shy to talk right now.” 

Zane said about an hour or so later he came running up to her with his little paper mask that he had made.”He had made a purple one to match me. And he wanted to show me that he had a mask just like me. And then he talked to me and hugged me and all that. And just the fact that he had his mask also allowed him to open up. And that just made my day.” 

With all of the events and even appearances at FanX, Heroic Utah has made an impact in various areas. From starting as a small group with not many members, still trying to secure their foothold in the community as a non-profit charity group.

Heroic Utah gives local cosplayers an excuse to give back while having fun doing what they love: cosplay. Many of the members have their favorite cosplays that they have gotten to wear for events. 

“Doctor Strange would be my favorite, I think,” Hall said. “I put a lot of work into making it what it is. With help from my brother we created his Sling ring, got a cool prop of the Eye of Agamotto and a prop of the hand spinners so it looks like you’re casting spells.”

“My favorite costume to cosplay is probably Catwoman,” said Zane. “It’s always really recognizable. I have a purple cowl and a purple catsuit. It’s the 1990s gym-balanced version. I always love going to events in that because everybody recognizes it, has a really good time, and it's just really fun to wear and just be sappy and silly and whatnot. So I really enjoy that. I’ve had little kids react really cutely to it.”