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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may depict the caped crusader and the man of steel engaged in a fierce fight, but the movie has brought their respective diehard fans closer together.

Two fan bases — the Superman Fans of Indonesia (SFoI) and the Gotham Citizen Club (GCC) — have held a series of joint movie screenings and exhibitions to welcome Batman v Superman, the action movie they have been awaiting for years.

“I am speechless and had goosebumps when watching it,” SFoI founder and actor Marcellino Lefrandt said after the movie’s premiere at a South Jakarta mall on Wednesday.

“I had waited for the movie for three years since Superman’s Man of Steel was released. I would see Superman and Batman together in comic books and video games, but now I finally saw them face to face in a movie.”

Later that evening, Marcellino watched the movie again, sharing the theater with dozens of SFoI members and Batman fans from GCC.

While Batman fans wore simple black T-shirts bearing the Bat symbol, some of the Superman fans, including Marcellino’s little son Jarvis, opted to wear the full Superman costume and signature red cap.

Bat people: Fans of Batman, the Gotham Citizen Club, show their excitement after watching Batman v Superman on Wednesday in Jakarta. (Courtesy of Gotham Citizen Club)
“I recommend this film. There had been rumors that BvS would focus on Batman, but it turns out that the film gives a balanced portion to Superman and Batman,” said Marcellino, who has read Superman comic books since the age of 7.

GCC founder Galih Aristo was blown away by the portrayal of Batman in the movie.

“The film strongly refers to the comics and represents a prelude to the DC Comic’s extended universe,” he said.

“Ben Affleck is quite okay,” Galih said. “We should not compare him with Christian Bale or other past Batman actors. Affleck played a movie that heavily refers to the comic books, while the previous Batman films focus on the drama.”

Joint BvS movie screenings at several theaters will cater to demand from over a hundred SFoI members and around 5,000 GCC members across Indonesia.

“There will be joint screenings every day! I am quite amazed about the plan, but it makes sense, because BvS was one of the most-anticipated movies. Who doesn’t know Batman and Superman?” Marcellino asked.

Warner Bros. Entertainment

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may depict the caped crusader and the man of steel engaged in a fierce fight, but the movie has brought their respective diehard fans closer together.

Two fan bases '€” the Superman Fans of Indonesia (SFoI) and the Gotham Citizen Club (GCC) '€” have held a series of joint movie screenings and exhibitions to welcome Batman v Superman, the action movie they have been awaiting for years.

'€œI am speechless and had goosebumps when watching it,'€ SFoI founder and actor Marcellino Lefrandt said after the movie'€™s premiere at a South Jakarta mall on Wednesday.

'€œI had waited for the movie for three years since Superman'€™s Man of Steel was released. I would see Superman and Batman together in comic books and video games, but now I finally saw them face to face in a movie.'€

Later that evening, Marcellino watched the movie again, sharing the theater with dozens of SFoI members and Batman fans from GCC.

While Batman fans wore simple black T-shirts bearing the Bat symbol, some of the Superman fans, including Marcellino'€™s little son Jarvis, opted to wear the full Superman costume and signature red cap.

Bat people: Fans of Batman, the Gotham Citizen Club, show their excitement after watching Batman v Superman on Wednesday in Jakarta. (Courtesy of Gotham Citizen Club)
'€œI recommend this film. There had been rumors that BvS would focus on Batman, but it turns out that the film gives a balanced portion to Superman and Batman,'€ said Marcellino, who has read Superman comic books since the age of 7.

GCC founder Galih Aristo was blown away by the portrayal of Batman in the movie.

'€œThe film strongly refers to the comics and represents a prelude to the DC Comic'€™s extended universe,'€ he said.

'€œBen Affleck is quite okay,'€ Galih said. '€œWe should not compare him with Christian Bale or other past Batman actors. Affleck played a movie that heavily refers to the comic books, while the previous Batman films focus on the drama.'€

Joint BvS movie screenings at several theaters will cater to demand from over a hundred SFoI members and around 5,000 GCC members across Indonesia.

'€œThere will be joint screenings every day! I am quite amazed about the plan, but it makes sense, because BvS was one of the most-anticipated movies. Who doesn'€™t know Batman and Superman?'€ Marcellino asked.

Superman'€™s best: Superman Fans of Indonesia members wear their superhero-themed t-shirts proudly at the Batman v Superman movie screening on Wednesday in Jakarta. (Courtesy of Marcellino Lefrandt)
The two fan communities worked together before BvS, holding gatherings and charity events at orphanages in conjunction with Christmas and Idul Fitri celebrations.

'€œWe give extra attention to orphans, because our heroes are orphans, too,'€ Galih said.

'€œWe always try to instill the spirit that being an orphan doesn'€™t mean you have to be sad all the time. Just take a look at Batman and Superman, they lost their parents at a young age, but they became cool heroes who help people.'€

At their respective gatherings, the members share information about their superhero comic books and sometimes exchange or sell items from their collections to fellow members.

Those interested can join the SFoI or GCC communities through their respective Facebook pages.

Galih, who founded GCC in 2010, shared why the caped crusader deserves admiration.

'€œI like Batman, because there is nothing super about him. He is just like us, a human. Everyone can be Batman. They just need the costume, the spirit to uphold justice and a whole lot of money,'€ he laughed.

Marcellino, the creator of comic superhero Volt, found something special about Superman that Batman doesn'€™t have.

'€œSuperman does not use a mask. When I was a kid, I was amazed by the original version of the costume that has bright shades of red, blue and yellow.'€