Comic genius often comes with a dark side, as Matthew Perry knew all too well. The Friends star, who died on Saturday, aged 54, battled against addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol for decades. And yet, he was known as a funny man – whose biting wit and mastery of sarcasm made him an icon in the eyes of millions. These two distinct, yet intrinsically linked, sides of his character no doubt helped him empathise with another legend of the big and silver screens: Batman. Indeed, Perry’s last Instagram post, shared just five days before his death referenced the comic book character – with the 54-year-old dubbing himself “Mattman”. Mourning fans were also quick to point out that the accompanying photo of Matty (as his friends called him) showed him relaxing in his outdoor hot tub at home in LA. On 28 October, that same jacuzzi would become the scene of his death, according to law enforcement sources. But this final post wasn’t the only indicator of the 17 Again actor’s fixation with Batman – his previous six were all allusions to the caped crusader. The first of the series, shared a week before his death, showed a home cinema room, with three screens set up to show the latest film in the franchise: The Batman. Others showed the iconic bat symbol in various settings, including carved into a Halloween pumpkin, with Perry repeatedly referring to himself as Mattman. The American-Canadian actor had long, and openly, celebrated his love of the comic book character. In a 2022 interview with GQ, he admitted that he once bought a 10,400-square-foot LA penthouse simply because it resembled the home of Christian Bale’s Batman in The Dark Knight. Perry’s reasoning at the time was apparently: “Bruce Wayne had a penthouse – I’m going to have one.” During the interview, he also revealed that he was building a dedicated Batman room in his new house (which he branded “a Matt cave”), with a pool table, large TV, and black sofa surrounded by shelves of his Batman paraphernalia. Probed on the reason for his obsession, Perry replied: “I am Batman.” He then explained: “Well, he’s a rich loner. We both drive black, cool cars.” He then conceded: “I don’t solve crime. But I’ve saved people’s lives.” In one of GQ’s ‘10 things I can’t live without’ segments, Perry shared further insight into his batty mania, saying that it began with the Christopher Nolan movies but extended to the latest instalment, staring Robert Pattinson. During the deadpan runthrough, he admitted that he had “too much Batman stuff”, but then ended the video by joking that after seeing all his essential items, viewers “should probably know by now that I'm Batman.” 10 Things Matthew Perry Can't Live Without | GQ www.youtube.com Perry’s fans and many of his 8.1 million Instagram followers speculated whether his most recent run of themed posts was more than just another outpouring of adoration for the franchise. They thought it was a hint that he’d been cast in a new Batman role, particularly given that one of the captions penned by Perry read: “Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?” Still, all we know for sure is that Perry saw a lot of himself in Batman – or should that be, he saw a lot of Batman in himself? Regardless, the similarities are striking, especially when you consider what Perry once responded when asked what he’d like his legacy to be. “I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker and his paramount thing is that he wants to help people,” he replied. The sentiment is an undeniable echo of one of Batman’s most famous quotes: “It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” And what Perry did was make people laugh and cry and, ultimately, save lives. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings

In a stunning Halloween makeover, Alix Earle unveiled her uncanny resemblance to Madonna

Former President Donald Trump's fortunes seem to be moving in opposing directions.

xQc reacted to Adept's Twitch ban, denying his involvement in Purple platform's decision

Shopping for second-hand fashion could prevent carbon emissions equivalent to those produced by 261,000 flights to Greece, analysis from Oxfam suggests. The charity has launched its annual campaign Second Hand September, which encourages people to shop second-hand and donate what they no longer need or wear for 30 days from Friday. Releasing new research to mark the annual campaign, Oxfam said that only 10 per cent of wardrobe contents are second-hand. The charity cited figures from the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which estimates that the average adult wardrobe consists of 118 items. Oxfam said that if half of those items were bought second-hand, it would prevent 12.5 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide created by manufacturing new clothes from entering the atmosphere – equivalent to that produced by 261,000 flights from London Heathrow to Athens. It also said that if each adult in the UK donated all the clothes they have not worn in the past year to charity shops, it could remove the need for 4.9 billion kilograms of carbon emissions – equivalent to flying a plane around the world more than 6,600 times. The findings come amid increasing awareness of the negative effects of the fashion industry, which accounts for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to the UN, which is more than international aviation and shipping combined. Money raised from Oxfam fashion goes towards Oxfam’s work with partners fighting poverty and the impact of the climate emergency around the world. The charity said an increasing number of shoppers, activists and people within the fashion industry have been shopping second-hand since the first Second Hand September campaign in 2019. Bay Garnett, stylist, sustainable fashion advocate and senior fashion adviser at Oxfam, said second-hand clothes have become an emerging style and agreed it has become “cool to care”. “I’ve seen a huge change. Kids love to do it now and what’s brilliant is that second-hand now has become a trend. It’s a genuine tipping point for it being a style choice,” she told the PA news agency. “I also think the big difference now is that it’s seen as a point of activism and originality. Kids are proud that they’re going to second-hand because it shows independence and a form of activism and strong decisions.” Ms Garnett, who came up with the idea to do visual campaigns for Second Hand September, collaborating with stars such as Sienna Miller and Felicity Jones, added that second-hand shopping is also an “antidote to the culture of newness, of Instagram and disposability”. She added: “When you shop at second-hand shops, the money that you’re spending raises crucial funds for Oxfam’s work fighting poverty and the impact of the climate emergency. That’s a fantastic place to put your money. “That’s pretty powerful in itself – the fact that it’s not going to make people richer but it’s going to help the people who are poor or the most disenfranchised by this whole situation.” Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s retail director, said: “As a major emitter of greenhouse gas, much of the fashion industry as it stands is a threat to people and planet.” She added: “Shopping this way sends a clear message to the fashion industry that consumers want, and expect, things to change.” Miquita Oliver, Oxfam’s second-hand clothes ambassador, said: “It’s timely that we’re talking about second-hand clothes and living in a more sustainable way, as awareness of the environmental impact of our shopping choices is growing. “Today’s research from Oxfam shows that something as simple as buying clothes second-hand, and donating what we don’t wear any more, can help change the world for the better. It’s as simple as that.” Read More Woman adopts husband’s ex-wife’s son after growing up in foster care herself Florence Pugh says backlash to her nipple-bearing dress shows people are ‘terrified of the human body’ Woman says she started to wear ‘terrible wigs’ after her job banned her pink hair

Steelers offensive lineman Kendrick Green isn't thrilled with the criticism he is getting from Pittsburgh media after his rough preseason.

By James Oliphant (Reuters) -Republican U.S. presidential contenders attending a forum of Christian conservatives in Iowa that typically focuses on

'They brought the child out and he was just drenched and coughing,' a neighbor said

'Weddings are beautiful, but they can be very romanticized,' said Jada Pinkett Smith

A school shooting that frightened students and left one faculty member dead at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has galvanized gun safety advocates

Bradley Dimmick reportedly made a chilling admission to the officers, stating, 'I just killed somebody'

College sports in the U.S. has seen scores of schools change conference affiliation over the past century, but the pace has quickened over the past three decades