Man-Bat was a creature created by Langstrom through splicing and an enemy of Batman.
History[]
Dr. Kirk Langstrom was a biologist specializing in bats. He had hoped to extract bat DNA to give human beings sonar as a cure for deafness. When he tested the serum on himself it did cure his deafness but it also turned him into a human/bat hybrid. Losing his basic human senses he went on a rampage in Gotham until stopped by Batman. Coming to like the power of his Man-Bat form. He took the serum again and gave some to his wife Francine Lagstrom, turning her into She-Bat. They attack Gotham together but were again stopped by Batman. However he does not seem to do intentional evil, because on occasion when he maintains his intelligence in his Man-Bat form he has done good. Examples include helping detective Jason Bard, and once helped Superman overcome kryptonite poisoning. Kirk and Francine had two children named Becky and Aaron. Aaron was born in a Man-Bat form due to lasting effects on Kirk and Francine's DNA.
Television History[]
Batman: The Animated Series[]
Man-Bat appears in Batman the Animated Series as a zoologist at Gotham City Zoo. Dr. Langstrom had hoped to mix human and animal DNA to creat a new species. However he could not control himself in this form and he went on a rampage, (which Batman was blamed for due to a similar appearance). Man-Bat was stopped and eventually cured. However his wife Francine was unwillingly exposed to the formula in another episode and transformed into She-bat. Dr. Langstrom and Batman worked together to return her to normal.
Professor Milo later used Dr. Langstrom's research for his work at Project Cadmus.
The Batman[]
Man-Bat also appears in The Batman as a more villainous character. In this version, Dr. Langstrom worked for Wayne Enterprises and had an obsession with Batman. Disguising his research as a cure for deafness, he was actually preparing a serum to give him bat powers. Batman managed to defeat him and he was sent to Arkham. Later in the series Penguin used a sonar device to mentally control Langstrom in his Man-Bat form to commit robberies for him. Batman managed to stop them both. Eventually Langstrom renounced his criminal ways and helped Batman defeat the Terrible Trio, who had stolen mutagen from Langstrom to get powers of their own.
Beware the Batman[]
Video Game History[]
Batman: Arkham Knight[]
Gallery[]
