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Man-Bat
 
Man-Bat
 
Personal Info:
 
Real Name: Robert Kirkland Langstrom
Also Known As: Kirk Langstrom
Place Of Birth: Chicago
First Appearance: Detective Comics Vol.1 #400 (1970) Silver Age Villain
Known Associates: No known Associates
Group Affiliation: Formerly Spirit Squad, The Network
Base Of Operations: Gotham City
Grudges: Batman
Creators: Frank Robbins, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano
Gallery: Click
 
Powers:
 
By taking his bat-gland formula, Kirk Langstrom can transform himself into a bat-like creature. By taking an antidote he can return to human form.
Enhanced Abilities: Man-Bat’s strength, agility and endurance are all enhanced to super human levels.
Flight: Man-Bat has a set of leathery bat wings that allow him to fly.
Sonar: Man-Bat has natural sonar. He emits high-pitched sound waves and can hear the echoes they make when they bounce of nearby objects. The Man-Bat can navigate perfectly in pitch darkness.
Enhanced Senses: Man-Bat has super-sensitive hearing.
Claws: The Man-Bat has sharpened claws which are strong enough to easily tear through flesh and muscle.
 
Origins:
 
When Kirk Langstrom was a young boy, he fell into a deep cavern and was lost for more than six weeks. Police conducted a massive search for the child, and were nearly ready to give up when they finally found him. Though his parents were overjoyed to see their son returned to them, Kirk seemed almost sorry to leave the cave. He silently waved goodbye to the "friends" he left behind.
As an adult, Kirk left his home town of Chicago and enrolled at Gotham University where he met fellow student Francine Lee. Even after all this time the so-called "cave boy" was still obsessed with bats, and he believed that he could pioneer new medical breakthroughs through the study of bats.
After college, Kirk became a zoologist and nocturnal mammals expert employed by the Gotham Natural History Museum. He long admired the careers of costumed crime fights and wanted to emulate, particularly those such as the legendary Batman. To this end, Langstrom used his scientific know how to develop a serum extracted from the glands of bats. This serum was designed to amplify a person's sensory capabilities, gifting them with enhanced hearing. Like many scientists of his calibre, Langstrom decided to test the serum on himself with immediate results. His hands grew hairy and claw-like and his face took on the physical characteristics of a bat – including elongated ears that allowed him to perceive his surroundings via echolocation.
 
Notes:
 
Man-Bat at DC Database
Man-Bat at Batman Wiki
Man-Bat at Comic Vine