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Man-Bat

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Real Identity: Dr. Kirk Langstrom
Affiliations: Animilitia, Bumbershoot Mechanics, and Wayne Enterprises
Appearances (Movies): Animal Instincts and Mechs Vs. Mutants
Appearances (Shorts): Batman, Red Robin Take on Man-Bat and Some Assembly Required
Powers/Skills: Flight, Echolocation, Above Average Strength, Unarmed Combat, Engineering, and Knowledge of Sciences
Voiced By: Phil LaMarr

Dr. Kirk Langstrom is a zoologist with a focus on bats. He created a serum to grant humans a bat-like sonar sense to assist the deaf and blind. It was a noble but experimental idea. Langstrom was forced to test the serum on himself. The serum bonded his DNA with extracted genetic material from a bat. As a result, he transformed into a literal man bat but became lost control of his body. When turned back to normal, Langstrom had no memory of what Man-Bat did. Dr. Langstrom was hired by Oswald Cobblepot to work at his firm Bumbershoot Mechanics. Langstrom oversaw a line of unmanned robotics for exploration and retrieval, the Cyber-Animals. Cobblepot also recruited Man-Bat to join his Animilitia team and help plant force field transmitters around his Aviary complex. Langstrom spoke briefly at the grand opening night gala of the Aviary after Cobblepot introduced the Cyber-Animals. Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen managed to plant a Bat Tracer on Langstrom's left pant leg.

Man-Bat provided back up to Silverback at the Gotham National Bank after he was attacked by Green Arrow. Luckily, Batman responded to the break-in. He advised Arrow to use his sonic tip arrow to scramble Man-Bat's radar. However, Silverback and Man-Bat fled the scene when their back-up, the Cyber-Animals Tiger Claw and Fire Bat arrived. During the Gotham Zoo mission, Man-Bat relocated to a bat exhibit and roosted. He was awakened after Red Robin threw a Birdarang at his head. Man-Bat grabbed Robin by a leg and flew out. Nightwing hit him in the back with an electrified baton. Man-Bat dropped Robin into a flamingo pond. He proved to agile and dodged Green Arrow's shots, then immobilized Flash by spewing gunk on him, knocked Batman into a tree, and freed his comrades. Man-Bat flew off with Killer Croc. In need of Dr. Langstrom to hack the Cyber-Animals, Batman and Nightwing broke into Bumbershoot Mechanics. Batman saw the tracer planted on Langstrom at the gala and realized he was Man-Bat. He planted a sonic device on Man-Bat's back and rendered him unconscious.

Batman used a blood sample to synthesize a temporary antidote that would return Langstrom into a human for three hours. Batman asked for Langstrom's help and hinted at the possibility of a permanent cure. He accepted and told Batman and his allies everything he knew about the Cyber-Animals and Cobblepot's technology. With the three hours to an end, the serum had mutated and adapted to the antidote. Langstrom agreed to be locked up. He soon transformed back into Man-Bat. While Red Robin uploaded a computer virus into the Cyber-Animals, Man-Bat escaped containment. Red Robin tried to reason with him but was forced to jump on his back. Man-Bat flew out of the Batcave into the city. Robin continued pleading with Langstrom to concentrate on controlling his body. Robin fell off and plunged to a certain death, but Man-Bat rescued him. Together, they flew to the Aviary to help save Gotham. Man-Bat agreed to fly over the tractor beam antenna and hold an ad hoc device to help focus the signal. Despite the pain from exposure to the power surge, Man-Bat prevailed and Gotham City was shielded from the Midas Heart asteroid. The surge burnt out all traces of the serum and an unconscious Langstrom plummeted. Batman flew by in his Batplane and saved Langstrom. Once he regained consciousness, Langstrom thanked Red Robin for believing in him and Batman for giving him his life back.

Dr. Langstrom turned into Man-Bat again. Batman jumped onto his back and tried to gain control. They flew through a building and tumbled through cubicles. Man-Bat made a sharp descent and lost Batman. Red Robin and Batman caught up on Fire Bat and snagged his legs. Unable to break free, he rammed into buildings then was pulled backwards. Batman and Robin punched him out. After they securely restrained him, Man-Bat was taken away by Fire Bat. Dr. Langstrom made a full rehabilitation and was made head of Wayne Enterprises' Research and Development Department. He also worked for Batman and adapted Wayne Enterprises' Drilling Mech specifications to build the Bat Mech. Green Arrow convinced Langstrom to make him a mech to serve as back up. A contract was made through Queen Industries. Funds supported the research and development department. A report was filed but Bruce Wayne never saw it. For the new technology showcase at Wayne Tower, Langstrom displayed the Wayne Enterprises Drilling Sledge and Drilling Mech.

Langstrom talked the mech's plasma pincers and the pilot extracted a diamond from molten rock then Langstrom postulated the technology could one day be used to explore the core of the earth or even other planets. At the height of Penguin and Mr. Freeze's conquest of Gotham, Batman drove to Wayne Enterprises where Langstrom was pacing. He reiterated the Bat Mech wasn't ready. Batman pointed out there were giant super villains loose in Gotham and the impending battle would be a field test. Green Arrow arrived. Langstrom was still worried about the miscalibrated magnetometer and sub-optimal PSI readings from some of the servos. They took a lift down to the Workshop. Langstrom deployed the Bat Mech and Arrow Mech. Batman had a second request for Langstrom, to his surprise. He grabbed the digital specifications for the L06-D-05 Laser Cannon and drove the Bat ATV to Robin's location. He stammered the ATV was way too fast and explained Batman thought the cannon would stop the mutated Clayface.

Langstrom, Robin, Flash, and Nightwing began assembling the laser cannon on the roof of the Gotham Police Department. He reiterated they didn't have much time to test the cannon or work up a better prototype. They powered it up but it overloaded. Mr. Freeze appeared and stated the cannon couldn't support valence co-sharing between the bonded particles. Langstrom realized he was right and asked everyone not to tell Batman. Freeze offered his assistance and Arctic Device to add to the cannon. Langstrom found it brilliant but stated Freeze would have to help set up the new configuration. They barely got it working in time and opened fire on Clayface, eventually freezing him in his tracks. Back at the Workshop, Langstrom started his to-do list for the Bat Mech. He decided he had to replace the actuators and put new struts on the port side. He realized one of Arrow Mech's arms were attached to the Bat Mech. He sighed but believed he could still fix it. He looked across and saw the battered Arrow Mech lying on the ground. Langstrom was shocked and wondered what Green Arrow did to it. Langstrom later added modifications to the latest Batmobile and Batplane. Both vehicles could now borrow parts from each other on the fly.