Description

Man-Bat (DC 1996)                              Comics Lot
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artist: Flint Henry
Inker: Eduardo Barreto
Colorist: Pat Garrahy
Letterer: Albert De Guzman
Editor: Darren Vincenzo
Covers #1,2 by: Flint Henry, Kevin Nowlan & Matt Hollingsworth
Cover #3 by: Flint Henry & Kevin Nowlan

Man-Bat made his debut in Detective Comics #400. In this three-issue mini-series, scientist Kirk Langstrom has completely succumbed to his bestial man-bat persona and has attracted the dangerous and antagonistic attention of one of Gotham City’s more zealous cops. Geneticists are being found murdered under unusual circumstances and the Man-Bat is a likely suspect.

Meanwhile Langstrom’s heartsick wife Francine struggles to give the remnants of her family some semblance of a normal life. Not an easy task, considering her daughter has nightmares about the Man-Bat and her infant son was born with a rare form of cancer, possibly the result of her and her husband’s work with genetically altered materials. Has Kirk Langstrom retreated so far into his feral identity to have become a vicious murderer, or is just a convenient scapegoat?

Story/Spoilers
In issue #1, “Gotham Skies”, After an undisclosed period of time living in the wilderness away from humans and months of night-flying, Man-Bat has returned to Gotham City driven to satiate a longing for a mental image he knows only as Francine. While searching for her scent and/or sound to home in on her, he is spotted by a WGTM news copter, shot at by a man raising birds on his rooftop, and unintentionally interferes with a Gotham Tactical Response Unit’s handling of a hostage situation. While this is going on, Becky Langstrom has a nightmare involving a “flying man” and is comforted by her mother, Francine. The nightmares appear to be recurring. That night Jennings Welles is mutilated in his sixty-first-floor apartment by someone who apparently busted a hole (and entered through) the apartment wall. Because of the new “flying man” theory, the case is transferred to the Major Crimes Unit and Detective Bullock. The next night the news is focused on this flying man. Becky and Francine are watching, and Francine tries to convince Becky that the flying man isn’t real. That same night Damon Carruthers, after being brutalized, is flown above Gotham and dropped onto a skyscraper’s spire. Bullock and Montoya investigate. They go back to headquarters and talk with Commissioner Sarah Gordon who reveals that a third person was killed in Central City earlier. All three were geneticists. William Pettit arrives to discuss his witnessing of Man-Bat and suggests leading a “Hunting Party” to find and kill the flying man. All the police leave Gordon’s office, and she confronts Batman who had been hiding and listening. He expresses concern over Pettit’s ideas and decides to investigate. Francine is working late in her office and colleague David Felcher brings her some coffee. After he leaves, Francine remembers her hospital stay after having given birth to her son (Kirk was already gone at this point). The doctors refuse to allow her to see the baby boy saying he has a rare form of cancer and only a few months to live. They ask her if she has been exposed to mutagens or genetically altering chemicals. Pettit and Kitch decide to hunt the “flying man” without Gordon’s permission and camp out on the roof of Wayne Tower. Man-Bat finally finds Francine at home and the repulsion in her faces drives him off…and into the site of Pettit’s gun.

Next in issue #2, “Dark of the Moon”, Pettit manages to shoot Man-Bat a couple times and Man-Bat flies away to seek refuge. He flies inside a train tunnel where he is found by Killer Croc who carries him to his home and patches him up. Batman and Commissioner Gordon confer. Gordon thinks Man-Bat’s return to Gotham fits with their “flying man” killer theory, but Batman disagrees pointing out that all the murder victims had metal particles in the wounds. Batman thinks the killer is technology based and that Man-Bat is not a killer. Edwin Clower calls his wife from the Gotham Plaza Hotel. He states that an unknown benefactor has purchased his first-class airline ticket and bought him this suite and that he’ll learn the benefactor’s identity tonight. Edwin thinks it’s a university trying to entice him to working for them but an armored, flying killer bursts through the window and brutally slays Edwin. Pettit and Kitch, after having shot Man-Bat, attempt to follow his blood trail so they can finish him off, but the rain washes it away. Officers Bullock, Montoya and the crime scene scientists investigate Edwin’s room looking for clues. They go to Francine’s workplace and tell her about the recent deaths of the scientists and believe she and Kirk may be targets due to their relationship with the Helix Commission. Francine gives them minimal information and the officers leave. Meanwhile Pettit and Kitch are watching her from afar also believing her to be a target for the flying man killer. Francine returns home (secretly followed by Pettit and Kitch) and calls Miles Temple leaving a message of concern on his answering machine unaware that the killer is already there and murdering Miles. Becky awakens after having a dream that someone was watching her. Man-Bat, having healed somewhat, decides he must see Francine again and flies off to find her.

Finally in issue #3, “The Deadly Sky”, Man-Bat hides outside Francine’s residence watching her read to Becky and put her to bed. Pettit and Kitch also watch from a distant roof-top hoping to get another shot at Man-Bat. David Felcher arrives and he and Francine talk. Francine tells him she thinks Kirk is the flying killer and tells him about the Helix Commission and how she and Kirk were invited to join them. During a conference held in Gotham City, they informed the Langstroms of their plan to create a genetic human without any sentience or consciousness which would allow them to experiment without any ethical objections. However, the Langstoms find this plan horrid and leave the group. Francine thinks Kirk is picking them off one by one.

Just then the real flying killer breaks through the window looking for Kirk Langstrom. He grabs Francine and flies out the window. Man-Bat attacks the killer while Pettit tries to aim his gun at them, but Kitch stops him in case he hits Francine instead. The two policemen head to their car to follow. The killer batters Man-Bat enough that he falls away and the killer takes Francine to its base of operations. The killer reveals that he was the product of the Helix Commission’s experiments and was designed to be a weapon. He blames them all for creating him. Francine tries to assure him that neither she nor Kirk helped in the experiments, but the creature knows that their research was used regardless of whether they offered it voluntarily. Man-Bat finds them and attacks the creature. They struggle in flight over the city until Man-Bat causes the creature to fly head-first into the girders of a in-construction building. Man-Bat flies back to Francine who tries to accept him warmly, but Man-Bat fearfully flies off. Pettit and Kitch find the dead body of the real killer. Later, Francine goes to the Bristol Children’s Hospital and meets with Doctor Windom who discusses her son, Aaron. It is implied that Francine injected Aaron with the bat-formula in order to allow him to fight off the cancer and that Doctor Windom has been hiding Aaron from the public ever since as a favor to the Langstroms. Doctor Windom asks for a biological sample from Kirk, but Francine admits he’s unable to help. He also doesn’t know he has a son. They go to see Aaron.

Comics lot contains: Man-Bat (1996) Issues #1-3.  DC Comics

Comics are bagged & boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

All First Printings
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: 1996
Format per comic: FC, 32 pages, Comic, 10.25″ x 6.75″
UPC: 761941205267

Collectible Entertainment note: Comics 1,2,3 are in Very Fine condition.  Beautiful Set!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Man-Bat collector and/or enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Highly Recommended.

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