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Description
"I knew we discovered a means to create a totally new species, neither man nor bat. And once I started testing, I couldn't stop. I desperately wanted to, but...it took over. Francine and March tried to protect me, but it was too late. The beast knew what catalysts were needed to bring itself about. It was out of my control! And it only needs one more component to complete the process... it's in me, Batman!" - Kirk Langstrom, October 1997.

Dr. Kirk Langstrom was a promising zoologist and geneticist who won a dream job as a zookeeper for the bat house at the Gotham City Zoo. He loved his job, providing new research on bats and how they evolved for a variety of niches, from pollinators to hemophages. It only got better when he married his college sweetheart, Francine March. It looked as if he would have his happy ending. Unfortunately, Kirk was later diagnosed with a genetic condition that meant he would end up deaf if left untreated. Desperate to find a way to reverse the effects, Kirk turned to the insane theories of his father-in-law, Robert March, about how bats would survive the next evolutionary cataclysm. In his crazed attempt to prevent his ultimate hearing loss, Kirk experimented with the DNA of several microbats and spliced them into a blood sample of his, finding that the bat DNA was able to cure and prevent his condition. Encouraged, he decided to test it on himself as a way to cure and prevent deafness in all humanity.

However, upon testing the process on himself, Kirk began to experience unusual side-effects, such as cravings for insects and blood, until finally he transformed into a monstrous creature. However, the serum was incomplete, and the next day, Kirk found that his hearing loss was returning gradually. Desperate for a permanent solution, he began raiding labs night after night, stealing the enzymes needed to make the transformation permanent. It got so bad that Batman was ultimately framed for Kirk's crimes, forcing him and Catwoman to get to the bottom of this to clear his name. In October 1997, just before the events that would kick off "The Long Halloween", Batman and Catwoman managed to confront Langstrom after suspecting Dr. March being behind the thefts, when Kirk transformed into the creature they were looking for, which Catwoman dubbed: Man-Bat! And the name stuck.

So, this pic of Man-Bat was difficult for me to draw, especially his wings and his head, which is in part why this pic took so long. And yes, I also gave Man-Bat a tail as well. I heavily studied several species of bats, in particular the Leaf-Nosed bat of the Americas, and the mouse-tailed bats of Eurasia and Africa. The origin story, though was heavily inspired by the BTAS episode, On Leather Wings which was so influential for me, since that was the first time I saw Man-Bat in any Batman related TV series.

While remembered as a foe of Batman, Kirk soon became an ally of the Dark Knight, in part because during his fight against Batman and Catwoman, Francine discovered Kirk in his Man-Bat form and was downright terrified. Ashamed of how he frightened the woman he loved, Kirk was ultimately apprehended by Batman and Catwoman, who managed to not only restore him to his human form, but also cured his hearing loss. After this, Kirk swore never to become Man-Bat again, and would dedicate his life to his career and his family.

Disclaimer: Man-Bat belongs to DC Comics, Julius Schwartz, Frank Robbins, and Neal Adams.

Description
"I knew we discovered a means to create a totally new species, neither man nor bat. And once I started testing, I couldn't stop. I desperately wanted to, but...it took over. Francine and March tried to protect me, but it was too late. The beast knew what catalysts were needed to bring itself about. It was out of my control! And it only needs one more component to complete the process... it's in me, Batman!" - Kirk Langstrom, October 1997.

Dr. Kirk Langstrom was a promising zoologist and geneticist who won a dream job as a zookeeper for the bat house at the Gotham City Zoo. He loved his job, providing new research on bats and how they evolved for a variety of niches, from pollinators to hemophages. It only got better when he married his college sweetheart, Francine March. It looked as if he would have his happy ending. Unfortunately, Kirk was later diagnosed with a genetic condition that meant he would end up deaf if left untreated. Desperate to find a way to reverse the effects, Kirk turned to the insane theories of his father-in-law, Robert March, about how bats would survive the next evolutionary cataclysm. In his crazed attempt to prevent his ultimate hearing loss, Kirk experimented with the DNA of several microbats and spliced them into a blood sample of his, finding that the bat DNA was able to cure and prevent his condition. Encouraged, he decided to test it on himself as a way to cure and prevent deafness in all humanity.

However, upon testing the process on himself, Kirk began to experience unusual side-effects, such as cravings for insects and blood, until finally he transformed into a monstrous creature. However, the serum was incomplete, and the next day, Kirk found that his hearing loss was returning gradually. Desperate for a permanent solution, he began raiding labs night after night, stealing the enzymes needed to make the transformation permanent. It got so bad that Batman was ultimately framed for Kirk's crimes, forcing him and Catwoman to get to the bottom of this to clear his name. In October 1997, just before the events that would kick off "The Long Halloween", Batman and Catwoman managed to confront Langstrom after suspecting Dr. March being behind the thefts, when Kirk transformed into the creature they were looking for, which Catwoman dubbed: Man-Bat! And the name stuck.

So, this pic of Man-Bat was difficult for me to draw, especially his wings and his head, which is in part why this pic took so long. And yes, I also gave Man-Bat a tail as well. I heavily studied several species of bats, in particular the Leaf-Nosed bat of the Americas, and the mouse-tailed bats of Eurasia and Africa. The origin story, though was heavily inspired by the BTAS episode, On Leather Wings which was so influential for me, since that was the first time I saw Man-Bat in any Batman related TV series.

While remembered as a foe of Batman, Kirk soon became an ally of the Dark Knight, in part because during his fight against Batman and Catwoman, Francine discovered Kirk in his Man-Bat form and was downright terrified. Ashamed of how he frightened the woman he loved, Kirk was ultimately apprehended by Batman and Catwoman, who managed to not only restore him to his human form, but also cured his hearing loss. After this, Kirk swore never to become Man-Bat again, and would dedicate his life to his career and his family.

Disclaimer: Man-Bat belongs to DC Comics, Julius Schwartz, Frank Robbins, and Neal Adams.