Occult Origins of October: Man-Bat

Man-Bat vs. Batman (Detective Comics #400, 402 and 407)
Written by Frank Robbins
Drawn by Neal Adams
Published by DC Comics
Released 1984 (Originally 1970/1971)

Randomly one evening while playing through a good chunk of Batman Arkham Knight, I realized I didn't really know much about Man-Bat. That night I started on a journey to assemble every single Man-Bat appearance in order, by the next day I'd gotten all my bats in a row as it were. The Man-Bat origin I'm used to plays out a little differently than how it originally worked out. With Man-Bat killing, or at least seriously pushing away, his wife/fiance after accidentally transforming into a seemingly mindless beast. This actual origin lays the groundwork for that, but it's a much more silver-age take on the concept. Zany, if silver-age means nothing to you.

Challenge of the Man-Bat, from Detective Comics 400, introduces Kirk Langstorm, a scientist with a focus on bats I assume, who is setting up a museum exhibit about bats, but he's secretly using the opportunity to experiment with live specimen. He wants to gain bat sonar for some reason that isn’t very well explained. Meanwhile, in the same museum, some crooks are trying to rob the place by using night vision goggles, and wearing clothes that muffles the sound of their movement so Batman won’t find them. They wind up dropping their Ultra Sonic Cutting equipment though leading Batman right to them, though they manage to get the upperhand. Batman heads to the Batcave to remedy even the odds for next time. The very next night, Langstorm injects himself with bat extract and actually develops sonar abilities. Hilariously enough the crooks are trying to rob the place again. Batman shows up with basically a hearing aid, but they use ping pong balls to distract him. Langstorm winds up changing physically though, growing claws and eventually even his face turns into that of a bat. His enhanced hearing leads him to the fight, where he helps Batman win, telling Batman he's always idolized the caped crusader. He tries to leave after the scuffle, but Batman wants to thank him, he sees that his ally is some kind of… Man-Bat, egad! He compliments his "disguise" which causes Langstorm to sob and run off, as Batman ponders if he’s really a friend, or a foe.

Man or Bat?, from Detective Comics 402, begins with Man-Bat watching some crooks break into a biochemical vault. As he watches he inner monologues about how he is going to scare them off, like his idol Batman, but only after they open the vault as he needs to steal a chemical inside to revert his bat curse. Batman busts in suddenly, and while annoyed Man-Bat joins the fray on Batman's side to stop the criminals. In the aftermath, he tries to steal the chemical, even offering to leave money to pay for it, but Batman isn’t having any of it. He tries to stop Man-Bat, but winds up knocked out, Langstorm leaves with the chemical. After waking Batman goes back to the museum where he suspects Man-Bat went, he assumes the man has good intentions and is just desperate. There he runs into Francine, his fiance. Together they find Man-Bat about to drink his potion, but his wife finding him stuns him, causing him to drop his elixir. He jumps out the window cursing Batman. Batman gives chase, and eventually Man-Bat leaps off a cliff, both he and Batman are surprised when his coat comes off revealing the transformation is complete and Langstorm has full on bat wings. He flies off following a wild bat, who winds up leading him to the Batcave. Batman gets there shortly there after, activating his lights causes the more bestial Man-Bat to go into a frenzy. Batman manages to shut the Batcave garage in time, but Man-Bat slams into it, knocking himself out. In the most comical moment in the comic Batman suddenly worries that Kirk has suffered brain damage, and quickly ponders if saving him would mean anything if it turned out he was a vegetable. He decides he'd rather Langstorm die in dignity, as a man and goes to synthesize the cure.

Marriage: Impossible, from Detective Comics 407, opens with Batman crashing the Langstorm wedding. As their priest asks if anyone has any objections Batman runs up, pulls off Kirk’s human mask revealing he’s still Man-Bat and declares that is why the marriage can’t happen. Francine objects to his objection though, declaring she loves him regardless. Batman scoffs saying the marriage would be a sham as Man-Bat flies off. Batman recalls what happened back at the lab. Man-Bat woke up before he could be cured and left angry at Batman for trying to steal his bat powers, clearly gone a little crazy. Batman catches up with Francine and tells her to contact him if she hears from Kirk. Upon arriving home Langstorm is at the window, he gets in and she tells him she still loves him even as a bat. After telling him Batman has a cure if they just call he rips up the number furious. He then tells her she must prove the depths of her devotion and she promises she would do anything. In the present she reveals to Batman their wedding is no farce, as she rips off her own mask, revealing she too is a bat creature. They attempt to escape, but Batman manages to stop them and forcibly give them the cure. As humans they hold each other and Kirk apologizes for forcing that on her, but she forgives him, placing the blame on each of them. For no discernible reason really. Batman leaves them there thinking that now the Langstorms can truly begin their lives.

See what I mean? It's just kind of zany, but it makes a bit of sense. Back then I don't think they would have had a man transform into a mindless monster who slaughtered his wife immediately by accident, at least not someone they wound up pushing as a hero more so than a villain. At least from what I've read past this that seems to be the case. It's interesting going back to these older stories because they're just so, I apologize in advance, bat-shit crazy. A bride of bat-enstein? Really? I only hope all of us can find our very own Francine one day...

This was actually a pretty good read over all, while definitely not horrifying, and the emotions are played a bit too over dramatically, the plot is pretty good and the twist of She-Bat is pretty fantastic. Actually, Batman's reaction to the whole thing is pretty entertaining really. Also, I got all the way to the very end and did not mention it, but god damn, Neal Adams your art is so fucking good. It pretty much defines 70's DC to me (at the very least 70's Batman) and I mean, just look at it. That Batman looks classy as fuck. My only problem is he doesn't make Man-Bat himself look very threatening.