Man-Bat

'''Dr. Robert Kirkland Langstrom''', a scientist specializing in the study of bats, develops an extract intended to give humans the bat's sonar sense and tests the formula on himself because he was becoming deaf. While it works, it has a horrible side effect: it transforms him gradually into a hideous humanoid bat-like monster.

Bio
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Langstrom moved to New Jersey, and lived in a city in the area, called Gotham City. He met 6-year-old Bruce Wayne, and told tales about how he got lost in a cave for 6 weeks. He met Francine Lee, a fellow biologist, when Kirk took mammalian biology.

Kirk was the usual look, brown hair, brown eyes, 6'1", peach skin, and he wore a black, short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes, white lab coat, and glasses. He grew deaf and stayed that way until he came up with a formula to turn his hearing back to normal. He extracted serum from the gland of a bat, and drank the white liquid. However, he mutated into a monster, and went off into the night.

Life in crime
Trying to help Batman nab a villain, and succeeding, Langstrom was deeply offended by Batman, who was amazed at his "Disguise". He then returned home, meeting Francine, who didn't care that he looked ugly, she just loved him. She drank the same serum, and turned into a "she-bat", and they were both creatures of the night.

Batman discovered that Kirk had turned into a monster, and flew off after him, near a marsh. Langstrom threw himself off a cliff, trying to commit suicide, but instead grew leathery wings. Taking shelter in a cave, he flew back to Francine. Batman flew to a church, where Langstrom was about to marry Francine, when Batman interrupted the wedding, taking off their masks, revealing their hideous faces. Batman injected a cure into both of them. They transformed back into humans, and got married after all.

Francine and Kirk were called to Nevada, to explain why the bats were hiding there. Kirk explained that their homes in New Mexico were being destroyed.

He then was called to turn into his bat form, to stop a criminal. Flying to an island in the Caribbean,  Kirk and Francine were captured by the criminal. Batman appeared, and tried to get them out. He grabbed Langstrom's serum and drank it, turning himself into a true "Bat-man", where he broke the cage holding the two, helping them escape. Batman killed the criminal, and flew after Langstrom home.

Welcome home
He then visited Chicago, where his family gave him a "Welcome Home" party, but Kirk didn't care, he just wanted to get home and tend to his wife, who was pregnant. Batman came, and noticed that they had a baby girl, named Rebecca.

One day, Rebecca fell ill, and Langstrom created a medicine to help her. Batman destroyed the medicine, thinking it was poison. Rebecca was all right, but Kirk felt that his best friend had betrayed him.

Man-Bat... Eternally!
Kirk drank the serum once more, and turned into the Man-Bat for the final time, for good, and threatened to destroy Batman. He flew to Wayne Manor, and hid in there, frightening everyone, even Bruce Wayne himself.

Alfred and Bruce discovered that Man-Bat was hiding in the cave. Bruce injected Langstrom, but the serum had no efect this time, and Man-Bat flew away.

From then on, Batman would try to destroy Man-Bat.

Round 1
While the first Round of Gotham City War introduced Gotham to a large list of villainous characters, the creature known as Man-Bat was not a part of that list. Within Round 1, Man-Bat was not a playable character, and was only mentioned once in reference to he/it working for Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins. After this, he would not surface again until round 2.

Round 2: The Zhengfangchen Era
Man-Bat first appeared as a playable character midway through the second round, played by Zhengfangchen. This era of Man-Bat played no significance in the game and was plagued by inactivity (A curse that would follow the character for multiple rounds). Notably however, Man-Bat was part of a complicated Alliance agreement in round 2, involving Riddler, Mad Hatter, Ra’s al Ghul, Zsasz, and Killer Moth. Man-Bat was kicked out of his original alliance with Riddler and Mad-Hatter, and subsequently disappeared from the game.

The short Zhengfangchen era is the first to mention Man-Bat’s alter ego, the scientist Dr. Kirk Langstrom, and is distinguished from the other eras as being the only one in which Man-Bat did not take or neutralize a single territory.

Round 3: The Kronower Era
After a sudden disappearance of the Zhengfangchen Man-Bat in round 2, the creature next appeared under the player Kronower at the beginning of round 3. Like the previous Man-Bat era, this one too was plagued with inactivity, and the Kronower Man-Bat only captured one territory (Gotham News Tower) within his/its short stint in round 3.

The Kronower Man-Bat was defeated after failing to escape peril from an attack by Onomatopoeia.

The Kronower Man-Bat slightly expands on his back story and his alter ego Dr. Kirk Langstrom. Man-Bat is mentioned to have had previous clashes with Batman (Though not true in terms of game continuity), begins the notion of his addiction to the chemicals which transforms Langstrom into the creature, and supplies a motive in the deaths of his wife and children.

Round 4: The Julius No Era
With the start of round 4, Man-Bat received a large re-vamp under the Julius No era. At the start of this era, Man-Bat was totally re-vamped and his past history within GCW was erased. This Era is the longest lasting history of Man-Bat. The most notable distinction of this Man-Bat from pervious versions is the fact he/it was played as a Defender rather than a standard Attacker.

The Julius No era Man-Bat continues the notion of Dr. Kirk Langstrom’s growing addiction to his formula resulting in Man-Bat. It features two pre-round short stories about the first usages of the formula, and Langstrom’s documentation of his experience with the formula.

Man-Bat Serum (Round 4)
Here the Man-Bat serum is noted to increase the temporary hearing of the patient. This benefit of increased hearing and his growing addiction were the driving motive for Langstrom, though other motive mentioned involved a possible outside employer. Langstrom also references Vampire Bat blood as a component to his formula, the only component mentioned throughout the era. His addiction to the formula was an increasing subject for the entirety of Man-Bat’s history in round 4. It is presumed the formula is highly addictive and would cause great addiction to all those who consumed it.

When Kirk transformed into Man-Bat, other side effects appeared. The transformation into the bat creature is said to begin within the hour of taking the formula, though the positive affects of the formula could last for multiple hours after the creature symptoms.

Early in the round, the Man-Bat creature was said to have a sole taste for fruits; which later evolved into a taste for human flesh as Gotham froze over midway through the round. As the Man-Bat creature, Langstrom gained greatly enhanced hearing, so much so that he was able to forewarn the seismic changes enhanced by the Joker which would drive the latter half of the round.

End of the Julius No Era
Other than story changes, the Julius No era Man-Bat was also more active. He/it liberated various territories and fought regular players like Wonder Woman.

Man-Bat himself was not defeated during the round; rather he simply disappeared from public view as its player Julius No focused on an encompassing Joker story which was used for a large game changing purpose midway through the round. Man-Bat was referenced as being defeated or driven off by Aquaman during the large Hero Take-Back, though any further notion of his future have not been discussed. Since then, Man-Bat has been replaced on the roster of playable characters, though his ultimate fate is currently unknown.