The following story and photos are from Giant Panda King's book, Gotham 1919-1939 by Russall S.
Beattie, available from www.giantpandaking.com. Viewer discretion is advised.
In the early 1920s, the many fields of science were continuously being developed
and refined. This also meant that there were many gray areas.
One such gray area was in the work of Russian scientist Il’ya Ivanov. Ivanov had the full
backing of the Stalin regime in the field of study and experimentation pertaining to
crossing animal DNA with human DNA. He had given presentations on such theories as early as 1910,
but did not receive enough funding until much later. He attempted many experiments.
Wanting to stay ahead in the science race, a branch of the United States government sought
out any scientist they could to spearhead their own experimentation. Dr. Kirk Langstrom had
been working in the cross-species field for years to develop ways of helping humankind.
The US government approached him and offered him support and funding if he would work
for them. Langstrom accepted, jumping at the opportunity to further his research.
He started really making progress in his experiments, and things were advancing beyond
his wildest dreams. What he did not expect was that he would start to lose his hearing.
He saw his position as an opportunity to find a cure for his oncoming deafness.
He refocused his research to look into bats, wanting to find a way of utilizing the sonar
capabilities of their ears. This detour from his normal experiments caused problems. The US
government decided to threaten him with a cease of funding as the project seemed to be going nowhere.
Langstrom suddenly found himself with little time, minimal funding,
and a newfound desperation. He made the drastic decision to experiment on himself.
No one knows how, but Langstrom found a way to bond himself with bat DNA.
It transformed him from a studious scientist into a gangly, hybrid monster. His ears became
large and pointed like a bat, his fingers became like claws, and his behavior became animalistic.
Confused and drastically transformed, Langstrom wandered into the city,
causing mass panic and dismay. Many people were injured during the mayhem.
The US government abandoned their project altogether, seeing it as a failure.
No such attempt on cross-species genetics has been made since. The Bat-Man,
seeing the pandemonium while on patrol, went to investigate, and managed to bring the beast down.
Langstrom was transferred to Black Federal Penitentiary as a new addition to their Special
Inmate Program, and fitted with a custom cell where he could be observed and potentially cured.
Curing the Man-Bat, as he was dubbed by the Gotham Gazette, proved to be
impossible. Langstrom’s research and notes were nowhere to be found and are still lost today,
therefore reverse-engineering the process was not an option. Being named the Man-Bat, like a cruel
play on the Bat-Man’s moniker, seemed to drive Langstrom even further into his animal behavior.
The records of what became of him are also lost,
but some claim he may still roam the island on which the former penitentiary resides,
and if you listen hard enough, you may just hear the inhuman screeching of a bat.