Batman: Gotham Adventures #18

Batman: Gotham Adventures

by Bob Smith (Cover (Pencils))

Man-Bat is back! Kirk Langstrom's wife's disappearance coincides with attacks by Man-Bat on numerous corporate labs. What's the connection, and how can Batman stop the creature without one of them getting killed?

Genres: Comics, Comic Book, Batman

36 pages, Comic Book

First published November 1, 1999

Reviews

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids and I continue reading through the Batman: Gotham Adventures series. Our family are fans of the 90s Batman Animated Series and this comic was first published in the 90s during that time and there’s continuity with the cartoon and this comic series. What a delight that we found this recently!
In this issue the story is called “Like A Bat Outta Gotham.” It involves Batman and Batgirl trying to investigating a crime allegedly committed by the Manbat. The Manbat is a scientist name Kirk Langsrom who unfortunately has been exposed to chemicals that transforms him into a Bat-like large creature. But Batman thinks the latest wave of crime doesn’t seem like Langsrom’s style. This prompts Batman and Batgirl to investigate further. What they found out would turn in someone else who has used Kirk. This was a good fun story.

[cauldronofevil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute cover

”Like a Bat out of Gotham” starts with Batman fighting Manbat and Manbat escaping and flying away.

They spell it MANBAT in this comic. I wonder why?

Batman and Batgirl investigate Kirk and Francine’s apartment. Then they investigate Kirk’s laboratory they are interrupted by Millie Binghamton. She just came to get some of Kirk’s files. She used to work with him.

Batman interrogates her. She says the pressure must have been too much for Kirk. She’s never met anyone more devoted to his family than Kirk….

”Men. Mention a family and they disappear.”

Batgirl has a theory but Batman hears of a break-in and sends her back to the cave to analyze Kirk’s answering machine tape.

Batman confronts the intruder - Manbat. Batman offers help. Manbat says he can’t help. They fight. Manbat escapes.

Back at the cave, a tissue sample Batman got during the fight confirms that it is Kirk Langstrom.

Batgirl meanwhile says that a doctor called and said that there was no reason a Doctor Cairnes should have diagnosed Francine the way he did. She’s perfectly fine.

Batman and Batgirl go visit Dr. Cairnes. Batman confronts the doctor who admits Francine is fine but says that he was blackmailed by the owner of the lab Kirk has been working in.

Batman confronts Manbat by figuring out his next destination, but Manbat gets away.

Batgirl has the last line here and it’s great! It tough to get a good Manbat story - so much has been done. So it’s always nice to see when it happens. The art is also especially good. By Craig Rousseau and Terry Beatty.

5 stars on this one.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just another Man-Bat story.