Man-Bat Has Become DC’s Version of Venom

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Man-Bat #1 from Dave Wielgosz and Sumit Kumar

DC Comics has just released a brand new series with Man-Bat #1, featuring Gotham City’s disgraced Dr. Kirk Langstrom and his constant struggle with Man-Bat, the dark creature he transforms into as a consistent foe of Batman. However, things are different in this new series, and Man-Bat has started to take over Kirk’s body, threatening to eventually kill him. Likewise, it seems as though it has evolved, so much so that Kirk perceives it to be a secondary voice in his head, tempting and offering power that Langstrom alone does not possess. In this way, Man-Bat has very much become Marvel’s Venom symbiote in its earliest days.

In Marvel Comics, Spider-Man came home from Secret Wars with an alien substance that turned into a new black suit, augmenting his strength and abilities, while also providing him with organic webbing to use. However, Peter Parker would soon discover its darker nature as a parasitic symbiote. Despite its addicting power, the symbiote proved to be corruptive, influencing Spider-Man to be darker and more aggressive. Parker would eventually rid himself of the suit, which would find its way into the hands of Eddie Brock, and once bonded the pair then became Venom. While Venom has since become a hero and has even been considered for Avengers status, he was just as broken and monstrous as DC’s Man-Bat is in this new series from writer Dave Wielgosz and artist Sumit Kumar.

Man-Bat #1 sees Kirk Langstrom choosing the power of Man-Bat over his own wife, eagerly accepting its strength and the perceived freedom that comes with the transformation. However, despite his efforts to do good in Gotham like the Dark Knight, Langstrom’s monstrous form only managed to cause more problems, damage, and fear. After being apprehended by Batman, the Caped Crusader revealed to Kirk that the Man-Bat serum has begun to take over his mind and body. Soon, there would be none of Langstrom left, leaving only Man-Bat. However, rather than simply accept this fate and be taken into custody, Man-Bat speaks to Kirk (very much like Venom speaking to Brock). His monstrous half motivates him to transform and break free, find a cure, or die trying.

Taking to the skies with his massive wings, Man-Bat is now a fugitive while seeking a cure in this series. However, it doesn’t look like its going to be an easy road by any means. The issue ends with Task Force X’s Amanda Waller speaking with a Gotham senator, and she’s been monitoring Man-Bat for some time. Apparently the damage he caused in Gotham was exactly the final straw she’d been hoping for. Now, she finally has the means and justification to send her Suicide Squad after Langstrom, though it’s unclear if it’s to simply bring him in, or to recruit him to her team as well.

As Man-Bat continues, it will be very interesting to see how Langstrom’s relationship with his other half will evolve and progress over time. While this persona is unlike the Venom symbiote in that it seems to be just in Kirk’s head whereas the symbiote is actually a separate and sentient being, the similarities are still there all the same. In any case, fans will just have to wait and see what Man-Bat does next as the series continues from DC Comics.

About The Author

Kevin Erdmann
(2522 Articles Published)

Kevin Erdmann is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers. With a major in Cinema Studies and a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin is pretty sure he’s writing for the right site. While Kevin is a huge Marvel fan, he also loves Batman because he’s Batman and is a firm believer that Han shot first. Disney also shares a big part of his fan patronage. Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

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