Comic Title: Secret Origins #39
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: April 1989
On Sale Date: February 21, 1989 Shipping Date February 21, 1989
Source: Direct Currents, #13

Copyright Date February 21, 1989
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1989

Shipping Date February 23, 1989
Source: Amazing Heroes, #158

Shipping Date February 23, 1989
Source: Advance Comics, #2

Direct Market Date February 23, 1989
Source: Comic Shop News, #85

Cover Price: $1.50
Page Count: 48
Editor: Mark Waid

Title: "The Secret Origin of Man-Bat"
Pages: 19

Feature(s):
Man-Bat (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Jan S. Strnad
Artist: Kevin C. Nowlan

Reprinted In:
Batman Arkham:Man-Bat TPB (2017)

Feature Character(s)

• Man-Bat (last appearance in Secret Origins #39; next appearance in Action Comics #600)

Guest Star(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Secret Origins #20; next appearance in Batman #408)

Supporting Character(s)

• Francine (Kirk's fiance; first Post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)

Villain(s)

• The Blackout Gang (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Alfred Pennyworth (last appearance in Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2; next appearance in Batman #408)

Other Character(s)

• Wilkins (a museum curator; no further appearances)
• Thomas Wayne (in flashback; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Batman #430)
• Martha Wayne (in flashback; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Batman #430)
• Mrs. Langstrom (in flashback; Kirk's mother; no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Kirk Langstrom (during his boyhood; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Secret Origins #39)
• Bruce Wayne (during his boyhood; last appearance in Secret Origins of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes TPB; next appearance in Legends of the Dark Knight #7)

Comments:
This story takes place in the recent past and reveals the origin of Man-Bat.

A flashbacks shows that Kirk Langstrom met young Bruce Wayne before his parents were murdered. This meeting influenced Bruce's fascination with bats.

A second flashback shows that the bat which crashed through Bruce Wayne's window was one of Langstrom's experiments.

Synopsis:
As a young boy Kirk Langstrom was lost in a series of caves. Miraculously, he stayed alive for six weeks until he was rescued. Later young Kirk related his story to a younger boy, Bruce Wayne. When Langstrom grew older he became a scientist with an interest in bats. One of his experimental bats got away and eventually crashed through the window of Bruce Wayne.

Years later, Langstrom developed a formula to imitate a bat's sonar. When he used the formula on himself, he was transformed into a bat-like creature. As the Man-Bat, Langstrom helped Batman stop a museum robbery. Batman later tracked down the Man-Bat, but in some confusion, he destroyed the antidote which could cure Langstrom.

Langstrom is now forced to remain in his Man-Bat form. Batman feels partially responsible for Langstrom's condition and continues to work on a possible cure.