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Batman: The Animated Series

On Leather Wings

Season 1, Episode 2, Aired Sep 06, 1992

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8.5

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A mysterious bat-like creature terrorizes Gotham City. The Police Force is in pursuit of the Dark Knight who investigates strange incidences so as to clear his name.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Marc Singer

Dr. Kirk Langstrom / Man-Bat
GUEST STAR
Clive Revill

Alfred Pennyworth
GUEST STAR
Rene Auberjonois

Dr. March

Bob Hastings

Commissioner Jim Gordon
Kevin Conroy

Bruce Wayne / Batman

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Fan Episode Reviews (14)

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There is a new bat in Gotham...

1.0

"Abysmal"

By DiamondHead1830, Dec 28, 2010

This episode was a very good introduction to Batman: the animated series! The whole plot is based around one of Batman's oldest villians, Man-Bat. They did a very good design of the character. The voices and sound effects were very good. I enjoyed the characters and the slight comedy. I w o u l d d e f i n e t l y r e c r o m e n d t h i s episode. Ten out of ten. ((I cannot write 100 words about this, so I am typing this to inform you. So yeah... yepp.))moreless
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The pilot of the series. Batman must help Dr. Kurt Series Pilot. Batman takes on the Man Bat.

8.6

"Great"

By ZDonnelly85, Jul 28, 2010

First I'd like to note that this website does not have the episodes numbered correctly...but then again I might be the only person who noticed or cares because I am a Batman fanatic. This episode was the show's very first...although I do remember the episode The Cat and the Claw Part One being run as a sneak peak...but as far as official studio recors go, this is the pilot. The episode was, when I first saw it at age 9, the most incredible thing I had ever seen on TV. It is not my all-time favorite from this series but I still love it just because of the way it captivated and awed me at that age. In this episode we meet Dr. Kurt Langstrom, who makes a reappearance in the episode Terror in the Sky, and his wife Francine. While experimenting with bat DNA, Langstrom turns himself into the hideous Man Bat. Batman must stop him before he kills somebody and also help him find a cure. I love the sytle of this series; the darkness, the brooding, the emotion. Kevin Conroy is the greatest Batman ever in my mind. His voice was absolutely perfect for this show. That voice talents used on this show were so incredible because they weren't just the usual voice-over guys...they were all actual film and stage actors. I could go on and on about how great this episode is but I wont't.moreless
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this was a good ep

8.5

"Great"

By cube2k8, May 11, 2010

in this ep of batman the animated seires were there is bizzar bat creature going around comitting crimes and the police thinks its batman but bruce must clear his name he lears that the evidence he found was of a human and thing his why investigating he goes to lab that does reaserch on bats and he learns that one of the guys wanted to make himself a bat like a real bat. thing was batman must save him before its too late. and batman gives him a injection that turns him back into a human. this was a good epmoreless
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The introduction of the Man-bat to the TAS universe

9.2

"Superb"

By saiyanman5215, Jul 20, 2008

I figured this episode to be very predictable but it turned out not to be as "transparent" as it seems at 1st glance. The story itself was handled extremely well, as we got to see how others relate to Batman in general and this was one of the 1st instances we see Bats is more than stern and batarangs. He's actually quite the thinker as well. There's a little of character developement going on here with Bullock's big mouth and over-eagerness to stamp out the bad and we even get a little foreshadowing with an appearance from Harvey Dent (even flipping his, err Two-Faces trademark coin). FOr what it's worth, that was a treat in and of itself.
The voices were on point as well and the animation was well done as normal. If there was anything holding this episode back, it would have been how Dr. March was covering up for Kirk. I thought he didnt like the guy but here he was covering for him. Oh well, that wasn't enough to ruin an otherwise awesome episode in an always awesome seriesmoreless
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This is by far one of the greatest episodes of the entire series, an artistic achievement that fascinates me every time I view it.

9.5

"Superb"

By HomerPyle, May 11, 2008

This episode, to me, is a masterpiece. It is built on the common framework of the protagonist getting confused with the antagonist until a final resolve, but it is filled with excellent music, cinematography, and animation, all of which build to an episode that is a thrill to watch and unlike just about anything ever seen in the cartoon world.

What is immediately striking to me is the Fleischer-like design in the opening scenes. The designs of the zeppelin and of the city, the tinted painting, all amount to a very retro look that date back to what was accomplished in the Fleischer shorts of the early forties. This is achieved here better than in any episode to follow. The artistic direction continues along these lines in the cinematic angles of Mayor Hill's office and the striking use of shadow employed in just about every scene.

However, the artistic highlight of this episode to me is the scene during which Man-Bat, Batman grappled to his leg, flies alongside the zeppelin in a sequence so well-animated that it's no wonder it was never once matched during the remainder of the series. Not only is the entire blimp animated so that the viewer is immersed in the chase as the camera stays fixed on the Man-Bat, but the angle itself changes, causing animation turnarounds of both the blimp and the Man-Bat. The speed of the final wisp past the top and the rapid movement of Batman's cape provide the final touches.

The music in this episode suits the visual atmosphere perfectly. I'm not so well versed in this area that I could comment on the use of specific instruments and their respective impact on the score, but I can recognize the overall mood that the music creates, and that is one of classic orchestral tension. All throughout the episode the music is an ominous presence the builds up until the climax, when it finally explodes and complements the action and the rush at the final chase scene.

Artistic and musical direction aside, the episode is still a triumph of style over substance, and while the police department's POV is interesting, the actual story is a bit straightforward. This is not a flaw, as it is near impossible for a pilot episode to create a compelling story from barely established characters, but it is not to be viewed with the intent of entering a complex story. It should be viewed, however, as a fascinating introduction to a series that introduced a level of maturity and intelligence to the world of children's animation that had not been seen before.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- In Mayor Hill's office Harvey Dent is seen flipping a coin. He is not seen doing this again until the two-part "Two Face" episode.
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- After battling with the Man-Bat creature, Batman's face is bloody and bruised.This is the first and only time in this series that a character is shown bleeding, as some parents found the image too disturbing for younger children.
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- This episode introduces not only Bruce Wayne/Batman, but also Alfred Pennyworth, Commissioner James Gordon, District Attorney Harvey Dent, Detective Harvey Bullock and Mayor Hamilton Hill.
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QUOTES (8)
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- Alfred: A call for Master Bruce, from a Dr. March.
  Batman: (turns on speaker system and uses Bruce Wayne voice) Hey, what's up Doc?
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- Alfred: Dinner for two, sir?
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- Mayor Hill: Anything else, detective?
  Bullock: Just make sure the D.A.'s office would give me an air-tight case, sir.
  Harvey: If you catch him, Harvey, I'll put him in jail for you.
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- Gordon: Listen, it's not just Batman's M.O.
  Bullock: Oh, yeah? Tell that to the guy he just tossed through the window!
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- Kirk: (Speaking of Dr. March)He's a little protective of all this. I think he likes bats better than people.
  Bruce: I can't imagine.
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- Alfred: (Hears the screaming bats from Bruce's computer) I didn't realize you'd taken up listening to rock 'n' roll, sir.
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- Dr. March: (to Bruce) You donate a few million and you think you own the place…
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- Batman: (reading headline) "Gotham police declare war on Batman."
  Alfred: I gather you've been reading how to make friends and influence people.
  Batman: Somebody's setting me up.
  Alfred: My heavens! You mean it wasn't you tossing guards out of windows last night?
  Batman: I only toss butlers, Alfred.
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NOTES (9)
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- Episode Villain(s): Man-Bat
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- This is labeled episode 1 on the Batman: The Animated Series Volume 1 DVD.
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- This episode along with "Christmas With The Joker", "Nothing To Fear", "The Last Laugh" and "Pretty Poison" was released on DVD as Batman The Animated Series: The Legend Begins.
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- Bob Hastings, who voices the role of Commissioner James Gordon in this show, also had an eight year run on the soap opera General Hospital in the 70s. Hastings also starred as the voice of Archie Andrews in a radio show based on the Archie comics in the 1950s.
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- Man-Bat is introduced along with Kirk Langstrom; his alter-ego, and his wife Francine.
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- Is said to be that Bruce Timm's favorite episode is "On Leather Wings".
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- Bruce Timm has said he can't bare to watch this episode because of the animation and it's age.
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- For whatever reason, maybe because it was originally intended to be the pilot, Clive Revill is the voice of Alfred for this episode. Except for one other instance where Revill plays the part, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., makes the part a signature one.
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- This episode aired on a Sunday night in primetime.
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ALLUSIONS (2)
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- Alfred sarcastically mentions that Batman must have been reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People." That is a book written by Dale Carnegie. It was a best seller in the 1930's and stayed on the best sellers list for decades.
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- Dr. March Dr. March was named after Fredric March, the actor who portrayed Dr. Henry Jekyll in the 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (on which this episode is loosely based).
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