EPISODE NUMBER: 18, Production Code 205

PLOT SUMMARY:

A professor is working with giving birds commands via a sonic electronic device when there’s a knock on the window and the Penguin’s vultures and other birds attack him while a trained owl takes one of the control devices. Batman grabs an escaping bird but the other ones overwhelm him - the device shatters on the sidewalk below. The birds steal the second control device and escape.

The birds return to the Penguin’s lair where he is dissatisfied with his new “henchmen” and reveals his new henchman, a savage rare condor that he needs the control device to command. The device doesn’t seem to work but nearby at Arkham, Dr. Kirk Langstrom is working on his formula to recreate the Man-Bat formula and hears the device as a shrill piercing noise only he can hear. The sound induces his transformation into Man-Bat and he makes his escape, following the Penguin’s command to “Come to me.” The condor turns on the Penguin and he barely escapes as Man-Bat bursts in. Penguin quickly figures out the second device was for bats, not birds, and takes command of the creature.

Bruce gets a Bat-Wave alert of a bank robbery and when he leaves, a raccoon sneaks in, setting off the intruder alert. Alfred resolves to deal with it himself and Batman continues to the bank. Man-Bat is waiting for him and attacks. He gets Batman on the rope but the Penguin, at a distance, commands him to bring the money, breaking off the fight. Bruce follows Man-Bat as he flies off to the Penguin atop a nearby tower. Batman and Man-Bat fight in the air and Batman tries to rope him to a roof ... without success. Batman figures out that the Penguin is involved.

Bruce returns to the Batcave, interrupting Alfred’s efforts to capture the raccoon. Langstrom reverts to his human form and realizes the Penguin is controlling him, as well as activating the dormant serum in his body. The Penguin refuses to let him go and Langstrom vows revenge. Bruce works with the broken controller, repairing it and wiring it to track the Penguin’s device. Bruce uses Wayne Corporation’s media resources to plant a story of a golden bird statue in the papers and the Penguin takes the bait. He goes to the pier where it’s being shipped and unleashes Man-Bat.

Alfred works to translate the signal as Batman lurks nearby. Man-Bat drops the statue, breaking it open and revealing it’s a fake. Realizing he’s been tricked, the Penguin spots Batman and orders Man-Bat to attack. Alfred translates the signal and prepares to send but the raccoon manages to chew through power cables, interrupting the transmission.

Without the signal, Batman can’t take control of Man-Bat and the two fight. Alfred tries to capture the raccoon and make repairs while Batman tries to buy time, hiding in the crates. Man-Bat uses his echolocation to track Batman, closing in slowly but surely. The creature manages to pin Batman with his adhesive spit but Alfred makes the repairs, captures the raccoon, and sends the signal. Batman uses his controller to stop Man-Bat and then turns him loose on the Penguin. The Penguin is captured and Batman reverts Langstrom to human form, sending them both to jail.

WRITTEN BY: J.D. Murray, Christopher Yost

DIRECTED BY: Sam Liu

CAST:
Rino Romano (Bruce Wayne / Batman)
Steve Harris (Detective Ethan Bennett)
Peter MacNicol (Dr. Kirk Langstrom)
Tom Kenny (The Penguin)

QUOTES:
Bruce: (to the raccoon) Nice mask.
Alfred: In case you were considering taking on a sidekick, sir?
Bruce: Don't worry, Alfred. I think Pengiun and I have had enough of "pets" for the time being.

Langstrom: (about the transmitter) It's frequency must have triggered my echolocation bat-hearing, which activated dormant traces of serum in my bloodstream, transforming me into Man-Bat!
Penguin: Yeah, whatever. So, all I have to do is switch this on to turn nerd guy back into Man-Bat?

INTERESTING NOTES:
- None

SCREEN GRABS: