Manhunter (Kate Spencer)is a fictionalsuperheroineappearing inDC Comics.She is the eighth DC Comics character to be given the nameManhunter,but was the first woman. The character first appears inManhunter(vol. 3) #1 (October 2004) and was promoted by DC Comics as relevant to the popularIdentity Crisislimited series.[1]
| Manhunter | |
|---|---|
 Artwork for the cover ofManhunter(vol. 3) #4 (2005), art byJae Lee. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Manhunter(vol. 3) #1 (October 2004) |
| Created by | Marc Andreyko Jesus Saiz |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Katherine Spencer |
| Team affiliations | FBI DEO Birds of Prey Justice Society of America |
| Abilities | Wears a suit that is keyed into her unique bioelectrical signature, granting her increased strength, agility, and endurance. Carries a powerful staff once used by a previous Manhunter,Mark Shaw. |
Kate Spencer appeared as a recurring character on thesecondseason ofThe CWArrowverseshowArrow,portrayed byChelah Horsdal.This version never became a vigilante and was the district attorney.
Publication history
editThis sectionneeds expansion.You can help byadding to it.(October 2008) |
Despite critical success, the first series repeatedly had trouble gaining larger readership. DC Comics considered in May 2006 to cancel the series and issue #25 was to be the last.Dan DiDio,DC's executive editor, was convinced by fan outcry to extend the series for five additional issues in order to improve sales. The new five-issue story arc dealt with a ramification of theInfinite Crisis,again tying the series into a popular event. DiDio said at the time that the storyline would lead into another big event in theDC Universe.[2]The series came back with issue #31 in 2008, but was cancelled with issue #38 in 2009.
Manhunter had a 10-page co-feature inBatman: Streets of Gothamwhich began in June 2009, and ended in issue #13, and was replaced with aTwo-Faceco-feature. A planned collection of the back-up series was cancelled by DC.[3]
In addition to her solo features, writerGail Simonemade Manhunter into one of the lead characters in herBirds of Preyseries as part of a controversial revamp in issue #100, where Kate was brought in to serve as a replacement forBlack Canary.Manhunter remained with the team until the book's cancellation with issue #127 in 2009, and was not part of the subsequent 2010 relaunch. In 2011, Manhunter appeared inJustice Society of Americaseries byMarc Guggenheim.[4]
Fictional character biography
editKate Spencer is a federal prosecutor who grows increasingly tired of seeing guilty criminals evade punishment.Copperhead,a supervillain on trial for multiple murders and cannibalism, avoids a death sentence and escapes from custody after killing two guards. An angry Kate takes matters into her own hands, stealing equipment from an evidence room and killing Copperhead. Calling herself Manhunter, Kate blackmails a former weapons manufacturer for numerous villains named Dylan Battles — who is in the Witness Protection Program — into building, maintaining and upgrading her armor, weapons and gadgets.
In addition to legal proceedings and fighting crime, Kate's life includes awkward relationships with her six-year-old son Ramsey and novelist ex-husband. Kate's secret life as Manhunter cuts into her career and family life, but her co-counselDamon Matthewscovers for her. Kate's father Walter Pratt spent time in prison for murdering her mother,[5]and she comes to believe that her grandfather is superhero Al Pratt,the original Atom,a member of theJustice Society of America.
Through her friendship withDepartment of Extranormal OperationsAgent Cameron Chase,Kate works for the DEO under the direction ofMr. Bones.During theInfinite Crisis,Oraclecalls Kate, along with a number of low-powered heroes to join the Battle of Metropolis, and she was invited to join theBirds of Preyafter founding memberBlack Canaryleft to join theJustice League.
Iron Munro
editThe June 2006 issue ofManhunterrevealed that Kate's true grandfather was notthe original Atom,but actually Iron Munro and that her grandmother was Sandra Knight (Phantom Lady). When Munro was apparently unwilling to deal with his girlfriend's pregnancy, she was taken by Pratt to ahome for unwed mothersand Pratt was mistakenly listed as the father on Walter Pratt'sbirth certificate.This makes her a second cousin once removed toJack Knight,as Phantom Lady pointed out in the issue.
Wonder Woman
editKate was hired to be Wonder Woman's defense lawyer for the murder ofMaxwell Lord.The case has taken an unexpected turn however, upon the recent arrival of a supposedly aliveBlue Beetle,who claims he has no memory of the last 18 months. Wonder Woman has called inBatmanto run an investigation on Blue Beetle, to see if it is really him. Meanwhile, Kate received aid fromCheckmate,which proved that Diana's actions were justifiable. The "Blue Beetle" turned out to be the shapeshifting cannibalEverymanfromLex Luthor'sInfinity, Inc.
Following the events ofBatman: RIP,Oracle disbanded the Birds of Prey.[6]Kate was not invited to rejoin the team when it was subsequently reestablished the following year.[7]
Cancellation and future
editSince the cancellation of her ongoing series, Kate Spencer was moved to Gotham to serve as their D.A., appearing inStreets of Gothamalongside Huntress and Misfit, her fellow Birds of Prey, and Batgirl.[8]The series was eventually cancelled, and a planned collection was axed due to low pre-orders.
Kate was recently seen being recruited byJay Garrickfor a yet unknown purpose, alongsideMon-El,Miss Martian,Mister America,and theSea Devils.[9]Despite her recruitment, Kate does not appear alongside the other heroes in the finale ofJustice League: Cry for Justice.Following this, Manhunter briefly appears alongsideBatgirl,Batwoman,the Questionand a host of other female heroes when Wonder Woman leads them againstProfessor Ivo's robot sirens.[10]
In 2011, Manhunter appeared inJustice Society of America.[4]Kate makes her first appearance in issue #47, where she battles a group of gangbangers who are in the process of robbing a Gotham electronics store. After defeating the thugs, Kate sees a news report from the recently destroyed city of Monument Point, whereJay Garrickis shown telling reporters about the crime wave sweeping the remains of the city. Upon hearing about how there are not enough heroes and police officers to stem the tide of criminal activity, Kate is shown grinning, as if the statement has given her an idea. Shortly after this, Kate appears in Monument Point during a massive battle between the Justice Society and a villain named Doctor Chaos. She is shown leading a large team of superheroes including theJSA All-Stars,Jesse Quick,Liberty BelleandRed Beetle.[11]After Chaos is defeated, Kate and the other heroes choose to stay in Monument Point and join the JSA.[12]
DC Rebirth
editKate Spencer made her return inGreen Arrowwhere she is currently acting as Oliver Queen's attorney.[13]
Powers and abilities
editKate's equipment
editWhen Kate pursues Copperhead, she sneaks into an evidence room to steal some items she can use against him.Manhunter#15 tells the origin of each of the three items she takes:
- The Suitcomes from a member of theDarkstarswho died in battle and fell to Earth to rot. A drifter found it and used it to defend himself against a group of attackers. Successfully defeating them, he robbed them and left the suit in a dumpster. TheControllersapparently programmed an instinctive hatred of Reach scarabs into the suits including the one currently worn by Kate Spencer. Her suit reacts adversely to the scarab currently bonded toBlue BeetleJaime Reyes.[14]
- The Gauntlets– a small-time crook found the gauntlets, originally worn byAzraelduring his stint asBatman,inGotham City.The crook used them in an unsuccessful burglary, but when the police arrived, the crook fell to his death, leaving the gauntlets embedded in the side of the building.
- The Staff– an attack onEclipsoended with several heroes dead; among them was a man programmed to believe that he wasMark Shaw.The staff was recovered with the body and hidden in storage.
Other characters have remarked that Kate displays slightly elevated strength and resilience to injury. If these are actual meta-human powers as a result of her lineage from Iron Munro or if Kate is simply tougher than average has not been clarified.
In other media
editTelevision
edit- Kate Spencerappears inArrow,portrayed byChelah Horsdal.In "Damaged", District Attorney Kate tries to getOliver Queenconvicted after he is accused of being theStarling Cityvigilante butLaurel Lancearrives at the last minute to save him by having him confined to his home. Later, Kate tries to get Oliver to plead insane rather than take a lie detector test but Oliver still goes through with the test and gets out of it, subsequently managing to clear his name by having his associateJohn Diggleappear as the vigilante while he is confined. In "State V. Queen" after A.D.A.Adam Donneris abducted byCount Vertigoduring the trial ofMoira Queen,she, despite the concerns ofSebastian Blood,assigns Laurel as head of the case. In "Birds of Prey" Kate has Adam Donner fired when he uses the arrest and trial ofFrank Bertinellito draw out his vigilante daughterHelena Bertinelli/The Huntresswhich results in a hostage situation. Laurel is also briefly reappointed to her job without Kate's approval which she apologizes for; she initially states that nothing had changed, but Laurel blackmails Kate into giving her job back. In "The Man Under The Hood" when Laurel's fatherQuentin Lanceis arrested for assisting the Arrow, Laurel once again blackmails Kate and she has the charges against Quentin dropped. In "Streets of Fire", she is killed by one ofSlade Wilson's soldiers. After Slade Wilson's defeat, Laurel keeps working under the new district attorney named Susanna.
Collected editions
edit- Manhunter(vol. 3) #1–38 (October 2004 – March 2009)collectedas:
- Manhunter Vol. 1: Street Justice(collects #1–5, December 2005,ISBN1-4012-0728-6)
- Manhunter Vol. 2: Trial By Fire(collects #6–14, January 2007,ISBN1-4012-1198-4)
- Manhunter Vol. 3: Origins(collects #15–23, August 2007,ISBN1-4012-1340-5)
- Manhunter Vol. 4: Unleashed(collects #24–30, January 2008,ISBN1-4012-1632-3)
- Manhunter Vol. 5: Forgotten(collects #31-38, May 2009,ISBN1-4012-2158-0)
References
edit- ^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019).DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle.DK Publishing. p. 298.ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^"Manhunter Returns For Five Issue Arc".Newsarama.com. Archived fromthe originalon September 7, 2006.
- ^"DC Comics Extended Forecast for 10/27/2010".www.comiclist.com.7 July 2023.
- ^ab"Guggenheim Builds a New" Society "".December 10, 2010.
- ^"Manhunter Comics - Villain Profiles - Walter Pratt".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-02-12.
- ^Birds of Prey#127
- ^Birds of Prey(vol. 2) #1
- ^"Dan DiDio: 20 Answers, 1 Question - 02.13.09".7 July 2023.
- ^Justice League: Cry For Justice#4
- ^Wonder Woman#600
- ^Justice Society of America(vol. 3) #48
- ^Justice Society of America(vol. 3) #49
- ^Green Arrow(vol. 7) #25
- ^Manhunter(vol. 3) #32 (September 2008)
External links
edit- Manhunter (Kate Spencer)at the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
- Manhunter (Kate Spencer)at the DCU guide
- One Year Later with Manhunter and Marc Andreyko,Comic Book Resources
- Andreyko & Manhunter: Love Is In The Air
- Overview of Marc Andreyko's Manhunter
- 2006 Podcast Interview with Manhunter Writer Marc Andreyko(contains plot detail)