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| Batwing | |
|---|---|
 Cover forUntold Tales of Spider-Man #2 (October 1995), the first appearance of Batwing. Art byPat Olliffe and Al Vey. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Untold Tales of Spider-Man #2 (October 1995) |
| Created by | Kurt Busiek Pat Olliffe |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | James "Jimmy" Santini |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | The Initiative Avengers Academy |
| Abilities | Superhuman speed Flight via bat wings Enhanced hearing Echolocation Night vision Sharp claws and fangs |
James "Jimmy"Santini is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by writerKurt Busiek and artistPat Olliffe, the character first appeared inUntold Tales of Spider-Man #2 (October 1995).[1] Santini is known under thecodenameBatwing.[2] Hemutated into a bat-like creature after surviving an attack by polluters while investigating illegal waste dumping. Rejected by his mother and pursued under a bounty, he is aided byPeter Parker / Spider-Man and later joins theInitiative and theAvengers Academy.[3]
James Santini debuted inUntold Tales of Spider-Man #2 (October 1995), created byKurt Busiek andPat Olliffe. He subsequently appeared in several Marvel series, includingThunderbolts (2006),[4]Avengers: The Initiative (2007),[5] andAvengers Academy (2010).
Young Jimmy Santini joined his father in investigating illegaltoxic waste dumping inCarlsbad Caverns National Park when his father was either shot in the back by the polluters or fell to his death in the deep caverns (the full details were murky in Jimmy's diary). Jimmy was lost in the caverns and drank toxic water, causing him to mutate into abat-like creature. After arriving inNew York City, Jimmy lives under an old pier and begins stealing food to survive.
When New York CityCouncilman Randolph Cherryh is dining with his girlfriend, Batwing appears and steals some of his apples, humiliating Cherryh. Cherryh places a bounty on Batwing, which Peter Parker decides to take part on during his financial problems. Cherryh arranges for a party as part of a trap. When Batwing arrives, the police begin shooting, only for Peter Parker in his alias ofSpider-Man to web up the guns and pursue Batwing. Batwing battles Spider-Man before fleeing to where he lived under the pier. When Spider-Man follows Batwing to the pier, he discovers that Batwing is just a scared kid who ias stealing food to survive. Spider-Man reads some of his history before Jimmy encounters Cherryh, who had secretly followed him in his helicopter. Cherryh is about to kill Batwing when Spider-Man webs down his men. Batwing flees despite Spider-Man's offer to getReed Richards orHank Pym to help cure him. Cherryh vows to ruin Spider-Man's life before having his mouth webbed and himself being shoved into a garbage can.[6]
Spider-Man later asks Dr. Curt Connors to use his expertise to help cure Jimmy. When an accident causes Connors to become theLizard again, Batwing helps Spider-Man track him down and cure Connors. Connors and Jimmy leave New York for someplace quiet where Jimmy can be cured.[7]
When Connors' cure fails, Batwing returns to New York and battles Spider-Man again. With his father dead and his mother rejecting him, Jimmy hopes for death. Spider-Man locates Jimmy's mother and tells her that Jimmy is still her son, regardless of his condition, and that she was wrong to reject him. As Batwing is about to be shot by theNew York Police Department, Jimmy's mother intervenes and tells her son that she still loves him. Upon hearing this and knowing that he is loved, Jimmy reverts to his human form, and the police retreat. Jimmy goes home with his mother, finally receiving the love that he needs.[8]
After the superheroCivil War, Batwing enters theFifty State Initiative as one of the recruits atCamp Hammond along withGorilla Girl,Prodigy,Butterball and others. He joins them so that they can help cure him of his bat form.[9]
Batwing is later assigned to the Shadow Initiative.[10] While the rest of the Initiative is busy with theSiege of Asgard,Penance evades the guards and convinces Batwing,Bengal, and Butterball into helping theAvengers Resistance.[11] Batwing and Butterball later organize a new superteam forNorth Carolina, based inMorganton, to replace the incarceratedU-Foes.[12]
During theFear Itself storyline, Batwing appears at a meeting held byProdigy regarding magical hammers that have crashed into the earth. He aids the team in rescuing survivors and appears during the battle againstThor Girl, who has regained her powers.[13]
Batwing is part of the new class of students when theAvengers Academy moves to the former headquarters of theWest Coast Avengers.[14][15]
James Santini possesses bat-like wings that enable high-speed flight and agility, along with sharp claws and teeth, enhanced hearing, night vision, and the ability to emit high-frequency sounds forecholocation. His elongated fingers support his wings for greater control, and he is lightly covered in patches of fur.[16]
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