Manhunter (Kate Spencer)
Manhunter | |
---|---|
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. |
Manhunter (Kate Spencer) is a fictional
Kate Spencer appeared as a recurring character on the
. This version never became a vigilante and was the district attorney.Publication history
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding 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 the Infinite Crisis, again tying the series into a popular event. DiDio said at the time that the storyline would lead into another big event in the DC 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 in
In addition to her solo features, writer
Fictional character biography
Kate 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-counsel Damon Matthews covers 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 the Justice Society of America.
Through her friendship with
Iron Munro
The June 2006 issue of Manhunter revealed that Kate's true grandfather was not
Wonder Woman
Kate was hired to be Wonder Woman's defense lawyer for the murder of
Following the events of
Cancellation and future
Since the cancellation of her ongoing series, Kate Spencer was moved to Gotham to serve as their D.A., appearing in Streets of Gotham alongside 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 by
In 2011, Manhunter appeared in
DC Rebirth
Kate Spencer made her return in Green Arrow where she is currently acting as Oliver Queen's attorney.[13]
Powers and abilities
Kate's equipment
When 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 Suit comes from a member of the Darkstars who 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. The Controllers apparently 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 to Blue Beetle Jaime Reyes.[14]
- The Gauntlets – a small-time crook found the gauntlets, originally worn by Azrael during his stint as Batman, in Gotham 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 on Eclipso ended with several heroes dead; among them was a man programmed to believe that he was Mark 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
Television
- Slade Wilson's soldiers. After Slade Wilson's defeat, Laurel keeps working under the new district attorney named Susanna.
Collected editions
- Manhunter (vol. 3) #1–38 (October 2004 – March 2009) collected as:
- Manhunter Vol. 1: Street Justice (collects #1–5, December 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0728-6)
- Manhunter Vol. 2: Trial By Fire (collects #6–14, January 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1198-4)
- Manhunter Vol. 3: Origins (collects #15–23, August 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1340-5)
- Manhunter Vol. 4: Unleashed (collects #24–30, January 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1632-3)
- Manhunter Vol. 5: Forgotten (collects #31-38, May 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2158-0)
- Manhunter Vol. 1: Street Justice (collects #1–5, December 2005,
References
- ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^ "Manhunter Returns For Five Issue Arc". Newsarama.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2006.
- ^ "DC Comics Extended Forecast for 10/27/2010". www.comiclist.com. 7 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Guggenheim Builds a New "Society"". December 10, 2010.
- ^ "Manhunter Comics - Villain Profiles - Walter Pratt". Archived from the original on 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
- Manhunter (Kate Spencer) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the 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)