Batwing
First appearance: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #2

Batwing first burst onto the scene years ago, when a young Peter Parker had just donned the mask of Spider-Man. While scavenging for food, Batwing happened upon the penthouse of New York councilman Randolph Cherryh, who led a manhunt for the Batwing creature. Spider-Man caught wind of this and decided to use Cherryh's offered reward to pay off his and Aunt May's debts and start a new life for themselves. However Spider-Man tracked down Batwing to his lair, and discovered that he was in fact a kid named Jimmy Santini, whose father took him along a while back on a business trip to investigate the dumping of illegal toxins in the Carlsbad Caverns. Jimmy's father tragically fell off the edge of an interior cliff, and Jimmy was stranded, sustaining himself on phosphorescent water. Jimmy was later rescued, but the water and the toxins affected him, mutating Jimmy into a human-bat creature. Shunned by his mother, Jimmy was cast off into the world to fend for himself.

Batwing got away from his first run in with Spider-Man, and it seemed he was lost for good. However Spider-Man tracked Batwing down and began giving him food to get him by as to avoid contact with those that would choose to harm him. When Dr. Curt Connors would come to New York, Spider-Man would realize that he might be the best suited to cure Jimmy, however Connors reverted into the Lizard. A brief fight ensued and Connors returned to his human form, taking Batwing back with him to Florida.

Spider-Man was surprised to see Batwing back into New York months later, in his mutated form, and contacting Connors he learned that Jimmy had been administered the antidote to his condition, but it didn't take effect for psychological reasons. Wishing to die, Batwing was cornered by police, but it was the sudden arrival of Batwing's mother, who had forced herself to believe that Jimmy had died, that forced the serum to the surface, curing Batwing.

Jimmy Santini's current location is not known, and it is believed that Connor's serum is still in effect.

Powers and Abilities: As Batwing, Jimmy had talons and large bat-like wings that allowed him to fly.

REFERENCES: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #2, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #7, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #9, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #24

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