Luke Fox (Character)

Alias: Batwing

Publisher: DC Comics

Created by: Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray

1st appearance: Batwing #19, 2013

Real Name: Lucas Fox

Nationality: American

Team Affiliations: Batman Inc

Legal Status: Unknown

Height: 210 lbs           Weight: 6’1

Eyes: Brown                        Hair: Black

Relatives: Lucius Fox (Father), Tamara Fox (Sister), Tanya Fox (Mother), Tiff Fox (Sister), Tim Fox (Brother)

Skills and Abilities: Luke is an accomplished mixed martial arts fighter. He has also traveled the globe and learned from several martial arts masters. Most notable of those include Spear kung fu/ Shaolin Red Eagle Spear learned from Master Chu Chin Li, Kubi Nage a Judo/Jiujitsu throwing technique from Sensei Tsunemoto. Luke also possesses exceptional electrical and computer engineering skills as an MIT honors graduate.

Powers: Like most members of the Batman family and Batman Incorporated Luke has no superhuman abilities instead he relies on his martial arts skills, his brilliance, and the power suit supplied by Batman designed by his father Lucius Fox.

Equipment: Luke wears a full body armor covering him from head to toe. The suit is bulletproof, has limited invisibility in low light areas, has a retractable cape for gliding on air currents, and has interior skin which monitors vital signs and produces medical repair capabilities eg. If the wearer breaks his arm the suit hardens around the area holding the bone in place and administering a shot of pain killers. The suit also has retractable tranquilizers in the gauntlets that can also be fired like bullets and infrared vision. The suit also has:

• Specialized batarangs which can be used as brass knuckles or opened up to reveal two cutting edges.
• Vapor bats that can release sleeping gas.
• Grappling gun used to swing across roofs and climb high buildings

Vehicles: Luke has been given access to his own personal vehicles by Batman to be used on his globe-trotting adventures. First is the “Batwing Tumbler”. Much like Batman’s car, it is armed front-mounted guns, missile-firing capabilities, thrusters and gliders for flight and also hovering capabilities allowing it to even travel up walls. It is also heavily armored and bulletproof.

He also has access to the “Batwing cycle” which like the batwing tumbler has front-mounted guns for rapid-fire capabilities, an armored body, custom wheels fit for on and off-road maneuvering. It is also capable of achieving exceptional speeds.

Biography

Origin

Born to Lucius and Tanya Fox after the two had graduated from college he was the first addition to the budding Fox Dynasty. His birth was a time of exceptional joy for his parents and his father Lucius in particular who dreamed that his son would one day follow in his footsteps. Luke was about four or five years old when his sister Tamara Fox was born. This was when his father Lucius began working at Wayne Tech affording them all the luxuries of the rich and famous. Years later they welcomed his little sister Tiff Fox [Batwing #25]. As he aged Luke and his father started to have clashing ideals as the younger Luke began having dreams of his own not centered around following in his father’s footsteps.

Due to the clashes with his father Luke grew closer to his mother Tanya who was more understanding of his rebellion. Luke made a deal with his father that he would at least finish College before venturing out on his own and true to his word he did.

The legend of Batman would emerge amid the greatest catastrophe Gotham had ever endured. A Maniac calling himself Riddler had shut down all electric power mere days before a terrifying superstorm [DC Comics Zero Year, 2013].

During this time he was at MIT college he started studying mixed martial arts. He was also best friends with geeky Russel Tavoraff who he often had to defend from bullies on campus. One night after martial arts training the two were attacked by a gang. This was the first time Luke would use his skills to defend himself. The night served two purposes to make Russel realize he was a weakling and made Luke realize what a rush it was to put his life on the line. Over the coming weeks, he would fight with Batman against a gang, the same gang he had roughed up defending his friend. Luke was so excited he ran back to tell Russel. This is where he met Menace, his friend pumped up on Venom to become a terrifying supervillain. Realizing his friend was going to blow up the levees and cause a flood. Luke stopped him and he blew up his friend in the process [Batwing #25].

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On the Radar

After the loss of his friend, he began tournament fighting at age sixteen despite his father’s disapproval.  While finishing his studies at MIT he had one thing on his mind, joining Batman incorporated. He continued to moonlight as a masked crime fighter and even saved Bruce Wayne at a dinner party [Batwing #20]. Unknown to him he was being watched closely by Batman and was the hero’s first choice for the Batwing mantle which was granted to David Zavimbe. because Batman was afraid to endanger his friend’s son [Batwing #19].

After the death of David’s mentor, Matu Ba Batman approaches Luke with a new suit and the chance to join Batman incorporated as the Gotham-based Batwing [Batwing #19].

Fantasy Fulfilled: Becoming Batwing

After his recruitment, Batman trained him for months before deploying him into the field with a costume/power suit to keep his identity secret and grant him more protection than a typical operative the irony is that the suit was made by his father Lucius. His first assignment had him dispatched to Africa where he faced off with Lady Marabunta who he defeated [Batwing #19] before disobeying Batman’s orders and shutting down the fearsome Lion Mane. By jumping in without thinking he was badly injured. Luke returned to Gotham and his complicated personal life (Multiple Girlfriends). Zena Zylenco [Batwing #20 and Batwing #21]. While at home the Marabunta captured his father and endangered his family. Teaming up with Batman they rescued Lucius [Batwing #22] and struck a major blow to the Marabunta. His disappearance during his father;’s capture however left him ostracized from his family [Batwing #23].

Luke later faced off with the assassin Lady Vic while on a date with Zena. Jumping in headfirst yet again he was soundly trumped by the villain who left his suit and ego badly damaged [Batwing #23]. He repaired the suit and made improvements before taking out Lady Vic and reconciling with Zena whose father had died [Batwing #24].

His next mission from Batman involved infiltrating the criminal empire of Charlie Caligula in Italy. He was aided in this task by Legionary [Batwing #26]. During “Gothtopia” where the whole of Gotham was laced with Scarecrow’s Psychotrope drug, he had a better relationship with his dad [Batwing #27]. His sister Tamara was then captured by Ratcatcher [Batwing #27]. This abduction left Batwing emotional and brutal as he tore through the Gotham underground to find his sister. The abduction also put a strain on his parents’ marriage [Batwing #28]. When Tamara was found she was brain-dead from a drug overdose. His sister Tiff also mysteriously vanished. With the revelation that his friend Russel now branded Menace was responsible, he journeyed to the city under Gotham to enact revenge [Batwing #29]. While in this new world he fought the Anubis Cult run by Mother of Anubis until finally facing menace in a bloody mortal combat. His suit was damaged but he managed to not only win but seemingly kill Menace [Batwing #30–Batwing #31].

Batman Eternal

Batwing helped Jim Corrigan investigate recent events in Arkham Asylum, where the Joker’s Daughter was using the spirits of the inmates to resurrect what she believed to be the Joker in the body of Maxie Zeus (although it is revealed to be Deacon Blackfire).

Batgirl Romance

Luke Fox began a romantic relationship with Barbara Gordon, while also fighting crime together as their alter-egos Batwing and Batgirl.

DC Rebirth

Originally, Luke had chosen to put Batwing on hold while he focused on his company. However, after the death of Tim Drake, Batman called him in to use his tech expertise to repair the Belfry and finish the upgrades Tim was making. When Luke gets drawn into the conflict with the Victim Syndicate, he decides to join Batman’s new team as tech support and as Batwing.

During the League of Assassins attack on Gotham, Luke reinforced the Batman Family in their battle against the League, but is captured alongside Azrael. When he is freed, Luke disarmed a mini nuke meant to destroy the city.

Batwing was accepted as an official member of the Batman Family and joined his fellow Bat-colleagues in taking down the Penguin, who was in the midst of a police chase.

Realizing that his friend Jean-Paul was risking his sanity by wearing the Suit of Sorrows Lucas began to construct a new suit in secret. However he realized the only problem was attempting to find an A.I. with both a benevolent morale code and the strength to resist the hostile A.I. Ascalon. Unfortunately during the midst of his work, Jean-Paul had succumbed to the spirit of Azrael. And in conjunction with Ascalon took over several of Lucas’ Batwing suits in an attempt to kill him, Orphan, and Batwoman and establish ‘Divine Justice’ over Gotham. However after a quick fight, ending when Zatanna and Batman arrived, Jean-Paul was subdued and Lucas finally figured out the solution to his problem. As the Batman Family discussed what to do with Jean, Lucas decided it was time to unveil his plan and revealed the new suit for Jean-Paul while explaining that he planned to use Batman as the new A.I. template for Azrael.