M.A.N.T.I.S.

Real Name: Dr. Miles Hawkins

Identity/Class: Human technology user.

Occupation: Doctor; vigilante

Affiliations: Lt. Leora Maxwell, John Stonebrake, Hawkins Technology Inc., Taylor Savidge

Enemies: The Men in Black, City Eye

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Port Columbia, Ca, near Los Angeles

First Appearance: M.A.N.T.I.S. #1 "Pilot" (Fox, 24th January 1994)

Powers/Abilities: The M.A.N.T.I.S. suit not only allowed Miles to walk again, but also granted superhuman strength, speed and agility. The Chrysalis is not only a top of the line car, bit can also fly like a helicopter.

History: Dr.Miles Hawkins was a genius scientist who had founded his own company, Hawkins Technology, Inc, and was going from strength to strength. That was, until a bullet from the gun of a corrupt cop in the pay of another industrialist left him paralysed from the waist down. Left in a wheelchair, he worked with his friend John Stonebrake on developing the Mechanically Augmented Neuro Transmitter System (M.A.N.T.I.S.), an exoskeleton designed to let him walk again, by using headgear with transmitters which allowed the brain to send signals which bypassed the spine. However the first tests proved it could do more than that: it was so powerful that it made the wearer virtually superhuman. Taking a high-tech car, the Chrysalis, which he had originally designed as a prototype for the police, Miles Hawkin decided to become a vigilante, ensuring justice for those otherwise denied it. He worked from an underground base beneath his coastal house near Port Columbia, assisted by John and by Taylor Savidge, a bike courier who worked as his legman. Initially pursued by the police, his identity was discovered by Lieutenant Leora Maxwell, the cop in charge of the investigation. Instead of exposing him, she became his ally, working with him to bring criminals to justice.

M.A.N.T.I.S. had several adventures, including a trip to the future, but eventually he was killed by an invisible Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Comments: Played by Carl Lumbly. The show aired for one season of 22 episodes, plus a pilot episode. The show was originally titled Mantis, but the legal team at Fox discovered there was a Marvel comics character by that name, and insisted the show change to M.A.N.T.I.S.

Thanks to Josh Geren for the summary of the character's history. He also notes "MANTIS is plainly inspired by Batman somewhat, with a little more of a political message."

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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