Manhunter (Kate Spencer)

Origin
Frustrated by the constant failure of the legal system to deal with meta-human villains, Kate Spencer decides to take a more direct route to deal with those the law has been unable to deal with. Kate Spencer was a federal prosecutor who grew increasingly tired of seeing guilty criminals evade punishment. Copperhead, a criminal on trial for multiple murders and cannibalism, avoids a death sentence and escapes from custody after killing two guards. Angry, Kate stole equipment from an evidence room and killed Copperhead. Calling herself Manhunter, Kate blackmailed a former weapons manufacturer for numerous villains named Dylan Battles — who was in the Witness Protection Program — into building, maintaining, and upgrading her armor, weapons, and gadgets.

Early Years
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, and after her father developed superpowers and escaped from prison, she came to believe that her grandfather is superhero Al Pratt, the original Atom, a member of the Justice Society of America.

Later she discovered her grandparents were actually Iron Munro and Sandra Knight, the Phantom Lady of Argent. Al Pratt became involved when he accompanied Phantom Lady to a home for unwed mothers (Munro not wanting to for some reason) and his name was placed on the birth certificate of the resulting baby. Kate's son, Ramsey, subsequently developed superpowers, when he smashed a semi truck when rescuing his dog. This makes him the fourth male in five generations (the powers seem to have skipped Kate) of his family line to gain superpowers.

Through her friendship with Department of Extranormal Operations Agent Cameron Chase, Kate works for the DEO under the direction of Mr. Bones. During the Infinite Crisis, Oracle called Kate, along with a number of low-powered heroes to join the Battle of Metropolis, where she fought admirably.

One Year Later
One year after the Infinite Crisis, Kate was working as a lawyer for Doctor Psycho, successfully getting him acquitted of the crime of mind-controlling a crowd to violent actions. She was then selected to serve as Wonder Woman's lawyer in the legal investigation into the death of Maxwell Lord. She continued her connection with the DEO, and she was also been invited to join the Birds of Prey.

She assisted Blue Beetle in a rape/murder/smuggling conspiracy near the Mexican boarder. Like Green Lantern Ring's, Kate found that her Controllers created Darkstar Exo-Mantle had adverse reactions to the Blue beetles Reach created Scarab.

Some Years Later
Approximately 15 years later, Kate is still active as the Manhunter. Dylan Battles and Cameron Chase recently split up. Todd Rice and Damon Matthews are still part of Kate and Ramsey's life. Iron Munro and Sandra Knight are as well. After Ramsey graduates from film school, Kate gives him a uniform similar to her own (designed by Battles) so that he may pursue a hero career like he wanted.

Powers

 * Enhanced strength and durability due to a stripped down Darkstar Exo-Mantle; Force Blasts from Staff.

Abilities

 * Martial arts and espionage skill, expert in the field of law.

Equipment

 * Darkstar Exo-Mantle-stripped down to basics. Originally from a Darkstar who died and fell to earth

Weapons

 * Clawed Gauntlets used by Azrael as Batman; power staff from a previous Manhunter.

Trivia

 * Kate is the only member of her family line to not super powers. Her great-granfather Hugo Danner was given powers by a serum injected while in-utero. Her grandfather, father, and son all developed superpowers naturally. It could be that the powers only develop in male members of the family. Through her Grandmother, Sandra Knight, she is third cousins to Ted Knight. Her family may be the oldest family of heroes, reaching all the way back to 1930.

In Other Media

 * Coming Soon

Links

 * http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Kate_Spencer
 * http://www.comicvine.com/manhunter/29-2529/