After an undisclosed period of time living in the wilderness away from humans and months of night-flying, Man-Bat has returned to Gotham City driven to satiate a longing for a mental image he knows only as Francine. While searching for her scent and/or sound to home in on her, he is spotted by a WGTM newscopter, shot at by a man raising birds on his rooftop, and unintentionally interferes with a Gotham Tactical Response Unit's handling of a hostage situation.