Name: Manhunter
Universe: Earth-2
Alter Ego: Paul Kirk (also used alias Rick Nelson)
Occupation: Big Game Hunter, later Secret Agent
Marital Status: Single
Group Affiliation: All-Star Squadron
Base of Operations: Empire City, later mobile
Known Relatives: None
Height: 5 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 191 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #73

History:
Paul Kirk was a wealthy big game hunter and sportsman. During his travels he learned of legends of the mysterious Manhunters organization and how to design a costume that looked like one of theirs.

Kirk’s friend, Police Inspector Donavan, told him that criminals were more dangerous than all the beasts Kirk had hunted. Kirk considered the idea of hunting criminals himself as a new challenge. After Donavan was killed by a costumed criminal named the Buzzard, Kirk donned his Manhunter costume and brought the Buzzard to justice. Kirk continued to fight crime as Manhunter, and joined the wartime All-Star Squadron.

Later during World War II, at the government’s request, Kirk gave up crimefighting to carry out secret missions behind enemy lines. Revulsed by this work, Kirk went to Africa in 1946 to resume big game hunting, only to be left virtually dead by the charge of a bull elephant.

Kirk was placed in suspended animation by the Council, a secret organization dedicated to preventing the human race from destroying itself through such means as war. Kirk was genetically altered so that virtually any injury he suffered would heal rapidly. Decades after his "death" the Council revived the now fully healed Kirk. He was trained by martial arts master Ansano Nitobe to become leader of the Council’s enforcement branch, whose members had been cloned from Kirk’s own cells.

As a loyalty test the Council ordered Kirk to assassinate an Interpol official. When Kirk refused, the Council attempted to have him killed. Realizing that the Council was now itself a threat to humanity, Kirk fought against them as the new Manhunter.

Finally, Manhunter, the Batman, Nitobe, Interpol agent Christine St. Clair, and weapons maker Kolu Mbeya invaded the Council’s headquarters. Council member Dr. Myrkos fatally blasted Manhunter with radiation, but the dying Kirk then used Myrkos’ psionic helmet to destroy the Council’s headquarters. Kirk himself died in the blast, but his four allies escaped.

Powers:
Manhunter was an Olympic-level athlete who at first relied solely on his great skill at hand-to-hand combat. Asano Nitobe later taught him ninjitsu, which involved mastery of virtually all other martial arts systems.

The Council gave Manhunter a genetic "healing factor" that enabled him to recover quickly from most injuries.

When fighting the Council, Manhunter carried a 1916 Mauser, a throwing knife, shuriken (throwing stars), and a Bundi dagger.