Takkan Keluang Man berdiam diri! Indeed, Keluang Man did not remain silent, as he made a big splash in Kluang, Johor—with a gigantic mural dedicated to Kluang district’s love for coffee and pop culture.
Keluang Man, named after the country’s giant fruit bat or flying fox, is a Malaysian superhero developed by Kamn Ismail and his team of animators in 1997. He was featured in his own animated TV series from 1998 to 2005, and had a short comic book run in 1999. Yet despite only having less than a decade in the limelight, Keluang Man persists in pop culture as a symbol of justice and freedom.
Similar to Batman, Keluang Man is a vigilante who does not have any superpowers. He has a sidekick similar to Robin, and his outfit is reminiscent of that of the Caped Crusader’s. However, that’s where the similarities end. The man behind the mask, Borhan, is actually a patient from a psychiatric hospital, sneaking out at night when security is at its most lax to fight justice in the streets of Johor.
With the last episode of the Keluang Man cartoon airing almost two decades ago, the hero is slated to make a comeback on the big screen. And to commemorate this milestone, renowned graffiti group Abdulrashade created a three-story high mural of the character in Johor—Keluang Man’s birthplace and prowling grounds.
The artwork aims to promote arts and culture in the district, and features characters from the upcoming movie—Keluang Man, his mortal enemy, Shamsir, the doubting inspector, Shahab, his doctor, Dr. Malini, and his cat, Babe. The mural also includes a “Kluang” coffee can, highlighting the district’s reputation for celebrating authentic Malaysian coffee.
The Keluang Man film is set to be a live-action movie, produced by Astro Shaw and Pasal Productions, helmed by writer and director Anwari Ashraf, and starring “Nas-T” Muammar Zar as the titular hero. The film will be an origin story, delving into what made Borhan turn to a life of vigilantism in the streets of Johor. While principal photography ended this July, the film is still in production and is set to be released in 2025.
What stories do you want to see adapted in the Keluang Man film? Let us know in the comments!