Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dennis O'Neil, Leopoldo Durañona, and Jim Berry, he first appeared in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1 during the Bronze Age of Comics.The character is depicted as an African-American martial artist, considered to be among the most premier fighters in the world and rivals his long-time friend and peers, Richard Dragon and Lady Shiva.
Originating from a middle-class background, Benjamin "Ben" Turner turned to martial arts in an effort to control his anger that first showcased itself during an armed robbery involving his parents. Later, he mastered various martial arts styles and studied under legendary martial artist O-Sensei alongside his aforementioned friends but his natural aptitude and skill garnered the attention of intelligence agencies and the League of Assassins, the latter whom eventually brainwashed him and christens him the Bronze Tiger. Turner is later enlisted as second-in-command of Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad, being one of the few trusting agents as Waller assists Turner in addressing the long-term effects of the League's brainwashing. After leaving the Squad, the character has served in a variety of roles, including being a superhero, a martial arts mentor, a world-class spy, and a vigilante.
The character has made appearances in various forms of media, including animated features like Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Notably, Bronze Tiger became a recurring character in the television series Arrow, portrayed by Michael Jai White, who also provided the character's voice in other animated adaptations.
Publication history
Bronze Tiger first appeared in Dragon's Fists, a novel by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry which starred Richard Dragon. Bronze Tiger's first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1.Fictional character biography
Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Introduced in the Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter comic book, Ben is the young student living with O-Sensei, one of the world's greatest martial artist who has as versatile mastery of several different disciplines, in Kyoto and meets a young American orphan and thief, Richard Drakunovski. Despite his ill-intentions and discriminatory mindset, both Ben and O-Sensei sense good within him and the latter takes him in a student. Overtime, as the pair are trained in different disciplines of martial arts and methods, they form a close friendship despite coming from different backgrounds.Several years later as young adults, the pair are recruited by Barney Ling, the spymaster of the intelligence agency. G.O.O.D whose organization O-Sensei once served, and become secret agents and adventurers. Shortly after leaving their master, they meet his goddaughter Carolyn Woosan, who is kidnapped by an assassin named "Swiss", and Ben is shot but survives with no permanent damage but Carolyn is killed, leading to the arrival of her sister, Sandra, hired by a corrupt industrialist who implicated Dragon in Carolyn's death. Shiva becomes an ally to both Dragon and Ben following his reveal of innocence and the trio undergoes various missions under Ling. While running a dojo, Ben becomes involved with student Janey, and becomes his nephew's guardian when his sister is killed following an inheritance of land, becoming a target for a time for several hired killers, including the League of Assassins. Janey is killed by an assassin hired by her father to kill Ben, whom is connected to Professor Ojo and his League of Assassins. While seeking vengeance, Ojo becomes interested in Ben and captures him to brainwash him into the warrior, the "Bronze Tiger".
In the Batman "Tales of the Demon" storyline, Bronze Tiger is under the employ of the League of Assassins and one of their high-ranking masters, The Sensei, and becomes involved in the death of Kathy Kane, a circus owner and the first Batwoman, after an intervention from Batman results in the vigilante defeated by Tiger in a single strike, a fact that worries Batman. While his fighting prowess impresses Sensei, Tiger's refusal to kill sparks him to manipulate him until he could control him. In a second battle with Batman, where he holds his own and fares batter, he is struck by a poison dart. Witnessing Sensei's lack of honor, he attacks his men but outnumbered and stabbed from behind but escapes when Batman turns off the lights, leaving behind his tiger mask and cowl.
He severs his ties with the League but is betrayed once more by Ling after returning to his employ, his brainwashing making him an utterly loyal operative. Worried Dragon would sever this, he manipulates events to pit them against once another but amidst the battle and revelation of his involvement in ousting Ben to hired killers to trick the pair into dealing with his enemies, he is pushed out the window accidentally and seemingly killed as a result. Dragon then vows to help him overcome his amnesia and brainwashing and begins making progress after seeing various physicians.
Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths condensing continuity, Ben's background is revealed; Ben comes from an upper-middle-class black neighborhood in Central City. When he was only 10 years old, he saw a burglar attacking his parents, and he proceeded to kill the man with a kitchen knife. In an effort to control the rage inside him, Turner turns to martial arts. After some time, Turner decides to travel to the far East to finally come to terms with his demons. It is implied at that point his history unfolds similar to his Pre-Crisis version.League of Assassins
Later, in Suicide Squad #38, Turner's further career is shown, wherein he and Dragon are hired by King Faraday to work for the C.B.I.. Assigned to take down the League of Assassins, Dragon and Turner are discovered by the League, who kill Turner's fiancée, Myoshi, and proceed to brainwash Turner. Turner was rid of his demons by channeling them into the identity of the Bronze Tiger, a masked assassin working for the League.During this time, he also trains the assassin David Cain's daughter, Cassandra, together with other members of the League. As the Bronze Tiger, Turner developed a fearsome reputation in the world, his identity remaining a secret to everyone but the League.
As the Bronze Tiger, Ben was feared worldwide, and the Sensei was smart enough to ensure that Ben hardly ever took off the mask, sending him on a new mission as soon as he finished another. For a time, his identity was secret, and he became one of the most wanted criminals, the Bronze Tiger being a professional assassin, killing on three continents.
Learning of Bronze Tiger's true identity, King Faraday set up a rescue squad of Rick Flag and Nightshade. They retrieved the Tiger, and he was deprogrammed by Amanda Waller, who would later run the Suicide Squad.
''Suicide Squad''
Waller recruits Turner for the Suicide Squad, setting him up to become the team's leader. Still, he ends up the team's second-in-command under Rick Flag. On the team's first mission, the Tiger faces Ravan, whom he cripples but refuses to kill. Turner develops a relationship with Vixen while a member of the Squad's support crew, Flo Crawley, nurses a crush on him. Meeting Ravan again later, Turner convinces him to join the Squad, and the two become an effective fighting duo.The Suicide Squad was mostly populated by villains, but the Tiger is one of the Squad's 'good' members, meant to balance out the cast of characters. He often enforces Waller's rules, such as forcing various Squad members to wear devices designed to force good behavior. A Bronze Tiger solo story appeared as a Bonus Book in Suicide Squad #21.
The nigh-corrupting nature of the Squad eventually leads to Flag's departure and seeming death in a nuclear explosion. Turner becomes the leader of the team, a role in which he excels, often disobeying direct orders to save the lives of his team. The Squad member Duchess, in reality, the Apokoliptian soldier Lashina, betrays the team and takes many, including Flo, to Apokolips. Flo does not survive the kidnapping.
Turner is eventually confronted by his superiors about his actions, and in the ensuing meeting, Turner's mind snaps. He flees, traveling back to the East, where he spends some time as a janissary.
Eventually, Amanda Waller reforms the Squad and again recruits Turner. In the interim, Turner has become a deeply troubled man, one who distances himself from Vixen and was constantly egging on Ravan to confront him. In a mission shortly after the team had reformed, Vixen is hurt, which unlocks Turner's feelings for her once more. He mostly returns to his old state of mind. Vixen later leaves the team, telling Turner she no longer loves him but wishes him well.
In the team's last mission, the Squad struggles to free a small island nation from the tyranny of its seemingly immortal ruler. The team must pass through a forest known for causing hallucinations. While the others experience their own mind trips, Bronze Tiger faces himself. Defeating himself and thereby exorcising his demons, Turner once again becomes a complete person. The tyrant is later defeated by Waller.
Shortly after leaving the Squad, Turner is part of Bruce Wayne's search for Jack Drake and Shondra Kinsolving, who had been kidnapped. He teams up with Green Arrow and Gypsy, a member of Justice League Task Force. Gypsy becomes romantically involved with Tiger. He later becomes her mentor in martial arts.
''Richard Dragon'' (2004 - 2005) and other stories
In the Richard Dragon series, both Bronze Tiger and Richard Dragon's backgrounds differ from prior histories; the series casts Turner as slightly older than Richard Drakunovski, serving as his martial arts teacher and parental-like figure in St. Louis responsible for his "Dragon" moniker before. Following this, his history unfolds from his prior appearances in series like the Suicide Squad. At some point in time, Turner also trained other students after he and Dragon separated for a time and spent his time in underground fighting rings following an altercation with Lady Shiva. Among those included Nightwing.Tiger later tracks down Dragon and offers to help him gain a rematch with Shiva and the pair move into Detroit, where they attract the attention of Shiva's students, the Circle of Six. The pair are also forced to work alongside a revised version of Barney Ling, who is a FBI special agent who coerces their help in stopping the Circle of Six's criminal activities. Following a heated argument on Dragon's morals in killing, Ben is ambushed by the Circle of Six and is hospitalized, forcing Dragon to confront the Circle of Six and then Shiva. Dragon is also manipulated by Ling after being framed for several crimes, including assaulting Ben.
In a story arc of the Batgirl title in 2005, Cassandra Cain begins a search for her birth mother, who she believes is Lady Shiva. She tracks down Turner in Detroit, where he has opened the "Tiger Dojo". Both come to terms with Turner's involvement in Cassandra's training, and he expresses his pride in her becoming a hero. Bronze Tiger meets with Batman shortly afterward. He has to stop a group of villains and avenge his master.