Captain Boomerang
Encyclopedia
Captain Boomerang is a fictional character
in the . A supervillain traditionally portrayed as an enemy of the Flash. The character's son, Owen Mercer
, later assumed the title of Captain Boomerang.
soldier and an Australia
n woman, Harkness was raised in poverty, during which time he developed great skill in making boomerang
s, and in using them as weapons. As a young adult, he was hired as a performer and boomerang promoter by a toy company which was, unbeknownst to him, owned by his biological father. Audiences ridiculed him, and a resentful Harkness turned to using his boomerangs for crime. He originally became Captain Boomerang as a mascot for a Toy Company and briefly pretended another man was impersonating him, showing his 'parents', (really other crooks) to the Flash after the Flash caught him next to a crime scene. He nearly succeeded in killing Flash after knocking him out with a boomerang, then tying the Flash to a giant boomerang he fired, so that it was sent into space then fell into the ocean, but Flash vibrated so fast and increased the boomerang's velocity so much he was able to free himself from his friction-proof bonds and jail his foe and the two crooks.
Although he lacked any actual superhuman abilities, he became a recurring enemy of the Flash
, typically by devising altered boomerangs which could produce astonishing effects (some would explode, others had razor-sharp edges, etc.), and using them ruthlessly. He became a staple member of the Rogues
, a group of villains dedicated to opposing Flash, and who were first organized after Gorilla Grodd
broke them out of jail. Though captured when Flash made their weapons hit each other, they continued to act together.
Throughout the first several years of the character's existence, Captain Boomerang spoke with no discernible accent. Beginning in the late 1980s he developed an Australian accent.
in exchange for being pardoned for his crimes. However, Captain Boomerang's grating personality and blatant racism (among other things, he constantly referred to black team member Bronze Tiger
as an "abbo") caused considerable friction among his teammates, and he was considered to be a dangerous, vicious, cowardly and undependable member of the team—dysfunctional even by the Squad's standards and the equivalent of a class clown.
Amanda Waller
, the Squad's commanding officer, characterized Captain Boomerang as "a jerk and a screw-up." This was not an undeserved reputation, as, among other things, Harkness simply watched as his teammate Mindboggler was shot in the back, even while he could have easily saved her. (Mindboggler had earlier used her mind-manipulating abilities on Harkness to shut him up when he was verbally abusing another team member.) He also manipulated another team member, Slipknot
, into running away from the action just to see if the explosive bracelets the Squad members wore really did activate if the wearer attempted to escape. (Unfortunately for Slipknot, they did). He was scared to learn Ifrit, an artificial intelligence used by the rival team the Jihad, had been created based upon Mindboggler's thought patterns, and revealed what had happened.
While in the Squad, Harkness also briefly took up the mantle of Mirror Master
to commit robberies. However, this career was cut short when he was caught and brought to Waller, who put an end to it by tricking him into a fake assault scene where he was forced to change constantly between Mirror Master and Captain Boomerang. She rescinded the benefits Harkness had been given such as his apartment in New Orleans
and his status as a voluntary member of the Squad.
Many times Digger would have to be tricked into battle, but when faced with enemies he proved more than competent in upholding his end of the fight. Harkness also would play a few undercover roles for the squad, convincingly managing to be other slimy, criminal types. Later, Digger would try a simple series of pranks for amusement, hitting various members of the Squad with pies. For a time, suspicion had been diverted from him because had used his skills to pie himself, seemingly being hit by the 'assailant' from behind a wall. When the Squad confronted Digger as the culprit, he lost his temper and shouted that they could not really punish him since he was already in prison and in the Suicide Squad. He asked Waller, "What are you going to do about it, Fat Lady?!" Waller dropped him from a helicopter onto a deserted island.
Due to various events, mainly Waller breaking many rules by having a criminal gang ruthlessly gunned down, the Squad broke up for a year. When Waller was approached again because she was needed, she reformed the team and had Digger picked up. He was, at the time, trying to construct a massive boomerang to take him to mainland.
Harkness revealed a deep patriotism for his home country of Australia, though his countrymen do not care at all for him, and a tremendous fear of being laughed at. Teammate Deadshot commented he often wished he had killed Harkness, most notably after his drinking left them to miss a plane and to Deadshot losing his uniform and entering a depressive phase because of it. Ironically, when Boomerang pulled strings to have the suit restored to Deadshot, Lawton's psyche had passed into a phase that led him to loathe it. Harkness remained with the Squad until it was disbanded after a successful mission in Diabloverde.
However, despite being a somewhat trusted employee, Harkness still was quite amoral and greedy, selling out Adam Cray, the Atom, for half a million dollars.
He later appeared in the pages of Flash with cybernetic hands. Alongside four other Rogues, given a chance by fellow Rogue Abra Kadabra
to become much more than they ever were. Unfortunately for Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold
, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard
, and Heat Wave
, Kababra's promise of glory was actually a ruse to free Neron
and empower himself. Neron then resurrects the five Rogues, superpowering them and sending then on a bloody rampage that destroys much of Flash's hometown and kills thousands. Eventually, the Flash and Linda Park free the Rogues; the dead are restored to life.
After being restored to life, Boomerang and the Rogues, along with the Trickster, sought out an artifact that would protect them from Neron should he ever take an interest in them again. The Trickster accompanied them to help an old ex-girlfriend recover her kidnapped son. In the end, the Trickster found the boy, who turned out to not only be the prophesied agent of a god, but also the Trickster's son. He was also able to convince Neron to leave the Rogues alone, with the Rogues either coming away darker from their experiences, or seeking enlightenment, like Heat Wave, who retired with the monks.
Captain Boomerang is also involved with the Joker: Last Laugh event. After having suffered a mishap with one of his exploding boomerangs, Digger is transferred by ambulance to Keystone City. En route, the ambulance is attacked by a Jokerized Deadshot
, who decides to lend his old pal a hand by injecting him with Joker's serum. The serum's healing factor revives Digger, who is cured of his massive full-body burns and ready to attack the Flash at Iron Heights
prison. However, once there, he is choked unconscious by a Jokerized Pied Piper
.
, father of Tim Drake. Digger had been sent by the real killer
to attack Jack Drake, only the killer double-crossed Digger and sent Drake a warning and a pistol to defend himself; the killer later defended the action by saying that Boomerang was hired because he was such an incompetent that Jack would only need to pull the trigger and he would be safe. Digger managed to kill Drake but not before he was shot himself.
, during the "Rogue War" storyline, when Jesse used unspecified technology to temporarily revive Boomerang in an attempt to find out information about the Rogues' current hideout. However, Jesse was called away due to the latest attack by the Rogues before Harkness's revival, meaning that the only person present when Harkness was briefly reanimated was Ashley Zolomon, the estranged wife of Hunter Zolomon
(a former Reverse-Flash
), who had been brought in based on her expertise in dealing with Rogues. During his brief return to life, Harkness asked Ashley to tell his son that he loved him and warn him never to reveal his mother's real name out of fear that the Rogues would kill him.
, and he joins the reanimated Jack and Janet Drake, John and Mary Grayson, Tony Zucco
, and the original Batman's deceased rogues gallery members in an attempt to take the life of the current Batman
and Red Robin
. They are met with interference from Deadman
, who had possessed the body of the demon Etrigan. Their attack is ultimately called off when Batman and Red Robin cryogenically freeze themselves, leaving no emotions for the Black Lanterns to target.
Harkness later joins other reanimated members of the Rogues to target their still-living members. However, the battle results a draw
on both side. Harkness' son, Owen, arrives and takes him away from the battle, believing he can bring his father back. Digger convinces his son that he needs to feed upon the living in order to live so Owen lures people (such as newcomer villain Sandblast) to a pit at a construction site where Digger is waiting. The Rogues track Owen down, Captain Cold berating him on how foolish he is to believe Digger's lies. When they discover the remains of a family nearby, Captain Cold reminds Owen that "the Rogues don't kill women or children." He shoves Owen into the pit where Digger rips out his son's heart. A black ring then flies down to make Owen a Black Lantern. The Black Lantern Harkness and his son are then encased in ice by Captain Cold. Digger manages to escape and join in the mass battle against the heroes where he is brought back to life, in full health, and in much better shape then he was at the time of his death. He appears confused as to what has going on before being knocked out by the Flash.
prologue, Digger is seen locked in his Iron Heights cell. Digger is visited by Tim Drake
, whose father, Jack Drake
, Harkness murdered. Tim tells him if he tries to escape, he wills manhunt him, while Tim begins to walk away. He's given a message from Captain Cold saying that if he wants to be one of the Rogues again, he has to prove it by escaping from prison on his own. After being beaten by guards, Digger is being seen to in the medical bay when he suddenly finds himself able to create boomerangs out of energy that explode on contact. While not understanding where this new power came from, Digger uses it to escape Iron Heights and attacks the Renegades while they are trying to apprehend the Flash for murdering Mirror Monarch. Shortly after, he finds himself confronting a wounded Flash.
Captain Boomerang is at one point contacted by the Entity
, who instructs him to throw a boomerang at Dawn Granger
. After seeing the vision his powers go out of control, causing him to attack everyone, including his fellow Rogues. Afterwards Captain Boomerang sneaks into Iron Heights, where Professor Zoom is locked up. Boomerang released him, in hopes that he might help him better understand his version of the Entity's message. However, Professor Zoom refused to answer and escaped as Digger was confronted by the Rogues. Captain Cold beats up Digger for freeing Professor Zoom, Digger explains to him an importance from the Entity's message. Later, Captain Boomerang is contacted once again by the Entity who tells him that he must complete his task, prompting Digger to travel to Star City
forest who by now is surrounded by a white barrier. While there Captain Boomerang discovers that he's the only one who can enter the forest. Within the forest, Captain Boomerang finds Dawn and throws a boomerang at her. Hawk
; however, fails to catch the boomerang and instead the boomerang is caught by Deadman, who ended up dying in the process and Hawk is left to knock Captain Boomerang unconscious. After the Entity proclaims Captain Boomerang has completed his task, and his life is restored to him, the Entity reveals to them that the boomerang was a part a plan to free Hawk from his role as an avatar of war from the Lords of Chaos: his act of saving Dawn would have broken hold the Lords of Chaos have on Hawk and allow Hank to be true to himself.
In the aftermath of "Brightest Day", Captain Boomerang lost his Black Lantern abilities; however, he seeks out a way to regain this lost power, he eventually steals the plausible deniability in Gotham City, but he is prevented by Red Robin
, who is stalking him. During the struggle, Red Robin, who had lost his father due to Captain Boomerang allows him to live and leave him in the police custody.
, he was at the end of his rope looking for a job to put him on the map again.
During this time Harkness finally reached out to the son he abandoned, Owen Mercer. The two began to bond when Harkness accepted a contract to kill Robin's father Jack Drake
, he succeeded in the contract but was killed by Drake himself. The sudden loss of Harkness caused Mercer to take up his father's mantle as Captain Boomerang. Captain Cold
took Mercer in as one of the Flash's enemies, the Rogues Gallery
because Cold believed his sister, Golden Glider
, was Mercer's mother. It was revealed in the Flash's title that Mercer's mother is actually Meloni Thawne
which makes Bart Allen
his half-brother. He has since then reformed and joined the Outsiders
and has attempted to start a relationship with Supergirl
, but left the Outsiders to help the Suicide Squad hunt his half-brother Bart's killers. Owen was finally killed by Black Lantern version of his father during the Blackest Night, the Black Lantern version of his father having tricked Owen into providing him with fresh victims in the belief that it would restore him to life.
He had also been shown to be able to hurl his body like a boomerang, giving him the ability to cover more ground than just jumping, but not enough to qualify as flight.
Upon his resurrection, Digger finds he has the ability to create boomerangs out of energy that explode on contact. However this new ability is lost when he completes the task given by the White Lantern Entity.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the . A supervillain traditionally portrayed as an enemy of the Flash. The character's son, Owen Mercer
Owen Mercer
Captain Boomerang is a comic book superhero existing in the DC Comics' main shared universe. He is the son of the original Captain Boomerang and Meloni Thawne....
, later assumed the title of Captain Boomerang.
Early life
Secretly the illegitimate son of an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier and an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n woman, Harkness was raised in poverty, during which time he developed great skill in making boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
s, and in using them as weapons. As a young adult, he was hired as a performer and boomerang promoter by a toy company which was, unbeknownst to him, owned by his biological father. Audiences ridiculed him, and a resentful Harkness turned to using his boomerangs for crime. He originally became Captain Boomerang as a mascot for a Toy Company and briefly pretended another man was impersonating him, showing his 'parents', (really other crooks) to the Flash after the Flash caught him next to a crime scene. He nearly succeeded in killing Flash after knocking him out with a boomerang, then tying the Flash to a giant boomerang he fired, so that it was sent into space then fell into the ocean, but Flash vibrated so fast and increased the boomerang's velocity so much he was able to free himself from his friction-proof bonds and jail his foe and the two crooks.
Although he lacked any actual superhuman abilities, he became a recurring enemy of the Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
, typically by devising altered boomerangs which could produce astonishing effects (some would explode, others had razor-sharp edges, etc.), and using them ruthlessly. He became a staple member of the Rogues
Rogues (comics)
Some of the enemies of the comic book superhero the Flash, led by Captain Cold, constitute a loose criminal association who refer to themselves as the Rogues, disdaining the use of the term "supervillain" or "super-criminal"....
, a group of villains dedicated to opposing Flash, and who were first organized after Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
broke them out of jail. Though captured when Flash made their weapons hit each other, they continued to act together.
Throughout the first several years of the character's existence, Captain Boomerang spoke with no discernible accent. Beginning in the late 1980s he developed an Australian accent.
Suicide Squad
Later on, Harkness became a less-than-effective member of the Suicide SquadSuicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...
in exchange for being pardoned for his crimes. However, Captain Boomerang's grating personality and blatant racism (among other things, he constantly referred to black team member Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a martial artist who first appeared in Dragon's Fists, a novel by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry, starring Richard Dragon. His first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter.-Early years:Ben Turner comes...
as an "abbo") caused considerable friction among his teammates, and he was considered to be a dangerous, vicious, cowardly and undependable member of the team—dysfunctional even by the Squad's standards and the equivalent of a class clown.
Amanda Waller
Amanda Waller
Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is a character published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne...
, the Squad's commanding officer, characterized Captain Boomerang as "a jerk and a screw-up." This was not an undeserved reputation, as, among other things, Harkness simply watched as his teammate Mindboggler was shot in the back, even while he could have easily saved her. (Mindboggler had earlier used her mind-manipulating abilities on Harkness to shut him up when he was verbally abusing another team member.) He also manipulated another team member, Slipknot
Slipknot (comics)
Slipknot is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. His first appearance is in Fury of Firestorm #28.-Fictional character biography:Slipknot's real name is Christopher Weiss...
, into running away from the action just to see if the explosive bracelets the Squad members wore really did activate if the wearer attempted to escape. (Unfortunately for Slipknot, they did). He was scared to learn Ifrit, an artificial intelligence used by the rival team the Jihad, had been created based upon Mindboggler's thought patterns, and revealed what had happened.
While in the Squad, Harkness also briefly took up the mantle of Mirror Master
Mirror Master
Mirror Master is a fictional character and a supervillain in the DC Universe. He is a recurring foe of the Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Four individuals have donned the guise of Mirror Master...
to commit robberies. However, this career was cut short when he was caught and brought to Waller, who put an end to it by tricking him into a fake assault scene where he was forced to change constantly between Mirror Master and Captain Boomerang. She rescinded the benefits Harkness had been given such as his apartment in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and his status as a voluntary member of the Squad.
Many times Digger would have to be tricked into battle, but when faced with enemies he proved more than competent in upholding his end of the fight. Harkness also would play a few undercover roles for the squad, convincingly managing to be other slimy, criminal types. Later, Digger would try a simple series of pranks for amusement, hitting various members of the Squad with pies. For a time, suspicion had been diverted from him because had used his skills to pie himself, seemingly being hit by the 'assailant' from behind a wall. When the Squad confronted Digger as the culprit, he lost his temper and shouted that they could not really punish him since he was already in prison and in the Suicide Squad. He asked Waller, "What are you going to do about it, Fat Lady?!" Waller dropped him from a helicopter onto a deserted island.
Due to various events, mainly Waller breaking many rules by having a criminal gang ruthlessly gunned down, the Squad broke up for a year. When Waller was approached again because she was needed, she reformed the team and had Digger picked up. He was, at the time, trying to construct a massive boomerang to take him to mainland.
Harkness revealed a deep patriotism for his home country of Australia, though his countrymen do not care at all for him, and a tremendous fear of being laughed at. Teammate Deadshot commented he often wished he had killed Harkness, most notably after his drinking left them to miss a plane and to Deadshot losing his uniform and entering a depressive phase because of it. Ironically, when Boomerang pulled strings to have the suit restored to Deadshot, Lawton's psyche had passed into a phase that led him to loathe it. Harkness remained with the Squad until it was disbanded after a successful mission in Diabloverde.
However, despite being a somewhat trusted employee, Harkness still was quite amoral and greedy, selling out Adam Cray, the Atom, for half a million dollars.
Other appearances
Digger later showed up in Superboy with another Squad. While on a mission to destroy an underwater criminal hideout, he was shot through the hands by Deadshot and apparently fell to his death.He later appeared in the pages of Flash with cybernetic hands. Alongside four other Rogues, given a chance by fellow Rogue Abra Kadabra
Abra Kadabra (comics)
Abra Kadabra is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe and an enemy of the Flash. He first appeared in Flash #128 and was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino.-Fictional character biography:...
to become much more than they ever were. Unfortunately for Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold
Captain Cold
Captain Cold, real name Leonard Snart, is a comic book villain created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino as one of the archenemies of Flash. He is a leader of the Rogues...
, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard
Weather Wizard
Weather Wizard is a fictional DC Comics supervillain. The Weather Wizard first appeared in Flash #110 .- Early life :...
, and Heat Wave
Heat Wave (comics)
Heat Wave is a fictional villain in the DC Universe and a primary foe of the Flash.-Fictional character biography:Born on a farm outside Central City, Mick Rory became fascinated with fire, as a child. This fascination turned into an obsession and one night, he set his family's home ablaze...
, Kababra's promise of glory was actually a ruse to free Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...
and empower himself. Neron then resurrects the five Rogues, superpowering them and sending then on a bloody rampage that destroys much of Flash's hometown and kills thousands. Eventually, the Flash and Linda Park free the Rogues; the dead are restored to life.
After being restored to life, Boomerang and the Rogues, along with the Trickster, sought out an artifact that would protect them from Neron should he ever take an interest in them again. The Trickster accompanied them to help an old ex-girlfriend recover her kidnapped son. In the end, the Trickster found the boy, who turned out to not only be the prophesied agent of a god, but also the Trickster's son. He was also able to convince Neron to leave the Rogues alone, with the Rogues either coming away darker from their experiences, or seeking enlightenment, like Heat Wave, who retired with the monks.
Captain Boomerang is also involved with the Joker: Last Laugh event. After having suffered a mishap with one of his exploding boomerangs, Digger is transferred by ambulance to Keystone City. En route, the ambulance is attacked by a Jokerized Deadshot
Deadshot
Deadshot is a fictional character, a supervillain/assassin in the DC Universe and an enemy of Batman. He first appears in Batman #59 and was created by Bob Kane, David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz....
, who decides to lend his old pal a hand by injecting him with Joker's serum. The serum's healing factor revives Digger, who is cured of his massive full-body burns and ready to attack the Flash at Iron Heights
Iron Heights
Iron Heights Penitentiary is a fictional setting in the , a maximum-security prison which houses the many Flash rogues and superhuman criminals of Keystone City and Central City when captured...
prison. However, once there, he is choked unconscious by a Jokerized Pied Piper
Pied Piper (comics)
Pied Piper is a fictional character in the DC Universe. He first appeared in the pages of The Flash #106 .-Fictional character biography:...
.
Identity Crisis
Captain Boomerang was killed in the Identity Crisis miniseries by Jack DrakeJack Drake
Jack Drake is a fictional character from DC Comics books, specifically the Batman titles. Jack is the father of Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin and the current Red Robin.-Initial history and family:...
, father of Tim Drake. Digger had been sent by the real killer
Jean Loring
Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
to attack Jack Drake, only the killer double-crossed Digger and sent Drake a warning and a pistol to defend himself; the killer later defended the action by saying that Boomerang was hired because he was such an incompetent that Jack would only need to pull the trigger and he would be safe. Digger managed to kill Drake but not before he was shot himself.
"Rogue War"
Digger was later temporarily revived by Agent James Jesse, the former TricksterTrickster (comics)
The Trickster is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics supervillains that are both enemies of the Flash. The original Trickster first appeared in Flash #113 , while the second debuted in Flash #183 .-James Jesse:The original Trickster is a practical joker and conman whose favorite...
, during the "Rogue War" storyline, when Jesse used unspecified technology to temporarily revive Boomerang in an attempt to find out information about the Rogues' current hideout. However, Jesse was called away due to the latest attack by the Rogues before Harkness's revival, meaning that the only person present when Harkness was briefly reanimated was Ashley Zolomon, the estranged wife of Hunter Zolomon
Zoom (comics)
Zoom is a fictional comic book supervillain from the DC Comics universe. He is primarily associated with the superhero Wally West, the third Flash and is the third of the Reverse-Flashes...
(a former Reverse-Flash
Reverse-Flash
Reverse-Flash is a title that has been taken by three supervillains in DC Comics. All of them have super-speed and are enemies of the Flash dynasty.-Golden Age:...
), who had been brought in based on her expertise in dealing with Rogues. During his brief return to life, Harkness asked Ashley to tell his son that he loved him and warn him never to reveal his mother's real name out of fear that the Rogues would kill him.
"Blackest Night"
In Blackest Night crossover, his remains are reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern CorpsBlack Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
, and he joins the reanimated Jack and Janet Drake, John and Mary Grayson, Tony Zucco
Tony Zucco
Anthony "Tony" Zucco is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He was introduced in Detective Comics #38 and is best known for his connections to the origin of Robin.-Pre-Crisis:...
, and the original Batman's deceased rogues gallery members in an attempt to take the life of the current Batman
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
and Red Robin
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
. They are met with interference from Deadman
Deadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
, who had possessed the body of the demon Etrigan. Their attack is ultimately called off when Batman and Red Robin cryogenically freeze themselves, leaving no emotions for the Black Lanterns to target.
Harkness later joins other reanimated members of the Rogues to target their still-living members. However, the battle results a draw
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
on both side. Harkness' son, Owen, arrives and takes him away from the battle, believing he can bring his father back. Digger convinces his son that he needs to feed upon the living in order to live so Owen lures people (such as newcomer villain Sandblast) to a pit at a construction site where Digger is waiting. The Rogues track Owen down, Captain Cold berating him on how foolish he is to believe Digger's lies. When they discover the remains of a family nearby, Captain Cold reminds Owen that "the Rogues don't kill women or children." He shoves Owen into the pit where Digger rips out his son's heart. A black ring then flies down to make Owen a Black Lantern. The Black Lantern Harkness and his son are then encased in ice by Captain Cold. Digger manages to escape and join in the mass battle against the heroes where he is brought back to life, in full health, and in much better shape then he was at the time of his death. He appears confused as to what has going on before being knocked out by the Flash.
"Brightest Day"
During the Brightest DayBrightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
prologue, Digger is seen locked in his Iron Heights cell. Digger is visited by Tim Drake
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
, whose father, Jack Drake
Jack Drake
Jack Drake is a fictional character from DC Comics books, specifically the Batman titles. Jack is the father of Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin and the current Red Robin.-Initial history and family:...
, Harkness murdered. Tim tells him if he tries to escape, he wills manhunt him, while Tim begins to walk away. He's given a message from Captain Cold saying that if he wants to be one of the Rogues again, he has to prove it by escaping from prison on his own. After being beaten by guards, Digger is being seen to in the medical bay when he suddenly finds himself able to create boomerangs out of energy that explode on contact. While not understanding where this new power came from, Digger uses it to escape Iron Heights and attacks the Renegades while they are trying to apprehend the Flash for murdering Mirror Monarch. Shortly after, he finds himself confronting a wounded Flash.
Captain Boomerang is at one point contacted by the Entity
White Lantern Corps
The White Lantern Corps is a fictional organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics.-History:The first White Lantern Corps member was created when Sinestro of Korugar bonded with The Entity, the embodiment of life itself...
, who instructs him to throw a boomerang at Dawn Granger
Hawk and Dove
Hawk and Dove is the moniker given to two superheroes when they team up to fight crime. Hawk and Dove describes each character's attitude or approach to fighting crime. The hawk represents aggression, and the dove representing pacifism.-Hank and Don Hall:...
. After seeing the vision his powers go out of control, causing him to attack everyone, including his fellow Rogues. Afterwards Captain Boomerang sneaks into Iron Heights, where Professor Zoom is locked up. Boomerang released him, in hopes that he might help him better understand his version of the Entity's message. However, Professor Zoom refused to answer and escaped as Digger was confronted by the Rogues. Captain Cold beats up Digger for freeing Professor Zoom, Digger explains to him an importance from the Entity's message. Later, Captain Boomerang is contacted once again by the Entity who tells him that he must complete his task, prompting Digger to travel to Star City
Star City (comics)
Star City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, best known as the traditional home of the superheroes known by, or affiliated with, the shared alias of the Green Arrow...
forest who by now is surrounded by a white barrier. While there Captain Boomerang discovers that he's the only one who can enter the forest. Within the forest, Captain Boomerang finds Dawn and throws a boomerang at her. Hawk
Hank Hall
Hank Hall is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe who first appeared in Showcase #75 as Hawk of Hawk and Dove. He later became the supervillain Monarch in the crossover event limited series Armageddon 2001...
; however, fails to catch the boomerang and instead the boomerang is caught by Deadman, who ended up dying in the process and Hawk is left to knock Captain Boomerang unconscious. After the Entity proclaims Captain Boomerang has completed his task, and his life is restored to him, the Entity reveals to them that the boomerang was a part a plan to free Hawk from his role as an avatar of war from the Lords of Chaos: his act of saving Dawn would have broken hold the Lords of Chaos have on Hawk and allow Hank to be true to himself.
In the aftermath of "Brightest Day", Captain Boomerang lost his Black Lantern abilities; however, he seeks out a way to regain this lost power, he eventually steals the plausible deniability in Gotham City, but he is prevented by Red Robin
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
, who is stalking him. During the struggle, Red Robin, who had lost his father due to Captain Boomerang allows him to live and leave him in the police custody.
Owen Mercer
During the beginning of Identity Crisis, Harkness, now overweight and burnt out, found himself an obsolete villain in the modern world of supervillains. Regularly going up to the supervillain satellite looking for jobs, asking favors from the CalculatorCalculator (comics)
The Calculator is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Detective Comics #463 , and he was created by Bob Rozakis and Mike Grell.-Publication history:...
, he was at the end of his rope looking for a job to put him on the map again.
During this time Harkness finally reached out to the son he abandoned, Owen Mercer. The two began to bond when Harkness accepted a contract to kill Robin's father Jack Drake
Jack Drake
Jack Drake is a fictional character from DC Comics books, specifically the Batman titles. Jack is the father of Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin and the current Red Robin.-Initial history and family:...
, he succeeded in the contract but was killed by Drake himself. The sudden loss of Harkness caused Mercer to take up his father's mantle as Captain Boomerang. Captain Cold
Captain Cold
Captain Cold, real name Leonard Snart, is a comic book villain created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino as one of the archenemies of Flash. He is a leader of the Rogues...
took Mercer in as one of the Flash's enemies, the Rogues Gallery
Rogues (comics)
Some of the enemies of the comic book superhero the Flash, led by Captain Cold, constitute a loose criminal association who refer to themselves as the Rogues, disdaining the use of the term "supervillain" or "super-criminal"....
because Cold believed his sister, Golden Glider
Golden Glider
The Golden Glider is a DC Comics supervillain, the sister of Captain Cold and an enemy of The Flash. She first appeared in Flash #250 and was murdered in Flash vol.2 #113...
, was Mercer's mother. It was revealed in the Flash's title that Mercer's mother is actually Meloni Thawne
Meloni Thawne
Meloni Thawne-Allen is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, and the mother of the superhero Impulse. She first appeared in Impulse #23...
which makes Bart Allen
Bart Allen
Bartholomew "Bart" Allen is a superhero in the . Allen first appeared as the superhero Impulse. He would later go on to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Allen's first cameo appearance was in The Flash #91, while his first full appearance was in issue #92...
his half-brother. He has since then reformed and joined the Outsiders
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
and has attempted to start a relationship with Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
, but left the Outsiders to help the Suicide Squad hunt his half-brother Bart's killers. Owen was finally killed by Black Lantern version of his father during the Blackest Night, the Black Lantern version of his father having tricked Owen into providing him with fresh victims in the belief that it would restore him to life.
Powers and abilities
Captain Boomerang carries a number of boomerangs in his satchel. He is an expert at throwing the weapons and as well as ordinary Boomerangs he has a number with special properties, including bladed, explosive, incendiary, and electrified boomerangs.He had also been shown to be able to hurl his body like a boomerang, giving him the ability to cover more ground than just jumping, but not enough to qualify as flight.
Upon his resurrection, Digger finds he has the ability to create boomerangs out of energy that explode on contact. However this new ability is lost when he completes the task given by the White Lantern Entity.
Television
- A character dressed as Captain Boomerang made an appearance in the Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
episode "Eclipsed", an actor in a commercial the Flash was starring in.
- The George Harkness version of Captain Boomerang appeared in the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Task Force X" voiced by Donal GibsonDonal GibsonDonal Gibson is an American actor, and younger brother of award-winning actor and director Mel Gibson.Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York. Donal has done voice acting in shows like ReBoot and Justice League Unlimited...
. as a member of Task Force XSuicide SquadThe Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...
led by Rick FlagRick FlagRick Flag is the name of three fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are father, son, and grandson.The father, Richard Flag was in the original Suicide Squad, a World War II unit. After the war he was a member of Task Force X. The son, Rick Flag Jr...
. In "Flash and Substance," Captain Boomerang was released from Task Force X as the U.S. Government said he was "reformed." Captain Boomerang joins up with other Central City villains to destroy The Flash. In that episode, he appears in a streamlined, trench-coated version of his traditional costume. In both appearances, Boomerang's character is defined by his fiscal frugality; he almost gives Task Force X away by refusing to part with 75 cents ("75 cents is 75 cents. I'm supposed to throw away money?"), and he badgers his fellow Flash rogues for cost assistance with his giant boomerang. - In the SmallvilleSmallville (TV series)Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
episode Warrior, Chloe SullivanChloe SullivanChloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
receives a text message from Green ArrowGreen ArrowGreen Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
about a "maniac with boomerangs". - During a segment on Conan, Conan O'BrienConan O'BrienConan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
discussed with Peter Girardi (Creative Director of Warner Bros. AnimationWarner Bros. AnimationWarner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
) characters from DC Comics that sucked. One of the characters discussed was Captain Boomerang. - Captain Boomerang appears in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
voiced by John DiMaggioJohn DiMaggioJohn William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
. In "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster," He is shown in a flashback where he has Flash strapped to a giant boomerang only for Batman to free Flash who defeats Captain Boomerang. In "Four Star Spectacular," Flash saves Batman from Captain Boomerang.
Video Games
- Captain Boomerang appears in DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
, voiced by Shanon Weaver. He appears as a Tech dealer in the Hall of Doom. Though it is identified as "Digger" Harkness, the model of the character appears to be Owen Mercer.