Bronze Tiger is a 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 (May 1975) during the Bronze Age of Comics .
54-565: The character is often portrayed as an anti-hero or villain and is commonly depicted as an African-American grandmaster martial artist within the DC Universe alongside related characters, Richard Dragon and Lady Shiva . Turner has gained recognition as one of the premier martial artists, assassins, and spies on Earth. Over time, he has developed close associations with Batman , the League of Assassins , and various other titles and characters in
108-481: 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 (and eventually, crime). After some time, Turner decides to travel to the far East to finally come to terms with his demons. There, he meets the O-Sensei, and studies under him, together with later recruit Richard Dragon . The meeting between Turner and Dragon starts
162-584: A conflict that would eliminate Spyral. Lord also sought to obtain Spyral's Minos file, which contained the secret identities of Justice League members. Ultimately, the Syndicate is defeated by Midnighter. The character is widely regarded as one of the most highly skilled martial artists in the DC Universe . Within this fictional universe, Bronze Tiger's combat abilities are stated to be on par with esteemed martial artists such as Lady Shiva and Richard Dragon. Additionally,
216-486: A diverse range of disciplines, including Boxing, Hapkido , Jeet Kune Do, Silat , Jujutsu, Judo , Karate, Kung Fu, Muay Thai , Wing Chun, and Vale Tudo . It is also worth noting that he has developed defensive techniques for each style, showcasing his comprehensive understanding of martial arts principles. Bronze Tiger also possesses knowledge in harnessing his own qi energy, which allows him to accelerate his healing process. In addition to his combat skills, Bronze Tiger
270-627: A network of allies spanning both sides of the alignment spectrum: As a premier martial artist, Bronze Tiger has trained several other fighters in the DC Universe: Bronze Tiger does not possess any inherent superhuman abilities but is highly proficient in various martial arts styles, renowned for his lightning-fast reflexes. Throughout his training, he has studied under esteemed martial arts masters such as Kirigi, O-Sensei, and Sensei. While specializing in Taekwondo , he has attained expertise in
324-488: 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 (even if they were "expendable"). 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
378-732: A process that Northrop Frye called the fictional "center of gravity". This movement indicated a literary change in heroic ethos from feudal aristocrat to urban democrat, as was the shift from epic to ironic narratives. Huckleberry Finn (1884) has been called "the first antihero in the American nursery". Charlotte Mullen of Somerville and Ross 's The Real Charlotte (1894) has been described as an anti-heroine. The antihero became prominent in early 20th century existentialist works such as Franz Kafka 's The Metamorphosis (1915), Jean-Paul Sartre 's Nausea (1938), and Albert Camus 's The Stranger (1942). The protagonist in these works
432-521: A series of one-shots operating as extra issues to long-since canceled ongoing series). He works with fellow Suicide Squad members Count Vertigo and Rick Flag to bring down a Mexican drug lord. When the Secret Six attempt to break into Belle Reve, Bronze Tiger squares off with Catman to see who is the superior feline-themed martial artist. In the New 52 reboot, Bronze Tiger is a high-ranking grandmaster within
486-586: 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. In
540-454: A zombie army. The deal for the villains is simple: the three will help Waller in killing the LOA and afterward they are set free. The mission succeeds, and Amanda Waller goes to jail on charges of murder, while Ravan leaves for London, where he sets up a 'cyberchurch' as a front for his assassination organization. A year later, Batman kidnaps Ravan from this 'church' (blowing it up in the process) for
594-503: Is an ally of the covert team known as the Dead Bastards, composed of intelligence operatives believed to be deceased. The team carries out black ops missions for Interpol and the CIA , particularly those deemed ethically challenging. Within the storyline, Bronze Tiger assumes the role of a deep-cover sleeper agent, pledging his loyalty to a man who identifies himself as Odysseus. This individual
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#1732851255262648-410: Is an indecisive central character who drifts through his life and is marked by boredom , angst , and alienation . The antihero entered American literature in the 1950s and up to the mid-1960s as an alienated figure, unable to communicate. The American antihero of the 1950s and 1960s was typically more proactive than his French counterpart. The British version of the antihero emerged in the works of
702-403: Is combined with Marvel's Black Panther to form B'Nchalla / Bronze Panther . Antihero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero ) or anti-heroine is a main character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism , and morality . Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions that most of
756-424: Is framed for the murder of Nemesis, and suspicions arise regarding Spyral's activities under the leadership of Helena Bertinelli, also known as Matron. The Syndicate intervenes to prevent a conflict between intelligence agencies. However, when Helena is left with no other choice when she believes that Grayson and Tiger (Agent 1 of Spyral and their top spy) have betrayed her, she forcibly enlists their aid. Consequently,
810-454: Is freed from the mind control and sleeper agent programming that had influenced his actions. Bronze Tiger also appears in the Grayson comic book series, where the character is a member of the Syndicate. The Syndicate is a clandestine group composed of the world's most skilled spies, dedicated to maintaining order among various intelligence agencies. In the series, Dick Grayson, known as Agent 37,
864-532: Is recognized as an effective field leader within the Suicide Squad. He has the ability to gather and utilize available resources to his advantage, displaying his leadership prowess. Moreover, Bronze Tiger is regarded as an expert spy, having been a member of the Syndicate, a council composed of renowned spies. He serves as a valuable informant in the mercenary community, leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience in espionage. In Amalgam Comics , Bronze Tiger
918-476: Is revealed to be Slade Wilson's metahuman father, who employs his powers to seize control of the League of Assassins. Alongside Shiva, Bronze Tiger serves as one of Odysseus' trusted lieutenants. Their objective is to locate Jericho and merge his powers with Odysseus', thereby granting him the ability to manipulate entire populations to his will. Ultimately, Odysseus is killed by his own son, Slade Wilson, and Bronze Tiger
972-616: Is shown on a computer screen being viewed by the second Rustam. Assuming this is true, Ravan nevertheless dies for certain sometime thereafter, though the details are not currently known. During the events of Blackest Night , Ravan's corpse is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps alongside several other fallen Suicide Squad members. Ravan is apparently destroyed by the Manhunter 's self-destruct mechanism when it unleashes an explosion of Green Lantern energy that eradicates
1026-469: Is that the antihero is doomed to fail before their adventure begins. The second constitutes the blame of that failure on everyone but themselves. Thirdly, they offer a critique of social morals and reality. To other scholars, an antihero is inherently a hero from a specific point of view, and a villain from another. This idea is further backed by the addition of character alignments , which are commonly displayed by role-playing games. Typically, an antihero
1080-620: Is the focal point of conflict in a story, whether as the protagonist or as the antagonistic force. This is due to the antihero's engagement in the conflict, typically of their own will, rather than a specific calling to serve the greater good. As such, the antihero focuses on their personal motives first and foremost, with everything else secondary. An early antihero is Homer 's Thersites , since he serves to voice criticism, showcasing an anti-establishment stance. The concept has also been identified in classical Greek drama , Roman satire , and Renaissance literature such as Don Quixote and
1134-477: The World War III event, Bronze Tiger is shown to have retired but is coaxed back into action by Amanda Waller. In Checkmate (vol. 2) Bronze Tiger rescues Rick Flag from a secret Quraci prison, where Flag had been imprisoned for four years. Notably, he is seen wearing a variant of his costume while with the League of Assassins, complete with a tiger head mask (according to writer Nunzio DeFilippis he wears
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#17328512552621188-568: The English poet Lord Byron . Literary Romanticism in the 19th century helped popularize new forms of the antihero, such as the Gothic double . The antihero eventually became an established form of social criticism, a phenomenon often associated with the unnamed protagonist in Fyodor Dostoyevsky 's Notes from Underground . The antihero emerged as a foil to the traditional hero archetype ,
1242-510: 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
1296-698: The Suicide Squad . After dropping above the Sinai Peninsula, they snuck in to the nearby city. They ambush extremists in the midst of an execution and Ravan, contrary to their initial plans, plants an IED device on one of their trucks, leaving only one, badly-burnt survivor. After some interrogation at the house, they request Ravan to know where the resistance leader Khem-Adam was, but he claims to have no idea. After John Diggle convinces him to talk about his location, they arrive at Amon-Shu Caves, fighting off Khem-Adam and his men. Before Nassar could take on Khem-Adam,
1350-455: The Trickster . In Gotham Underground , Bronze Tiger is among the members of the Suicide Squad arresting Two-Face , Mad Hatter , Hugo Strange , and Scarecrow . While frisking Scarecrow, he is gassed by the escaping villain, revealing a previously undiscovered fear of insects. Bronze Tiger appears in a Blackest Night -related one-shot entitled Blackest Night: Suicide Squad #67 (part of
1404-596: The picaresque rogue. An anti-hero that fits the more contemporary notion of the term is the lower-caste warrior Karna , in The Mahabharata . Karna is the sixth brother of the Pandavas (symbolising good ), born out of wedlock, and raised by a lower caste charioteer. He is ridiculed by the Pandavas, but accepted as an excellent warrior by the antagonist Duryodhana , this becoming a loyal friend to him, eventually fighting on
1458-408: The wrong side of the final just war . Karna serves as a critique of the then society, the protagonists, as well as the idea of the war being worthwhile itself – even if Krishna later justifies it properly. The term antihero was first used as early as 1714, emerging in works such as Rameau's Nephew in the 18th century, and is also used more broadly to cover Byronic heroes as well, created by
1512-621: The " angry young men " of the 1950s. The collective protests of Sixties counterculture saw the solitary antihero gradually eclipsed from fictional prominence, though not without subsequent revivals in literary and cinematic form. During the Golden Age of Television from the 2000s and into early 2020s, antiheroes such as Tony Soprano , Gru , Megamind , Jack Bauer , Gregory House , Dexter Morgan , Walter White , Don Draper , Nucky Thompson , Jax Teller , Alicia Florrick , Annalise Keating , Selina Meyer and Kendall Roy became prominent in
1566-656: The American government. He proceeds to develop a strange bond with Bronze Tiger, whom he swears to kill for his earlier defeats, but the two also form an effective team. During the Janus Directive , when Waller must make it seem like she is being controlled by Kobra, she sends the squad after the Force of July ; Ravan kills Mayflower, a respected member of the Force of July. Ravan becomes instrumental in Amanda Waller's plan to finish off
1620-516: The Black Lanterns. A character named Ravan Nassar appears in the non-canonical tie-in Arrow comics, Arrow: Season 2.5 . In 2012, Kahndaq was liberated by A.R.G.U.S. and a multitude of soldiers, leading to the imprisonment of Ravan at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Two years later, an extremist sect named Onslaught began kidnapping and murdering, leading to Lyla Michaels to recruit Ravan for
1674-457: 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 . Waller recruits Turner for the Suicide Squad, setting him up to become the team's leader. Still, he ends up
Bronze Tiger - Misplaced Pages Continue
1728-407: The Bronze Tiger by Professor Ojo , then used by Barney Ling (who turns out to be a traitor). Dragon and Turner prove to be equals in the fight, which only ends when Ling is accidentally knocked out a window. 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. (Central Bureau of Intelligence). Assigned to take down
1782-456: 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,
1836-539: The DC Universe. Notably, he has been involved with the Suicide Squad and served as a love interest for the superheroine Vixen . 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
1890-462: The LOA, a drug-dealing organization. The villains' plan to expose the Squad succeeds, and it is revealed that Mr. Kale, who was seemingly the new boss, was just a front for Amanda Waller who had never left power. With her superiors on the verge of disbanding the Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller gathers Ravan, Poison Ivy , and Deadshot in an assassination mission targeting the LOA, which is planning to create
1944-608: The League of Assassins. Alongside other assassins like Lady Shiva, Cheshire, Rictus, and December Graystone, he kidnaps Jason from the Outlaws. on account Talia al Ghul revealed to him years ago that Jason is the only one capable of stopping the Untitled, who seek the powerful Well of Sins in the League's sacred city. Bronze Tiger and the assassins battle Arsenal, who has been deceived by the Untitled, granting them entry. Although they are initially defeated, Ra's al Ghul absorbs their powers through
1998-405: The Syndicate hunts them down while working to prevent the resurrection of Otto Netz, the dangerous spymaster known as the original Agent Zero. As the Syndicate clashes with Grayson and Tiger at Spyral's headquarters, the true culprit behind Nemesis' murder is revealed to be Maxwell Lord and Checkmate. Lord had utilized double agents Alia (Agent Seven of Spyral) and Tiger to eliminate Nemesis, inciting
2052-406: 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 (December 1988). The nigh-corrupting nature of the Squad eventually leads to Flag's departure and seeming death in
2106-511: The Well of Sins, becoming a powerful entity. Bronze Tiger allows Cheshire to aid the Outlaws due to her feelings for Arsenal, and when Ra's is depowered by Red Hood, he advises him to retreat. Bronze Tiger also features prominently as a major antagonist in the 2014 Deathstroke comic book series. In the "Gods of War" storyline, it is revealed that Bronze Tiger shares a close friendship with the revised version of Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke. He
2160-430: The audience considers morally correct, their reasons for doing so may not align with the audience's morality. Antihero is a literary term that can be understood as standing in opposition to the traditional hero, i.e., one with high social status, well liked by the general populace. Past the surface, scholars have additional requirements for the antihero. The " Racinian " antihero, is defined by three factors. The first
2214-410: The character has been depicted and acknowledged to surpass Batman in the realm of hand-to-hand combat. Within various storylines throughout his publication history, the character has prevailed or contended against various other adversaries of renown martial prowess, including Deathstroke , Black Canary , and Rick Flag Jr . Having collaborated with heroes and villains alike, Bronze Tiger has cultivated
Bronze Tiger - Misplaced Pages Continue
2268-633: The character's voice in other animated adaptations. 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 (April/May 1975). Born as Benjamin Turner, Ben comes from an upper-middle-class black neighborhood in Central City . When he was only 10 years old, he saw
2322-555: The coming of Kali and thereby the Kali Yuga , the Age of Chaos, by killing for Kali. In doing so, he delays the coming of Kali for another thousand years. It is through this practice that he both prevents and worships Kali . His primary enemy is the villain Kobra , who wishes to bring forth the Age of Chaos. Ravan joins the Suicide Squad so he can continue these efforts while actually being sponsored by
2376-447: The ensuing meeting, Turner's mind snaps. He flees, traveling back to the East (leaving Vixen in the process), 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
2430-559: The mask to prove it no longer has any power over him). Afterward, Amanda Waller appears at the Tiger Dojo, revealing to Ben that she leaked the information about Flag's whereabouts. She then enlists their aid in tracking down a supposedly rogue Suicide Squad team, a team which, in reality, was being run by Flag and Turner at Waller's behest. In Countdown #39, Bronze Tiger is among the Suicide Squad members trying to bring in Pied Piper and
2484-532: The most popular and critically acclaimed TV shows. This rise of the modern antihero zeitgeist may explain contemporary political outcomes, such as the popularity of non-traditional populists including Donald J. Trump . In his essay published in 2020, Postheroic Heroes - A Contemporary Image (german: Postheroische Helden - Ein Zeitbild) , German sociologist Ulrich Bröckling examines the simultaneity of heroic and post-heroic role models as an opportunity to explore
2538-534: The new Suicide Squad, again run by Amanda Waller. With this Squad, Ravan goes to Israel to capture Kobra, but Kobra has already been captured by the Israeli government's superteam the Hayoth . Ravan easily manipulates one of their agents, thereby giving him access to their highly advanced A.I. computer Dybbuk. While Kobra's plans are being thwarted by the rest of the Suicide Squad, Ravan faces Kobra in combat, but Kobra has
2592-531: 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. In
2646-517: The place of the heroic in contemporary society. In contemporary art, artists such as the French multimedia artist Thomas Liu Le Lann negotiate in his series of Soft Heroes , in which overburdened, modern and tired Anti Heroes seem to have given up on the world around them. Ravan (comics) Ravan is a fictional DC Comics villain . His first appearance was in Suicide Squad #1 (1987), and
2700-522: The series Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter . Sometime after, they are approached by Barney Ling, from the organization known as G.O.O.D. (Global Organization of Organized Defense), and their (reluctant) working for Ling served as the basis for the Kung Fu Fighter series. A flashback in DC Comics Presents #39 (1981) shows Richard Dragon discovering that Turner has been brainwashed into becoming
2754-427: 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
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#17328512552622808-435: 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
2862-447: The upper hand and is close to killing Ravan. At the last moment, the third Atom appears on the scenes, striking down Kobra. Ravan's last wish is for either him or the Atom to kill Kobra, but Atom denies him that final wish, and as Ravan himself says, he dies unfulfilled in Suicide Squad #47. According to Suicide Squad (vol. 2) #11, however, Ravan is incapacitated rather than deceased, as
2916-550: Was created by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell . Ravan first appears as a member of the villainous mercenary team Jihad (renamed the Onslaught later). In an encounter with the Bronze Tiger his back was broken. He re-appears alongside the Onslaught in Suicide Squad #17, and is recruited for the Suicide Squad in his second encounter with the Bronze Tiger. Part of the thuggee cult, handsome Indian playboy Ravan tries to stop
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