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 (May 1975) during the Bronze Age of Comics. The character is depicted as an African-American martial artist, considered among the most premier fighters in the world, rivaling his long-time friends 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 trusted 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 (April/May 1975).
Characterization Since the character's publication history, Turner is regarded as one of the greatest martial artist on par with Lady Shiva and Richard Dragon, and portrayed as surpassing Batman in combat. At the times, the character is brainwashed and operates within mercenary circles and acts as a assassin and a world-class spy. As a superhero, the character has operated as a vigilante, befriended both superheroes and villains alike, and a martial arts instructor for heroes who owned a dojo. During his time in the Suicide Squad, he has acted as both field second-in-command and team leader, being an operative not coerced and favored by Amanda Waller.
Fictional character biography Existing since the Bronze Age of Comics, the characters' history has been subjected to some revisions overtime.
In his history prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths, a young Ben Turner trained under the instruction of O-Sensei in Japan. The pair meet a young orphan and thief of American origin, Richard Drakunovski. While having ill-intentions and racist thoughts about Ben, the pair sensed good within him and O-Sensei takes him as a student and overtime, Ben bonds with Richard (later re-christened Richard Dragon) and formulate a close friendship. As adults, the pair are recruited by spymaster Barney Ling of G.O.O.D, an intelligence agency O-Sensei once worked in, becoming special agents and adventurers who use their martial skills for good. After leaving their master's side, they meet his goddaughter Carolyn Woosan, who is kidnapped by the assassin known as Swiss. While shot, Ben survives the ordeal but Carolyn is killed with Dragon implicated, leading to Lady Shiva (Carolyn's sister, Sandra) seeking revenge but when the truth reveals Dragon's innocence, she joins the trio. After being targeted by the League of Assassins upon inheriting land from his deceased sister, he is eventually captured by Professor Ojo and the league, who brainwashed him into the warrior known as Bronze Tiger.
Under the employ of Sensei, the League of Assassins' elite masters, he becomes involved in the death of Kathy Kane and showcased himself in downing Batman with, impressing Sensei despite the brainwashing making him unable to kill upon Sensei's orders. In a rematch with Batman where he performs better, Batman is struck by a poison dart by an ambitious lackey and betrays Sensei for a perceived lack of honor. Injured and outnumbered, Bronze Tiger manages to escape and leaves behind his tiger mask and cowl. While severing his ties with the League, he is betrayed again by Ling, who used his brainwashing to make him a loyal operative and pits him against Dragon to ensure Tiger's loyalty. When his identity is revealed to Dragon in the fight, Ling is revealed to be responsible for ousting Turner to the League and other hired killers and is accidentally pushed out of the window to his death. Dragon then vows to help him overcome his amnesia and brainwashing and begins making progress after seeing various physicians.
Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Bronze Tiger's background and past history has been subjected to differing depictions following Crisis on Infinite Earths; some events would correlate with prior histories and details.
Earlier accounts stated Ben came from an upper-middle-class black neighborhood in Central City. When he was ten years old, he watched a burglar attack his parents and killed the man with a kitchen knife, revealing a powerful anger and hate. To control his inner rage, he turned to martial arts and was a natural prodigy at it but seeking outlets led to encounters with law enforcement and he left America to train under numerous masters, including Kirigi (a Korean martial artist who also trained Batman) who uses him as a tool. Eventually, he trains under O-Sensei, who helps him control his emotions, and meets Richard Dragon, who becomes his life-long friend. The pair eventually left their master's to become field agents under King Faraday's C.B.I. He would later settle down with wife Myoshi, who is killed by the League of Assassins in retaliation for foiling them in the past. Seeking revenge, he is instead captured and brainwashed under the orders of Senei before he constructed a mask to channel his anger into. The brainwashing ensured he obeyed Sensei while wearing the mask.As all revealed in Suicide Squad #38 (1990), written by John Ostrander (plot) and RGreenberger (script). A second account instead casts him as older than Richard Dragon; similarly a master martial artist, he serves as Detroit native Richard Drakunvonski's martial arts master and is both a parental and brother-like figure in his life and is responsible for giving him the "Dragon" moniker.During his tenure in the League of Assassins following his brainwashing, he trains Cassandra Cain and develops a fearsome reputation, with his identity a secret for a time and Sensei ensured he did not take off his mask frequently to keep him docile and loyal. As Bronze Tiger, he became one of the most wanted criminals in the world wanted. Faraday eventually deduces him to his former agent and sets et up a rescue squad of Rick Flag and Nightshade. They retrieved the Tiger, and he was deprogrammed by Amanda Waller, director of Task Force X (known famously as the Suicide Squad). While originally positioning him as the teams' leader, interference from government officials due to racial bias instead makes him second-in-command under Rick Flag Jr. During his tenure, he bonds with teammate Vixen and becomes romantically involved with her and is one of the few members not coerced by Waller nor particularly a supervillain, being one of Waller's few trusted confidantes who enforces her rules. His missions also develops rivalries in Indian martial artist Ravan, modern Japanese samurai Neiko, and was once team leader following Flag's departure and seeming death. Turner is eventually confronted by his superiors about his actions, and in the ensuing meeting, Turner mind snaps and believes himself unfit for redemption for his past.Suicide Squad #38 (February 1990) Leaving and spending some time as a janissary, he is among Waller's reformed roster of the Suicide Squad even as Vixen leaves him and is taunted repeated by Ravan. In the team's last mission, the Squad struggles to free a small island nation from the tyranny of its seemingly immortal ruler. Subjected to hallucinations, he defeats himself, which "exorcsises his demons", and makes him whole before the tyrant is defeated by Waller herself.Suicide Squad #65 (1992), written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale
Shortly after leaving the Squad, Turner is part of Bruce Wayne's search for Jack Drake and Shondra Kinsolving, who had been kidnapped.Knightquest: The Search story arc in the Batman books He teams up with Green Arrow and Gypsy, a member of Justice League Task Force. Gypsy becomes romantically involved with Tiger as he mentors in martial arts. Additionally, at a undefined point in time, he would train numerous students and spent time in underground fighting rings, where he met and had an altercation with Lady Shiva. Including many of those he trained was Dick Grayson (now currently Nightwing). Tiger later aids Dragon in getting a rematch with Shiva as they re-locate to Detroit and attract the attention of the Circle of Six, students of Lady Shiva. Dragon is coerced into stopping them by FBI agent, Barney Ling (a younger, revamped version of the pre-Crisis character), when Ben is ambushed and hospitalized but evidence frames Dragon due to Ling's inteference. When Cassanrdra Cain seeks information on her birth mother, who she (correctly) deduces is Lady Shiva, she tracked down Turner, who has opened his own dojo ("Tiger Dojo"). Both reconcile their histories with one another and he expresses his pride in Cassandra choosing to become a hero. He also aids Batman shortly afterwards to stop a group of villains and avenge his master. While tying to retire once more, he is coaxed back into action by Waller during World War III. Later, he rescues Rick Flag from a secret Quraci prison with a new costume and mask (to prove it no longer held power over him"Not a mistake. We decided he'd be in the mask for a reason. Ben wears it to show that, to paraphrase from The Man In The Iron Mask, he wears the mask - it doesn't wear him (at least, not anymore)." - Nunzio DeFilippis Comic Book Resources Forums, October 24 2006) and Waller later reveled herself as the leaker and enlists their aid in a "rogue" Suicide Squad team, which was run by Flag and Turner at Waller's behest. In one instance of arrest Gotham supervillains, he is gassed by an escaping Scarecrow, revealing a fear of insects. In another time frame, he works with 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 and prevails.
New 52 onwards From the New 52 onwards, the character has a differing background and history; like before, alongside some new information, some accounts also references prior histories from both prior continuities.