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Green Arrow
Alias: Oliver Queen
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Secret Origin of Green Arrow
Roy Harper meets Green Arrow and becomes his sidekick in MORE FUN COMICS #73 |
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Millionaire industrialist Oliver Queen fell overboard from a yacht and found himself stranded on a remote island. There, he learned how to survive by crafting a crude bow and arrow for hunting and fishing. He later was rescued and attended a masquerade charity ball as Robin Hood, where he thwarted a robbery using his newly-acquired archery skills. Hooked on adventure, Queen defended Star City by becoming the crime-battling bowman know as Green Arrow.
Later losing his fortune, Queen became a political activist and fought against social injustice. He also joined the Justice League, where he met and fell in love with Black Canary. Through the years, Green Arrow has become the “voice of the people” among his godlike superhuman companions.
Green Arrow & Roy Harper
Early in his career, Green Arrow took on a young sidekick - Roy Harper - an orphaned boy raised on a Navajo reservation. Green Arrow was Roy Harper's idol, and the Emerald Archer learned of the boy’s archery skills. At an archery contest that Green Arrow was judging, Roy was given arrows with magnetized lodestone tips, which caused him to miss the elimination shot. Even through Roy lost the contest, he helped Green Arrow capture some crooks who were attempting a burglary of one of the reservations' main employers. The young archer got off a shot before Green Arrow – thus proving he was ‘speedier.'
Roy Harper becomes Speedy - as retold in the ARSENAL mini-series [1998] |
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Roy was asked by Green Arrow to become his partner, and when Brave Bow died, Roy became Oliver Queen's ward. Roy was given a costume and a set of trick arrows similar to Green Arrow's and became known as Speedy. The two embarked on a career of crime-fighting.
After the first disbanding of the Teen Titans, Speedy found himself somewhat at loose ends. Green Arrow had been going through some great changes in his personal life, losing his personal fortune in a fraudulent business deal and beginning his long-standing romance with Black Canary. Without Wonder Girl and the Titans to keep him occupied, and despondent over his guardian's seeming lack of interest, Roy turned to drugs. He took the trust money that Oliver had set up for him and spent it on heroin. Roy at first fooled Green Arrow into thinking he was working ‘on the inside' to bust up a drug ring. Soon enough, his secret was exposed. Black Canary and Green Lantern helped Roy overcome his addiction.
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Roy becomes hooked on Heroin - as told in the classic tale "Snowbirds Don't Fly" in GREEN LANTERN #85-86 [1971] |
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Roy began working with various anti-drug programs to help other addicts find a cure as he had, but his relationship with his mentor remained strained. When the first group of Titans disbanded for good, Roy said, "we're still a good fighting team, Ollie ... but I guess that's ALL we are, now. Too much bad water under the bridge ... too many things we SHOULD have said once, but DIDN'T ... now, it's just too late, you know ?" "Yeah, kid," Ollie answers. "I guess I've ALWAYS known."
When Roy found his own identity as Arsenal, he began to slowly forgive Ollie for neglecting him as a teenager. Confident and secure, Arsenal was able to ‘team-up’ with Green Arrow again, when the situation arose. And when the Justice League of America reformed after the Infinite Crisis, Green Arrow stepped down – allowing Arsenal to be invited to the League. Ollie secretly gave Roy a costume, prompting Arsenal to change his codename to Red Arrow, in honor of the "family name." It was a “graduation day” not just for Roy, but for Ollie as well - both of them are finding their identities in that moment.
Green Arrow & Mia Dearden
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THE ARROW CLAN
Art by Clayton Crain |
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Mia Dearden was born into a troubled family with an abusive father. She ran away from home when she was still very young and ended up in Star City, home to Green Arrow. In Star City she hooked up with a man named Richard, who quickly became her pimp, turning Mia to a life of prostitution. Eventually, Ollie saved Mia and took her under his wing, letting her stay at his home.
Mia fantasized that she would one day become Green Arrow's new crime-fighting partner and began taking up practice with the bow. Once the Emerald Archer learned of her desire, he nipped it in the bud, instead emphasizing that she concentrate on her academic studies. Mia began to work after classes in the Star City Youth Recreational Center with Queen and Ollie's son, Connor. When Mia tested positive for HIV, she was more determined than ever to do something special with her life. Green Arrow felt he at last owed it to Mia to give her a chance. Mia became sidekick to Green Arrow as the second Speedy.
Green Arrow is the world's greatest archer. During the early days of his career, he relied on specially gimmicked arrows, but he now uses conventional shafts exclusively. He is also an extraordinary tracker, hunter, and hand-to-hand combatant.
More Fun Comics #73: Green Arrow takes Speedy as a sidekick.
Green Lantern #85-86 [1971]: Green Arrow, Green Lantern and Black Canary begin working together, leaving Speedy without much support; Speedy becomes hooked on heroin; Green Lantern and Black Canary help Speedy overcome his addiction. Although this story appears during the Teen Titans series, this story takes place [chronologically] AFTER events of Teen Titans #43.
Action #436 [1972]: Back-Up feature. Green Arrow catches up with Roy Harper, who has been doing his crimefighting in plainclothes - as well as joined a rock band called Great Frog.
Green Arrow #1-10 [2001-2002]: Oliver Queen, reemerges after years of being assumed dead. But many people, including Black Canary, his ex-lover, Arsenal, his ex-partner, Connor Hawke, his son and temporary successor and Batman, the Darknight Detective, want to know how Green Arrow survived the exploding airplane and where he has been.
Green Arrow #16-21 [2002-2003]: Oliver Queen had been dead to the world. He'd been buried, mourned and then miraculously resurrected. Now, Oliver embarks on a personal quest and it begins with a question: who attended his funeral.
Justice League of America #7 [2007]: Arsenal officially joins the Justice League and adopts the new identity of Red Arrow. Green Arrow secretly gives Roy the Red Arrow costume.
DC Universe Role-Playing Games: Sourcebooks and Manuals [ West End Games], DC Secret Files, supplemented by titanstower.com
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Black Canary
Alias: Dinah Lance |
Secret Origin of Black Canary
Young Dinah Lance thrilled to the exploits of her mother, Black Canary, one of the world’s first crime-fighting heroines. Although her mother actively discouraged Dinah from braving such a risk-filled life, she trained in secret with her “uncles” in the Justice Society. During her training, Dinah learned she possessed a meta-human power: an ultrasonic scream that would later be known as her “canary cry.” Defying her mother’s wishes, Dinah assumed the Black Canary identity and embarked on a colorful career in crime-fighting.
As a member of the Justice League of America, Black Canary met and fell in love with the roguish archer, Green Arrow. Later, Black Canary came into her own as a member of Oracle’s Birds of Prey. Dinah’s expert martial arts skills, sharp instincts and team spirit have earned her the respect of the entire super-hero community.
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Arsenal joins the Justice League
in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7 [2007]. |
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Black Canary & Roy Harper
After the first disbanding of the Teen Titans, Speedy found himself somewhat at loose ends. Green Arrow had been going through some great changes in his personal life, losing his personal fortune in a fraudulent business deal and beginning his long-standing romance with Black Canary. Without Wonder Girl and the Titans to keep him occupied, and despondent over his guardian's seeming lack of interest, Roy turned to drugs. He took the trust money that Oliver had set up for him and spent it on heroin. Roy at first fooled Green Arrow into thinking he was working ‘on the inside' to bust up a drug ring. Soon enough, his secret was exposed.
Black Canary helped Roy overcome his addiction, spending long nights with the recovering addict. During that turbulent time, Dinah and Roy formed an unbreakable bond. Indeed, Dinah was more instrumental in helping Roy kick his habit that Ollie was. Through the years, both Roy and Dinah have been hurt by Ollie in different ways; Roy has been emotionally wounded through neglect while Dinah has been devastated through Oliver’s infidelity. The solace and comfort they find in one another has become the touchstone of their unique relationship.
Dinah is also fiercely protective of Roy’s daughter, Lian. To make matters more complicated, Lian’s mother happens to be one of Black Canary’s deadliest enemies, the assassin known as Cheshire.
When Roy Harper joined the Justice League as Red Arrow, it moved Black Canary to tears.
Black Canary is a brilliant detective and a master of several martial arts. She also has the ability to emit a sonic scream, a super-strong sonic concussive blast. She has been known to use a computerized version of her canary cry – small orbs that are timed to release a sonic disturbance.
Green Lantern #85-86 [1971]: Green Arrow, Green Lantern and Black Canary begin working together, leaving Speedy without much support; Speedy becomes hooked on heroin; Green Lantern and Black Canary help Speedy overcome his addiction. Although this story appears during the Teen Titans series, this story takes place [chronologically] AFTER events of Teen Titans #43.
Arsenal #1-4 [October 1998 to January 1999]: Arsenal confronts Vandal Savage in a mini series written by Devin Grayson and drawn by Rick Mays. Guest starring Black Canary and Green Arrow (Connor Hawke). Roy Harper -- former heroin addict and one-time Green Arrow sidekick -- must consider the failures of his past to face the future and find his own niche as Arsenal. But before he can move forward, there's a problem from the past that needs a speedy resolution. Roy's daughter, Lian, has a fatal disorder and the only one that may be able to provide the cure is the villainous immortal, Vandal Savage. Roy Harper's daughter Lian is kidnapped by Savage and Roy learns he is part of the Vandal Savage bloodline.
Green Arrow #1-10 [2001-2002]: Oliver Queen, reemerges after years of being assumed dead. But many people, including Black Canary, his ex-lover, Arsenal, his ex-partner, Connor Hawke, his son and temporary successor and Batman, the Darknight Detective, want to know how Green Arrow survived the exploding airplane and where he has been.
Justice League of America #7 [2007]: Arsenal officially joins the Justice League and adopts the new identity of Red Arrow. Green Arrow secretly gives Roy the Red Arrow costume.
DC Universe Role-Playing Games: Sourcebooks and Manuals [ West End Games], DC Secret Files, supplemented by titanstower.com
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