With CW's "The Flash" and WB's "Suicide Squad" both offering up their own variations of the little-known villain Captain Boomerang, I thought it was only right for I-your gracious and constantly targeted host-to introduce you loyal readers to another version of the bad Cap. Today's Z-Lister is the second Captain Boomerang, Owen Mercer!
Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales created Owen Mercer in "Identity Crisis #2" in 2004. Owen was born in the 30th Century and sent back to the present at an unspecified age and through unspecified means to be raised by a foster mother. His actual mother is Meloni Thawne who is 1. the wife of Barry Allen/The Flash's future son, 2. the descendent of Reverse-Flash, 3. the mother of Bart Allen/Impulse/Kid Flash 2/Flash 4 and 4. the apparent one-time-lover of the first Captain Boomerang. His father-along with being simpler to explain-is George "Digger" Harkness, better known in the DC Universe as Captain Boomerang, a super-villain with a knack for boomerang-related combat. Over the years Digger has fought multiple heroes to use the name "The Flash", was a founding member of the anti-Flash team "The Rogues", and was one of the most prominent members of The Suicide Squad, a government sanctioned team used as disposable soldiers. Around the early 2000's, Digger started getting older, fatter and less respected in the villain community. When he met his son from the future and realized he had abandoned him, Digger saw Owen as the only achievement he had ever made. Digger took his son in and trained him in boomerang skills, dubbing him "Kid Boomerang".
During an assassination attempt on Tim Drake/Robin's father Jack Drake, Digger was shot by Jack just as he threw a boomerang into Jack's heart. Because The Rogues consider themselves a family, the group of villains joined Owen in burying Digger and welcomed Owen into their team as the new Captain Boomerang. After being on The Rogues, The Secret Society of Super-Villains, and The Suicide Squad, Owen eventually had a change of heart and decided to honor his family name by becoming a heroic Captain Boomerang. He joined The Outsiders, a team featuring heroes like Supergirl (who he dated), Nightwing and Black Lightning.
During his time as a hero, Owen had a brief team-up with Robin. This created a tension between the two, seeing as how their father's are both responsible for leaving them orphans. Owen later quit The Outsiders as he grew tired of Batman and Nightwing's constant testing of him and his loyalty. During the event known as Blackest Night, Digger is brought back as a zombified Black Lantern and reunites with his son. Owen has no idea his resurrected father has evil intensions and believes his father's lie when Digger claims he can come back to life is Owen feeds him enough people. Captain Cold and The Rogues find Owen pushing innocent people into a pit where Digger waits and eats whoever is thrown in. When Captain Cold learns that children were tossed in too, he shoves Owen into the pit and Digger rips his son's heart out. Digger emerges from the pit with Owen-who is revived as a Black Lantern zombie-but the father and son are frozen solid by Captain Cold. When the Black Lantern's are defeated, Digger and Owen's souls finally rest.
I really like the concept of this character. Obviously without the "feeding kids to my dead dad" thing, the idea of a hero being the child of a lame villain, feeling pride for his parent, but also using his lessons to do something good is a very warming background. And of course his uneasy alliance with one of the Robins also entertains me. Seeing as how not many people care about the character, I'd be very happy if either CW or WB give one of their Captain Boomerangs a son like this character, especially if they plan on killing the first Cap off. The character could work in the comics again too, I don't really see any difference between Cap between now and back then, so why not? If The Flash is going to have a young sidekick backing him up, it only makes sense that one his villains has one too. Even if, really, Captain Boomerang has no business fighting a dude who can rearrange the universe in a sprint.
Thanks for reading!
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