Dossier:: Count Vertigo

Real Name: Count Werner Vertigo (yup, that's his real name)

Alias: Count Vertigo

First Appearance: World's Finest Comics #251

Modus Operandi: Costumed criminal, occasional government operative, former head of state.

Powers/Equipment: Special implant in his inner ear allows Vertigo to disrupt the inner ear of others, upsetting their sense of balance, and inducing nausea. Can also disrupt the aim of gunmen and the guidance system on missiles.

Backstory: Count Werner Vertigo was born into the royal family of the small Eastern European nation of Vlatava. He suffered from a congenital condition of the inner ear that disrupted his balance. Eventually, he had a device installed in his ear canal that compensated for the disorder, allowing him to live a normal life. One day, while tinkering with the device, he learned he could use it to affect the balance of others as well.

He first took up the costume of "Count Vertigo" after his country was invaded and taken over by the Soviet Union. He made his way to Star City, attempting to steal back some of the family jewels his parents had been forced to sell when they fled the country. This marked his first clash with famed archer Green Arrow. It would not be the last.

Later, he joined the government sponsored Suicide Squad, performing dangerous, covert missions for the US Government in exchange for an early release. It was during this period that he began to suffer from severe bi-polar disorder, exacerbated by the drugs that Vlatavan revels, and later villainess Poison Ivy, pumped into his system. His condition worsened to the point that he asked teammate Deadshot to end his life.

Fortunately for Werner, Deadshot suggested he think long and hard about what he was asking for. Werner eventually decided against suicide, realizing that it conflicted with his relgiious beliefs and would ruin his chances at an afterlife. Filled with new purpose, he returned to his nation of birth, and as the last surviving member of the royal family, overthrew the Soviet backed dictatorship and emerged as the country's new ruler.

Unfortunately, this situation was not to last. Soon after taking the throne, his country was visited by an unhinged Spectre, who ended up wiping Vlatava off the map, leaving only Vertigo and one other alive.

After this setback, Werner sought a rematch with Green Arrow. Defeated again, he joined the new Injustice Society, along with nemesis Poison Ivy. He considered killing her, but instead opted to put the feud behind him.

Currently, Count Vertigo works as the White Knight to Amanda Waller's White Queen in the UN sponsored Checkmate organization. His most recent mission was to capture the villains responsible for the death of Bart Allen, the 4th Flash.

Dossier:: Brick

Real Name: Daniel Brickwell

Alias: Brick

First Appearance: Green Arrow vol. 3 #40

Modus Operandi: Super powered crime lord

Powers/Equipment: invulnerability and unspecified amount of super-strength. Criminal genius and ruler of Star City's underworld.

Backstory: Initially a low level enforcer in the Star City underworld, Danny "Brick" Brickwell used his keen criminal mind and impressive physical prowess to become undisputed ruler of the city's criminal element.

Concerned that a new player was horning in on their territory, Star City's current criminal overlords invited Brick to dinner for a chat. They threatened to kill him unless they were given a cut of his profits. In response, he had the building leveled with a missile, killing everyone inside. Except, that is, Danny Brickwell, who used his invulnerability to escape unharmed.

Arrested for murder, Brick proved himself above the law by killing the mayor and district attorney of Star City with a suicide bomber. Still not done, he bribed the new mayor's security detail and had her infant daughter kidnapped. With both the police and Green Arrow unable to find the child, the authorities were forced to release Brick.

Soon after, he was confronted by Green Arrow, who challenged him to a duel for control of the city. Unable to pierce Brick's invulnerable hide with his standard arrows, Ollie fired a fast drying glue arrow straight down the villain's throat. Unable to breath, he quickly gave up, but not before Ollie took the time to gloat over his victory.

After Dr. Light and Merlyn destroyed most of Star City, Green Arrow discovered Brick fighting crime in the ruined sections of the city. After working together to stop the flow of a new drug into the city, Green Arrow discovered that Brick was only fighting certain kinds of crime, namely the ones he wasn't running himself.

Dossier:: Roy Harper

Real Name: Roy Harper

Alias: Speedy, Arsenal, Red Arrow

First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73

Modus Operandi: World class archer, former heroin addict

Powers/Equipment: wide variety of trick arrows similar to Green Arrow, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, skilled with a needle...

Backstory: Roy Harper was orphaned at a young age, but was raised by a kindly Native American named Brave Bow. Brave Bow taught the boy archery, leading him to idolized superhero Green Arrow.

The two would eventually partner up, having many adventures together, with Roy even joining the original Teen Titans. One day, after Ollie had left him to go "see America" with Hal Jordan, Roy joined a band and fell into the wrong crowd. The Green Arrow's horror, his former sidekick has degenerated into a full on heroin junkie. Overreacting, Ollie threw Roy out on the street to fend for himself.

Ollie later felt guilty about what he'd done, and tracked Roy down. He ended up leaving him in the care of his lover, Black Canary. Black Canary nursed Roy through the worst of the withdrawals, but by then it was too late. With too much bad blood between them, Ollie and Roy decided to go their separate ways.

Taking the name Arsenal, Roy joined (and eventually led) a new incarnation of the Teen Titans. Feeling guilty over the death of a teammate, Roy left the Titans, only to join up with the Outsiders shortly thereafter. (During this time period, Ollie returned from the dead, and he and Roy mended fences)

After the last incarnation of the Outsiders fell on hard times, Roy left the group. Before long, he was invited by Hal Jordan to join the newest incarnation of the Justice League, headed by chairwoman and longtime friend Black Canary. Roy accepted, taking the name Red Arrow to honor his adoptive father.

Dossier:: Black Canary

Real Name: Dinah Laurel Lance

Alias: Black Canary, " The Blonde Bombshell"

First Appearance: Flash Comics #86

Modus Operandi: World class martial artist, costumed crime fighter, florist

Powers/Equipment: Deadly sonic scream capable of stunning or even killing opponents. Custom motorcycle.

Backstory: The history of Black Canary is a convoluted one. Originally a Golden Age, WWII era member of the JSA, Dinah grew disillusioned with her home dimension after the death of her husband. After a crossover adventure with the JLA, she decided to stay on Earth 1.

Here, she became a long time member of the JLA, eventually falling for her dashing teammate, Green Arrow. The two became an item soon after.

The story gets a little more complicated after the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Now, the WWII Black Canary and her modern counterpart separate people. In this case, a mother daughter pair. Young Dinah grew up surrounded by super-heroics, and dreamed of taking up the mantle herself one day. Her mother objected, but Dinah soon found herself helping to found the JLA.

One day, while attempting to break up a drug smuggling ring, Dinah was captured and tortured. Her lover, Green Arrow, eventually rescued her, killing her captors in the process. This event would haunt both of them for years to come. As a result of her injuries, Dinah lost her Canary cry, becoming a normal (if exceptionally dangerous) person for the first time.

She and Ollie stayed together for some time, but eventually broke it off after she caught him making out with a Green Arrow groupie. She struck off on her own, joining up with her childhood "aunts" and "uncles" in the JSA. She moved from that to a long stint in Oracle's Birds of Prey organization. (During this period Dinah was exposed to a Lazarus Pit, restoring her Canary Cry).

Eventually, after the death and rebirth of Oliver Queen, the two got back together as a couple. Recently, Ollie asked for Dinah's hand in marriage, and she accepted. Although their wedding interrupted by a super villain attack, and she ended up killing a shapeshifter posing as Green Arrow, the two are now a happy couple. Currently, she's assisting Green Arrow in recovering his son, Connor from unknown kidnappers and serving as the first chairwoman of the Justice League of America.

Dossier: Hal Jordan

Name: Hal Jordan

Alias: Green Lantern II, The Spectre, Parallax

First Appearance: Showcase #22 (October, 1959)

Modus Operandi: current: Interstellar lawman, formerly: agent of God's Vengence, formerly: universe destroying madman, formerly: interstellar lawman, formerly: Air Force pilot

Powers/Equipment: Power ring fuelled by willpower, able to perform any task/action provided that Jordan has sufficient willpower/imagination.

Backstory: Test pilot Hal Jordan's life was changed forever when a dying alien chose him as his replacement in an interglactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps.

Jordan used his new-found abilities to fight crime and evil in his native Coast City, all the while hiding his identity as "Green Lantern" from his loved ones, including his boss/girlfriend Carol Ferris.

Jordan went on to become a founding member of the Justice League, becoming fast (and eventually, best) friends with the quickly recruited Green Arrow. After the two had an arguement over Jordan's niave acceptance of authority in all its forms, the two travelled the country together, righting wrongs and learning about tolerance.

Later, after Superman's death, the villainous Mongul destroyed Jordan's home, Coast City. Driven mad by grief and angry at the Guardians of the universe for denying him the power to restore the city, Jordan went on a rampage, destroying the Green Lantern Corps and stealing their power for himself.

Using his vast power, Jordan planned to remake the universe to his wishes, namely restoring Coast City and forcing law and order on the populace. It was only through the intervention of his best friend, Oliver Queen, that his plan was stopped. Ollie was forced to kill his friend rather than let him carry out his plan, an action that haunted him for years afterward.

Jordan turned out not to be dead (very complicated) and feeling guilty for his actions, sacrificed himself to restart Earth's sun. After his death, he accepted the offer to become the new Spectre, carry out God's wishes and bringing evildoers to justice.

To further complicate matters, Jordan was recently restored to life and regained the mantle of the Green Lantern of Earth. Green Arrow was crucial to his rebirth, having kept a copy of Jordan's ring safe for years and protecting Jordan's replacement Kyle Raynor from a rampaging Sinestro.

The two have since rekindled their friendship, and Jordan has retaken his place on the Justice League along side Ollie's former sidekick, Roy Harper.

Dossier:: Merlyn

Alias: Merlyn

Real Name: Arthur King (groan)

First Appearance: Justice League of America #94

Modus Operandi: Master Archer, Assassin for Hire

Powers/Equipment: Trick Arrows, jetpack hidden in quiver, archer on par with Green Arrow and family.

Backstory: Merlyn first appeared when he challenged and defeated the entire Justice League (off panel, don't ask) in an attempt to fulfill a contract taken out on Batman's life. He was narrowly defeated when the killing arrow was deflected by fellow archer Green Arrow. Shamed by his defeat and unable to return the the League of Assassins, Merlyn became a freelancer.

He did join up with the occasional villain group, including Queen Bee's gang and the mysterious "100," but kept a fairly low profile until the events of Identity Crisis. He was one of the first to realize what Sue Dibney's death would do to the super-villain community, but managed to wiggle out of any consequences due to a connection to Amanda Waller and her government sponsored Suicide Squad.

Merlyn most recently appeared in the pages of Green Arrow vol. 3, just before the "One Year Later" event. As he and Green Arrow battled, Dr. Light set off the explosives they'd both hidden previously. The resulting blast destroyed much of Star City and left Oliver Queen in critical condition. Queen survived his injuries, but as of yet the two have not had a final showdown to settle the score.

Dossier:: Connor Hawke

Name: Connor Hawke

Alias: Green Arrow II

First Appearance: Green Arrow vol. 2 #0

Dossier: Connor Hawke, son of Oliver Queen, first appeared in a special #0 issue of Green Arrow vol. 2. Ollie's son from a youthful tryst, Connor first meets his father (although he doesn't know who he is at the time) while Oliver is seeking refuge from the world at an Eastern Ashram. The two bond, and Ollie teaches the young man what he knows about archery (a lot).

Years (months, weeks? Comic book time is subjective) later, Oliver Queen dies in an explosion. Connor decides to take up the mantle of The Green Arrow, and in the meantime learns of his true relationship with Ollie. Connor would star in the Green Arrow monthly from Ollie's death until the series' cancellation.

Connor also worked a stint in the Justice League, starting in JLA #8. IN his first appearance, he singlehandedly saves the League from the villainous Key. His arrows are destroyed early in the fight, forcing him to use his dad's trick arrows (much to his chagrin). He remains with the League for some time, but eventually leaves as he feels he has no place, as a simple archer, with the cosmically powered JLA.

When Ollie is brought back to life by Hal Jordan, Connor leaves the ashram once again to help his father defeat the dastardly Stanley Dover. Connor was the only person able to enter the building, as only someone related to the people inside (Mia, Ollie, and Stanley) could bypass the mystical barrier erected over the building by the devious mage. Overwhelmed by the demons summoned by Dover, Connor would have fallen had not Oliver Queen's soul (until then happy in heaven) elected to return to his resurrected body to save him.

After this incident, Connor moves in with his dad and serves as a supporting character for the remaining run of the third Green Arrow series. Recently, in the pages of Green Arrow/Black Canary, Connor was shot in the chest by a mysterious gunman and left in a vegetative state. As if that weren't enough, he was recently kidnapped by persons unknown.

Dossier:: Mia Dearden

Name: Mia Dearden

Alias: Speedy II

1st appearance: Green Arrow vol. 3 #2

Modus Operandi: Teen-aged crime fighter, archer extraordinaire.

Power/Equipment: Access to same arsenal of trick arrows as Green Arrow, skilled acrobat and hand to hand combatant. Supremely talented archer.

Affiliations: Arrow Family, Teen Titans

Backstory: After running away from an abusive home, Mia found herself without support and easy prey for the dreges of society. She eventually found herself a "boyfriend," who also let other men have their way with her and collected money in return. Yup, little Mia had found her way into teen prostitution.

After a run-in with Green Arrow and his supposed ally Stanley Dover, Mia became part of the Arrow Family. After training herself in the use of the crossbow (and showing serious talent at it) Ollie finally relented and trained Mia to be the new Speedy. It was around this time that MIa also found out that her days as a prostitute came at a price: Mia is HIV positive.

After a recent run-in with a newly-resurrected Jason Todd, Mia finally gave in the Ollie's cajoling and joined the Teen Titans.

A classic hooker with a heart of gold, Mia has finally found herself a home she can be proud of.

Dossier Entry: Onomatopoeia

(Just for you, Benton!)

The first entry in our series on Green Arrow's associates, villains, and allies is none other than Onomatopoeia. Virtually nothing is known about Onomatopoeia's personal life, powers (if he has any) or even what he looks like.

He first shows up in Green Arrow vol. 3 #11 and wrecks havok on Ollie and his crew for the next several issues. Onomatopoeia seems to have a mission (for himself, for someone else?) to murder non-powered heroes. He start off small, killing Harrisburg, Pennslyvania's resident hero Buckeye (and his wife, too, for good measure). He works his way up from there, finally targetting Connor Hawke, Oliver Queen's son and the second man to bear the name "Green Arrow."

Despite being one of the world's finest martial artists, Connor falls before the enimatic villain. Connor is rushed to the hospital, where Onomatopoeia tries to finish the job. He runs afoul of a VERY angry Oliver Queen, along with his paramour Black Canary. Despite taking SIX arrows in various places on his body, Onomatopoeia fights on, until he falls out a seventh story window. Still, the villain manages to get up and run off before Ollie can follow him.

Oh, and his name? Onomatopoeia? The word itself means "words that are also sounds" For instance, BANG! is an onomatopoeia. This guy plays that up to the hilt, speaking ONLY in onomatopoeias throughout his appearances.

Well, appearance, ol' Ono had a brief cameo in the Battle for Metropolis, but has otherwise kept a low profile for the past several years. I think that's a shame, because the dude is seriously creepy and nigh unstoppable. I'd like to see more of him! Are you listening Judd Winick?