Bronze Tiger

From Batman Wiki

Bronze Tiger
Real name:	Ben Turner
First Appearance:	Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1 (April-May 1975).
Created by:	Dennis O'Neil Jim Berry Leo Duranona
Affiliations:	Suicide Squad League of Assassins
Abilities:	Master martial artist
Portrayed by:	None

Bronze Tiger is a character in the DC Universe. He is a martial artist who first appeared in Dragon's Fists, starring Richard Dragon. His first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter. He has fought Batman and encountered him many times.

[edit] Character History

Ben Turner comes from an upper middle class black neighborhood in Central City. When he was only 10 years old, he saw a burglar attacking his parents, and he proceeded to murder the man with a kitchen knife. In an effort to control the rage inside him, Turner turns to martial arts (and eventually, crime as The Bronze Tiger). Later, in Suicide Squad #38, Turner's further career is shown, wherein he and Richard Dragon are hired by King Faraday to work for the CBI (Central Bureau of Intelligence). Assigned to take down the League of Assassins, Dragon and Turner are discovered by the League, who kill Turner's fianceé, Myoshi, and proceeded 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 Cain, together with other members of the League. As 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 around the world, 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, the Bronze Tiger being a professional assassin, killing on three continents.

Bronze Tiger is eventually sent to murder Kathy Kane (the superheroine Batwoman), a friend of Batman. While fighting Batman (and defeating him), another assassin kills Kane. After Crisis on Infinite Earths, it was determined that Kathy Kane had never become Batwoman, and had merely been a friend of Batman's. Shortly after, Turner is part of the Knightquest: The Search story arc in the Batman books, which covered Bruce Wayne's search for Jack Drake (father of Tim Drake,) and Shondra Kinsolving, who had been kidnapped. In 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 are able to come to terms with Turner's involvement in Cassandra's training. In a recent appearance in the mini-series Gotham Underground, Bronze Tiger is among the members of the Suicide Squad arresting Two-Face, Mad Hatter, Hugo Strange, and The Scarecrow. While frisking Scarecrow, he is gassed by the escaping villain, revealing an intense fear of insects.

[edit] Powers and Abilities

The Bronze Tiger possesses no metahuman powers, but is a superb martial artist. Many consider him one of the top 10 martial artists in the DC Universe, if not in the top 5. He has bested such great martial artists as Batman before. Turner defeated Batman in Detective Comics #485 (1979), a side result of which was the death of Kathy Kane. He would face Batman again shortly after. Even though Batman had taken every possible precaution for the rematch, neither fighter was able to gain an advantage, and the fight only ended when one of the League members shot Batman with a poisoned dart.

[edit] In other media

Bronze Tiger appears alongside Black Spider, Deadshot, Firefly, and a few other supervillains as part of Black Mask's gang in the DCAU Batman Adventures.