Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
George "Digger" Harkness was a male human who was born in the 20th century in Australia.
However, Captain Boomerang fooled the speedster by claiming that he was being impersonated. He even brought the Flash to his apartment and introduced him to actors posing as his parents, stating that they would starve if he was convicted of the robberies and lost his job as Wiggins's spokesman. The next time that Boomerang encountered the Flash, he knocked him out with one of his boomerangs and tied the unconscious speedster to his 'Rocket Boomerang', which he sent hurtling high up into the Earth's atmosphere. However, on the descent back to ground, the Flash released himself and captured the villain. (The Flash v1 #117) Once, he planted special getaway boomerangs in every jail within one hundred miles of Central City, where they would remain invisible until he concentrated his brain waves to materialize them. One year later, he had the chance to use one of them. He was being transported to the state pen, but an anonymous phone call said that there was a bomb in the patrol wagon that he was being transported in. The police evacuated the wagon and put Captain Boomerang into temporary custody at the police station. However, he used one of his getaway boomerangs to escape. As he escaped, he hurled a boomerang at Barry Allen for rubbing him the wrong way. Barry quickly changed into the Flash, and tried to apprehend Boomerang by creating air gusts, pushing the villain in front of him. However, the Captain contorted his body into the shape of a boomerang, which caused him to hurtle back towards the Flash, knocking him down. All of this had been recorded by Boomerang's father and put into a scrapbook entitled "Flash -- This is your Death!". Boomerang set Flash up in a machine, that sent the hero hurtling like a boomerang into another dimension, filled with terrible monsters. However, Flash stayed in the shape of a boomerang, knowing that he would be returned to his sender. Foiled, Boomerang and his father attempt to get away with a special flying boomerang. Flash then creates a waterspout as they fly over a lake, bringing them back down, where Flash takes them to police headquarters. (The Flash v1 #227)
Captain Boomerang decided to try a semi-legit way of making money, and invested the stolen money he’d saved up for a retirement fund in Connoisseur Corporation stocks. The company’s owner, Gotham City business magnate Gregorian Falstaff, shorted the stock and Boomerang lost all his money. He was furious, and felt cheated, so he headed to Gotham City to threaten newspaper men who distributed Falstaff’s tabloid the Gotham Guardian. Batman showed up and Boomerang launched an explosive boomerang at a nearby building, sending rubble down on one of the newspaper men. Batman saved the man’s life, but the distraction enabled Boomerang to slip away. Batman told Alfred Pennyworth about Boomerang’s arrival in Gotham, and Alfred asked if he should call in the Flash. Batman said the day he couldn’t beat one of Flash’s castoffs was the day he’d retire. Boomerang showed up at Gregorian’s office, knocked out Falstaff’s bodyguard Karlyle Kruggerand with a boomerang, and demanded his money back. Falstaff was shaken and said he’d happily give Boomerang all the money he wanted. (Batman v1 #322)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
He and his family came to live in a town called Kurrumburra that was located outside Melbourne. (Suicide Squad v1 #44)
As a young boy, he regularly tried to join his father who would leave him behind building a resentment in Digger. One day, he received a package sent to him by businessman W.W. Wiggins with this being a boomerang. (Flash v3 #7)
One day, an adult Digger was caught robbing a local pawnshop where he used a boomerang to knock the owner out. As it was a small town, people quickly knew George Harkness was responsible with his 'father' Ian beating him up. His brother simply watched and laughed at Digger getting beaten up whilst his mother Betty tried to hold off her husband. George's mother then told him that it was best if he left the family home with her giving him the address from where the boomerangs were sent to him without saying another word. Digger then left Australia for Central City in America where he met with Walter Wiggins. Wiggins hired George to be the mascot for his toy range of boomerangs that he intended to sell where he took on the name of Captain Boomerang. However, the product was not selling and was becoming a financial loss with the cheques bouncing. At the time, the Flash was operating in the city as a superhero and Digger decided to claim a name for himself by becoming a villain where he attacked the speedster but was defeated and sent to prison. Whilst there, Wiggins attempted to see him but George refused and it was the final blow to the company. (Flash v3 #7)
Boomerang and the Suicide Squad were assigned to stage a pre-emptive attack on Quarac’s super-powered terrorists the Jihad. Before the mission began Boomerang delighted in alternately hitting on and bullying new recruit Plastique. Fellow Squadder Mindboggler got fed up with how he was acting so she used her illusion casting powers to frighten Boomerang and make him back off. Once the Squad infiltrated Jihad hq they successfully dismantled the terrorist team, and Boomerang killed Jihad member Jaculi. As the Squad fled Jihad hq, Rustam snuck up behind Mindboggler with a gun. Boomerang was the only other Squad member present, and could have warned her of the imminent attack, but he was still bitter about Mindboggler embarrassing him in front of the Squad, so he watched on as she was gunned down and killed. (Suicide Squad v1 #2) Boomerang demanded that Amanda Waller set him up in an apartment away from the Suicide Squad’s Belle Reve prison headquarters. The Female Furies attacked Belle Reve prison, and Boomerang decided to make himself scarce for the duration of the fight. (Suicide Squad v1 #3) Boomerang and the Suicide Squad discredited James Heller (William Hell) and the Aryan Nation in the public eye. (Suicide Squad v1 #4)
He later went back to his home town of Kurrumburra to attend the funeral of his mother. (Suicide Squad v1 #44)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Overview
Personality and attributes
When his father would leave him behind, Digger began to resent his father and had hoped he would never return (Flash v3 #7)
He had said that he was not close to his family with the only good person among the rotten bunch being his mother. (Suicide Squad v1 #44)
George had an older brother by the name of Tom Harkness. The two never got along with his 'father' Ian considering Tom to be the favourite child. (Suicide Squad v1 #44)
Powers and abilities
Notes
- Captain Boomerang was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino where he made his first appearance in Flash v1 #117 (December, 1960).
Alternate Versions
- In Tangent Comics: Green Lantern v1 #1 (1997), an alternate version of Captain Boomerang appeared in the Tangent Comics reality designated as Earth-9 in the Multiverse. Adam Clay lived with his Australian parents on a plantation in Burma. During World War II the Japanese invaded the country before Clay's family could get out. Only Adam Clay escaped on his family's crop duster and the death of his family changed him, but it also made him strong. He founded a group of disenfranchised fliers from around the world like himself affected by the Axis and forming a private air corps. Due to Adam's Australian background and most especially after the team's planes, with their distinctive V-wing formation, he adopted the nickname Captain Boomerang. Clay and his corps fought throughout World War II and other fantastic adventures. After fighting other wars in the fight for freedom, Clay stayed young from genetic surgery thus never having to retire or stand down as leader.
In other media
Television
- In Justice League Unlimited, Captain Boomerang made multiple appearances in the DC Animated Universe where he was voiced by actor Donal Gibson.
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Captain Boomerang made an appearance in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor John DiMaggio.
- In Smallville, a reference was made to the character in the live-action television series in the episode "Warrior". Chloe Sullivan received a text message from Green Arrow about a "maniac with boomerangs".
- In Arrow, Captain Boomerang appeared in the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse starting in Season 3 where he was portrayed by actor Nick Tarabay.
Films
- In Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Captain Boomerang appeared as a minor antagonist in the animated film where he was voiced by actor James Patrick Stuart.
- In Batman: Assault on Arkham, the George 'Digger' Harkness Captain Boomerang appeared in the animated film where he was voiced by actor Greg Ellis.
- In Suicide Squad, George "Digger" Harkness appeared as a cast member in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Jai Courtney.
- In Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, Captain Boomerang appeared in the animated film where he was voiced by actor Liam McIntyre
- In Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Captain Boomerang returned in the 2020 animated film where he was once again voiced by acto Liam McIntyre
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Captain Boomerang appeared in the MMORPG video game where where he was voiced by actor J. Shannon Weaver.
- In Injustice 2, Captain Boomerang was mentioned in dialogue in the fighting video game where Deadshot thanked Cyborg in killing him.
Appearances
- The Flash v1: (1960)
- Suicide Squad v1:
- Suicide Squad v5:
- The Flash v5:
External Links
This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.
