Origin
Daniel Brickwell, known on the streets as “Brick”, was born and raised in Star City. As a child he was raised by his aunt after his mother passed away. She owned a pit bull that would attack him on sight, so he put the animal into the dog fights three times a week. This not only provided him with an income but it also kept the animal too exhausted to harm him.
In his adult life, Brick ended up in prison for twenty four months in Chino and returned to Star City more dangerous than ever.
Creation
Brick was created by Judd Winick and Phil Hester to add to Green Arrow‘s somewhat lacking cast of villains and was featured prominently in Winick’s run on the Green Arrow series, first appearing in Green Arrow #40.
Major Story Arcs
New Blood
After the Demon Blackout Disaster, many crime lords in Star City lost their lives, perhaps as much as half. Brick quickly took over their territories and was noticed by both the remaining crime lords an d a group of corrupt police detectives. These detectives allowed the crime lords some free reign in return for a percentage. Brick, being a cold and ruthless Businessman personally murdered the police officers with his bare hands. Then he turned to the remaining half of the crime lords, who had created balance in organized crime for Star City.
By now district attorney Alan Fuentes, a detective Andrew Lopez, and the Green Arrow family were investigating who was behind these hits. An upper class restaurant in Star City, called Griffins had a back room, where the crime lords would meet. Brick was invited to sit at their table, as he was now in charge of roughly half the territories of the city. The crime lords told him that he had not the right to sitting with their class of people, and though he could keep his territories, he would have to agree to their terms. This meant forfeit of over half his profit in crime. Brick agreed and pressed a button on his cell phone alerting one of his gang members, armed with a surface-to-air missile launcher. Griffins was utterly destroyed, everyone inside met their end, except Brick, who due to his powers survived. At this point Brick knew it was time to act if he was to take over as the Head of organized crime within the city. He put a hit out on Green Arrow, that nearly worked, if not for his soon to be new partner Speedy saving him. The next hit was a suicide bomber who took took out both the mayor of Star City and Alan Fuentes in the back of their limo. Oliver Queen and his son, Connor Hawke, were near by when the hit was done and found a bag full of bricks with “My Town Now!” written on them.
Deputy Mayor Karen Woodruff, now acting mayor, ordered a lock down of Star City. All the airports, bridges, and roads leading out of the city were closed down while a heavily armed police team was sent to arrest Brick at his house. Brick surrendered to the officials, exiting his house wearing nothing, to show them he had no fear. He calmly sat in an interrogation room for hours without speaking a word. Finally he asked for an orange soda and told the detectives that if he was not released in twelve hours the mayors nine year old daughter, Connie Woodruff would be executed. Sure enough the girl had gone missing from her ballet practice shortly before, her nanny was found beaten and left in an alley. Brick had set up a clever false trail for Green Arrow, and he was unable to find the girl. This forced police to let him go. Five minutes after the girl was found, still alive, she had just been at a a burger joint with some of Brick’s men enjoying a burger and a milkshake, Brick was just showing he was in charge.
Brick goes about his business for a time, showing respect to out of town crime lords, like the Penguin, by not interfering with his arms deals. Every thing had fallen into place for Brick until Green Arrow shows up at his front door. A bit taken back, Brick grants him an audience, stating that there are better ways to kill yourself. Green Arrow confronts him on the fact that any officials that could have him arrested have been bribed or frightened. Green Arrow challenges him to a fight. Being indestructible, Brick takes several arrows into his hide before engaging Green Arrow in hand-to-hand combat, where he all but defeats him. However, Green Arrow was playing Bricks overconfidence, and stuffs a trick arrow into his mouth as Brick is to deliver the final blow. Quickly firing off a heavy industrial adhesive arrow into his face, Brick falls, unable to breath. Green Arrow releases Brick, letting him no that he is not invincible as he thinks, that he lost the fight, and that he doesn’t own the town. Being an intelligent man, Brick considers this a lesson worth paying attention to.
Team Arrow started hitting Brick and disrupting his organized crime shortly after this. To counter this, Brick hired such names as the Duke of Oil, Constantine Drakon, the Riddler, and even Deathstroke. The idea was if Brick could keep Team Arrow busy enough, they would not have time to interfere with his business.
Crawling Through the Wreckage
Things went seemingly well for Brick, until the Amsterdam Disaster hit Star City. High yield explosives destroyed most of the city. The explosives following a nearly straight line down Amsterdam avenue. Needless to say, this was bad for business. With his city destroyed, and a wall erected through it, business came to a halt. Brick ended up defending the innocents and even went as far as to team up with Green Arrow to help defeat a large population drug induced crazies. It is important to note during one fight with them, Green Arrow fired an impact grenade into Brick to clear an area. Brick was of course unharmed. While the unsteady alliance continued, Green Arrow criticized that Brick didn’t really care about the people of Star City and that he was only looking after his interests. Brick countered this by stating that he stayed to protect his city. Everyone left it to chaos, including Green Arrow.
Seeing Red
After the wall was removed from Star City, Brick started up business as usual, and Green Arrow tries to shut him down, as usual. Jason Todd, under the guise of the Red Hood, confronts Brick about a job, however Brick is not interested in getting involved with Todd. Where Jason Todd is, Batman is not far away. So after a good fight, Todd convinces Brick to team up with him against Green Arrow and Batman. So Brick goes toe to toe with Batman, and though he was gassed, blown up, and even set ablaze by the Bat, he was still standing at the end of the fight.
Brick then assembled a group of lieutenants to work territories of Star City, and Merlyn to deal with Green Arrow. Team Arrow and Black Canary track down his lair on the top of a high rise. during an epic battle, Canary hits Brick at point blank with one of her sonic attacks. This sends Brick out the window and falling sever stories to the ground. Unhurt, Brick escapes to continue his crime empire.
Enemies List
Unknown to Brick, Green Arrow had acquired a deranged stalker who was calling herself Cupid and going after Green Arrow’s enemies. All Brick knew was that there were a lot of murders happening in Star City without his consent, and he wanted answers. He got his answers when his name came up on Cupid’s list, and she ambushed him with a wrecking ball smashing its way through his office. His body was found among the wreckage in the street by police and pronounced dead on the scene since no pulse could be felt.
Cry for Justice
Not long after his supposed death and after the situation with Cupid had been handled, Brick was back on the streets no worse for wear. He expanded his reach into San Francisco, where he sought to kidnap someone’s daughter for ransom from their home in Nob Hill. Unfortunately for him, he chose to expand into a the city that was also home to the Teen Titans. His plan was picked up on by Miss Martian, who lied in wait for him posing as the girl he intended to kidnap.
When he arrived, Miss Martian revealed herself and struck Brick down right there in the girl’s bedroom.
New 52
Broken
After Junior Diaz, also known as Richard Dragon, placed a $30 million bounty on Green Arrow, Brick teamed up with Killer Moth and Red Dart, intending to split the bounty between them. Brick was instead seriously beaten by Green Arrow, in response to Brick’s attempt to kill his sister, Emiko Queen.
Powers and Abilities
Brick is a metahuman of unknown origins. He possesses a fair amount of super strength, and his thick brick-like skin has allowed him to walk away unfazed by bullets and a surface to air missile.
In the New 52 he has shown lower durability, while arrows can barely penetrate his skin and he’s able to break through brick walls, Green Arrow has able to beat him to the point of begging for mercy with his fists.
Other Media
Television
Young Justice
Brick appeared in one of the early episodes of Young Justice titled “Welcome to Happy Harbor”. In it, he fought Speedy and the Young Justice team while trying to handle an illegal arms shipment. His dialogue implied that he was an established enemy of Green Arrow already in the show’s continuity.
Arrow
Danny Brickwell appears on Ollie´s list of corrupt men and women in Starling (Star) City above Adam Hunt, Martin Somers, and Hannibal Bates. Vinnie Jones was hired to play the character for three episodes in season 3.