Owen Mercer

Origin

The son of Captain Boomerang and Meloni Thawne, Owen was born in the 30th century. At some point in his early childhood, and by some unknown means, he was returned to the present, where he was brought up by an adoptive mother. When he was a young man, rumours began to circulate that he was Boomerang’s son with Golden Glider. Boomerang contacted him and apologized for abandoning him. The pair bonded for some time, and Boomerang began to train him in the use of his namesake. When his father was killed in a botched assassination of Jack Drake, Owen took up the mantle of Captain Boomerang.

Creation

Owen Mercer was created by Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales. He made his first appearance in Identity Crisis #2.

Major Story Arcs

Rogue War

Owen is taken in by the Rogues who see it as their duty to protect family, despite his occasionally vocal protests about their line of work. He fights on the side of the unreformed Rogues during the Rogue War, but is largely consumed with trying to find his father’s body, which has gone missing. He is ultimately lead to the body by Trickster, and allowed to bury his father.

Infinite Crisis

Owen joins Lex Luthor’s Secret Society of Super Villains, and is sent to guard a factory. He battles the Outsiders, but is ultimately saved by them when the other villains abandon him to his fate in the midst of the factory’s explosions. He is handed over to the authorities and imprisoned

52

Owen is inducted into the Suicide Squad and sent with his new teammates to capture Black Adam and the Black Marvel Family. This is unsuccessful.

Outsiders

Owen reforms, and joins the Outsiders when he is rescued from Iron Heights at the behest of his cell mate, Black Lightning. He joins the team and other heroes in several successful missions. During his time with the team he develops romantic feelings for Supergirl. He is kidnapped and tortured by Cassandra Cain in an attempt to lure Supergirl out. After he is rescued, he is pitted against Nightwing by Batman in a series of tryouts to remain a part of the Outsiders. Feeling he no longer needs to prove himself or make up for his father’s sins, he quits the team.

Salvation Run

Returning to the Suicide Squad, Owen joins the team in rounding up villains to be sent to the planet Salvation. He is personally responsible for helping to catch his former teammates Heat Wave and Weather Wizard. Later he and his team travel to Gotham, tracking Pied Piper and Trickster. He fails to capture them.

Blackest Night

During the Blackest Night, Owen is back with the Rogues, and thrilled by the idea that his father may still be alive. He joins the living Rogues in travelling to Iron Heights, which the dead Rogues are attacking. He rescues his father from the fighting, and believes him when he says that he can be resurrected if Owen feeds him enough people. Owen puts his father in a pit and begins pushing people down into the pit to feed him. He is eventually found by the Rogues. When Captain Cold realizes he has been pushing women and children into the pit, he pushes Owen in as well. His father rips his heart out. He is immediately raised by a Black Lantern ring, but Cold encases him in ice. He dies when the Black Lanterns are defeated.

Powers and Skills

Owen has inherent superhuman speed of unknown origin. He is capable of moving very quickly, but only in short bursts. He is able to use this power to throw boomerangs very quickly. He has an innate talent for using boomerangs, and received training from his father.

Weapons and Equipment

Owen wields boomerangs that have many different properties. Many were inherited from his father. Properties of boomerangs include: electric, weighted, acidic, explosive, tear gas, bladed, and sonic.

Other Media

Film

Batman/Superman: Public Enemies

Owen appears amongst a crowd of villains seeking to collect the bounty on Batman and Superman. He does not speak in his appearance.