Bronze Tiger was created by Dennis O’Neil, Jim Berry, and Leopoldo Durañona, and first appeared in a novel called Dragon’s Fists (1974), which starred another martial arts hero, Richard Dragon. His first DC comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1 (1975), where he was introduced as Ben Turner, a friend and ally of Dragon who studied under the same master, the O-Sensei. Turner was born in an upper-middle-class black neighborhood in Central City, and witnessed his parents being attacked by a burglar when he was 10 years old. He killed the intruder with a kitchen knife, and developed a violent streak that he tried to control with martial arts training. He eventually traveled to the Far East to seek inner peace, and met the O-Sensei and Dragon there.
Turner and Dragon became agents of G.O.O.D. (Global Organization of Organized Defense), a spy organization led by Barney Ling. However, Turner was captured and brainwashed by Professor Ojo, a villain who worked for Ling, who turned out to be a traitor. Turner was given a tiger mask and costume, and became the Bronze Tiger, a ruthless assassin for the League of Assassins, led by Ra’s al Ghul. He fought against Dragon and Batman several times, until he was freed from his mind control by Dragon and the O-Sensei.
After recovering his identity, Turner joined the Suicide Squad, a covert team of supervillains who undertook dangerous missions for the government in exchange for reduced sentences. He became one of the most loyal and reliable members of the team, often serving as its leader or second-in-command. He also developed a romantic relationship with Vixen, another superheroine who was part of the Squad. He clashed with Batman again when the Squad tried to capture him for Amanda Waller, the head of the organization. However, he also helped Batman stop Ra’s al Ghul from unleashing a deadly plague on Gotham City.
Turner later left the Suicide Squad and became a freelance vigilante and mercenary. He also rejoined the League of Assassins for a brief period, under the influence of Lady Shiva, another master martial artist who had a twisted attraction to him. He eventually broke free from her control and resumed his heroic activities. He also joined the Justice League Task Force and the Justice League CBI (Central Bureau of Intelligence), working alongside other heroes such as Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, Green Lantern, and Booster Gold.
Turner’s family history is not very well-known, but he does have a nephew named Ben Turner II, who briefly took up the mantle of Bronze Tiger after his uncle was presumed dead. He also has a cousin named Angela Hawkins III, who is a superheroine known as Gypsy. She has the power to become invisible and cast illusions.
One of the little known facts about Bronze Tiger is that he has a mystic talisman that allows him to transform into a bipedal primal tiger with enhanced physical abilities and traits befitting a tiger. He rarely uses this power, as he prefers to rely on his own skills and discipline.
Bronze Tiger has appeared in various media outside of comics, such as animated shows (Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons), live-action shows (Arrow), video games (Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham), and movies (Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). He is usually portrayed as an antihero or a villain who works for either the League of Assassins or the Suicide Squad. He is often voiced or played by actors who are known for their martial arts skills or roles, such as Michael Jai White (Arrow), Gary Sturgis (Batman: The Brave and the Bold), James Hong (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Mark Dacascos (Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons), and Michael Rosenbaum (Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay).
