Merlyn (DC Comics)
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Merlyn is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He is an archer created by writer Mike Friedrich, artist Dick Dillin and inker Neal Adams as a villain to fight the hero Green Arrow, and he first appeared in Justice League of America #94 (1971).
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[edit] Pre-Crisis History
Years before Oliver Queen would become Green Arrow, he was inspired to take up archery by the amazing archer Merlyn "the Magician". Once Green Arrow began to become famous the two met again, as Merlyn challenged the hero to a public archery contest and defeated him. With that victory under his belt Merlyn vanished for years, only to resurface as a member of the League of Assassins. Merlyn and Green Arrow faced again as Merlyn tried to fulfill a contract to assassinate Batman. Green Arrow was able to deflect one of Merlyn's arrows with an arrow of his own, saving Batman's life. Merlyn admitted that Green Arrow had become the better archer, but escaped before he could be captured. Unable to return to the League of Assassins, he became a freelance assassin.
Merlyn later appeared in Action Comics as part of the Queen Bee's unofficial "injustice gang" opposing the JLA.
Finding work with one of Metropolis' crime syndicates, The 100, Merlyn fought against a depowered Black Lightning, but lost the battle.
[edit] Post-Crisis History
How much of the pre-Crisis history is considered true in the current DC universe is unclear. However, Merlyn's history does not seem to have changed in any fundamental aspects.
Merlyn was apparently a part of the League of Assassins when the assassin David Cain's daughter, Cassandra, was born. Merlyn would seem to have taken part in the child's highly abusive training (along with other members of the League, such as Bronze Tiger), unknowingly giving her the skills to become the future Batgirl. He then served under Tobias Whale as a member of the 100.
He was among those that sold his soul to the demonic Neron during the events of Underworld Unleashed. He then joined the Interesting Killer Elite (along with Deadshot, Bolt, Chiller, and Deadline) and fought the Justice League of America as well as the Body Doubles.
The archer next made an appearancee in the pages of Young Justice as an archer working for the Zandian national Olympic team, and instructor to the young Zandian archer Turk (a half-wolf metahuman). Turk and Merlyn attempted to sabotage the games in their favor, but were defeated by the Young Justice team.
Merlyn would next appear in the pages of Identity Crisis, and was one of the main voices for the villains during that miniseries. He recognized the Monocle and Deadshot as his closest allies, and correctly predicted that the murder of Sue Dibny would have dire consequences in the villain community. When he was himself captured by the Justice League, along with Deadshot and Monocle, Deadshot was able to use his ties to the Suicide Squad and Amanda Waller to secure their release (much to the frustration of the newest Manhunter).
The villanous archer reappeared with Monocle and Phobia in an attempt to kill the Shadow Thief at his trial, and in the process the villains found themselves battling Manhunter. Merlyn has since resurfaced in the pages of Green Arrow as part of a multi-pronged attack against Green Arrow and his family (Green Arrow #57-#59).
[edit] Powers and abilities
While Merlyn possesses no meta-human powers, he is one of the DC Universe's best archers, a rival to Green Arrow. Like Green Arrow he has been known to use trick arrows in the past. He has also been shown to possess a jet pack mounted in his quiver.
[edit] Other media
Merlyn was shown as a member of Grodd's Legion of Doom in Justice League Unlimited.
[edit] Trivia
The artwork of Merlyn in Who's Who in the DC Universe is the only known work by Mark Gruenwald for a comics company aside from Marvel Comics.
