George "Digger" Harkness AKA Captain Boomerang is a super-villain in the DC universe. While primarily an enemy of the Flash, Digger is also a major recurring member of the Suicide Squad and an occasional enemy to Batman and Robin.
History
Origins
George Harkness was born into poverty in the small Australian town of Kurrumburra, Australia. He was the bastard son of an American toy-maker named Willard Walter "W.W." Wiggins who abandoned him to be raised by his abusive step-father, a military man named Ian Harkness.
Throughout his childhood and adolescence, George or "Digger" mastered the art of creating and using boomerangs, in part because he subconsciously believed it would impress his absentee father. George came to act out with boomerang and torment his best-friend Mick Wentworth and later to fall into a life of petty crime. After finding out about this, Ian kicked Digger out of the house with Digger's mother giving him a plane-ticket to Central City, Missouri where his birth father worked.
Under the alias of George Green, Digger was hired by Wiggins to be a mascot and spokesperson for a line of toy boomerangs which his company was putting out. However, George used his talents to continue his life of crime in Central City as a robber and later enemy of the Flash. He even went on to join the super-villain team known as The Rogues.
Batman
Captain Boomerang had started investing in a retirement fund headed by a man named Gregorian Falstaff who was also the owner of the newspaper known as The Gotham Guardian. However, Falstaff cut the retirement fund short for personal-profit, wiping out Digger's retirement fund and leaving the Captain lusting for revenge.
In Batman #322, Captain Boomerang moved from Central City to Gotham. Here he began attacking Gotham Guardian trucks in an attempt to get at Falstaff. This lead to him coming into conflict with Batman who began piecing together Boomerang's plans. When Digger attacked Falstaff's apartment demanding money, Batman intervened with Digger emerging successful by knocking out Batman in the back of the head with a boomerang.
To deal with the Caped Crusader, Boomerang tied Batman to a rocket-powered giant boomerang he was going to launch as a means of killing Batman. Batman managed to use the rocket boosters of the boomerang to break his bonds. A fight then emerged between Batman and Harkness with Batman using batarangs against the captain's boomerangs, ultimately defeating him.
Suicide Squad
While a regular inmate of Iron Heights Penitentiary, Digger would be transferred from it to Belle-Rêve Penitentiary in Louisiana. Here Digger was forced to become a member of Task Force X AKA the Suicide Squad under Amanda Waller. Digger was offered reduced jail time if he performed missions for them but had a bomb on him at all times in-case he ever disobeyed orders.
Gotham City
After his time with the Suicide Squad, Digger found himself a bordering obsolete super-criminal and was forced to take up mercenary work, often from the Calculator. One job in particular had him travel to Gotham City to assassinate the police-officer Jack Drake, father of Tim Drake. Digger was betrayed though with Jack having been told of his coming and so he armed himself with a gun. The result was that Captain Boomerang and Jack both murdered one another at the same time, Jack with his gun, and Digger with a razor-boomerang.
Following his death, Digger's illegitimate son Owen Mercer took up the alias of Captain Boomerang.
New 52
In the New 52, Digger Harkness was never killed off nor was he responsible for Jack Drake's death. In this continuity he is a regular member of the Suicide Squad.
Abilities
- Boomerang Mastery:
Equips
Weapons
- Boomerangs:
- Normal Boomerangs:
- Getaway Boomerangs:
- Explosive Boomerang: A boomerang that explodes.
- Collapsible Boomerang: A boomerang that collapses so that it can be easily concealed.
- Lightning Boomerang: A lightning-fast boomerang that even knocked out the Flash.
- Rocket Boomerang: A large boomerang capable of launching into space.
- Razor Boomerang: A boomerang capable of cutting through bone and flesh when thrown correctly. He used this boomerang to kill Jack Drake.
Appearances in Other media
Films
- Batman: Assault on Arkham: See Captain Boomerang (Arkhamverse)
- Suicide Squad (film): In this DCEU film, Harkness is played by actor Jai Courtney. He was arrested by the Flash and later forced to join the Suicide Squad.
- The LEGO Batman Movie: In the LEGO Batman Movie, Captain Boomerang is one of many supervillains in Gotham to team up with the Joker to fight Batman. He is later arrested and sent to Arkham Asylum.
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay:
- Justice League Dark: Apokolips War:
Video-Games
- LEGO Batman 2: Captain Boomerang is a mini-boss in this videogame who can be found at Arkham Asylum.
Television
- DCAU:
- Arrow: