How can Green Arrow's old enemies be reimagined in the New 52?

By this point you all  must know that my favorite superhero is Green Arrow and my favorite work on the character is the current Lemire/Sorrentino run and if you wonder why, here are some of the reasons: What makes Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's run on Green Arrow the best the character ever had? (Yes, I know that you're tired of me putting that link).

Still, let's not beat around the bush: Green Arrow has a pretty poor rogue's gallery.

Yes, Lemire and Sorrentino are currently on their way to fix this by introducing new antagonists like Komodo, Golgotha, Kodiak while reimagining old ones like Count Vertigo and Clock King and even recreating some to fit into GA's universe like Richard Dragon, Onyx and Killer Moth.

However, there's still potential for more. Despite of how lackluster GA's enemies tended to be, some of them had the potential to become much better than how they were initially presented.

Have you ever heard about the phrase "a hero is only as good as his/her villain"? That usually refers to that every villain should tell something about the hero and always be able to create an inner conflict for him/her. However, I also believe that they should be able to stand on their own as characters just as much as they need to be presented as convincing threats.

I'm not here to say that I can do a better job than the one that Lemire and Sorrentino are currently doing, far from it, they have created a really rich world that I could have never imagined and they're doing their own thing by reinventing the mythos in a splendid way.

Nevertheless, I have been thinking lately about how to reintroduce some classic and recondite villains of The World's Greatest Archer in a manner that they can fit into the new universe that these authors have created and I would feel terrible if I wasn't able to express them.

Let's start with the most obvious one, Green Arrow's best known enemy:

Merlyn

After losing his memories on a fatal accident caused by Oliver Queen, the man once known as Tommy Merlyn was able to remember just two things: The word "Merlyn" (his last name) and the name "Arthur King" (an analogue of "Oliver Queen") so he ended up using them as his aliases. Saved and trained by the League of Assassins, he learned that he had an innate archery skill and quickly became one of their best agents.

The experience transformed him forever, probably even more than the ordeal in the island did to Oliver Queen. Trying to remember his past memories in vain, battling to gain the control of his own body once again and fighting for his life against the worst murderers in the world just to end up becoming one of them. No normal man would have been able to surpass those obstacles but Merlyn did and it altered his perception of the world.

The World's Deadliest Archer not only because he says so but because everybody else does. One of the best hired assassins on earth who would kill anyone for the right price and is able to even make the current leader of the Arrow Clan, Komodo, nervous. He could easily become part or even the head of the clan if he wanted to but he has no desire for it.

Why? Because there are only two things that matter to him: The hunt and power, not power in the sense of getting organizations to work for him (that's Komodo's thing), power on its most pure and raw definition, learning new abilities, perfecting the ones he already knows, becoming the best assassin in the world.

Egocentric and charismatic at the same time, Merlyn is able to trick people who doesn't truly know him into his trap by managing to convince them about his twisted ideology. He believes that helping and protecting the weak is worthless and a waste of time, hope should be given to those who actually fight for it and the strong must only watch for themselves.

Power belongs to the powerful, the ones who truly deserve it. He's the anti-Green Arrow even if he doesn't know it (yet).

Could Oliver be able to make Merlyn go back to who he was before?

More importantly, does Merlyn wants to go back to be the simple and weak Tommy?

"Merlyn (to Komodo): What's that thing you keep saying? A true archer doesn't need a bow?"

"Merlyn (to Komodo): You pathetic sellout, a true warrior doesn't need a mask!"

Now, let's talk about some more obscure antagonists, did you know that GA's used to have an arch-enemy before Merlyn? No? Well, he actually did!

Bull's-Eye

And he was a total Joker rip-off!

But hey, Green Arrow also used to be a Batman rip-off when he was initially created so who says that we can't get something interesting about Ollie's original nemesis? Here's the idea:

An albino man with no name only known by his alias, his pale complexion may make some people confuse him with the Joker at first glance but there are two very different aspects between the two.

Bull's-Eye is completely bald and he never smiles, ever.

In fact, he never shows any kind of emotion, a sociopath with a natural skill to make people bleed whose most terrifying facets are his gray and lifeless eyes, trained since he was a child in the most horrible ways by the League of Assassins who tried to exploit his talents and lack of empathy for their own gain.

There's one problem though, he doesn't care in the slightest about representing the League nor gaining a reputation on his own nor even master more techniques, there's only one goal in Bull's-Eye's life: Kill every living being on earth.

A born monster turned demon, Bull's-Eye is not only able to dodge every projectile that is thrown at him (even bullets) but he can also use any kind of object as a weapon and throw it with perfect precision. Once that The League of Assassins realized the atrocity they created they knew they needed to get rid of it but it was too late, they made him too good, no one was able to touch him. He needs to be stopped somehow though, he's a force of nature too dangerous to be allowed to exist.

Oliver Queen is a man of pure emotion, what would happen if he faces a man completely devoid of it?

What would happen if Bull's-Eye faces someone who is able to hurt him?

"Bull's-Eye (to Green Arrow after being shoot by him): That hurt..."

"Bull's-Eye (after removing the arrow from his shoulder): This is going to hurt more..."

You think that's the only obscure villain that I'm thinking about? Well you may be wrong:

Pete Lomax

Created by Alan Moore (Yes, THE Alan Moore) in a story for Detective Comics, Pete Lomax was a representation of the power of an ordinary human being who thought he could become a supervillain if he simply wanted to, let's tweak him a bit shall we?

Pete Lomax was raised in some of the worst streets of Seattle, grown from poverty and without hope he was fascinated and especially irritated by superheroes and how they're able to battle impossible threats but they're completely oblivious about how the common man lives.

In a world where powerful men either fly or stand in the rooftops, Lomax wonders why none of them ever walks along the rest of humanity, trying to do more than just fighting the next big villain or alien invasion. Even Seattle's own hero is not there for them, traveling the world doing God knows what, using expensive and complex weapons and hiding himself within a mask, he simply has lost perspective of reality.

Pete Lomax can't take this no more. He is decided to demonstrate this pompous superhero that anyone can become as good as him, he will show him the power of the common man. Equiped with just an ordinary bow and arrows, Lomax has practiced day and night until becoming one of the most expert archers in the world.

Once that he perfected his skills and managed to ally himself with people with the same objectives, he's ready to start attacking the richest and most corrupted persons in Seattle so he can bring their belongings to people who actually need them. He's the modern Robin Hood that Green Arrow can only dream to be.

Create a new identity? He considers the mere thought insulting. Wear a mask or costume? Even worse. People should know who he is, not because of ego but because of the idea he represents.

He can be either an enemy or an ally depending of the situation but always confronting GA on the most personal level. The Arrow Clan might even consider to make him join their ranks but he probably would reject them since he considers that people who exist "outside" the system doesn't actually comprehend it either.

"Pete Lomax (to Green Arrow): You come here with your pretty and expensive toys and you call yourself "champion of the people"? Do you even know any of us? Do you even know what we truly need? Get the hell out of here, I don't need to see your eyes to know that you're just a rich kid playing a game."

I have mentioned in the past how Green Arrow Vol. 3 contains some of my favorite stories about the character, not only that but it also contains some pretty good additions to GA's rogue's gallery. Let's revisit them.

Brick

The most powerful man in Seattle, in every conceivable way.

Born and raise in this city, Daniel Brickwell has seen both the best and the worst that this place and its people can offer and he believes is not enough, never enough.

Daniel Brickwell believes in Seattle. Even since he was a kid raised from poverty, he loved the city not because of what it was but what it could be, he had faith in its potential but someone strong enough needed to be in charge to be able to achieve it.

Having a metagene made his life rough growing up, his appearance started to change really fast giving him the look of a human being made completely of clay, the people around him noticed it of course and started to insult him by calling him the easiest comparison they could find. They would learn to respect that name though.

At first his metahuman abilities were pretty useful, making him able to survive from bullets, bombs or anything that was shoot at him along with an immense strength that allowed him to become one of the most feared gang leaders in Seattle and eventually managed to become one of its richest and most important figures.

However, once that he was able to reach his initial goal, he learned that his intimidating persona made matters much more complicated if he wanted to do any legitimate business and he needed to if he wanted to make Seattle stand as one of the most powerful cities in this nation. That's how he learned to start using people to achieve his objectives, he made his mind as strong as his body and started to manipulate others and collect a whole new number of followers not by brute force but by sheer respect.

In the present he prefers not to engage in any physical conflict, he's a man whose intelligence is above of such vain acts. Although, this doesn't mean that he will never throw a punch ever again, despite of all his knowledge and experience, Daniel still has a temper and no other person test that as much as the Emerald Archer.

How dares he to try to become Seattle's face? He's just a pretty boy who probably never suffered any hardship in his life. Even worse, he's a so called superhero, Daniel hates their kind, people who think that they can use some gimmicks to gain the adoration of the rest instead of working for it. Daniel knows that he will become a problem for his business and mental health, he needs to disappear.

Brick shares the control of Seattle along with Billy Tockman, known by some as the "Clock King" for some reason, and an up-and-coming criminal leader. Brickwell still knows that he can beat them both, Tockman is way too obsessive-compulsive to become unpredictable and the new girl is just a child, he will take their share and be victorious as he has always been. They're not made to rule this place, they don't have the vision for it, he will be the brick that holds the whole city together.

He does all of this for his home. No matter if he's seen as a savior or a monster for some, he will turn Seattle into the star city.

"Brick: I have eaten everything that this city has fed me and I grew stronger, I have received everything that it threw at me and I endured, and I would'nt have had it any other way. Who else is more fitting to guide this place and its people towards the glory?"

China White

Privilege, adoration and indulgence would have spoiled any child and that is especially true for Chien Na Wei who ended up seeing all that was given to her as too little.

Having one of the wealthiest women in America and one of the biggest drug lords in Asia as parents made life very easy for Chien. Next to the Queens her family was one of richest in Seattle and that granted her excellent benefits like the immediate entry to the best universities, travels around the world and the admiration of people who were more interested in her money than herself.

Chien received everything and gave nothing back though. Since she was a kid she had the reputation of being one of the most selfish and detestable persons that anyone could met, believing herself to be better than everybody else and never contributing with something positive towards others. Not even her fake friends were able to stand her and so the murmurs behind her back started to be heard and a nickname was created to mock what they considered her worst defect, her origins.

"China White"

In a society where appearances are everything, Chien hated her mixed race because she considered it a lack of purity and she was always reminded of that thanks to the quiet insults she pretended not to hear. Her whole world was fake aside from only one person who was honest to her, that Queens' child who always spoke his mind maybe they could have become friends if she wasn't so self-absorbed but she had a reason to be it this time.

Chien knew that nobody cared about her so why should she care about others? She also eventually learned that most of people born of privilege as her tended to be some of the weakest willed persons in the world and so she decided to inherit that family business. She started to exploit the fragility of her "friends" for her own gain by selling some of the most popular narcotics to that particular market segment which was prepared to consume anything that was offered to it. Her business grew so fast that made her father proud.

The relationship between Chien and her father started to grow too. He was the one who taught her martial arts to have better control of her body and never end like the people she was abusing, she didn't need to be reminded though, she never touched that stuff and she never will.

She doesn't believe in the product, she just sells it. She values purity, her purity, above everything else and tries that her image reflect such mentality, always wearing white clothes and even dying her hair of the same color, she's not going to contaminate her body with that crap, that's for the filth.

Chien took her reputation of "spoiled girl" to a more extreme definition, the girl is rotten. While other crime lords like Brick at least intend to foment progress, she celebrates decay, she couldn't care less if Seattle destroys itself as long as she gets what she wants. Taking the name of China White without any sense of shame she continued to increase her empire.

Is just a matter of time before she has to face a person who hates the way she treats the weak-willed.

"China White (to Green Arrow): Am I doing what? Killing these people? I never shoot them, never even touch them, they're doing what they want, I'm just providing the ways."

Constantine Drakon

Some people are born great, Constantine Drakon was born extraordinary.

He barely mentions his past but if he does you may hear things like while other kids around him realized that they were good at math or sports, Drakon quickly understood that he was apt to the art of hurting people and based on the records about his achievements, you better believe is true.

Raised in a family of mercenaries where such profession and techniques where passed from generation to generation during the last 300 years, the Drakons immediately learned that the last member of their dynasty was one of the most talented warriors that they ever had and they were not planning to waste him.

For most of his young years, Constantine received one of the hardest trainings that his family could have conceived and he surpassed all the tests exceeding every expectation, the man was simply created to fight. Once that all his trials ended, he received one of the greatest honors that any representative of his family has ever received, the Dragon Tatoo which was inscripted on his back. For Constantine was merely another trophy in a life full of them.

Even after becoming the strongest Drakon in history, Constantine decided to test his abilities even more by joining a mysterious cult named the Fist Clan which he did quite easily. Actually, the only martial artist who was able to present a challenge was a man named Richard Dragon, Drakon was not able to defeat him and the battle ultimately ended in a tie. Drakon recognized the skills of Dragon although he didn't care about his idea of getting the world rid of corruption, it was too unnecessarily complicated for him, he just wanted another medal.

The existence of the Drakon family is a complete mystery to the world, nobody has even heard of them in the last few years, though there are rumours that Constantine may have killed them all just to avoid the competition. Based on his history, he decided to follow the profession he believed it was his vocation and fate.

If you're good at something never do it for free, those are words worth living for. Drakon became a professional mercenary through and through, always valuing his contracts above his own life, he doesn't give a damn about his clients, but the contract matters, always matters.

People might understimate him due to his short stature but those persons don't have a happy ending. One of his most important assets besides his vast knowledge in combat is his amazing speed, he's able to block or catch anything that is used against him, either fists or bullets, he's so fast that people even suspect that he might be metahuman. Drakon doesn't know and frankly doesn't care, he just uses the resources that were given to him.

Wearing always a suit to support his qualified status, Drakon has an immaculate image and the only thing that doesn't actually match with the rest of his look are his sunglasses which he uses even during night, not because he doesn't want to be recognized, that's no matter at all.

Drakon's eyes reflect his emotions completely, anyone who manages to see his eyes would soon see his murderous nature, that's simply bad for business. Despite of this, Drakon is a quite overconfident man, always bragging about his different achievements because he considers it as simply telling the truth.

An emotional man with a mouth, he might have more in common than what he wants to admit with Oliver Queen, his next target.

However, there's something even deeper hiding behind all that attitude and sunglasses, his eyes that reflect his emotions not only show rage but also a profound insecurity.

Is he doing all this because he truly wants to or because is the only thing he's good at?

"Constantine Drakon (to Green Arrow): A superhero? They send me to kill a f*cking superhero? I don't know if I should feel amused or insulted, I will probably end up as both."

Well guys, those are some of the ideas I have been thinking and of course they're probably a little rough.

I swear I can't stop talking about Green Arrow, in fact I might start writing about what are his most important aspects soon.