Junior Diaz

Origin

Shortly after Green Arrow emerged in Seattle, a young Junior Diaz watched the vigilante bring and embarrasses his father, a corrupt businessman involved with numerous illegal activities. Though Diaz hated Green Arrow for what he did to his father, he was also inspired by the man in the hood, because like the other superheroes and vigilantes emerging at the time, Green Arrow proved to Diaz that one could become more than man. With that thought in mind, Diaz began to travel the world following secrets and whispers to the League of Assassins city known as 'Eth Alth'eban, where he would train under martial arts master Richard Dragon. While Dragon taught Diaz all he knew about fighting, he also attempted to teach values such as empathy and compassion, which Diaz did not believe in. After getting everything he needed from Dragon and rejecting the teachings of many virtues, Diaz apparently killed his master, and assumed his name, returning to Seattle to take over the city and destroy Green Arrow.

Creation

Junior Diaz was created by the acclaimed Green Arrow creative team of writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino. Initially, he was believed to be a drastically altered version of Richard Dragon for The New 52 continuity, but was later revealed to be a man assuming the name of Dragon.

Major Story Arcs

New 52

Broken

Ricardo Diaz Jr. comes to Seattle under the name Richard Dragon and organizes the group known as The Longbow Hunters for the purpose of destroying the Green Arrows life, which was secondary to a "larger cause" of making money. Through making a deal with Clock King he ambushes and captured John Diggle, after taking Diggle to his hideout he has an argument with Count Vertigo Diggle starts asking questions and Diaz answers willingly. He tells John how his father taught him "Before money comes honor" and thats why he has to make Diggle and Green Arrow suffer. Confused, Diggle asked who the man that called himself Richard Dragon was, and Diaz elaborates on his origin story of as a teenager, witnessing Green Arrow storm his fathers home and humiliated him. Before that night he thought his father was invincible, yet he saw how Green Arrow exposed how soft he was, and wanted to do the same thing to Arrow and Diggle. After seeing how a man could stand shoulder to shoulder with men who could fly and space knights with green rings by making himself into something more, Diaz saw that he could do it too. Junior followed a trail of secrets and legends across the world until he found the League of Assassins. Diaz Trained under the original Richard Dragon until he murdered him and took his name as a sign of respect, and returned to Seattle to show the city then country what real strength is. At this point in his story Diggle interrupted to inform him that the real Green Arrow wasn't the one to stop his father but Diggle in Green Arrows costume. When Green Arrow shows up, Diaz has Count Vertigo use his powers as a security system, and tells Green Arrow that Diggle is just a casualty of war and they are the kings, Green Arrow agrees with this and asks that he lets Diggle go, and so Diaz throws Diggle through a window.

Oliver is able to save Diggle and they return to the building to face Diaz together, Oliver armed with his bow and Diggle with a loaded gun. Together they take out Diaz' men and after taking down a crowd the only man left is Junior, holding arrows he had caught. By observing Green Arrow and Diggle he can see all their weak points and strong points, and is able to disarm both foes with an arrow through Diggles hand and breaking Olivers bow. He proceeds to beat Oliver senseless with very direct attacks keeping track of what he has done and what state Oliver is in. Diaz explains to Oliver how he's a disappointment, after how he changed himself into something better for revenge and it was an impostor who beat his father, then Oliver was beat so easily by Junior with his bare hands. Oliver then tells Diaz no matter how much he talks or how much money he throws around, he's nothing, just like all the other two-bit thugs, and the difference between Diaz and Oliver, is that he's not alone. Diggle then pulls the arrow from his hand and tosses it to Oliver who stabs it through Juniors leg, telling him he severed the femoral artery and if he doesn't get medical attention he will die, to which Diaz replies "This isn't over".