The martial arts master Richard Dragon is one of DC’s more obscure characters as well as one of its most important. Introduced in the Bronze Age, the character quickly became one of DC’s top martial artists, besting Black Canary, Bronze Tiger and even Batman himself. Emblematic of the era’s kung fu movie craze, he was analogous to Marvel’s Shang-Chi and Iron Fist characters.
Despite this seemingly prominent role, Richard Dragon faded into obscurity until being heavily reimagined in the New 52. This version of the character would go on to inspire his depiction on Arrow, potentially cementing this version as DC’s Kung Fu master.
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Richard Dragon’s debut in the novel Kung Fu Master, Richard Dragon: Dragon’s Fists, which was written by James R. Berry and a pseudonym-using Denny O’Neil. O’Neil would then bring the character over into DC Comics via the book Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter. His origin introduced him as Richard Drakunovski, a Russian teenager making a meager living as a thief in Japan. While trying to abscond with a priceless artifact from a dojo, he was beaten by Ben Turner, the future Bronze Tiger.
O-Sensei, the master of the dojo, decided to take Richard in and train him to be the martial arts master Richard Dragon. He and Ben Turner would join the Global Organization of Organized Defense, engaging in martial arts-filled espionage to take down international criminals such as Telegram Sam and even the League of Assassins. Dragon would subsequently train Sandra Wu-San, who became known as Lady Shiva. He would also train Vic Sage during Denny O’Neil’s reimagining on The Question, turning him into a more effective fighter while teaching him spiritual philosophy. Other students of his included Black Canary, the Connor Hawke Green Arrow and Helena Bertinelli before she became the crimefighting heroine Huntress.
Chuch Dixon would briefly retcon his origin, reversing the status quo and making him a student of Bronze Tiger and Lady Shiva.
Richard Dragon has been radically different ever since Jeff Lemire’s now-classic run on Green Arrow during the New 52. This series introduced an Afro-Latin man who identified himself as Richard Dragon and whose real name was Ricardo Diaz. This villainous Dragon had a vendetta against Green Arrow, as his criminal father had been killed by John Diggle when he briefly posed as Green Arrow.
After this event, Diaz would seek out the training of the League of Assassins, with his sensei attempting to teach him compassion and understanding. Instead, Diaz rebelled against him, killing him and taking the name of Richard Dragon. Returning to Seattle, he would form a group called the Longbow Hunters to strike back at Green Arrow, almost killing Diggle in the process.
This version of the character served as the basis for Kirk Acevedo’s portrayal of the character in Arrow. There, he was a mere gangster named Ricardo Diaz, whose nickname “Dragon” was derived from his tattoos and his penchant for setting people on fire. Like in the New 52, he hires the Longbow Hunters to take out Green Arrow, and through a series of rather contrived events effectively takes over Star City. He would ally himself with Dante of the Ninth Circle before turning on him. This would only get him killed by the Ninth Circle’s true leader, who ironically killed Diaz by burning him to death. This incarnation of the character and his rise to power were subject to criticism by fans, who felt like the show nerfed his power level far below previous villains like Deathstroke, Damien Darhk and even Merlyn. Still, putting a version of Richard Dragon on a show about Green Arrow was a fitting full-circle effect, considering Denny O’Neil’s invention and reinvention of the two characters.