Richard Dragon

Richard Dragon
Real Name	Richard Drakunovski [Original DC Universe], Ricardo Diaz, Jr. [New 52]
First Appearance	Dragon's Fists (1974)
Creators	Dennis O'Neil, Jim Berry
Team Affliation	G.O.O.D.
Alias	None
Base of Operations	Hub City
Powers	None
Skills and Abilities	Superb athlete, master martial artist.
Tools and Weapons	None

Richard Dragon is a martial artist hero in the DC Universe and the trainer of several significant superheroes.

Origin

Once a common thief, Richard Dragon found a second chance through mastering the martial art and becoming a hero.

Biography

Pre-Crisis

Not much have been revealed about Richard Dragon's parentage, but it is known that he was once a youth named Richard Drakunovski, that he grew up poor and neglected in the slums of St. Louis, Missouri and that his father died in a plane crash.  As a child, he somehow ended up homless in Japan, where Richard became a sneak thief at a young age.  When he tried to steal a golden Buddha statue, he was confronted with the master martial artist O-Sensei, who defeated Richard handily.  Despite Richard's actions, O-Sensei believed that the boy had a good heart and decided to make him a student.

For 6 years, Richard trained with O-Sensei and learning to control his emotions.  He also studied history, combat, philosophy and science alongside another young foreigner, Ben Turner. In addition to combat, Richard and Ben studied history, philosophy, and science, and worked to improve both mind and body.  When O-Sensei believed both students were ready, he let them leave to find their own way in the world.

G.O.O.D.

Soon, both fighters were recruited by the peacekeeping agency Global Organization of Organized Defense (or G.O.O.D.) by its leader, Barney Ling.  After their first mission, breaking up a slave ring in the Sudan, Ben and Richard decided to move to New York City with O-Sensei's granddaughter, Carolyn Woosan.  As soon as they arrived, however, Carolyn was kidnapped by a villain named The Swiss, and Richard gave pursuit, resulting in the Swiss becoming obsessed with the martial arts master.