Speedy (DC Comics)
- For other references, see Speedy (disambiguation).
Speedy is the name of two DC Comics superheroes, both of whom have served as teenaged sidekicks for the Green Arrow (a.k.a. Oliver Queen). The original Speedy currently operates under the name Arsenal.
Roy Harper
The original Speedy's real name was Roy Harper, Jr.. He first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941), where he was identified as the orphaned son of Roy Harper, Sr., a forest ranger who had died saving a Navajo medicine chief named Brave Bow from a fire. Brave Bow raised the younger Roy himself, training him at archery. Roy Jr. took to this training eagerly, and idolized the archer superhero, Green Arrow. As a teenager, Roy is given the opportunity to perform at an archery competition judged by Green Arrow, where he assists the hero at foiling an attempted burglary, even proving himself to be a faster shot than the hero. Following the death of Brave Bow, Green Arrow asked Roy to serve as his sidekick, an offer Roy jumped at, taking the name Speedy. Roy became the ward of Green Arrow's alter ego, millionaire Oliver Queen.
Roy grew to become a founding member of the Teen Titans and eventually took the name Arsenal.
Mia Dearden
Mia Dearden was introduced by writer Kevin Smith in Green Arrow volume 2 #2 in 2001. Mia was a teenaged girl who ran from her home after being abused by her father. Unable to survive on her own, she fell in love with a man named Richard, who offered her shelter and food in exchange for exploiting her in child prostitution. Mia was rescued from one of her clients, a depraved local politician, by Oliver Queen, who had just recently returned from the dead. Mia continued to work with Oliver, who was busy trying to reconstruct his own life, and began to train at an archery under his tutelage. Mia continually petitioned Green Arrow to allow her to serve as his sidekick, but Oliver continually demurred, not wanting to put another youngster at risk.
Mia continued to appear in Green Arrow as a supporting character until 2004, when writer Judd Winick revealed that Mia was HIV positive, a legacy of her unsavory past. With this knowledge, Mia redoubled her efforts to convince Green Arrow to let her become the new Speedy, and Green Arrow finally relented. In Green Arrow volume 2 #45 (2004), Mia takes up the Speedy mantle, and in the following issue (2005), she joins the Teen Titans. Shortly after, she reveals to the team that she is, infact, HIV positive.
The first Speedy gave Mia a set of his old arrows. This included a mysterious blue arrow labeled: "Only use in an emergency". Apparently, Roy stole it and doesn't know what it does. There have been two instances so far inwhich Speedy nearly used this arrow. The first was on her first mission against Dr. Light; the second was against the demon servents of Brother Blood.
In other media
Speedy's first filmed appearance was in the Teen Titans segments in the Superman/Aquaman Adventure Hour. In those episodes, Speedy serves in the effective place of Robin.
Speedy has appeared on the Teen Titans animated series, where he is voiced by Mike Erwin. Although his real name is not given, his appearance is clearly based on that of Roy Harper. While not a member of the main Titans team himself, he appeared as a supporting character in the episode "Winner Take All," and fought Robin, trying to convince him if winning is really that important. Speedy later joined up with the team's sister group, Titans East. As depicted in the series, Speedy is serious and businesslike as in his Arsenal years in comics, leading Beast Boy to comment on his similarities to Robin. However, when he reappears in "Titans East Pt. 1," more of his traditional a bad-boy Speedy personality is seen, as he refuses to apologize for buying fish tacos, which offends Aqualad to no end. He was mind-controlled by Brother Blood in "Titans East Pt. 2" but saved by Titans West.
Speedy's bow was broken by Cheshire in "Calling All Titans". He was overpowered by her. However, in the episode "Titans Together", Speedy somehow regained possession of his bow when he was freed from his suspended animation.
Speedy appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Patriot Act", which is particularly surprising, as the producers of the show have stated on several occasions they didnt want sidekicks to appear. Speedy clearly states that he is Green Arrow's "ex-partner", and is visually designed as a slightly older, better built version of his Teen Titans incarnation - his costume is the same, and he is still voiced by Mike Erwin. This does not neccessarily mean the shows are in continuity with one another, and may have been a nod to the Titans cartoon and nothing more, much like how Michael Rosenbaum's voicing of Kid Flash in the Teen Titans episode Lightspeed serving as a homage to Justice League. Speedy's appearance is also a nod to the original Seven Soldiers of Victory, who are the stars of this episode.