Merlyn (DC Comics)

Merlyn
Artwork from Green Arrow/Black Canary #16 (2009). Art by Mike Norton
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Arthur King: Justice League of America #94 (November 1971) Thomas Merlyn: Green Arrow #0 (September 2012)
Created by	Mike Friedrich Neal Adams Dick Dillin
In-story information
Full name	Arthur King/Malcolm Merlyn Thomas Merlyn
Team affiliations	Anti-Justice League Injustice League The Society League of Assassins The 100 Killer Elite
Notable aliases	Dark Archer The Magician
Abilities	Genius-level tactician Peak physical and mental conditioning Master archer with acute accuracy Master hand-to-hand combatant, martial artist, bowman, swordsman and marksman Highly skilled in stealth High tolerance for pain

Merlyn, also known as the Dark Archer, is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. While he serves as enemy for Batman occasionally, he is the archenemy of Green Arrow.

Created by Mike Friedrich, Neal Adams, and Dick Dillin, the character made his first appearance in Justice League of America #94 (1971)

John Barrowman and his sister Carole have written a digital comic called Arrow: The Dark Archer, now released as a physical paperback, which focuses on Malcolm Merlyn, the character that John plays on The CW's live-action television series Arrow. It is illustrated by Daniel Sampere. The digital comic reveals Malcolm's birth name as Arthur King, Merlyn's real name in the mainstream comics.

Years before Oliver Queen would become Green Arrow, he was inspired to take up archery by the archer Merlyn the Magician. Once Green Arrow began to become famous, the two met again, as Merlyn challenged the hero to a public archery contest and defeated him. With that victory under his belt, Merlyn vanished for years, only to resurface as a member of the League of Assassins. Merlyn and Green Arrow faced again as Merlyn tried to fulfill a contract to assassinate Batman. Green Arrow was able to deflect one of Merlyn's arrows with an arrow of his own, saving Batman's life. Merlyn admitted that Green Arrow had improved since their last encounter, but escaped before he could be captured. Unable to return to the League of Assassins, he became a freelance assassin.

Merlyn later appeared in Action Comics as part of the Queen Bee's unofficial "Injustice Gang" opposing the JLA.