Katana

[Jon Hancock]

Real Name: Tatsu Yamashiro
First Appearance: Brave and the Bold #200
Known Relatives: Maseo Yamashiro (husband, deceased), Yuki Yamashiro (daughter, deceased), Reiko Yamashiro (son, deceased), Tameo Yamashiro (brother-in-law, deceased)
Group Affiliation: formerly Outsiders
Known Allies: Geo-Force, Batman, Halo, Oracle, Black Canary
Major Enemies: Tadashi, Yakuza, Takeo Yamashiro,
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black

Tatsu was nothing more than a loyal housewife who was very much in love with her husband, Maseo. After she fell in love with her eventual husband and began dating him, she became aware that Maseo's brother, Takeo, also desired her. The two vied for her affections and a long courting process ensued which resulted in Tatsu choosing to marry Maseo. Takeo could not come to terms with his loss and took to a life of crime, becoming involved with the Yakuza, a Japanese criminal organisation. Tatsu lived happily with her husband and the two had a growing family. Takeo had meanwhile, become a weapons dealer. One of his purchases was two identical swords from a dealer known as General Karnz. Using one of these swords he killed Maseo out of vengeance and started a fire that claimed the lives of Tatsu's children as well.

Tatsu was filled with anger and decided that she must avenge her family's death. Entering into the martial arts, Tatsu trained hard and after much time claimed the sword that was responsible for her husband's death. The sword was known as the Soultaker and served as a bitter reminder of Maseo's death. However, it was also a magical sword that trapped the soul of anyone killed by it within the sword itself. This meant that Tatsu was not alone and could always talk to her husband. Tatsu began training as a samurai under a master called Tadashi. After much time she graduated from his tutorship and left for America where she intended to use her talents to fight for justice. She took the codename Katana after the sword that she wielded.

Years after her arrival in America, Tatsu journeyed to Markovia, a small Baltic state, where she managed to track down Karnz. Engaging him in a short fight she managed to achieve vengeance by killing him. Soon after the fight she encountered an unconscious young girl who was in the words. Naming her Halo, the duo assisted Batman in rescuing his employee Lucius Fox from the tyrant, Baron Bedlam. When Batman requested further aid from the Justice League in pursuing his vendetta against the Baron they declined and Batman resigned his membership. Instead he formed a team designed to be pro-active against threats called the Outsiders. Tatsu and Halo were charter members of the team.

The team managed to free Markovia from Bedlam's tyranny and they hourneyed to Gotham were they set up headquarters. Tatsu gained a new life as guardian of Halo and also set up a Japanes book store. Tatsu and Halo stayed in Bruce Wayne's former penthouse, the same building that housed the Outsider's headquarters.

Meanwhile, Takeo was still at large and had followed Tatsu to Gotham City. Secretly he switched swords with her and left for Tokyo with the Outsiders on his tail. Takeo took the sword to his master, the godfather of the Yakuza, known only as the Oyabun. Performing a specific ritual, the Oyabun and Takeo managed to recall the spirits of all those whom the blade had slain. These souls then took corporeal form and were slaves to Oyabun's whim. Amongst their number were legendary Japanese mercenaries and assassins such as Shuriken, Blowdart, Nunchaku and Anthor Stoneaxe. Also resurrected was Maseo. Katana fought a long and arduous battle but managed to reclaim the Soultaker. Finally killing Takeo, Tatsu put all her ghosts to rest. Unfortunately though, by undoing the ritual, her husband returned into the sword too.

Eventually the Outsiders split from Batman's leadership and took up residence in Markovia where they were funded by the Markovian crown. Having accepted offers of being Markovia's official agents they moved to Los Angeles where they officially operated from out of the Markovian embassy. They did however, have a secret headquarters just off shore. Tatsu was still plagued by her past though as the Oyabun returned into her life. Sending a trickster ghost, known as a tengu, Oyabun managed to capture Tatsu. Eventually Halo and Looker who used other tengu and the tengu leader, Tengu-Suma to aid them in their battle, rescued Tatsu.

The team eventually disbanded after a series of tragic events surrounding Geo-Force's parents and Markovia. The Outsiders were forced to defend Markovia against the Manhunters and during the fight Halo was knocked into a coma. Tatsu left the team so she could tend to Halo's wounds. Eventually though the team re-formed and returned to Markovia. However, they were trapped within a public relations nightmare and they were forced to become outlaws. Eventually the charges were dropped and the team fractured. Halo died but was reborn in a new body. This resurrection put immense strain on Tatsu's relationship with Halo. Tatsu joined a team with Geo-Force and Technocrat, taking the lead of her team. One of her team's missions was to dispatch Tadashi, Tatsu's old mentor. He was trying to gain the Soultaker and commissioned Lady Shiva to gain the sword. Despite Shiva's reputation as being the greatest fighter in the world, Shiva lost to Tatsu in a sword fight and Tatsu managed to find her old mentor and take his life.

Eventually the two splinter teams rejoined but not for long. After disbanding Tatsu has kept her association with Halo and Geo-Force. While they are not an official team they have still been seen to assist during major crises. Her close ties to Batman saw her fighting by his side during the Imperiex crisis. Most recently Tatsu was called upon by Black Canary to join a group of female mercenaries in rescuing Oracle from Senator Pullman. Tatsu was instrumental in fighting off the Senator's forces alongside Gypsy and was given Oracle's card afterwards plus the promise of a favour should she need it.

Katana has no metahuman powers but is enormously skilled as a martial artist. She is a fully trained samurai warrior and has few equals with a sword. She is also vastly talented unarmed and has beaten Lady Shiva, who is known as the premier martial artist in the world. Her sword is a mystic blade that captures the soul of every person it kills. The sword has existed for many centuries and its user can communicate to any of the souls it contains.


APPEARANCES:
Adventures of the Outsiders #33-38
Batman and the Outsiders #1-32
Batman and the Outsiders Annual #1-2
Brave and The Bold #200
Birds of Prey #67
Crisis on Infinite Earths #3-7, 9-10, 12
DC Comics Presents #83
Flash (2nd series) #8
Guy Gardner: Warrior #29
Infinity, Inc. Special #1
Invasion! #2
Millennium #1, 3-5
New Teen Titans (1st series) #37
New Teen Titans (2nd series) #13
Outsiders (1st series) #1-28
Outsiders (2nd series) #0-12, 14-15, 18-24
Outsiders Annual (1st series) #1
Outsiders Special #1
Red Tornado #3
Secret Origins (2nd series) #6
Showcase '93 #9-11
Suicide Squad (1st series) #53-57
Tales of the Teen Titans Annual #3
The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man (2nd series) #67
War of the Gods #4
Wonder Woman (2nd series) #174-175
World's Finest Comics #300, 302

[Lord Shiva]

Katana didn't beat Shiva. Shiva actually killed her and Katana only returned back to life after a trial by combat within her sword.

To be fare, Katana was injured when she fought Shiva, so she wasn't at top form.