As a young Australian, Fred Meyers came to America and developed a fondness for baseball. That fondness turned into a full-blown career as an adult, a career he lost when he was caught taking bribes. But he did develop one hell of a pitching arm which was a talent the Secret Empire realized they could put to good use.
They recruited him, gave him weaponry to suit his abilities and Boomerang was born. Over the years, he's faced off against the likes of Spider-Man, Hulk and Wolverine, though he's never really been an A-list villain. He's still a bag guy, though.
10 His Secret Empire Empire
Boomerang has never been one to pass up an opportunity and Secret Empire provided him with a huge one. Under the direction of a fascist version of Stever Rogers, Hydra took over the United States and maintained control via subversive means. During that time, Boomerang took advantage and carved out a considerable criminal empire for himself.
Did he do this in New York? No. Los Angeles? Of course not. He set up shop in Newark, New Jersey. Boomerang may have used a horrible situation to his advantage but he at least put that position to good use and provided support to the group of resistance heroes fighting Hydra. At a price, of course.
9 Peter Parker, The Spectacular Roommate
After Hydra was overthrown and life in America started to return to "normal", Boomerang called in the favors he did for various heroes and had his entire criminal record expunged.
The next step was to build a new life by subletting an apartment with two new roommates, Randy Robertson and Peter Parker. That's how bad Parker's luck truly is. It's bad enough he's living with a guy who he's fought more times than Aunt May has made him wheat cakes, Fred is also a terrible roommate, what with being a jerk and all. Parker did give him a second chance after Fred saved his life in their alter egos.
8 Suing Matt Murdock for Losing a Fight to Daredevil
When Samuel Silke, Jr. tried to take over the Kingpin's empire, he decided to wipe Matt Murdock/Daredevil out. To accomplish that goal, he put out an open contract on Murdock's life, which Boomerang was more than happy to take advantage of. But just as he was getting ready to make his move, he realized that Daredevil had found him and was after him.
Unfortunately for Boomerang, Daredevil is a much better fighter and he beat the villain within an inch of his life. As if trying to kill Murdock wasn't bad enough, Boomerang actually tried to sue him over the beating he took while trying to commit a criminal act.
7 His Original Costume
If it looks like a jerk and acts like a jerk, it's probably a jerk. After getting banned from baseball and hooking up with the Secret Empire, Fred became a villain, but not a proper one.
His first costume definitely made him look like a jerk, which was probably the point. Fred wasn't very impressive in the early days. The dissolution of the Secret Empire sent him running back to Australia, though he did eventually return and got a serious upgrade in tech from Justin Hammer. Still, it's hard to look at him and not think of his original, ridiculous costume. What a jerk.
6 Stuck in a Dead End Love Triangle
Leila Davis was the wife of the supervillain known as Ringer, who was killed by Scourge. As part of her revenge plan on those her forced her husband into the position that got him killed, Leila became romantically intertwined with Boomerang.
When he ended up in jail, her affections moved on to Speed Demon. That was by design as Speed Demon set Boomerang up to go to jail so he could have time with Leila. As it turns out, Leila as manipulating them the whole time as part of her ongoing attempt to kill the current Beetle. In the end, he even sides with her against Beetle despite everything. Have some self-respect, Fred.
5 Running From a Fight
Boomerang isn't really known for his bravery, like most supervillains. He runs from as many fights as possible though that might be a good choice as someone with no powers and some fancy boomerangs isn't always the best option to fight Thor.
One of the most grievous examples came during Fear Itself. As a member of a secondary Thunderbolts team, Boomerang and company were sent to face off against a jacked-up Juggernaut. Unbeknownst to their handlers, the villains had turned off the control options that kept the from running, which they did at their earliest convenience. That being said, they got their comeuppance when they got lost in time during their escape.
4 The Rise of Outback
In the wake of Secret Invasion, Boomerang joined Norman Osborn's super-duper corrupt version of the Initiative and took on a new identity as a fake superhero called Outback. This wasn't a legitimate attempt to clean up his act so much as it was participating in another one of Osborn's frightening plans to take control of everything he could get his hands on.
Fred might not have been the mastermind of the operation but he was a willing part of a dark time in the Marvel Universe. It did end with him getting punched in the face on live TV.
3 Spurned, Again
Boomerang once dated a woman named Jane Leonard, a relationship which didn't work out. In an attempt to get her back, Fred stopped by her job at a bank to talk to her. Not surprisingly, she wasn't interested. Fred didn't take too kindly to that and got really upset, which in turn caused Jane to trigger the silent alarm.
Most rational people would have walked away from the situation at this point. Not Fred, though. Fred trapped his ex and a bunch of other people in the vault, started whipping boomerangs around indiscriminately and fought Spider-Man. That's not how adults handle rejection.
2 Joining the R.A.I.D.
A group that splintered off from A.I.M., Radically Advanced Ideas of Destruction set out on a terrorist campaign that's overall goal was to replace Hydra. This included a terrorist attack on London that featured a variety of super villains, including Boomerang.
His big part of the mission is to take over a plane filled with passengers at Heathrow Airport. This move brought Boomerang into conflict with Contessa Fontaine, who took him out by shooting his own gasarang. Joining a militant terrorist organization that targets civilians is low, even for Boomerang.
1 Killing Jackpot's Husband
While working as a scientist, Sara Ehret was accidentally given powers and had to register as a superhero, aka Jackpot. She didn't want that life so she let another person use her identity. When that person was killed, Spider-Man shamed her with his usual responsibility speech and she took on the role of a hero.
Unfortunately, it was that life that led her to Boomerang, who learned her secret identity, tracked her down and killed her husband in front of Sara and her daughter. That was pretty gosh darn unnecessary, though if Spider-Man had kept his mouth shut Jackpot's husband would still be alive.
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