Lonnie Machin, alias 'Anarky', is a DC Comics superhero/anti-villain created by the late Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle. Making his debut in the pages of Detective Comics (1937) in November of 1989, Lonnie was inspired by the likes of V from Alan Moore's 'V for Vendetta" and Chopper from 'Judge Dredd', and, after his debut, was intended by his creators to take up the mantle of 'Robin' after the death of Batman sidekick Jason Todd. However, the duo was unaware that writers Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick's own character, Tim Drake, was already slated to become the next boy wonder, and Lonnie remained a relative antagonist and thorn in the Gotham City bourgeoisie (and Batman)'s side until his last appearance pre-Flashpoint in 2011. He would go on to star in two solo series (of varying success), team up with Oliver Queen's Green Arrow, and eventually develop as a foil to Tim Drake's Robin until his kidnapping at the hands of Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong at the tail end of Robin (1993). He would come to aid Tim's Red Robin under the hacker and info-jockey identity 'Moneyspider' until the DCU reset.
Below is a complete annotated guide to all of Lonnie's major pre-Flashpoint appearances. All of my personal favorites will be starred with an asterisk. I hope you come to love this character, or at least think a little more about him, as much as I do. Happy reading!
CONTENT WARNING: Racist depiction of Haitian people/culture and misrepresentation of Vodou and Obeah. If you'd like, you may skip the 'Obeah Man' arc, as Lonnie is only revelant in the unrelated B-plot involving Tim Drake's first detective case.
CONTENT WARNING: Brief Nazi "joke".
NOTE: This is where Grant's emerging Randian objectivism and Neo-Tech sympathies begin to show. It gets kind of weird about 'enlightenment' and begins calling Lonnie's usual targets 'elites'. As Lonnie was always meant to reflect Grant's own political beliefs, I will not say that this is 'out of character', but I will say that I am not a fan and prefer Lonnie's earlier communist sway a lot more. Despite this, these two issues are massively important for characterization, history, and backstory purposes, so I will advise they be read.
NOTE: As above, Grant (and thus Lonnie) take a hard turn into anarcho-capitalist objectivism. Though this is Lonnie's first solo comic, I myself have many mixed feelings about it and thus personally leave whether or not one should read it up to the individual. However, if you want to see more of the character, his developing history and characterization, and his second brush with magic, feel free to go ahead.
NOTE: Though this is a relatively minor appearance, it is still one of my favorites.
NOTE: Ah, Anarky (1999), a hot mess of a comic series that was so poorly recieved it got canceled before they could disprove the Joker paternity arc. I've softened on it over time as I've learned more about the editorial mandates and hard situations the creative team went through that resulted in such a disaster, but that doesn't mean I've stopped approaching it with a healthy amount of ridicule from a fan perspective. I will say that the over-the-top silliness is relatively normal for a comic book and most of my contempt comes from the fact that the politics are not my favorite and I dislike the direction the character was going. It does feature more bits of characterization that I do enjoy, and some interesting concepts, so I won't write it off completely. Another one that is totally up to you the reader.
CONTENT WARNING: Heavy focus on American Confederacy in issue #7.
NOTE: One of my favorite Anarky comics of all time and a genuinely wonderful character examination featuring a team-up I adore. Did you know James Peaty (writer) planned at least two Anarky stories that never got past the concept stage, including a Hard Traveling Heroes-type Green Arrow/Anarky duo book? I would give just about anything to live in a world where that got made.
NOTE: Some time between Green Arrow (2001) #51 and Robin (1993) #180, Lonnie was shot in the head, chemically paralyzed, poisoned, and kept prisoner by Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong, aka The General. Ulysses would keep Lonnie attached to an Iron Lung, able to communicate through text-to-speech and use their mind to freely explore the depths of the internet as 'Moneyspider'. This sets up his role in Red Robin (2009).
NOTE: Lonnie begins to aid Tim Drake as Moneyspider full-time as he recovers in Leslie Thompkins' clinic. Issue 25 is his last appearance before the DCU's Flashpoint reboot.
EXTRA
NOTE: Though not written/released pre-reboot, this story was Alan Grant's last when it came to Anarky, and so I recommend it for those who are nostalgic for the Before Times. It's a cute 14-pager and a return to the old costume.
You can find all of these comics on Read Comic Online for absolutely free!
Some of my favorite illustrations and merchandise of pre-reboot Anarky.
Illustration by Norm Breyfogle
Illustration by Norm Breyfogle
1. Batman: Saga of the Dark Knight - Series 1 (1994) Trading Cards. #87 - Anarky / Law (Illustration by Graham Nolan)
2. DC Villains: Dark Judgement - Series 1 (1995) Trading Cards. #48 - Anarky (Illustration by Bill Sienkiewicz)