RADU STANCU	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Ron Marz & Darryl Banks

PERSONAL DATA

Occupation: soldier (former); coffee shop owner / landlord (current)
Homeworld: Earth
Space Sector: 2814
Marital Status: widowed
Known Relatives: Elena (wife, deceased)
Base of Operation: New York City
Group Affiliation(s): former member of Romania's Securitate
Gender: Male
Height: unknown
Weight: unknown
Eyes: brown
Hair: none
First Appearance: Green Lantern Vol. 3 #57 (December 1994) "Farewells"
Creators: Ron Marz & Darryl Banks

HISTORY

Raised on a farm in his native Romania, Radu Stancu knew he wanted something more for his future and so joined the military. Though Romania was under the rule of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, Radu was happy as a soldier. When his time of service was done Radu was offered a position in the Securitate, the secret police in Romania. Wanting to live in a big city such as Bucharest and needing the work, Stancu took the job.

Stancu was put under the command of Vlad Giurescu, a formidable assassin. Giurescu went under the name "Dracul" or "the Dragon" because of the red dragon tattoo on his back. He was a brutal killer, preferring to use his knife he named the Dragon's Tooth. Being a soldier, Stancu did what was expected of him, though he was not proud of his actions.

Stancu met Elena, his future wife, in the bakery where she worked. About two years after they married, Stancu had seen enough bloodshed and rejected Ceausescu and the Securitate's brutal methods. The couple chose to defect to the West.

They made it as far as a train station in Vienna before the Dragon caught up with them. Stancu and the Dragon struggled and Stancu was able to wrest the Dragon's Tooth from his foe, slashing the right side of the Dragon's face and blinding him in one eye. Radu pulled Elena up onto a train as it was pulling out of the station when the Dragon shot him, wounding his left leg. Radu lost his grip on Elena's hand and was too weak to go to her. As the train pulled away, Radu could only watch as the Dragon claimed her. Radu was taken to Paris and freedom. The bullet lodged in his leg gave him a permanent limp. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #120, GREEN LANTERN/RAY PLUS # 1, GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 1-2

An undisclosed amount of time later, Stancu came to the United States. Unfamiliar with the language and customs of his new country, Stancu used his limited knowledge of French to take a job as a waiter in a French restaurant. When one night's worth of tips were stolen Stancu was unfairly considered to be responsible and was fired. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #57

Some time later, he bought the building at 175 Bleeker Street in New York City's Greenwich Village. Renting out the six apartments above, Stancu opened "Radu's Coffee," a shop on the ground floor. Open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, Radu serves twenty six blends as well as a breakfast menu and soup and sandwiches. [GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 2]

A vacancy in one of the apartments on the top floor was filled by Kyle Rayner, a freelance artist relocating from Los Angeles. Stancu took an immediate liking to the young artist. - Green Lantern Vol. 3 #57

Stancu would soon discover whenever Rayner was around the power ring wielding Green Lantern was not far away. Stancu and Rayner were walking down Bleeker Street one night when Stancu was pulled down an alley and through a mystic portal. Green Lantern followed and rescued the coffee shop owner. Rayner was not familiar with the numerous super-villains and did not recognize Felix Faust, the magic wielder inadvertently responsible for Stancu's plight. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #58

Radu Stancu's current/former tenants include:

4F Lee Adamson and Li Chiang. Lee is on staff at the Metropolitan Museum of Art while Li manages an off-off-Broadway theater. [GREEN LANTERN 3rd series # 69, 80 ? 86, 93, GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 1, JL:MID-SUMMER’S NIGHTMARE # 1]

4R Kyle Rayner (former) Secretly Green Lantern, up Kyle currently shares his apartment with Jennie-Lynn Hayden Scott aka Jade . Their friendship had grown into a romantic relationship and eventual breakup but they have since gotten back together. Despite having two people living in the apartment and all the damage to the building since Kyle moved in, Radu has not raised the rent or evicted him. [GREEN LANTERN 3rd series # 57-58, 79, 92-93, 97, 117, 119-120]

3F Alison Chandler A model, Alison Chandler has a bit of a crush on Kyle Rayner. Alison's posing nude for Kyle was a major part of his breakup with Donna Troy. [GREEN LANTERN 3rd series # 66, 69-70, 80, 86, GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 1]

3R Cleveland Rose A blind saxophonist, Cleveland Rose played with jazz musicians Miles Davis and Mingus to Charlie "Bird" Parker and Brubeck. A few years ago, Rose was performing in a Star City jazz club when his sister's son, Lewis Taylor, was caught trying to sell some drugs. Lewis managed to slip away, leaving some of the drugs in his uncle's saxophone case. Cleveland took the responsibility for the drugs to get his nephew out of trouble.

Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Green Arrow Oliver Queen put in a good word for Rose and the musician received probation as it was his first offense. The drug incident gave Rose a bad reputation and he hasn't played professionally since.

Lewis eventually got arrested and sentenced for dealing. When released from prison, his mother sent Jamayl, Lewis' brother, to live with their uncle Cleveland.

Cleveland Rose and Kyle Rayner have become friends and frequently trade music CDs. [GREEN LANTERN 3rd series # 69, 80, 86, 92, 117, ADVENTURES IN THE DC UNIVERSE # 16, GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 1]

2F Nathan Straussman A film student at New York University, Nathan Straussman has a particular fondness for Charlie Chapman movies. Nathan's sister, Beccah, is a rabbi. [GREEN LANTERN 3rd series # 69, 86, 92, DCU HOLIDAY BASH # 2, GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 1]

2R Rachel Ginty Little is known about Rachel Ginty, a poet who's lived in the Village for years and claims past friendships with (Alan) Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. It is appears Rachel has been living in the apartment building the longest. [GREEN LANTERN 3rd series # 69, 86, GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 1]

The residents of 175 Bleeker Street attended the opening of Kyle Rayner's exhibition at the Eli Katz Gallery on Greene Street. It was there that Stancu was hastily introduced to Simone Montaige (sp?), Kyle's agent. The two had a romantic encounter shortly thereafter. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #117 - 119

The day finally came when the Dragon caught up to Stancu. From a rooftop across the street, the Dragon waited for his target. A bullet through the forehead of the stylized coffee pot decorating the window was a message to his target that the Dragon had arrived. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #119 - 120

Stancu found the Dragon waiting on the rooftop for him. Taunting Stancu with the death of Elena, the Dragon was ready for his attack. The arrival of Green Lantern may have saved Stancu's life as the ring wielder knocked the Dragon away from Stancu. When Green Lantern turned his back on the assassin, the Dragon shot him, striking him in the shoulder.

Shocked by the bullet wound, Green Lantern tried to get his bearings, while Stancu charged the Dragon. They struggled and Stancu threw the Dragon over the side of the building. The Dragon hit the sidewalk and is presumed dead.

Stancu revealed to Rayner that he had known about his dual identity and tended to his bullet wound. He called in Donna Troy for medical assistance and Rayner was eventually brought back to health. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #120

Radu Stancu has been serving coffee since, despite events like a recent Manhunter abduction of Kyle Rayner which created a gaping hole in the roof of the building later repaired by Rayner. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #129 [GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES # 3]

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Radu Stancu in chronological order click here