Ragman (Rory Regan), nicknamed the "tattered tatterdemalion of justice",
[''Ragman'' #1-5. DC Comics, September 1976-July 1977.] is a
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic books
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'', ...
published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
. He was originally created by writer
Robert Kanigher
Robert "Bob" Kanigher (; June 18, 1915 – May 7, 2002)Social Security Death Index, social security #116-07-5117. was an American comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for ...
and artist
Joe Kubert
Joseph Kubert (; September 18, 1926 – August 12, 2012) was a Poland, Polish-born Americans, American comic book artist, art teacher, and founder of The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkm ...
in 1976.
Originally presented as a man of Irish descent, the character was revised to have Jewish heritage (his family name originally being Reganiewicz) and a connection to the
Golem of Prague
A golem ( ; he, , gōlem) is an animated, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is entirely created from inanimate matter (usually clay or mud). The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century r ...
(a figure of Jewish folklore) in a 1991 mini-series by
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen (born November 30, 1952) is an American comics artist and writer. He is known for his work for DC Comics on their ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Justice League'' titles as well as for being the co-creator of Lobo.
Biography
K ...
, Robert Loren Fleming, Pat Broderick, and Anthony Tollin.
[''Ragman'' (vol. 2) #1-8. DC Comics, July 1991 to March 1992.] The same mini-series established Ragman's costume as a "Suit of Souls", repeatedly drawing him into conflict with mystical threats and granting him the power and skills of the souls it has collected. The suit sometimes desires to collect new souls, forcing Ragman to exert great will if he doesn't wish the suit to do so.
In his original stories, Ragman is a Vietnam veteran who is simultaneously electrocuted alongside his father and a group of family friends. While the others die, Rory survives and inexplicably gains their collective skills and strengths. Wearing a costume his father made out of rags, he uses these abilities to protect his neighborhood from criminals. Starting in 1991, Rory Regan's origin and nature were revised, making him a Vietnam veteran of Jewish heritage who inherits the mystical Suit of Souls following his father's death at the hands of criminals.
[Ragman's Jewish heritage is discussed in the nonfiction book ''From Kraków To Krypton'', written by ]Arie Kaplan
Arie Kaplan is an American writer and comedian. He is the author of the book ''Masters of the Comic Book Universe Revealed!'', and a writer for '' Mad'' magazine. He lives in New York City.
Career
Although he is also a comedian and a cartoonist ...
(Jewish Publication Society, 2008), p. 125 Worn by many champions over the centuries, each patch of the costume possesses the soul of a corrupt person who offers their skills, knowledge, protection, and strength to Ragman in order to earn redemption and release. The series ''Shadowpact'' said Ragman's costume was first created in 1812 BCE and has taken on different forms in different eras, but this idea has not been recognized in other stories.
In 2017, a revised version of Rory Regan was introduced with a new origin, appearance, and nature.
Ragman appeared in the
fifth and
final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
seasons of the
Arrowverse
The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. ...
television series ''
Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'', played by actor
Joe Dinicol
Joe Dinicol (born December 22, 1983) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayal of Rory Regan / Ragman in a recurring role in the fifth season of ''Arrow''.
Life and career
Dinicol was born in Stratford, Ontario, the son of Emma (née ...
.
Development
During an Interview, Kubert discussed how the idea for the character was came about, "We thought that a superhero character dressed in rags might be a little bit different. What we were looking for, of course, was something along the lines of a superhero, but different from those that were already out. The character was to be dressed in rags. Then we gave him an identity. We went backwards and gave him a history. His father was to be an old circus performer and owning a junkyard now."
Publication history
In June, 1976, DC Comics began publishing the bi-monthly comic book series ''Ragman'' (volume 1). The series began in June, 1976 (cover dated September, 1976) and only lasted 5 issues before ending in April, 1977 (cover dated July, 1977). Ragman was created by writer
Robert Kanigher
Robert "Bob" Kanigher (; June 18, 1915 – May 7, 2002)Social Security Death Index, social security #116-07-5117. was an American comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for ...
and artist
Joe Kubert
Joseph Kubert (; September 18, 1926 – August 12, 2012) was a Poland, Polish-born Americans, American comic book artist, art teacher, and founder of The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkm ...
.
The title character Rory Regan was presented as a vigilante who focused on standard urban crime threats such as gangsters, drug dealers, and thieves. After criminals cause power lines to fall to the ground, Rory, his father, and some friends of the family are simultaneously electrocuted. Rory is the only survivor, gaining the collective abilities and physical traits of the other men. The mini-series depicted Rory Reagan as a young man and former active member of the US Marine Corps who had served during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The
letters page
A comic book letter column is a section of an American comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns (or lettercols), letter pages, letters of comment (LOCs), o ...
of ''Ragman'' #3 specifically stated the character was intended by Kanigher and Kubert to be of Irish descent.
After his mini-series, this incarnation of Ragman did not appear regularly in the DC Comics universe beyond a minor cameo during the company-wide crossover ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March ...
''. This same crossover resulted in much of DC Comics superhero canon being revised or rebooted. A new incarnation of Ragman with a new origin story was then presented in an 8-issue mini-series ''Ragman'' (vol. 2) which was published from July, 1991 (cover dated October, 1991) until March, 1992 (cover dated July, 1992). The mini-series was plotted by Keith Giffen, scripted by Robert Loren Fleming, illustrated by Pat Broderick, and colored by Anthony Tollin.
The mini-series reinterpreted Ragman as a magic-empowered character native to
Gotham City
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the cit ...
who deals not only with urban crime but also mystical threats. Rory Regan is still a veteran of the Vietnam War, with the story establishing him now as a divorced man who is "pushing middle age" when he first dons the costume. The mini-series reveals that Rory's father was a Jewish man born with the name Reganiewicz, which he changed after immigrating to the United States. The mini-series established the Ragman costume as a mystical "Suit of Souls" created during the 16th century by the same people who created the
Golem of Prague
A golem ( ; he, , gōlem) is an animated, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is entirely created from inanimate matter (usually clay or mud). The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century r ...
(a figure of Jewish folklore).
After the Golem is deemed dangerous, it is decided a human champion should be empowered rather than a soulless being made of clay. The mini-series establishes there have been several to carry the mantle of Ragman before Rory, including his own father Gerry who attempted to protect Jews from
Nazis
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Now inheriting the costume and role, Rory Regan is depicted as a hero who struggles to control the Suit of Souls and not give into his own anger or feelings of vengeance when facing criminals. The mini-series includes a cameo by Batman and ends with Rory leaving Gotham City in order to relocate to
.
A year later, Ragman appeared again in the 6-issue mini-series ''Ragman: Cry of the Dead'', published from May to November of 1993. The story takes place in New Orleans and involves Voodoo magical practices and beliefs. The story also details more of Rory's romantic past concerning a lost love and his later marriage and divorce involving another woman.
Ragman appeared again in a two-part story published in ''Batman'' #551 and 552, published in December, 1997, and January, 1998, respectively (though the issues are cover dated as February, 1998, and March, 1998). The story depicts Rory returning to Gotham City from New Orleans, only to then lose control of his Suit of Soul as it hunts down evil men to kill and absorb. After seeking aid from Batman and a rabbit, the story ends with Rory regaining control of his suit.
In 1999, Ragman plays a role in the ''
Day of Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
'' mini-series, acting as a defender for Earth against a demon invasion. At the conclusion of the ''Day of Judgment'' mini-series, he joins a loose organization of mystically-empowered heroes known as the Sentinels of Magic.
In the 2005-2006 mini-series ''
Day of Vengeance
''Day of Vengeance'' is a six-issue comic book Limited series (comics), limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.
Publication history
''Day of Vengeance'' is one of four lim ...
'', a tie-in to the company-wide crossover ''
Infinite Crisis
"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, a ...
'', Ragman joins a group of magic-users who oppose the
Spectre
Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to:
Religion and spirituality
* Vision (spirituality)
* Apparitional experience
* Ghost
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
. This group is called
Shadowpact
The Shadowpact is a fictional group of magic-based heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series ''Day of Vengeance'', published by DC Comics. They are a sort of Justice League for the supernatural elements of the DC Universe. ...
. Following ''Infinite Crisis'', Ragman is a regular case member of the ''Shadowpact'' comic book series. The series was published from 2006 to 2008, ending after 25 issues, and revised parts of Ragman's history, saying the costume had originally come into being in 1812 BCE and could take on different forms (such as a knife or spear) without altering its powers.
[''Shadowpact'' #8 (DC Comics, 1997).] In the series, the Shadowpact group faces a group of villains known as the Pentacle, a member of whom is an evil Ragman counterpart known as Bagman. The team, Ragman included, then appeared in DC's ''
Reign in Hell
''Reign in Hell'' is a 2008-2009 comic book Limited series (comics), miniseries written by Keith Giffen, pencilled by Thomas Derenick, inked by Bill Sienkiewicz and published by DC Comics. The title is a reference to a line spoken by Lucifer in Joh ...
'' crossover mini-series in 2008.
In 2010, a one-shot comic entitled ''Ragman: Suit of Souls'' was produced by writer Christos N. Gage, artist Steven Segovia, colorist David Curiel, and letterer Rob Leigh. The one-shot did not reference revelations about the character made in the ''Shadowpact'' series. While retelling the origin established in the 1991 mini-series, the comic added that Gerry Regan had already been middle-aged or older when Rory was born and that Rory still seemed to be a man in his 40s due to the Suit of Souls slowing down his aging. This was to allow for Rory to continue being a Vietnam War veteran with a father who had been active as Ragman during World War II. The one-shot established that the souls of Ragman's costume are redeemed in part by acknowledging and understanding the harm they caused.
[''Ragman: Suit of Souls'' (DC Comics, 2010).]
In 2011, DC Comics revised its entire superhero universe with its "
New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new series ...
" line of comic books. In 2015, the New 52 version of Rory Regan appears as someone identical in nature and appearance to his Post-Crisis/Pre-New 52 incarnation.
[''Batwoman'' (vol. 2) #35 (DC Comics, 2014).] DC Comics then revised large parts of its New 52 canon during the 2016 event ''
DC Rebirth
DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the D ...
''.
Another version of Rory Regan appeared in the 2017 six-issue mini series ''Ragman'' (vol. 3). The mini-series was written by Ray Fawkes, illustrated by Inaki Miranda, and colored by Eva de la Cruz, with covers by Guillem March. This mini-series depicts a Ragman with an entirely new appearance and slightly different abilities, now using souls directly as fuel for his powers.
Fictional character biography
Pre-''Crisis''
A Vietnam veteran, Rory Regan had grown up helping his father, a junk man who owned a pawn shop named Rags 'n' Tatters. His father always dreamed of making a better life for Rory and constantly promised that someday he would make Rory rich. While drinking with his friends one night, his father discovered 2 million
United States dollar
The United States dollar ( symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the officia ...
s stuffed inside an old mattress that had been pawned just recently. He and his friends decided to hide the money for Rory, since they were too old to truly benefit from it. The money turned out to be the loot from an armored car heist and when the hoods came to the shop to get it, they shot down some electrical wires and used them to torture Rory's father and his friends into revealing where the money was hidden. Rory arrived soon after and, seeing his father in agony, attempted to free him from the wires. A final shock of power ran through the old men and grounded out at Rory, knocking him unconscious. When he regained consciousness, his father and friends were dead and the hoods responsible were gone. Using a costume made out of old rags (his father had bought it from a stranger before he died and left a note saying Rory could wear it to a costume party) he became Ragman, "the Tatterdemalion of Justice." Rory appeared to have gained the physical abilities of the men who were electrocuted since they were all touching as the final current of electricity flowed through them and into Rory. He gained an acrobat's agility, a strongman's strength, and a boxer's skills.
In his Pre-''Crisis'' incarnation, Rory Regan was Irish, not Jewish, as explicitly stated in the
letters page
A comic book letter column is a section of an American comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns (or lettercols), letter pages, letters of comment (LOCs), o ...
of ''Ragman'' #3.
Post-''Crisis''
Rory Regan is a junk man, doing good in his community by buying used items from people who need money. The suit of rags that he wears, as mentioned above, was originally just a costume made from materials found around the rag shop, Rags'n'Tatters, that he shared with his father. This was
retcon
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
ned in a 1991-92 eight-issue
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
, and currently each of the patches in the suit is made from the soul of an evildoer that Ragman had punished and absorbed.
The absorption of these souls caused a problem for Rory at one point, when the evil souls hungered for murder and finally freed themselves of Ragman. It was only with the support of Batman and Rory's old friend, Rabbi Luria, that he regained control, though at the cost of Luria's life. Ragman's powers have increased since then. Currently, he can absorb souls into his costume. With each new soul added, a rag is added. He can call upon the souls in his costume to lend him their attributes or power. He is also a very proficient magic user.
Judgment and vengeance
During the ''
Day of Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
'' limited series, Ragman is active in destroying many of the demons invading Earth. This would earn him the wrath of the ''Diablos'', a group of demons who style themselves after the Mafia. Wanting to gain revenge for demons lost during the Day of Judgment, they attack Ragman, injuring him and tearing off parts of his costume. They mistakenly believe him to be dead.
Ragman is one of the members of
Shadowpact
The Shadowpact is a fictional group of magic-based heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series ''Day of Vengeance'', published by DC Comics. They are a sort of Justice League for the supernatural elements of the DC Universe. ...
, a team that formed to confront the
Spectre
Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to:
Religion and spirituality
* Vision (spirituality)
* Apparitional experience
* Ghost
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
in DC Comics 2005 ''
Day of Vengeance
''Day of Vengeance'' is a six-issue comic book Limited series (comics), limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.
Publication history
''Day of Vengeance'' is one of four lim ...
'' limited series, a lead-up to the seven-issue ''
Infinite Crisis
"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, a ...
'' limited series.
During the ''Infinite Crisis'' storyline, Ragman and
Nightshade
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orna ...
are seen standing side by side as part of the line of superheroes defending Metropolis from attack from dozens of villains.
During the series ''Day Of Vengeance'', Ragman is one of the few volunteers willing to take on the rampaging Spectre, who has decided that all magic is evil. During a planning session, he is taken aside by the
Enchantress and given a mystical gun. She entrusts him with it, as it can kill her if she goes too far with her magic, a scenario that she believes is all too possible. He tells her if she truly turns evil, his costume will take her. He then tries to kiss her, but his feelings are not returned and Enchantress even mocks him for it in front of the other heroes.
''Shadowpact''
In the ''Shadowpact'' series, Ragman, along with his teammates, was trapped inside a shield of solid blood that grew over the town of Riverrock, Wyoming. Ragman and the rest of the team spend a very short period of time inside the shield, but due to magical after-effects, a full year passes outside. Various mystical heroes, such as
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an ...
and
Rex the Wonder Dog
Rex the Wonder Dog is a fictional superhero dog in the DC Comics universe. Created in 1952 by Robert Kanigher of Wonder Woman fame and artist Alex Toth, Rex has sometimes been compared to Superman's dog Krypto, who was created three years later ...
keep watch outside the town's borders.
While inside Riverrock, Rory met an evil counterpart of himself belonging to the supervillain group that had formed the shield, the Pentacle. His counterpart is named Bagman. He/it dresses in similar green garb, and can turn his body to goo and absorb people while in this form. While inside Bagman they either suffocate or they are digested. Bagman even mentioned how oddly similar the Shadowpact and the Pentacle are. Rory only survives this encounter because Bagman's boss does not want the heroes to be killed. After the Riverock encounter, Rory must deal with the severe disruption to his life, as everyone had thought he was dead. He, like most of the team, ends up having to find a new source of income, a place to stay and the oddity of encountering a memorial statue to the entire team.
In ''Shadowpact'' #8, Rory was temporarily trapped in the limbo dimension of his own cloak. He met the soul of an ancient
centurion
A centurion (; la, centurio , . la, centuriones, label=none; grc-gre, κεντυρίων, kentyríōn, or ) was a position in the Roman army during classical antiquity, nominally the commander of a century (), a military unit of around 80 ...
working off his crimes. This man, Marcus Liberius, first saved him from the beating several other of the murderous souls were giving Rory. Marcus reveals that the cloak was actually the "Great Collector Artifact", which has been in existence in many forms since the time of
Abraham
Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jew ...
. Ragmen in Rory's line have been in action since 1812
BCE
Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the or ...
. Marcus also helped Rory, who had become disenchanted with the job of collecting corrupted souls, to see that he is not a punisher but a redeemer — allowing a better afterlife for those who work for it. This work usually takes the form of suffering on Rory's behalf. For example, Rory had been recently blinded by magic. Marcus willingly takes this blindness on, adding to previous injuries he had suffered. This last sacrifice allows Marcus, in the full view of the rest of the Shadowpact, to ascend to a higher realm.
[''Shadowpact'' #8 (February 2007)]
Rory, along with Nightmaster and Nightshade, attempted to teleport to Washington D.C to break up a bank robbery. They were trapped in mid-transit in the Land of Nightshades.
''Trinity''
In ''
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
'' #18, Ragman appears to save a man from a gang of muggers, when reality has apparently been warped and there is no "Trinity" of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, and apparently never has been. Ragman is joined by a sidekick named Tatters, wearing a green tattered hoodless costume and mask. At first, he is seen confronting an alternate version of Green Arrow, a vigilante on the service of the wealthy who ignores the poor, and later, due to a chronal blast, is seen assuming Batman's position as premier vigilante of Gotham.
"Battle for the Cowl"
Ragman briefly appears in ''The Network'' one-shot for the "
Battle for the Cowl
"Batman: Battle for the Cowl" is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in ...
" storyline, assisting
Cassandra Cain
Cassandra Cain (also known as Cassandra Wayne and Cassandra Wu-San) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott, Cassan ...
and the
Huntress in tracking down a group of hostages around Gotham. After removing the duct tape from the mouth of a gagged woman, Ragman proceeds to counsel her for her apparent drug addiction, telling her that she will never truly be free until she takes hold of her life.
"Blackest Night"
During the 2009-2010 "
Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Nig ...
" storyline,
Nekron
Nekron is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, specifically those related to Green Lantern. Created by Mike W. Barr, Len Wein and Joe Staton, the character, who exists as an embodiment of Death, first appeared in '' Ta ...
completely shut down Ragman's suit by using the
Black Lantern
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of corporeal revenants (resembling intelligent zombies or jiangshi) appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of deceased fiction ...
rings
Ring may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
:(hence) to initiate a telephone connection
Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
to reanimate all the souls attached to his body.
''Suit of Souls''
In October 2010, Ragman starred in the one-shot ''Ragman: Suit of Souls''. It was written by
Christos Gage
Christos N. Gage is an American screenwriter and comic book writer. He is known for his work on the TV series '' Daredevil'', ''Hawaii Five-0'', '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', ''Numbers'' and the films '' The Breed'' and '' Teenage Cavema ...
and drawn by Stephen Segovia.
Later, Ragman is shown aiding the JLA during their mission into Hell, where he helps Green Arrow defeat the demon
Anger
Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat.
A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, su ...
.
''The New 52''
Rory Regan is the owner of the book and antique shop Rags 'n Tatters who moonlights as the costumed vigilante Ragman.
At his shop, Rory Regan appraised a Celtic amulet as being nearly 500 years old - and worth more than he could pay out. His customer's urgency and insistence in selling the amulet made him suspicious that it had been stolen, but the man insisted that it was just an heirloom. Reluctantly, Rory offered $750, and the man accepted, hurrying away. Despite getting a deal, Rory worried that he would regret the purchase.
Above his shop, Rory was roused from his sleep by a ghostly voice, warning that he was needed. He hurried down stairs to find a pair of thugs attempting to steal an ancient artifact from his safe in the shop. Angry, he followed them in the uniform of Ragman. Rory followed the thieves to their employer, where the remaining cultists intended to use Clayface and the stolen artifact to resurrect
Morgaine le Fey
Morgan le Fay (, meaning 'Morgan the Fairy'), alternatively known as Morgan , Morgain /e Morg e, Morgant Morge , and Morgue namong other names and spellings ( cy, Morgên y Dylwythen Deg, kw, Morgen an Spyrys), is a powerful ...
.
At the cost of Clayface's discomfort, the Arthurian witch succeeded in returning to life in the present. While too late to prevent her revival, Ragman joined up with Etrigan and Batwoman to fight her, introducing himself as his alias. When Etrigan, desperate to destroy the witch, broke a gas main in the old house the ritual took place in and breathed his fire on it, Ragman, Batwoman, and the now-amnesiac Clayface had barely any time to get out of range of the resultant explosion, but managed it. According to Etrigan, who also survived, it was likely that Morgaine also managed to live through the explosion.
Knowing that Clayface belonged in Arkham Asylum, but that Morgaine could easily break him free on a moment's notice from there, Ragman offered to assuage Batwoman's worries thereof by taking Clayface into his own custody, hoping to help him find his memories. The group parted ways, and Etrigan promised that when next the time came to fight, he would be there.
Rory Regan dumped Clayface into his bathtub, for once thankful for being single and thus not needing to explain himself to anyone. Hungry, he checked his fridge and could not find anything appetizing, but was startled suddenly when Clayface appeared behind him and warned him that Morgaine would kill again.
''DC Rebirth''
Ragman returned to DC Comics in a six-issue series written by Ray Fawkes and illustrated by Inaki Miranda and colored by Eva de la Cruz, with covers by Guillem March.
Powers and abilities
The original Pre-''Crisis'' incarnation of Ragman possesses the physical abilities of his father's friends who died in front of him. This includes: the strength of a circus strongman, the fighting skills and stamina of a heavyweight boxer, and the agility of a world-class acrobat. This version of Ragman wears a costume of ordinary patchwork cloth made by his father.
As established in 1991, the Post-Crisis incarnation of Ragman wears a Suit of Souls made up of corrupt souls different Ragmen have encountered over the centuries. This collection of souls lend their power to Ragman, giving him superhuman strength, speed, and stamina, as well as mystical abilities such as gliding on air currents, mentally manipulating his cloak and rags to attack or ensnare others, and being able to sense magical and demonic forces. The suit protects Ragman in a few different ways, healing him from injuries, shielding him from physical and magical attacks, or temporarily dispersing his body as a collection of rags so that attacks simply pass through him. On at least one occasion, the suit protects Ragman from the vacuum of space and provides him air to breathe.
If he focuses, Ragman can mentally connect with the souls making up his suit and speak to each one individually to draw on their knowledge. The Suit of Souls automatically materializes around the current Ragman when they are all to answer an act of evil or when the Ragman is in danger and needs power.
Ragman's Suit of Souls is drawn to evil people and hungers for new souls to absorb. Ragman can allow this or attempt to restrain the rags, as the person targeted will die in the process. The suit seems to only absorb souls it deems truly evil and who have faced no justice. The suit would not absorb the soul of supervillain Blue Moon who had already served time in prison, thus not requiring special punishment. The suit also would not attack teenager and hero
Billy Batson
Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam, is a superhero appearing in American comic books originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Captai ...
, deemed "innocent.", and thus couldn't be harmed. Taking a soul adds a new patch of cloth to the suit and increases Ragman's power, though the process of acquiring a new soul causes Ragman to feel ill temporarily. It has been indicated that some souls are released after helping Ragman for long enough time while others leave and gain redemption only after they also understand how their actions in life were harmful. The number of souls Ragman's suit possesses is unknown, but he remarks it is "somewhere over 100."
In the 2006 series ''Shadowpact'', it is said the suit can take on other forms and has done so repeatedly over the years, appearing as a cloak in
ancient Egypt, a spear during the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
, and a dagger in
Victorian England
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
.
Subsequent stories do not reference this as part of the suit's nature.
In the 2017 ''Ragman'' mini-series, a version of Ragman is presented with a different origin and nature. In this version of the character, the suit can absorb the souls of anyone, not just the corrupt. Those souls act as fuel for Ragman's powers and are released when their energy is spent.
Other versions
Alternate Realities
In 2008, a version of Ragman from an alternate timeline features in the DC mega-series
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
(featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman) in issue #18. Another alternate universe version of Ragman is seen in ''Multiversity Guidebook'' in 2015. This incarnation lives on Earth-13, a reality where magic is the primary force rather than science, and is a member of the
League of Shadows
The League of Assassins (sometimes renamed the League of Shadows or Society of Shadows in adapted works) is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The group is depicted as a collective of assassins who ...
, his world's version of the
Justice League
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
.
DC Animated Universe Comics
Ragman appears in ''
Justice League Unlimited
''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and ...
'' tie-in comic #15.
''All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold''
Ragman appears in ''All-New
Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' #14 (February, 2012). After his father died, young Rory Regan inherited his family's antique shop, as well as the enchanted Ragman suit. Using the magical costume, Rory took up his family destiny to protect the Jewish community of Gotham from their enemies. Though he was considered a hero by his neighbors and by Gotham's other resident crime-fighters, Rory began to feel undervalued and unappreciated, feeling he could do better than protecting a few city blocks from muggers, vandals and the occasional skinhead. Rory began to openly resent his father for forcing him to remain in their neighborhood and look after the shop. One holiday season Batman pursued the super-criminal MacGuffin into Ragman's neighborhood. Over the course of the adventure, Batman helped Rory come to terms with his feelings toward his father and see the good he had done for his community.
''Injustice: Gods Among Us''
In ''
Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Three'', Ragman teams up with
John Constantine
John Constantine () is a fictional character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Constantine first appeared in ''Swamp Thing'' #37 (June 1985), and was created by Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, Rick Veitch, and John ...
and
Klarion the Witch Boy
Klarion the Witch Boy is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, having first appeared in '' The Demon'' #7 (March 1973) and was created by Jack Kirby. The character is typically portrayed as a powerful but misch ...
to spring a trap on the despotic
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. Ragman first takes
Raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
's form after she is tricked into luring Superman to her binding place in
Gotham City
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the cit ...
. Superman though supposedly frees "Raven", who is later revealed to be Ragman as he warns Superman that his senses can be fooled and then proclaims that he can feel his murdering soul. He then uses the rags from his suit to bind Superman. While Constantine brags to Superman about the process, Superman manages to free himself. While Ragman believes that he is too strong, Constantine tells him that Superman's soul belongs within his suit with the rest of the corrupted souls. Before he ensnares Superman again, Superman uses his communicator to call onto
Shazam. Ragman though is unable to harm Shazam, due to him being innocent, as Shazam orders him to release Superman. Ragman tries to reason with Shazam, but Shazam calls down his lightning, freeing Superman and stunning Ragman. The
Spectre
Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to:
Religion and spirituality
* Vision (spirituality)
* Apparitional experience
* Ghost
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
then appears and proclaims punishment on the tortured souls within his suit and destroys part of his suit, freeing them as he declares that their time has come. He then removes Ragman's mask as Rory calls out to Constantine for help, but he refuses to do so. The Spectre then kills Rory as Shazam watches in horror.
In other media
Ragman appears in ''
Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'', portrayed by
Joe Dinicol
Joe Dinicol (born December 22, 1983) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayal of Rory Regan / Ragman in a recurring role in the fifth season of ''Arrow''.
Life and career
Dinicol was born in Stratford, Ontario, the son of Emma (née ...
. This version is the sole survivor of the city of Havenrock, which was destroyed by
Damien Darhk
Dan the Dyna-Mite
Dan Turpin
Damien Darhk
The enigmatic Damien Darhk is an elusive and dangerous criminal mastermind and enemy of the Teen Titans. He makes his first appearance in ''Titans'' #1 (March 1999). Claiming to be a major player in t ...
via AmerTek's nuclear missiles, and wears ancient rags from the
Devarim
Devarim () may refer to:
* The Hebrew title of the biblical Book of Deuteronomy
* Devarim (parsha), the 44th weekly ''parsha'' in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah readings
See also
* Devarim Rabbah is the midrash about the Book of Deuteronomy
* ' ...
era. Introduced in the
fifth season episode "The Recruits", he travels to
Star City to seek vengeance for Havenrock by attacking AmerTek executives until the
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
convinces him to let go of his vengeful feelings and become a hero.
Following this, Ragman works alongside "Team Arrow" until the episode "Bratva", in which he loses his powers while preventing a nuclear bomb from detonating. Now considering himself a liability, he leaves the team, but assures them that he will return. In the series finale "
Fadeout", Ragman returns to Star City to help Team Arrow find the Green Arrow's son,
William Clayton, and attend the former's funeral.
References
External links
The Grand Comics Database- Index for ''Ragman'' vol. 1.
The Grand Comics Database- Index for ''Ragman'' vol. 2.
The Grand Comics Database- Index for ''Ragman: Cry of the Dead''.
at
Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...
Archivedfrom the original on November 4, 2016.
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