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Rocket (Raquel Ervin) is a
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
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, ...
in materials 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 ...
.


Publication history

An original character from DC's
Milestone Comics Milestone Media is a company best known for creating Milestone Comics, which were published and distributed by DC Comics and the ''Static Shock'' animated series. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers, con ...
imprint, she first appeared in ''
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
'' #1 (May 1993) where she was created by
Dwayne McDuffie Dwayne Glenn McDuffie (February 20, 1962February 21, 2011) was an American writer of comic books and television, known for producing and writing the animated series ''Static Shock'', '' Damage Control'', ''Justice League Unlimited'' and ''Ben 10 ...
(writer), Denys Cowan, and Mark Bright. Rocket, along with Milestone Universe and characters, was revived and merged into the DC Universe proper in the late 2000s. The merger treats the characters as new to the universe, ignoring the "Worlds Collide" Milestone/DC crossover of 1994. Rocket reappeared in ''
Justice League of America 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 ...
'' (vol. 2) #27, written by creator Dwayne McDuffie.


Character biography

Raquel Ervin was born in Paris Island, the poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhood in
Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, a ...
.Dwayne McDuffie (writer), ''Icon'' #1 (May 1993) Although she is only the sidekick of the title character,
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
, she is the actual
protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of the series. She yearned to become a writer ("just like
Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed '' So ...
"), but lacked inspiration until she met Augustus Freeman IV, a corporate lawyer who was secretly a stranded alien with superhuman powers. This occurred while she and her friends were robbing Freeman's home. Raquel convinced Augustus to become the superhero
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
, and to take her on as his sidekick, Rocket. While in costume, she wore a belt that Icon fashioned out of his escape pod's inertia winder, which allowed her to manipulate
kinetic energy In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its accele ...
.''Icon'' #8 Shortly after she began adventuring with Icon, Raquel discovered that she was pregnant by her ex-boyfriend, Noble (one of the other robbers from the day she met Freeman).''Icon'' #3 She gave birth to a son, Amistad Augustus Ervin, named "Amistad" after the famous ship that brought slaves over from
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
to
America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, and "Augustus" in honor of
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
.''Icon'' #24 While her pregnancy caused her to give up adventuring for a time, Raquel eventually became a superhero again.''Icon'' #26 Rocket also assists the Blood Syndicate member Flashback in fighting her addiction to crack cocaine. Rocket was more liberal than Icon, which caused them to clash on a number of occasions. She befriended Static, another teenage superhero from Dakota City. While it has been hinted that someday they might become more than friends, their relationship remained platonic throughout the run of their respective titles.


DC Universe

Following the death of
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
(as chronicled in ''
Final Crisis "Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
''), the space-time continuum was torn asunder, threatening the existence of both the Dakotaverse and the mainstream DC universe. The being known as Dharma was able to use energies that he harnessed from Rift (upon that being's defeat in '' Worlds Collide'') to merge the two universes, creating an entirely new continuity. Only Dharma, Icon and
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 ...
are aware that Dakota and its inhabitants previously existed in a parallel universe.''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #34 (June 2009) In the revised continuity, Rocket and the other Milestone characters have apparently always existed in the DC Universe.''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #30 (February 2009) Rocket is still partnered with Icon, who appears to have an existing friendship with Superman and is exempt from prosecution at the hands of the
Green Lantern Corps Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residin ...
. Rocket makes her first DCU appearance in ''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #30, intervening at Icon's request when
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
, Zatanna, Firestorm, and Black Lightning attack several members of the Shadow Cabinet while on a mission in the city of Metropolis. Believing Raquel and the Shadow Cabinet agents have kidnapped former '' Justice League International'' member Kimiyo Hoshi (Dr. Light II), Batman immediately attempts to strike Rocket with a
batarang A batarang is a roughly bat-shaped throwing weapon used by the DC Comics superhero Batman. The name is a portmanteau of bat and boomerang, and was originally spelled baterang. Although they are named after boomerangs, batarangs have become mor ...
, which she easily deflects with her powers. After berating Batman and informing him that Kimiyo is unharmed, Rocket accompanies the Shadow Cabinet Agents and JLA members to the Justice League Satellite, where they aid Icon,
Hawkman Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
, and the rest of the Shadow Cabinet and JLA members in a battle with the
Shadow Thief Shadow Thief is the name of three fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first is a recurring foe of Hawkman named Carl Sands. Shadow Thief appeared in the seventh season episode of the Arrowverse television series ''Arrow'', portraye ...
. Once Shadow Thief is defeated, Rocket and the other Milestone heroes return home by use of the ''Shadowslide'', with Raquel and Augustus presumably returning to Dakota. On her Twitter account, writer Gail Simone mentioned that she had planned on using Rocket at some point during her tenure on '' Wonder Woman'', but was not allowed to. Rocket makes a cameo appearance in ''Justice League'', speaking to Wonder Woman.


Powers and abilities


Powers

All of Rocket's superhuman powers derive from her inertia belt. By using her belt, she can manipulate kinetic energy, granting some super strength, and a kinetic force field.


Skills

Raquel Ervin is a voracious reader and a gifted writer. A former high school gymnast, she is very agile and has quick reflexes. Rocket is also a good hand-to-hand combatant due to her crime fighting experience as Icon's sidekick.


Equipment

All of Rocket's superhuman powers derive from the inertia winder installed in her belt buckle.''Icon'' #2 This device is one of two from Icon's escape pod, the other is installed in Hardware's current suit of armor.''Hardware'' #16 When activated, the inertia winder surrounds Rocket in an "inertia field", which absorbs, stores, and redirects any
kinetic energy In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its accele ...
used against it.''Icon'' #2 Rocket's inertia field is normally invisible to the human eye. The field glows purple when it absorbs or releases kinetic energy.''Icon'' #2 The inertia field primarily serves as a force field that protects her from anything invested with kinetic energy: physical blows,''Icon'' #2 bullets,''Icon'' #2 falls,''Icon'' #13 etc. The maximum amount of kinetic energy Rocket's inertia field can absorb and store is unknown. However, the field nearly reached its limit during Rocket's battle with Oblivion.''Icon'' #26 Rocket's inertia field normally extends a few inches from her body,''Icon'' #2 but she can expand the field to enclose much greater areas. She once used it to protect a small crowd of people without any loss of its durability.''Icon'' #29 Rocket can release the field's stored energy, giving her a range of offensive abilities. She can strike with superhuman force by surrounding her fists with kinetic energy.''Icon'' #2 By releasing all the energy in the inertia field, she can stagger powerful beings like Icon with a single blow.''Icon'' #28 Such a feat would leave Rocket defenseless so she prefers to throw less powerful punches. Furthermore, Rocket has moral qualms about using her full store of kinetic energy against normal human opponents. Rocket can also use kinetic energy to increase the force with which she hurls an object, turning it into a dangerous projectile.''Icon'' #2 For example, she once hurled a bullet with enough force to rival a shot from a high-caliber rifle. This ability is limited to objects which she can lift and toss with her normal strength. By releasing her store kinetic energy in focus beams, Rocket can project powerful energy blasts from her hands.''Icon'' #2 As with her kinetic punches, the force of these blasts depends on how much kinetic energy she uses. Recently, Rocket has learned how to use her inertia winder to surround a target within an "inertialess field".''Icon'' #39 This field's kinetic energy nullifies the energy of anything trapped within down to the molecular level. As a result, Rocket can use the inertialess field to effectively immobilize her opponents. In fact, some opponents can fall unconscious in as much as the field prevents oxygen molecules from reaching their lungs. The inertialess field consumes enormous amounts of energy and collapses after a few seconds.''Icon'' #39 Rocket can fly by releasing her inertia field's kinetic energy beneath her, launching her skyward. Initially, she was not very skilled with this ability and thus could only leap over great distances,''Icon'' #24 but after training from Darnice, Rocket can use her kinetic energy as a means of propulsion for genuine flight.''Icon'' #24 Rocket is capable of flying through narrow corridors and performing complex aerial maneuvers.''Icon'' #28 She can even hover in midair by releasing controlled bursts of kinetic energy beneath her.''Icon'' #28 Rocket's inertia field has certain weaknesses due to its very nature. First, the field will not activate if a person or object exerts little kinetic energy against it. This makes Rocket vulnerable to stealth attacks, which rely on slower movements and minimal force.''Icon'' #14 Second, the inertia field offers little protection against weapons based on non-kinetic energy like thermal (e.g., flamethrowers)''Icon'' #23 or electrical (e.g., tasers).''Icon'' #2 Finally, Rocket will begin to feel the force of attacks directed against the field if it is overloaded as occurred in her battle with Oblivion.''Icon'' #26


In other media

* Rocket appears in '' Young Justice'', voiced initially by
Kittie Kittie is a Canadian Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. All of their material has been released through independent record labels, which to date includes six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays ...
in her first three appearances and subsequently by Denise Boutte. This version initially works with Icon before joining the Team. In the second season, ''Invasion'', an adult Rocket joins the Justice League and gets engaged. As of the third season, '' Outsiders'', she has given birth to a son named Amistad. During the fourth season, ''Phantoms'', Rocket grapples with balancing her duties to the League and raising the autistic Amistad on her own. * Rocket appears as a playable character in '' Young Justice: Legacy'', voiced by
Cree Summer Cree Summer Francks (born July 7, 1969) is a American-Canadian actress and singer. She has worked extensively in animation, voicing long-running characters such as Susie Carmichael in ''Rugrats'' and Elmyra Duff in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and r ...
.


Analysis

Rocket held liberal views on economic and social issues, which resulted in her often clashing with her conservative partner,
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
. Under her influence, Icon eventually began re-evaluating his views.
W. E. B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in ...
's '' The Souls of Black Folk'' was a major influence in shaping Rocket's liberal views. Rocket is the first comic book superheroine who is a single teenage mother. The only other one is
Mirage A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', meanin ...
, a former member of the Teen Titans. Although Stephanie Brown, the former
Batgirl Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in ...
and current Spoiler, gave birth at 15, she gave the child up for adoption.


See also

*
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...


References


Further reading

*
The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art
', ed by Frances Gateward and John Jennings (Rutgers University Press, 2015)


External links


World of Black Heroes: Rocket Biography


* Rocket at the DC Database Project {{DEFAULTSORT:Rocket (Comics) African-American superheroes Black people in comics Characters created by Dwayne McDuffie Comics characters introduced in 1993 DC Comics characters with superhuman strength DC Comics female superheroes DC Comics sidekicks Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities