Ragman (DC)
Ragman is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Rory Regan was raised by his single father Gerry Regan after his mother died when he was young. Though Gerry owned a local junkshop, Rags 'n Tatters, he promised Rory they would get rich. Eventually, Rory joined the United States Army and served in the Vietnam War while Gerry would spend every night drinking with his buddies in the junkyard behind their shop. One night, Gerry and his friends discovered a mattress stuffed with money in the yard. They agreed their lives were spent and decided to finally make Rory rich. Unfortunately, the gangster who hid the mattress came to get it and held them at gunpoint. Immediately after, he was killed by the other gangsters he stole the money from. Not knowing where the money was hidden, these gangsters also held the men at gunpoint demanding the location of the money. Gerry and his pals held their tongues even when the gangsters shot down the power lines on top of them. Rory arrived and tried to pull them out, each man locking hands in a human chain. The electricity surged through them, grounding out through Rory. The gangsters departed believing they had all been killed. Rory, however, survived never knowing of the fortune hidden in his junkyard. He did find that the strength and abilities of each man had been transferred into him at their deaths. Rory now possessed the strength of a circus strongman, the skills of a former heavyweight boxer, and the agility of a prize-winning acrobat. Rory also found a note from his father along with tattered costume. Although Gerry intended the costume be worn to a costume party, Rory used it to fight crime. (Ragman v1 #1)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Rory Regan
A community of Jews in 16th century Eastern Europe had created the Ragman to replace the Golem, their previous defender. Gerry Regan was the last European Ragman, as he, still named Jerzy Reganiewicz, fled to the United States after failing to protect the Jewish population from Nazi persecution. After settling down in Gotham City, Regan passed the mantle of Ragman to his son Rory. (Ragman v2 #3)
After Batman's death, Ragman was summoned to Gotham City to join The Network. Following Oracle's instructions, Ragman helped capture Doctor Phosphorus along with Wildcat. Later, Ragman joined Manhunter and rescued a hostage from Hugo Strange. He also tried to capture Strange with Misfit's help, but the villain escaped. (Battle for the Cowl: The Network v1 #1)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
He battled the creatures until the arrival of the Justice League Dark who helped stop the threat. They came to determine that Merlin was seeking his lost Eternity Book and looked to find it within the Library of Babel. This was an infinite library that contained everything written and resided within books with the Justice League Dark journeying into it as they sought to stop the mad wizard. (Justice League v4 61)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Rory Regan was a young Caucasian male with a lean, highly athletic build and short, dark hair. In his daily routine running the pawnshop, he wore standard civilian attire consisting of a light, collared button-down shirt under a dark, sleeveless vest, paired with dark trousers. Upon seeking vengeance for his father's murder, he donned a bizarre, tattered costume originally sewn together by his father from scraps of old rags for an upcoming costume party. This patchwork uniform completely covered his body in overlapping, multicolored layers of torn cloth, secured by ropes wrapped tightly around his forearms and shins. The costume featured a loose, tattered cape made of green and orange rags, a ragged hood that obscured his hair, and a dark cloth mask with large eye cutouts, presenting a shabby, menacing silhouette designed to terrify criminals in the slums. (Ragman v1 #1)
As the reigning Ragman of his time, the suit that was made to inspire hope cam to pull Jerzy away, as there was no hope left there. Arriving in America, he americanized his name to Gerry Regan and opened up the junk shop Rags N Tatters in Gotham City. (Ragman v2 #3) Gerry came to be killed by thugs who wanted to use his shop as a front to sell cocaine. (Ragman v2 #1)
At one point, he came to date Nightshade for a time. (Shadowpact v1 #25)
Powers and abilities
Rory Regan possessed peak human physical capabilities and specialized skills that were supernaturally transferred to him through an electrical current during his father's murder. He exhibited immense physical power, drawing upon the combined physical might of a circus strongman to easily overpower and lift grown men. Additionally, he possessed the world-class agility and reflexes of a professional acrobat, allowing him to leap great distances and navigate the urban landscape with ease. He also inherited the tactical combat prowess and fighting technique of a heavyweight prize fighter, making him a highly formidable hand-to-hand brawler capable of swiftly neutralizing armed mob enforcers in close combat. (Ragman v1 #1)
A stolen soul was not affected if the physical body subsequently died. (Reign in Hell v1 #5)
Only the lineage of the Regan family were said to be able to wield the Suit of Souls. (Shadowpact v1 #8)
The demon Etrigan was shown to terrify the souls within the suit making it powerless against him. (Shadowpact v1 #9)
Notes
- Ragman was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert where he made his first appearance in Ragman v1 #1 (August/September, 1976).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Arrow, Ragman appeared in the setting of the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse where he was portrayed by actor Joe Dinicol.
Video games
Appearances
- Ragman v1: (1976)
- Ragman v2:
- Ragman: Suit of Souls v1:
- Batwoman:
- Justice League v4: (2021)
External Links
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