Rocket Racer

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Rocket Racer

Rocket Racer in The Amazing Spider-Man #182
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Amazing Spider-Man #172 (Sep 1977)
Created by Len Wein and Ross Andru
In story information
Alter ego Robert Farrell

This article is about the comic book character. For the rocket-powered aircraft, see Rocket Racing League.

The Rocket Racer (Robert Farrell) is an African-American super-hero (reformed super-villain) in Marvel comics.

Contents

[edit] Fictional character biography

[edit] Robert Farrell

Rocket Racer first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #172 as a super-villain. He returned in issues #182 and #183 in a battle against the Big Wheel. His origin was finally revealed in Spectacular Spider-Man #104. [1]

Robert Farrell, born in Brooklyn, New York, was the eldest of seven children. He became responsible for his younger siblings when his mother, Emma Farrell died. Robert was a scientific prodigy, and when he realized he couldn't earn enough to support his family, he turned to a life of crime as the Rocket Racer. He developed a super-powered skateboard which is propelled at great speed by small rockets and cybernetically controlled by a crude walkman-like device. He wore a weapon-equipped costume, including rocket-powered gloves which give him the ability to hit an opponent with a "rocket-powered-punch."

At one point he is hired by Jackson Weele to steal evidence that might incriminate him. Robert uses the evidence to blackmail Jackson. Weele wishes to commit suicide but Robert stops him. Even then, though, he mocks Weele, calling him Big Weele. This is enough for Jackson to hire the villain the Tinkerer to create a literal 'Big Wheel', to chase Robert around town with. Spider-Man assists and Jackson seemingly falls to his death in the Hudson River.

Repeated defeats at the hands of Spider-Man and several brushes with the law, including a short jail sentence, convince Robert to reform. He goes through a high school equivalency course and his extremely high marks gain him a scholarship to Empire State University.

This doesn't go well as his first few days are full with combating the efforts of a hate-group on campus. Though assisted by Spider-Man and sometimes, by other students who oppose the racism, Robert still struggles with his own rage during the entire ordeal.

For a while, he served as a freelance operative for Silver Sable International, working with her Wild Pack.

[edit] Initiative

Robert has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book Avengers: The Initiative #1. [1] Despite this, he appeared to have been tempted back into crime by MODOK, as he needed money to support his comatose mother & prevent repossession of their house. The situation has reduced him to stuttering nervousness. In #4 he turned out to have been working for SHIELD all along, with a deal that they will give him the money he needs in return for the Hypernova - he failed in this and it's unknown yet what's happened with his mother.

[edit] Troy

Another Rocket Racer first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man (vol.2) #13.

The second Rocket Racer was hired by an unnamed employer to befriend Robert Farrell and steal his Rocket Racer gear. He did so, taking the name "Troy" and posing as Farrell's friend for months. When Farrell finally showed him where he kept the gear, 'Troy' tied him up and stole it.

This Rocket Racer briefly joined Tombstone's prison squad along with Big Ben and Hypno Hustler.

[edit] Other versions

Outside of mainstream Marvel continuity, he has appeared as a super-villain in Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane.

[edit] Other media

[edit] Television

Animated Rocket Racer on 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series
Animated Rocket Racer on 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series

Rocket Racer appeared in FOX's Spider-Man:The Animated Series as a teenager in a crime-ridden neighborhood who ends up helping Spider-Man. He is voiced by Billy Atmore. He only appears in the episode Rocket Racer. Robert had great skill in gyro mechanisms due to working at the Science center taught by Peter Parker. He stole parts of his technology from the criminal mastermind behind the Big Wheel and used them to create a cybernetically controlled, rocket-powered magnetic skateboard which he travels with and can attain speeds of 60 miles per hour. He can also scale walls. After Robert stole some jewels, he was chased by Spider-Man. Rocket Racer escaped but Spider-Man planted a tracer on him and found out his identity. A criminal leader, whose machines were stolen, created the Big Wheel, a giant wheel with lasers, missiles, and spikes that was able to roll onto buildings and higher grounds. Spider-Man and Rocket Racer were able to stop the Big Wheel when Rocket Racer had Spider-Man electrocute the Big Wheel with two electric wires. The criminal was arrested. This taught Robert that education, not crime, would help him in the world to overcome his problems. Later in the night, when the criminals demanding protection money came, Spider-Man and Robert took care of them.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #1 Character Map