Rocket Raccoon

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Rocket Raccoon
Rocket Raccoon Art by Nic Klein.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #271 (May 1982)
Created by	Bill Mantlo Sal Buscema Al Milgrom
In-story information
Team affiliations	Guardians of the Galaxy

Rocket Raccoon is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared in Incredible Hulk(vol. 2) #271 (May 1982). Rocket Raccoon is an intelligent, anthropomorphic raccoon.

Contents 1 Publication history 2 Fictional character biography 3 Powers and abilities 4 Notable appearances 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Publication history

The character was created by Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen and consciously inspired by the classic Beatles song "Rocky Raccoon"^[1] which included "Gideon's Bible" (in the comic book limited series it was a book that contained the sum of all knowledge on the "loony colony").

Rocket Raccoon first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #271. He later had his own four-issue limited series. This limited series was penciled by Mike Mignola and inked by Al Gordon. Issue #3 was inked by Al Milgrom.

According to Marvel's official website, Rocket Raccoon will continue his new adventures as a part of the team Guardians of the Galaxy along with other characters from the Annihilation: Conquest series.^[2] Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, #1 was released in May 2008.

[edit] Fictional character biography

Rocket Raccoon comes from Halfworld, in the Keystone Quadrant, an abandoned colony for the mentally ill where the animal companions were genetically manipulated to grant them human level intelligence and bipedal body construction for many to become caretakers of the inmates. Rocket was Halfworld's chief law officer ("ranger") who protected the colony against various threats.

Rocket Raccoon acts as the "Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant", an area of outer space sealed off from the rest of the cosmos by the so-called Galacian Wall. Rocket is captain of the starship Rack 'n' Ruin, and he and his first mate Wal Russ (a talking walrus) come from the planet Halfworld, half of which is inhabited by other talking animals, and half of which is inhabited by automatons.

At one point, Judson Jakes tried to steal the Halfworld Bible, but was thwarted by Rocket and the Hulk.^[3] Later, Lord Dyvyne abducted Rocket's friend Lylla, and Jakes began the Toy War.^[4] As the Toy War continued, Blackjack O'Hare teamed up with Rocket, and Rocket was reunited with Lylla.^[5] The Rakk 'n' Ruin was soon destroyed, as Judson Jakes and Lord Dyvyne teamed up to kill Rocket Raccoon.^[6] Rocket Raccoon and his friends cured the Loonies of their mental illnesses, as Judson Jakes and Lord Dyvyne were apparently killed. Rocket and the animals and the robots left Halfworld and took off into space for their own adventures.^[7] Some time later, Rocket was revealed to have been a laboratory subject on the Stranger's planet, and escaped his captivity there.^[8]

During Peter David's run on the Hulk series, Hulk went into space and David addressed reader requests for Rocket's reappearance by implying that he had been killed by the aliens known as the Troyjans, who had a pelt mounted on the wall that looked like Rocket's. With Rocket reappearing alive after this story, it can be assumed that the pelt belonged to some other raccoon.^[9]

In 2007, Rocket Raccoon returned in the Annihilation: Conquest - Star-Lord limited series.^[10][11] Rocket Raccoon is depicted as a gifted military tactician who is also fearless, loyal, and insightful. It is also heavily implied that he has a case of obsessive compulsive disorder. Rocket's trademark rocket skates are absent.

Rocket later joins the new Guardians of the Galaxy at the behest of his friend Starlord. It is he who suggests that the team adopt that moniker after hearing it mentioned by Major Victory. Later on, when the team almost disbands and Peter Quill disappears (sent into the Negative Zone by Ronan), Rocket keeps the team alive and takes over as leader until they rescue Peter. ^[12]

When the team tries to halt the growing War of Kings, Rocket decides to lead the team assigned to make contact with the Shi'ar. However, they are unable to teleport into the Emperor Vulcan's flagship and have to be rescued by the Starjammers and his old friend Ch'od.

[edit] Powers and abilities

Rocket Raccoon possesses the normal attributes of an Earth raccoon, including an acute sense of smell and sharp eyesight. He is an accomplished starship pilot, an excellent marksman with the two laser pistols he carries as well as having an affinity for heavy weapons. He's also an excellent military tactician and leader, attributes that see him frequently taking charge of the Guardians of the Galaxy when Starlord is unavailable.

[edit] Notable appearances

• Marvel Preview #7, 1976 (Alleged) (some sources say the story "Earth:Sword in the Star" is the first appearance of Rocket Raccoon because it is co-created by Bill Mantlo, and features a futuristic raccoon named "Rocky" that looks a lot like the 1985 limited series version of Rocket ^[13])
• Incredible Hulk #271: Title: "Now Somewhere In the Black Holes of Sirius Major There Lived a Young Boy Named Rocket Raccoon" (May 1982)
• Marvel Age, #25 (April 1985)
• Rocket Raccoon (four-issue limited series) #1 - #4 (May - August 1985):

1. "Rocket Raccoon/Animal Crackers"
2. "The Masque of the Red Breath"
3. "The Book of Revelations"
4. "The Age of Enlightenment"

• Rocket Racoon's appearances in some backup stories in the Transformers (Marvel UK) series were reprints of the limited series.
• The Rocket Raccoon limited series was reprinted in the Annihilation Classic hardcover collection that was released November, 2008 (trade paperback is scheduled for February, 2009)

• Quasar #15 "Death Watch" (October 1990)
• Sensational She-Hulk, The #44: "Cognito" (October 1992).
• The Sensational She-Hulk, The #45: "Change of Mine..." (November 1992).
• The Sensational She-Hulk, The #46: "Oops!" (December 1992).
• Incredible Hulk #415 (Alleged) (this is a questionable appearance, the alleged hide of Rocket Raccoon or some other raccoon can be seen on Troyjan ruler Armageddon's wall) (March 1994)
• She-Hulk Volume 2, #1 (2005)
• She-Hulk Volume 2, #3 (AKA #100) (2006) (issue #3 dual-numbered as #3/#100, to signify 100th issue of a solo She-Hulk series)
• Annihilation: Conquest - Prologue (June 2007) (one-shot)
• Annihilation: Conquest - Star-Lord #1 - #4 (July - November 2007, no issue in October)
• Annihilation: Conquest #2 (December 2007)
• Annihilation: Conquest #3 (January 2008)
• Annihilation: Conquest #4 (February 2008)
• Annihilation: Conquest #5 (March 2008)
• Annihilation: Conquest #6 (April 2008)
• Guardians of the Galaxy series (May 2008 - current)

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Rocket Raccoon at norse-man.net
• Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe entry for Rocket Raccoon
• Official Marvel biography for Rocket Raccoon