Ragman (character)

Ragman
File:Ragman2.jpg Cover to Ragman #2.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Ragman #1 (1976)
Created by	Robert Kanigher Joe Kubert
In-story information
Alter ego	Rory Regan
Team affiliations	Shadowpact, Sentinels of Magic
Abilities	Enhanced physical attributes, enchanted costume, limited flight, magic use.

Ragman is a fictional mystic vigilante and superhero who first appeared in the short-lived series named after him. He is one of a limited number of Jewish superheroes, and his continuity is tied to that of DC's Golem, from Jewish folklore.

He is sometimes compared to the other night-time defender of Gotham City, Batman.

Character history

Rory Regan is a rag man, doing good in his community by buying used items from people who need money. The suit of rags that he wears was originally just a costume made from materials found around the rag shop he shared with his father, Rags'n'Tatters. This was retconned in a 1991 limited series, and currently each of the patches in the suit were made from the soul of an evil-doer that the 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 Regan'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.

Ragman is one of the members of the Shadowpact, a team which formed to confront the Spectre in DC Comics 2005 Day of Vengeance limited series, a lead-up to the seven-issue Infinite Crisis limited series. They continue to be active.

In the Shadowpact series, Ragman and the other Shadowpact members were trapped inside a shield of solid blood that grew over the town of Riverrock, Wyoming. They spent about a year inside the town, but the story shifts between the team just entering the shield and the events of the year later.

While inside Riverrock, Rory met an evil counterpart of himself belonging to the supervillain group which 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 while in this form he absorbs people. While inside Bagman they either suffocate or they're digested. Bagman even metioned how oddly similar the Shadowpact and the Pentacle are.

Ragman Appearances

• Ragman 1-5, first DC series 1976-77
• Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #2
• Ragman, eight-issue limited series 1991-92
• Ragman: Cry of the Dead, six-issue limited series 1993-94
• Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #51
• Batman #551-552
• Martian Manhunter v2 #28
• Red Tornado #3, 1985 limited series
• Day of Vengeance #1-6, 2005 limited series
• Day of Vengeance Special one-shot
• Robin 143-145
• Infnite Crisis 2 and 5
• Shadowpact #1-