Richard Rory
Encyclopedia
Richard Rory is a fictional character
in the Marvel Universe
. He initially was a sort of author surrogate
or alter ego
for writer Steve Gerber
, though Gerber is also shown to exist in the Marvel Universe. He was introduced in Man-Thing
Volume 1, #2, a bit of a loner who rather easily befriended the nearly-mindless monster. When in rural
areas, he was frequently belittled for having a college education and a rather left-wing perspective. Later, under the pen of David Anthony Kraft
, he became friends with She-Hulk
, with slight romantic overtones that went nowhere. The character is named after Richard Cory
, a nearly-opposite character whose song was playing on the radio when Gerber created the character.
for an Ohio
radio station when he is introduced at age 23. When he made fun of the Foolkiller
on the air, the Foolkiller pursued him all the way to the Florida
Everglades
. There, he punched Steve Gerber
in the face, mistaking him for the Foolkiller because they drove the same model car. Rory survived and the Foolkiller did not, after Rory pounced on him while he was shooting. He befriended Ruth Hart, a nurse from St. Louis who was old lady
to a biker named Snake. After some time together, in which Rory suggested marriage
, she went to New York City
to pursue her nursing career, deciding the gentle but opinionated Rory was not her type. When he met her he mentioned that he couldn't get any further down, having caused his fiancée's mother to have a heart attack by wearing a Halloween
mask on a date.
Rory had several more adventures, most of which were resolved by Man-Thing, whom he had never feared, making an appearance. He also guided Daredevil
to Ted Sallis's old shack, which was being used by Gladiator and Death-Stalker
.
He decided to remain in Citrusville
, the nearest town to Man-Thing's swamp, and got a job at the local radio station. This was short-lived. Speaking out on the air against the Citrusville book burning
, Rory gets fired and Josefsen the mad Viking threatens him for being "less than a man". Deciding it is time to leave Citrusville for good, he is accompanied, at their insistence, by Man-Thing (now able to leave the swamp for extended periods after being run through Citrusville's sewage treatment plant), and Carol Selby, the daughter of the book burning instigator, Olivia Selby. As Carol is still in high school, he becomes a wanted fugitive, legally a kidnapper, but he cannot conscionably leave her in in the madness that is Citrusville. He escapes with them to Atlanta, but is eventually caught and given a prison rap in Citrusville, and Carol returned to her parents.
Tony Stark briefly pays Rory a visit, knowing his connection to Man-Thing and seeking information, but his most important visitor is cellmate Greg Salinger, who is in on disorderly conduct
charges. While in the cell together, Rory tells Salinger of his past, including details about the Foolkiller incident.
When Rory is released, Ruth Hart allows him to stay in her Hell's Kitchen
apartment, where she lives with Daily Bugle
photographer Amber Grant and James-Michael Starling, a young orphan
and former patient with a mental link to Omega the Unknown
. Greg Salinger has also come to New York, equipped with the Foolkiller gear Rory never dreamed he would seek for his own use. Searching for James-Michael, he helps the Defenders
deal with the Foolkiller, initially attempting to get Salinger to join the team, but it does little good, and Kyle Richmond
's mansion is burned to the ground by Foolkiller's purification gun when he learns that the team does not kill their foes.
Omega the Unknown was killed by Las Vegas
police who erroneously believed that his attack on Ruby Thursday
was unprovoked. The Defenders end their adventure with Richard, Dian Wilkins, (Starling's friend), and James-Michael (who does not survive) in Las Vegas, where Rory asks the Defenders to leave him to begin life anew.
When we next see him, he is still down on his luck, wandering through the streets of Las Vegas. He finds a silver dollar on the ground and decides to use it in the slot machine
of a nearby casino
. He hits the jackpot
, and is horrified that no money comes out, assuming it is his constant bad luck. The manager explains to him that a prize that large can be given only in the form of a check. He refuses the manager's multiple attempts to get him to gamble, and the manager begrudgingly signs a check.
While driving his new car, he gets involved in a minor accident with She-Hulk, who changes back into Jennifer Walters in the nearby alley. It does not take him long to realize that they are the same person, but he chooses to withhold that he knows. He decides what he really wants to do with his money is buy the Citrusville radio station that fired him, and Jennifer accompanies him. When She-Hulk shows up in the swamp, where he is briefly reunited with Man-Thing, Rory's suspicion that she is Jennifer is confirmed beyond doubt, but he still does not let on that he knows.
One evening at the station, he believes he has made contact with an alien life, but it turns out to be John Jameson
, the Man-Wolf, whose universe is in peril. A ruby necklace being worn by Jennifer acts as a conduit, as the universe is in fact, trapped inside her bloodstream.
After this episode, with the radio station trashed, he returns to Los Angeles
with Jennifer, where he becomes rival to her boyfriend, Daniel "Zapper" Ridge, in spite of sleeping only on her couch. Only when she walks into her house as She-Hulk with Richard there does he reveal that it is no surprise. At the end of She-Hulk's series, Rory wanders away, alone again, She-Hulk having, for a time, chosen Zapper, even though Rory, at great physical pain, was much more integral in getting Mr. Walters to accept that his daughter is She-Hulk than Zapper was.
With Zapper and Zapper's rich new wife, Rory showed up for Jennifer's Christmas party
many years later, once again a wealthy man, this time inherit
ed from an aunt he never knew he had, though with his track record, whether this is to last remains to be seen. It has been pointed out, however, that Gregory Ross Curtis, the new identity of the severely burned third Foolkiller Kurt Gerhardt, bears a striking resemblance to Richard Rory.http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/foolk3.htm
He was also among the group pulled out of time for She Hulk's trial by the Time Variance Authority
.
In his most recent appearance, he saves Stu Cicero, a supporting character of She-Hulk, from Man-Thing, but Stu drives off in Rory's Volkswagen van, leaving him in the swamp to avoid his return in the She-Hulk title.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. He initially was a sort of author surrogate
Author surrogate
As a literary technique, an author surrogate is a fictional character who expresses the ideas, questions, personality and morality of the author...
or alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
for writer Steve Gerber
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross "Steve" Gerber was an American comic book writer best known as co-creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck....
, though Gerber is also shown to exist in the Marvel Universe. He was introduced in Man-Thing
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
Volume 1, #2, a bit of a loner who rather easily befriended the nearly-mindless monster. When in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas, he was frequently belittled for having a college education and a rather left-wing perspective. Later, under the pen of David Anthony Kraft
David Anthony Kraft
David Anthony Kraft, also credited simply as David Kraft, is an American comic book writer, publisher, and critic. He is primarily known for his long-running journal of interviews and criticism, Comics Interview.- Writing career :...
, he became friends with She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
, with slight romantic overtones that went nowhere. The character is named after Richard Cory
Richard Cory
"Richard Cory" is a song written by Paul Simon in early 1965, and recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for their second studio album, Sounds of Silence. The song was based on Edwin Arlington Robinson's 1897 poem of the same title.- Plot :...
, a nearly-opposite character whose song was playing on the radio when Gerber created the character.
Fictional character biography
Richard Rory, an eternal pessimist who claims that he was dropped by the doctor at his birth, had been a disc jockeyDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
for an Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
radio station when he is introduced at age 23. When he made fun of the Foolkiller
Foolkiller
The Foolkiller is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by writer Steve Gerber and first appeared in the pages of 1974's Man-Thing. He also had a ten-issue limited series that ran from 1990 to 1991, followed by another in 2007. There have been four different...
on the air, the Foolkiller pursued him all the way to the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Everglades
Everglades
The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
. There, he punched Steve Gerber
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross "Steve" Gerber was an American comic book writer best known as co-creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck....
in the face, mistaking him for the Foolkiller because they drove the same model car. Rory survived and the Foolkiller did not, after Rory pounced on him while he was shooting. He befriended Ruth Hart, a nurse from St. Louis who was old lady
Old lady
Old lady may refer to:*mother *girlfriend, wife *the Bank of England*Juventus F.C.*The Old Lady or Mormo maura is a moth of the family Noctuoidea*The Old Lady, a 1932 Italian film*EuropeSee also*Babushka*Old man*Old woman...
to a biker named Snake. After some time together, in which Rory suggested marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, she went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to pursue her nursing career, deciding the gentle but opinionated Rory was not her type. When he met her he mentioned that he couldn't get any further down, having caused his fiancée's mother to have a heart attack by wearing a Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
mask on a date.
Rory had several more adventures, most of which were resolved by Man-Thing, whom he had never feared, making an appearance. He also guided Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
to Ted Sallis's old shack, which was being used by Gladiator and Death-Stalker
Death-Stalker
The Death-Stalker is a fictional character, a super-villain of the professional-criminal type, in the Marvel Comics universe. His real name was Philip Wallace Sterling. An enemy of Daredevil, he first appeared as the Exterminator in Daredevil Vol. 1, #39 .-Fictional character biography:Philip...
.
He decided to remain in Citrusville
Citrusville
Citrusville, Cypress County, Florida is a fictional Everglades town in the Marvel Universe. It appears most frequently in stories related to Man-Thing, and was first shown in Adventure into Fear #11. It was created by Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler...
, the nearest town to Man-Thing's swamp, and got a job at the local radio station. This was short-lived. Speaking out on the air against the Citrusville book burning
Book burning
Book burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded...
, Rory gets fired and Josefsen the mad Viking threatens him for being "less than a man". Deciding it is time to leave Citrusville for good, he is accompanied, at their insistence, by Man-Thing (now able to leave the swamp for extended periods after being run through Citrusville's sewage treatment plant), and Carol Selby, the daughter of the book burning instigator, Olivia Selby. As Carol is still in high school, he becomes a wanted fugitive, legally a kidnapper, but he cannot conscionably leave her in in the madness that is Citrusville. He escapes with them to Atlanta, but is eventually caught and given a prison rap in Citrusville, and Carol returned to her parents.
Tony Stark briefly pays Rory a visit, knowing his connection to Man-Thing and seeking information, but his most important visitor is cellmate Greg Salinger, who is in on disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
charges. While in the cell together, Rory tells Salinger of his past, including details about the Foolkiller incident.
When Rory is released, Ruth Hart allows him to stay in her Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
apartment, where she lives with Daily Bugle
Daily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
photographer Amber Grant and James-Michael Starling, a young orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
and former patient with a mental link to Omega the Unknown
Omega The Unknown
Omega the Unknown was an American comic book published by Marvel Comics from 1976 to 1977, featuring the eponymous fictional character. The series, written by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes and illustrated by Jim Mooney, ran for 10 issues before cancellation for low sales...
. Greg Salinger has also come to New York, equipped with the Foolkiller gear Rory never dreamed he would seek for his own use. Searching for James-Michael, he helps the Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
deal with the Foolkiller, initially attempting to get Salinger to join the team, but it does little good, and Kyle Richmond
Nighthawk (Marvel Comics)
Nighthawk is the name of several fictional characters that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. There have been five versions of the character: a supervillain-turned-superhero from the mainstream Marvel Universe continuity, Kyle Richmond, who belonged to the team Squadron Sinister;...
's mansion is burned to the ground by Foolkiller's purification gun when he learns that the team does not kill their foes.
Omega the Unknown was killed by Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
police who erroneously believed that his attack on Ruby Thursday
Ruby Thursday
Ruby Thursday a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe and a member of the Headmen.-Publication history:...
was unprovoked. The Defenders end their adventure with Richard, Dian Wilkins, (Starling's friend), and James-Michael (who does not survive) in Las Vegas, where Rory asks the Defenders to leave him to begin life anew.
When we next see him, he is still down on his luck, wandering through the streets of Las Vegas. He finds a silver dollar on the ground and decides to use it in the slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
of a nearby casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
. He hits the jackpot
Progressive jackpot
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
, and is horrified that no money comes out, assuming it is his constant bad luck. The manager explains to him that a prize that large can be given only in the form of a check. He refuses the manager's multiple attempts to get him to gamble, and the manager begrudgingly signs a check.
While driving his new car, he gets involved in a minor accident with She-Hulk, who changes back into Jennifer Walters in the nearby alley. It does not take him long to realize that they are the same person, but he chooses to withhold that he knows. He decides what he really wants to do with his money is buy the Citrusville radio station that fired him, and Jennifer accompanies him. When She-Hulk shows up in the swamp, where he is briefly reunited with Man-Thing, Rory's suspicion that she is Jennifer is confirmed beyond doubt, but he still does not let on that he knows.
One evening at the station, he believes he has made contact with an alien life, but it turns out to be John Jameson
John Jameson (comics)
John Jameson is a fictional character in publications from Marvel Comics.-Publication history:...
, the Man-Wolf, whose universe is in peril. A ruby necklace being worn by Jennifer acts as a conduit, as the universe is in fact, trapped inside her bloodstream.
After this episode, with the radio station trashed, he returns to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with Jennifer, where he becomes rival to her boyfriend, Daniel "Zapper" Ridge, in spite of sleeping only on her couch. Only when she walks into her house as She-Hulk with Richard there does he reveal that it is no surprise. At the end of She-Hulk's series, Rory wanders away, alone again, She-Hulk having, for a time, chosen Zapper, even though Rory, at great physical pain, was much more integral in getting Mr. Walters to accept that his daughter is She-Hulk than Zapper was.
With Zapper and Zapper's rich new wife, Rory showed up for Jennifer's Christmas party
Christmas Party
"Christmas Party", alternately titled "Santa Claus is Coming to Scranton", is the tenth episode of the second season of The Office —the show's sixteenth episode overall. It was written by Michael Schur and directed by Charles McDougall. It was first broadcast on December 6, 2005 on NBC.In this...
many years later, once again a wealthy man, this time inherit
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
ed from an aunt he never knew he had, though with his track record, whether this is to last remains to be seen. It has been pointed out, however, that Gregory Ross Curtis, the new identity of the severely burned third Foolkiller Kurt Gerhardt, bears a striking resemblance to Richard Rory.http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/foolk3.htm
He was also among the group pulled out of time for She Hulk's trial by the Time Variance Authority
Time Variance Authority
The Time Variance Authority is a fictional organization, a group of timeline monitors in the Marvel Universe. They first appeared in Thor vol. 1 #372 .-Fictional background:...
.
In his most recent appearance, he saves Stu Cicero, a supporting character of She-Hulk, from Man-Thing, but Stu drives off in Rory's Volkswagen van, leaving him in the swamp to avoid his return in the She-Hulk title.
Appearances list
in chronolological order- Man-ThingMan-ThingThe Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
Vol. 1, #2-7 by Steve Gerber - Giant Size Man-Thing #1 by Steve Gerber
- DaredevilDaredevil (Marvel Comics)Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
Vol. 1, #113-115 by Steve Gerber - Man-Thing Vol. 1, #11-12, 17-20 by Steve Gerber (also flashback in #22)
- Iron ManIron ManIron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
Annual #3 by Steve Gerber - Omega the UnknownOmega The UnknownOmega the Unknown was an American comic book published by Marvel Comics from 1976 to 1977, featuring the eponymous fictional character. The series, written by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes and illustrated by Jim Mooney, ran for 10 issues before cancellation for low sales...
#8-10 by Roger SternRoger SternRoger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
(8) and Steve Gerber - DefendersDefenders (comics)The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
#74-76, 78 by Ed HanniganEd HanniganEd Hannigan is an American a writer, artist, and editor of comic books for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics. His most notable writing credits include work on The Defenders during the late 1970s and early 1980s. As the artist on The Spectacular Spider-Man, Hannigan co-created the characters Cloak...
and Steven GrantSteven GrantSteven Grant is an American comic-book writer best known for his 1985-1986 Marvel Comics mini-series Punisher, with artist Mike Zeck and for his creator-owned character Whisper.-Biography:... - Daredevil #140 by Bill MantloBill MantloBill Mantlo is an American comic-book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics, best known for his work on two licensed toy properties whose adventures occurred in the Marvel Universe: the Eagle Award-winning Micronauts and the long-running Rom. An attorney, he also worked as a public defender...
(flashback) - The Savage She-Hulk #7, 8, 13-17, 19-22, 24, 25 by David Anthony KraftDavid Anthony KraftDavid Anthony Kraft, also credited simply as David Kraft, is an American comic book writer, publisher, and critic. He is primarily known for his long-running journal of interviews and criticism, Comics Interview.- Writing career :...
- The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#225 by Roger SternRoger SternRoger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
(flashback) - The Sensational She-Hulk #36 by John Byrne
- She-HulkShe-HulkShe-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
vol. 2 #3 and 20 by Dan SlottDan SlottDan Slott is an American comic book writer best known for The Amazing Spider-Man, Arkham Asylum: Living Hell and She-Hulk. He is the current writer of the twice monthly The Amazing Spider-Man.-Early writing:...