Rocket Racer
Encyclopedia
The Rocket Racer is an African-American super-hero (reformed super-villain) in Marvel comics
.
. His origin was finally revealed in Spectacular Spider-Man #104.
Early in his career as a burglar, Rocket Racer encounters Spider-Man
. Rocket Racer hires the villain the Tinkerer
to redesign his skateboard. 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. Later, Rocket Racer was saved by Spider-Man from the Bounty Hunter.
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.
Later, Robert attempted to prove Spider-Man innocent of a crime; and first encountered Silver Sable
and The Outlaws. He joined forces with Spider-Man to stop the white supremacist, Skinhead. He was hired as a freelance operative for Silver Sable International to prevent two youths from stealing the victims' weapons at the Bar with No Name, the site of the Scourge
massacre. He was again hired by Sable to stop the Speed Demon. He joined Spider-Man and the Outlaws against the Avengers
and the Space Phantom
, He was again hired along with the Outlaws to retrieve a Symkaria
n nuclear device in England. He was hired by Sable to stop a runaway subway maintenance robot. Rocket Racer finally formally joined the Outlaws, to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Canadian official.
#1. As a registered hero, he reported to Camp Hammond for training. Despite this, he needed money to support his comatose mother and prevent repossession of their house, so he was seen working for MODOK
. He appeared to have been tempted back into crime, and reduced to a state of stuttering nervousness by the situation. He turned out to have been working for S.H.I.E.L.D.
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.
moves to the former headquarters of the West Coast Avengers
.
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, pursuing Spider-Man with the intention of fighting him, only to be defeated when a random restaurant employee opened a door at just the right time for 'Troy' to run into the door and knock himself unconscious.
This Rocket Racer briefly joined Tombstone
's prison squad along with Big Ben and Hypno-Hustler
.
.
.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
.
Publication history
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 WheelBig Wheel (comics)
Big Wheel is a Marvel Comics supervillain created by Marv Wolfman, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #182 .-Fictional character biography:...
. His origin was finally revealed in Spectacular Spider-Man #104.
Fictional character biography
Robert Farrell, born in Brooklyn, New York, was the eldest of seven children. He became responsible for his younger siblings when his mother, Emma Johnson 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."Early in his career as a burglar, Rocket Racer encounters Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. Rocket Racer hires the villain the Tinkerer
Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe...
to redesign his skateboard. 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
Big Wheel (comics)
Big Wheel is a Marvel Comics supervillain created by Marv Wolfman, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #182 .-Fictional character biography:...
', to chase Robert around town with. Spider-Man assists and Jackson seemingly falls to his death in the Hudson River. Later, Rocket Racer was saved by Spider-Man from the Bounty Hunter.
Repeated defeats at the hands of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
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
Empire State University
Empire State University is a fictional university in the Marvel Comics Universe, a mixture of New York University and Columbia University . It is located somewhere in New York City, in Greenwich Village near the site of New York 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.
Later, Robert attempted to prove Spider-Man innocent of a crime; and first encountered Silver Sable
Silver Sable
Silver Sable is a fictional character from Marvel Comics, a female mercenary, hunter of war criminals, the leader of the Wild Pack, and CEO of Silver Sable International...
and The Outlaws. He joined forces with Spider-Man to stop the white supremacist, Skinhead. He was hired as a freelance operative for Silver Sable International to prevent two youths from stealing the victims' weapons at the Bar with No Name, the site of the Scourge
Scourge of the Underworld
The Scourge of the Underworld is the name of a series of fictional characters that have appeared in various series set in the Marvel Comics universe....
massacre. He was again hired by Sable to stop the Speed Demon. He joined Spider-Man and the Outlaws against the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
and the Space Phantom
Space Phantom
Space Phantom is a name given to a number of fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. The first appearance of such a being was in Avengers vol. 1 #2 , they were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, He was again hired along with the Outlaws to retrieve a Symkaria
Symkaria
Symkaria is a fictional Eastern European country created by Stan Lee for the Marvel Universe.-Nation Information:Location: The Balkans, near Transylvania and Latveria...
n nuclear device in England. He was hired by Sable to stop a runaway subway maintenance robot. Rocket Racer finally formally joined the Outlaws, to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Canadian official.
Initiative
Robert is identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book Avengers: The InitiativeAvengers: The Initiative
Avengers: The Initiative was a comic book series from Marvel Comics. Written by Dan Slott and Christos Gage with artwork initially by Stefano Caselli, Steve Uy and Harvey Tolibao, the series dealt with the aftermath of Marvel's Civil War crossover Avengers: The Initiative was a comic book series...
#1. As a registered hero, he reported to Camp Hammond for training. Despite this, he needed money to support his comatose mother and prevent repossession of their house, so he was seen working for MODOK
MODOK
MODOK is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #93 MODOK (acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character...
. He appeared to have been tempted back into crime, and reduced to a state of stuttering nervousness by the situation. He turned out to have been working for S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
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.
Avengers Academy
Rocket Racer is part of the new class of students when the Avengers AcademyAvengers Academy
Avengers Academy is a Marvel Comics comic book series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the "Heroic Age". The series is written by Christos Gage, with artwork by Mike McKone and tells the story of a group of young super-powered persons who were selected to join a training academy for the...
moves to the former headquarters of the West Coast Avengers
West Coast Avengers
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The team first appear in The West Coast Avengers #1 and was created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall.- Publication history :...
.
"Troy"
Another Rocket Racer first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man (vol.2) #13 (January 2000).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, pursuing Spider-Man with the intention of fighting him, only to be defeated when a random restaurant employee opened a door at just the right time for 'Troy' to run into the door and knock himself unconscious.
This Rocket Racer briefly joined Tombstone
Tombstone (comics)
Tombstone is a supervillain in the fictional Marvel universe. The character was created by Gerry Conway and Alex Saviuk and first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #36 .-Fictional character biography:...
's prison squad along with Big Ben and Hypno-Hustler
Hypno-Hustler
The Hypno-Hustler is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by Bill Mantlo and Frank Springer, the character first appeared in The Spectacular Spider-Man #24.-Fictional character biography:...
.
Powers and abilities
Robert Farrell has a gifted intellect, but no superhuman powers. He wears gauntlets furnished with explosive mini-rockets, and utilizes a cybernetically-controlled, rocket-powered magnetic skateboard, which he designed and was later redesigned by the TinkererTinkerer
The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe...
.
Other versions
Outside of mainstream Marvel continuity, he has appeared as a super-villain in Spider-Man Loves Mary JaneSpider-Man Loves Mary Jane
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane is an American comic book series focusing on a teenage Mary Jane, the love interest of superhero Spider-Man. The series, published by Marvel Comics, is a teen drama set outside the regular Marvel continuity, and aimed at teenage girls, as opposed to the traditional male...
.
Television
- Rocket Racer appeared in FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
's Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
voiced by Billy Atmore. This version is depicted as a teenager in a crime-ridden neighborhood who ends up helping Spider-Man. 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 mi/h. He can also scale walls. After Robert was thought to have stolen some jewels, he was chased by Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. 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 WheelBig Wheel (comics)Big Wheel is a Marvel Comics supervillain created by Marv Wolfman, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #182 .-Fictional character biography:...
, 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. In the same episode, Robert supposedly gave up the Rocket Racer suit, but when he kicked his board onto one of the criminals, he was wearing the suit, even though a few seconds later, he wasn't.
- The Spider-Man: The New Animated SeriesSpider-Man: The New Animated SeriesSpider-Man: The New Animated Series is an animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man, which ran for one season, 13 episodes, starting on July 11, 2003...
episode "Heroes and Villains" features Turbo Jet (voiced by Harold Perrineau), a high tech janitor turned thief named Lewis Wyler who is based on Rocket Racer.
External links
- Rocket Racer at Marvel.com
- Rocket Racer's Profile at Spiderfan.org