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Rockman (comics)
Encyclopedia
Rockman is a fictional
comic book
superhero
in the Marvel Comics
universe
. He first appeared in U.S.A. Comics
#1 (Aug. 1941), published by Marvel predecessor Timely Comics
during the 1930s to 1940s period historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comics. As credits were not routinely given in comic books of this period, his writer
and artist
co-creators are unknown, although the first page of his debut story was drawn by Charles Nicholas
(itself a house pen name
) and the remainder by Basil Wolverton
.
and at least one signed by writer and future Marvel Comics
editor-in-chief Stan Lee
.
Marvel announced in July 2007 that Rockman would appear in the 2008 limited series
The Twelve
The first three 1940s Rockman stories were reprinted in The Twelve #0 (Feb. 2008) and #1/2 (Nov. 2008)
overhead, Rockman leaves Abyssmia to assist the United States in its war effort. He is disturbed and unable to comprehend the fact that anyone would despoil the aboveground realms with warfare.
, the Invaders
and a cadre of second-tier superheroes in the Battle of Berlin
. There he is ambushed and captured along with Blue Blade
, The Black Widow (unrelated to the modern character of that name), Captain Wonder
, Dynamic Man
, Fiery Mask
, Laughing Mask
, the original Master Mind Excello
, Mister E
, Phantom Reporter
, the Witness
and the telepathically controlled robot Electro.
As Electro is deactivated and unable to help the other heroes, they are doused with sleeping gas and placed in cryogenic stasis by Nazi scientists, who hope to dissect them and discover the secret of their superhuman abilities. Rockman, along with the others, is "lost" when the scientists are killed during the fall of Berlin. Years later in 2008, the heroes are found.
He and his fellow teammates are brought to live in a luxurious mansion, while adjusting to modern life; a task in which he fails miserably. Still pining for his lost kingdom, Rockman never moves from the basement, futilely slamming his hands on the ground in an attempt to contact any Abyssmians.
It is strongly hinted that Rockman's historical origin has simply been a delusional fantasy when Danielle Rose, a young girl from West Virginia, tells the military caretakers of Rockman that the hero may be her lost great-uncle Daniel Rose. Apparently, Rose was a miner who lived in Tarleton, West Virginia, and became well known for being the first miner to advocate unionizing. Rose lived there with his wife and daughter (whom he referred to as his "little princess"), until Boss Clete, the corrupt head of the Lufton Fuel Company, hired some thugs to silence the growing trade union
.
Rose accepted the fight, and brought his trade union down into the mine to confront Clete's men. At the last moment, Boss Clete attempted to flee, while exploding behind himself a hidden dynamite
charge that was intended to seal off the mine and kill Daniel Rose and his men. However, Boss Clete forgot to take in account the eventual methane
chain reactions.
As a result, the mine collapsed around the men, killing everyone except for Rose. Exposure to hidden pockets of an "unknown mutagenic gas" gave him extended reserves of strength and durability, along with making him impervious to harm. When Rose returned to the surface, after two days of constant digging, he discovered that the resulting sinkhole had swallowed the whole Tarleton, killing everyone he held dear, included his beloved wife and his "little princess".
Daniel Rose snapped, and in his stupor was left pounding the ground, calling his lost family to him. Exhausted and utterly unbalanced, Rose abandoned his town only to resurface later as "Rockman, King of Abyssmia", which may have been a psychological coping mechanism to deal with the shattered figments of his former life.
Danielle presents proof of her findings, and shows the caretakers a photograph
of Daniel Rose. However, they lie to Danielle and send her away, acknowledging that the hope of being reunited with his lost family is the only thing holding Rockman's remaining shreds of sanity together.
After his revival in The Twelve he has not demonstrated his super-speed powers, and his physical prowess, nigh-invulnerability and durability are explained as the exposure to a still unknown underground gas. As Rockman is revealed to be a citizen of the U.S.A. named Daniel Rose, his Abyssmian technology is now retcon
ned, or explained as enhanced digging instruments, as Daniel Rose was a professional miner.
His mental state, precarious after the tragic loss of his family, continues to erode as he is brought into modern times. Rockman is in a state of constant mourning, waiting for his dead loved ones to return.
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...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the Marvel Comics
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...
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 first appeared in U.S.A. Comics
U.S.A. Comics
U.S.A. Comics was an American comic-book series published by Marvel Comics' 1930-1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books....
#1 (Aug. 1941), published by Marvel predecessor Timely Comics
Timely Comics
Timely Comics, an imprint of Timely Publications, was the earliest comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman, and the entity that would evolve by the 1960s to become Marvel Comics....
during the 1930s to 1940s period historians and fans call the Golden Age of Comics. As credits were not routinely given in comic books of this period, his writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
co-creators are unknown, although the first page of his debut story was drawn by Charles Nicholas
Charles Nicholas (comics)
"Charles Nicholas" is the pseudonymous house name of three early creators of American comic books for the Fox Feature Syndicate and Fox Comics....
(itself a house pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
) and the remainder by Basil Wolverton
Basil Wolverton
Basil Wolverton was an American cartoonist, illustrator, comic book writer-artist and professed "Producer of Preposterous Pictures of Peculiar People who Prowl this Perplexing Planet", whose many publishers included Marvel Comics and Mad.His unique, humorously grotesque drawings have elicited a...
.
Publication history
Rockman appeared USA Comics #1-4 (Aug. 1941 - May 1942), with two stories drawn by Basil WolvertonBasil Wolverton
Basil Wolverton was an American cartoonist, illustrator, comic book writer-artist and professed "Producer of Preposterous Pictures of Peculiar People who Prowl this Perplexing Planet", whose many publishers included Marvel Comics and Mad.His unique, humorously grotesque drawings have elicited a...
and at least one signed by writer and future Marvel Comics
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...
editor-in-chief Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
.
Marvel announced in July 2007 that Rockman would appear in the 2008 limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
The Twelve
The Twelve (comics)
The Twelve is an American comic book limited series from Marvel Comics, which the company announced in July 2007 would run twelve issues beginning spring 2008, with the creative team of writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Chris Weston...
The first three 1940s Rockman stories were reprinted in The Twelve #0 (Feb. 2008) and #1/2 (Nov. 2008)
Fictional character biography
In his historical origin, Rockman was the leader of an underground race of beings who were the descendants of the first white colonists of North America. Their kingdom was known as Abyssmia, and was located underneath the country. Noticing the effects of warWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
overhead, Rockman leaves Abyssmia to assist the United States in its war effort. He is disturbed and unable to comprehend the fact that anyone would despoil the aboveground realms with warfare.
The Twelve
Some time after his official introduction as a superhero, Rockman joins Captain AmericaCaptain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, the Invaders
Invaders (comics)
The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the . The original team was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #71 . A present-day incarnation was introduced by writer Chuck Austen and artist Scott Kolins in The Avengers vol...
and a cadre of second-tier superheroes in the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
. There he is ambushed and captured along with Blue Blade
Blue Blade
The Blue Blade is an American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics who exists in that company's Marvel Universe. His only appearance was in USA Comics #5, published in the 1940s by Marvel's forerunner, Timely Comics, during a period that is known as the Golden Age of Comic Books.After the...
, The Black Widow (unrelated to the modern character of that name), Captain Wonder
Captain Wonder (Timely Comics)
Captain Wonder is a fictional comic book character, first published by Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel Comics during the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. He is superhero who possesses the power of super strength...
, Dynamic Man
Dynamic Man (Timely Comics)
Dynamic Man is a fictional comic book character, first published by Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel Comics during the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books....
, Fiery Mask
Fiery Mask
Fiery Mask is a fictional character from the Timely/Marvel Comics universe. He was a Golden Age superhero created by Joe Simon and first appeared in Daring Mystery Comics #1.-Publication history:...
, Laughing Mask
Laughing Mask
The Laughing Mask is a Timely Comics Golden Age superhero who appeared in Daring Mystery Comics #2, 1941, and reappeared in The Twelve.His one Golden Age story was reprinted in The Twelve #0.-Fictional character biography:...
, the original Master Mind Excello
Master Mind Excello
Master Mind Excello is an American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics who exists in that company's Marvel Universe...
, Mister E
Mister E (Timely Comics)
Mister E was a Timely Comics Golden Age superhero. He appeared in Daring Mystery Comics #2, and reappears in 2008 in The Twelve. His only story has been reprinted in The Twelve #1/2....
, Phantom Reporter
Phantom Reporter
The Phantom Reporter is a fictional comic book character who first appeared in Daring Mystery Comics #3, published by Timely Comics, the forerunner to Marvel Comics, during the period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books.He appears in The Twelve. He had no known superpowers...
, the Witness
Witness (comics)
The Witness is the name of at least three fictional, American comic-book characters, the first published by Timely Comics in the 1940s and the final two by its successor company, Marvel Comics.-Timely Comics:-Publication history:...
and the telepathically controlled robot Electro.
As Electro is deactivated and unable to help the other heroes, they are doused with sleeping gas and placed in cryogenic stasis by Nazi scientists, who hope to dissect them and discover the secret of their superhuman abilities. Rockman, along with the others, is "lost" when the scientists are killed during the fall of Berlin. Years later in 2008, the heroes are found.
He and his fellow teammates are brought to live in a luxurious mansion, while adjusting to modern life; a task in which he fails miserably. Still pining for his lost kingdom, Rockman never moves from the basement, futilely slamming his hands on the ground in an attempt to contact any Abyssmians.
It is strongly hinted that Rockman's historical origin has simply been a delusional fantasy when Danielle Rose, a young girl from West Virginia, tells the military caretakers of Rockman that the hero may be her lost great-uncle Daniel Rose. Apparently, Rose was a miner who lived in Tarleton, West Virginia, and became well known for being the first miner to advocate unionizing. Rose lived there with his wife and daughter (whom he referred to as his "little princess"), until Boss Clete, the corrupt head of the Lufton Fuel Company, hired some thugs to silence the growing trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
.
Rose accepted the fight, and brought his trade union down into the mine to confront Clete's men. At the last moment, Boss Clete attempted to flee, while exploding behind himself a hidden dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
charge that was intended to seal off the mine and kill Daniel Rose and his men. However, Boss Clete forgot to take in account the eventual methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
chain reactions.
As a result, the mine collapsed around the men, killing everyone except for Rose. Exposure to hidden pockets of an "unknown mutagenic gas" gave him extended reserves of strength and durability, along with making him impervious to harm. When Rose returned to the surface, after two days of constant digging, he discovered that the resulting sinkhole had swallowed the whole Tarleton, killing everyone he held dear, included his beloved wife and his "little princess".
Daniel Rose snapped, and in his stupor was left pounding the ground, calling his lost family to him. Exhausted and utterly unbalanced, Rose abandoned his town only to resurface later as "Rockman, King of Abyssmia", which may have been a psychological coping mechanism to deal with the shattered figments of his former life.
Danielle presents proof of her findings, and shows the caretakers a photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
of Daniel Rose. However, they lie to Danielle and send her away, acknowledging that the hope of being reunited with his lost family is the only thing holding Rockman's remaining shreds of sanity together.
Powers and abilities
Besides having access to advanced Abyssmian technology, including a "digger car" for transport and advanced monitoring equipment, Rockman has the powers of superspeed, super toughness, super strength, and super hand-to-hand combat skills. He does not need air and can withstand the extreme pressures of the bottom of the sea.After his revival in The Twelve he has not demonstrated his super-speed powers, and his physical prowess, nigh-invulnerability and durability are explained as the exposure to a still unknown underground gas. As Rockman is revealed to be a citizen of the U.S.A. named Daniel Rose, his Abyssmian technology is now retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned, or explained as enhanced digging instruments, as Daniel Rose was a professional miner.
His mental state, precarious after the tragic loss of his family, continues to erode as he is brought into modern times. Rockman is in a state of constant mourning, waiting for his dead loved ones to return.