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Skyrocket (comics)
Encyclopedia
Skyrocket is a fictional superhero
published by DC Comics
. She first appeared in JLA #61 (February 2002), and was created by Kurt Busiek
and Tom Grummett
.
. Scorpio was a well-equipped organization always on the look out for advanced technology that could easily be weaponized. They attempted to steal the Argo Harness, but during their attack, an untimely explosion killed the Forrestals.
, who identified with her because of her background as a pilot, she decided to continue crimefighting as the superhero Skyrocket.
during the day in order to pay for the equipment she need to maintain and repair the Argo Harness. This was where Josiah Power
found and recruited her.
work as she wanted on the firm's dollar, as it would be good publicity for the fledgling business. Her old nemesis Doctor Cyber was seen watching her as she exited Power Company headquarters after her first group mission. Skyrocket works with the team through the series sixteen issue run, coming into repeated conflict with an interdimensional army that wished to conquer earth through corporate takeover and mystical means.
. Jackson was awarded the Silver Star
and the Purple Heart
for his service, but was appalled to be find that prejudicial attitudes in the United States had changed little in his absence.
Skyrocket fights side by side with Nightwing, Firestorm, Superman Blue Jay
, Livewire
, the Veteran and Aquaman 2. This grouping only results because they had been stuck in the same energy imprisonment field as Superman by the alien forces. For some time, during the groups reconiscance and intelligence gathering, a technologically created energy field prevented them believing they could use their powers.
Once this field was destroyed, the team damages the Auctioneer's spaceship and, holding his database hostage, blackmails the entity into restoring everything and everyone stolen from Earth.
Due to a mistake on Livewire's part, most of the adventure is broadcast to every single television on Earth. Due to the Auctioneer wishing to profit off the drama of the escape, many alien worlds also see every step of the incident as well.
In Birds of Prey
# 100, she is shown reading an invitation from Oracle
to become one of her operatives, having apparently returned to St. Louis. What she is currently doing is unknown.
Celia apparently declined Oracle's offer, and was most recently shown as still being with the Power Company. During a break-in at S.T.A.R. Labs
, the team is defeated by Doctor Impossible
and a group of villains using weaponry from New Genesis
. In a later conversation, Mon-El mentions that Skyrocket is in the hospital and has gone into shock from her injuries.
Following this, Celia appears as part of an all-female team of superheroines created by Wonder Woman
in order to repel a faux alien invasion masterminded by Professor Ivo
. After punching out a robotic siren who was using her abilities to mentally incapacitate a group of men, she remarks "Pretty girls making guys act dumb. It's just like high school all over again".
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 —...
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. She first appeared in JLA #61 (February 2002), and was created by Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
and Tom Grummett
Tom Grummett
Thomas "Tom" Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work as penciller on titles such as The New Titans, The Adventures of Superman, Superboy, Power Company, Robin, New Thunderbolts and Heroes.During his run on The Adventures of Superman, Grummett and...
.
Fictional character biography
Lt. Celia Forrestal was getting nowhere fast in the U.S. Navy. It wasn't because she wasn't qualified. As a Navy Aviator, she could outmaneuver anybody. But because of her gender and her race, her career remained stalled as a training instructor. Looking for some perspective while she considered leaving the service, she visited her parents, scientists and owners of Argo Technologies. Mr. and Mrs. Forrestal had developed a personal harness that could absorb, convert and redirect energy. The Forrestals conceived the harness as a tool for peace, but it also had great potential as a weapon of mass destruction.Scorpio
This invention, called an Argo Harness, drew unwanted attention from a mercenary group of terrorists-for-hire called ScorpioScorpio (DC Comics)
Scorpio is a fictional DC Comics terrorist organization introduced in 1965's Challengers of the Unknown issue #47.-History:A mercenary group of terrorists-for-hire...
. Scorpio was a well-equipped organization always on the look out for advanced technology that could easily be weaponized. They attempted to steal the Argo Harness, but during their attack, an untimely explosion killed the Forrestals.
Argo Harness
Celia survived the explosion that killed her parents because she was wearing the Argo Harness, and she later used it to capture some of the Scorpio operatives who had caused their deaths. Acting on a suggestion from Green Lantern Hal JordanHal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, who identified with her because of her background as a pilot, she decided to continue crimefighting as the superhero Skyrocket.
Spinning her Wheels
Celia worked at a fast food joint in her hometown of St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
during the day in order to pay for the equipment she need to maintain and repair the Argo Harness. This was where Josiah Power
Josiah Power
Josiah Power is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appears in JLA #61 , but his origin is told in Power Company: Josiah Power #1,...
found and recruited her.
Power Company
After mulling over some serious reservations on her part, Celia decided to join the Power Company, a corporate hero team, as a business partner. Josiah provided her with a full technical support crew under Charlie Lau to maintain the harness. Lau improves the machinery inside and out, for example, eliminating it's weakness to water. Josiah promises her that she could do as much pro bonoPro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
work as she wanted on the firm's dollar, as it would be good publicity for the fledgling business. Her old nemesis Doctor Cyber was seen watching her as she exited Power Company headquarters after her first group mission. Skyrocket works with the team through the series sixteen issue run, coming into repeated conflict with an interdimensional army that wished to conquer earth through corporate takeover and mystical means.
Ralph Jackson
It has recently been revealed that Sgt. Ralph Jackson is the grandfather of Celia Forrestal. Ralph led a battalion of African-American soldiers in a furious attack on Nazi troops while serving in France during World War IIWorld 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...
. Jackson was awarded the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
for his service, but was appalled to be find that prejudicial attitudes in the United States had changed little in his absence.
Infinite Crisis
Operating in San Francisco, Skyrocket is one of several heroes who aids in the efforts to prevent a global super-villain jailbreak.One Year Later
In Action Comics #842, Skyrocket describes herself as somebody who "used to be with the Power Company." In that issue and in 843, she is part of a makeshift team of superheroes who had escaped the confines of the 'Auctioneer'. His efforts had resulted in the kidnapping of most of Earth's superhumans.Skyrocket fights side by side with Nightwing, Firestorm, Superman Blue Jay
Blue Jay (comics)
Blue Jay is a DC Comics superhero and a former member of the Champions of Angor, also known as the Justifiers. He has the ability to shrink to seven inches tall and grow blue wings which allow him to fly...
, Livewire
Livewire (DC Comics)
Livewire is a fictional character and a supervillain in the . She first appeared in 1997 in Superman: The Animated Series and was voiced by Lori Petty. Her first appearance in the comic books was in the publication of Action Comics #835 .-Animated series:Leslie Willis was once Metropolis' most...
, the Veteran and Aquaman 2. This grouping only results because they had been stuck in the same energy imprisonment field as Superman by the alien forces. For some time, during the groups reconiscance and intelligence gathering, a technologically created energy field prevented them believing they could use their powers.
Once this field was destroyed, the team damages the Auctioneer's spaceship and, holding his database hostage, blackmails the entity into restoring everything and everyone stolen from Earth.
Due to a mistake on Livewire's part, most of the adventure is broadcast to every single television on Earth. Due to the Auctioneer wishing to profit off the drama of the escape, many alien worlds also see every step of the incident as well.
In Birds of Prey
Birds of Prey (comic book)
Birds of Prey is a comic book series published by DC Comics that features the adventures of the heroine Oracle and her group of superheroines. The group is initially based in Gotham City and later operates in Metropolis and then relocates once more to "Platinum Flats", California, a new locale...
# 100, she is shown reading an invitation from Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
to become one of her operatives, having apparently returned to St. Louis. What she is currently doing is unknown.
Celia apparently declined Oracle's offer, and was most recently shown as still being with the Power Company. During a break-in at S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
, the team is defeated by Doctor Impossible
Doctor Impossible
For the Doctor Impossible created by Austin Grossman, see Soon I Will Be Invincible.Doctor Impossible is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain that first appeared in Justice League of America, vol. 2 #1...
and a group of villains using weaponry from New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
. In a later conversation, Mon-El mentions that Skyrocket is in the hospital and has gone into shock from her injuries.
Following this, Celia appears as part of an all-female team of superheroines created by Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
in order to repel a faux alien invasion masterminded by Professor Ivo
Professor Ivo
Professor Anthony Ivo is a fictional character, a mad scientist in the DC universe and is the creator of the androids Amazo, Kid Amazo, Tomorrow Woman and Composite Superman in his retconned origin.-Fictional character biography:...
. After punching out a robotic siren who was using her abilities to mentally incapacitate a group of men, she remarks "Pretty girls making guys act dumb. It's just like high school all over again".
Equipment
- Celia's armored suit is known as the Argo Harness; it was invented by her parents, the elder Forrestals, for their company Argo Technologies.
- The Argo Harness is an energy-transforming device that can absorb many kinds of energy, including heat, electromagnetism, and radioactivity, and either convert it into other forms of energy or store it for later use.
- Skyrocket normally utilizes this stored energy as bolts of heat, kinetic energyKinetic energyThe kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
, or directed electromagnetic fields. - She can use the harness to fly by repelling the planet's own electromagnetic field.
- The Harness can recharge itself from virtually any kind of energy.
- Any attack carried out against Celia with fire, radioactivity, electricity or any other form of excited particle will just make her more powerful.
Other versions
- A villain using the name Skyrocket appeared in the animated TV series-based comic book Super FriendsSuper FriendsSuper Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
#4. This Skyrocket predates the mainstream comic version and was not only a supervillain but a European-American male.