I've always been a fan of the Israeli meta human team know as The Hayoth who first appeared in the pages of The Suicide Squad and would later be seen in The Specter and Checkmate in the old DCU. But more recently I've been getting into the Ragman character since having read some stuff with him (Ragman Suite of Souls one shot and Day of Vengeance #1) I've found in back issue discount boxes. DC has other Jewish superheros like Atom Smasher and Batgirl but what I liked about these particular characters is that their powers and identity as heroes centers around Jewish lore and mysticism.
I decided to add this clip art of Ragman in action from Day of Vengeance #1 (2006). Something interesting I learned about Ragman's suit in this issue is that the new souls that are collected often try to resist helping Ragman when called upon. Kinda think of it as a new prison inmate who hasn't learned the rules yet and think they can act like they're still on the outside. Well we know how that eventually plays out.
Ragman is just one of those characters that never gets the apporiate amount of love does he? And how could he not with that cool and original concept of wearing a costume sown and powered by the souls of the wrongful dead.
ReplyDeleteHe'd be perfect in a cast of rotating heroes for a monthly horror/superhero anthology though, alongside Deadman, the Phantom Stranger(PreNU52), the Spectre, and more.
actually Dale those souls on his costume are the souls of every evil person that Ragman puts down. i found out in Day of Vengeance #1 which i found in a back issue discount box last week that the most recently "acquired" souls try to resist him when he summons their strength to ad to his own but that eventually they become compliant. and as far as that team concept with Ragman it sounds a lot like Shadowpact? lastly in regards to RM not getting enough love you'll be happy to know that there's a Ragman blog spot it's a great source for reading old school Ragman stories.
DeleteHuh. Interesting new wrinkle to that one. I have a couple issues of Shadowpact, and they're very well written, showcasing characters that don't get enough love, like the Blue Devil, Nightmaster, and of course Ragman. good good stuff.
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