3rd Rate Heroes: Ragman

[horrorclaus]

http://members.aol.com/whoclix/ragman.gif

So, in DC, Ragman (III - Rory Regan) is a guy with a unique costume which has the ability to trap the souls of corrupted people. After acquiring a soul, Ragman is able to call upon them to enhance his strength, speed, agility, endurance, etc... Now, as far as I know, Ragman has never absorbed the soul of a metahuman or an alien -- basically, anything that has above human capabilities.

So, let's say that Ragman was able to absorb Darkseid. Would Ragman then be able to use Darkseid's omega beams? Furthermore, Darkseid is way stronger than an average human, so if Ragman used him to enhance his own strength, would it increase by a much greater degree than if he just called upon an average soul?

In my opinion, Ragman is the sort of character that could be much more popular and important.

Wikipedia link to Ragman article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragman

[fred]

welcome to the forums

I think that ragman's biggest obstacle is the name. It's bad, real bad

[kahunablair]

You beat me to it Fred, I was just about to say that. I'd also add that the costume would also need to be re done. Something about the whole look is meh to me.

[big-doze]

Welcome aboard, Horror!

I've been thinking similar things about Ragman for a long time, ever since I read Days of Vengence. He's got a great look (when utilized by the right artist), an interesting power with some real emotional potential and a wry wit. I think he's developing a fanbase (such as it is) already with Shadowpact, but I'd sure read more of him.

[horrorclaus]

Yeah, I agree, his name is exceptionally bad. Like, I don't even HAVE to make the joke because it's so obvious -- bad. And on top of that, his costume is pretty horrible. Although it looked a little bit better in the Day of Vengeance mini series, it could still use some tweaking. Actually, nevermind, how much better could you possibly make his costume?

Still though, if he could absorb Darkseid, or someone equally powerful, and then be able to tap into their power. He could be a very heavy hitter.

[jgg0610]

This sounds like a project from somebody along the lines of Grant Morrison a la Animal Man.

[alexg]

I like the idea of Ragman, but I think his execution has been kind of crappy lately. I've always thought that he should be a helluvah lot more fugged up. I mean, he's carrying around countless evil spirits, that should mess with his head a bit more. I found that story in Shadowpact a while back in which we saw his family totally lame. He hasn't been doing much of anything in Shadowpact lately/

[fred]

he should be hanging on by a string

[alexg]

He should change his name to "Patches"

[fred]

you always know just what to say

[alexg]

What happened to Detective Chimp?!

[horrorclaus]

IMO, Ragman has tons of untapped potential. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually played a big part in a future crisis or mini/maxi series. He just seems like one of those characters that we all forget about and then he'll show up and destroy a city or capture a really powerful baddie.

I really like his laid back attitude towards dealing with all the voices in his costume. He talks to them like, "Dude, you know there's no way out, just play along and you'll get out off here that much faster."

But, yeah, I could definitely see the voices eventually getting the better of him and driving him insane or just pushing him farther and farther down a violent path. Really a lot of potential.

YOU LISTENING DC?

Oh, BTW, thanks for adding the picture to my OP, Conor

[cam-]

Yeah Ragman's cool, he sort of reminds me of Image in it's heyday for some reason.

Perhaps Darkseid's soul would be too overwhelming to contain and Ragman would lose himself.

Perhaps Darkseid doesn't have a soul to absorb...

[mikegraham6]

IMO, Ragman has tons of untapped potential. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually played a big part in a future crisis or mini/maxi series. He just seems like one of those characters that we all forget about and then he'll show up and destroy a city or capture a really powerful baddie.

I really like his laid back attitude towards dealing with all the voices in his costume. He talks to them like, "Dude, you know there's no way out, just play along and you'll get out off here that much faster."

But, yeah, I could definitely see the voices eventually getting the better of him and driving him insane or just pushing him farther and farther down a violent path. Really a lot of potential.

YOU LISTENING DC?

Oh, BTW, thanks for adding the picture to my OP, Conor

seems like there's tons of story potential there, just need the right writer who actually knows who this guy is. I enjoyed the character in Days of Vengence and if a high profile writer started a ragman mini, i'd consider picking it up

[horrorclaus]

Yeah Ragman's cool, he sort of reminds me of Image in it's heyday for some reason.

Perhaps Darkseid's soul would be too overwhelming to contain and Ragman would lose himself.

Perhaps Darkseid doesn't have a soul to absorb...

Definitely. I was only using Darkseid as an example since everyone knows he's really powerful. I really doubt Ragman would be able to actually handle Darkseid's soul -- that's if Darkseid even has one.

Maybe someone like Mongul would be a better but lesser known example.

Off topic: This wasn't a very good Wednesday for me in terms of comics. There wasn't a whole lot that excited me at my local shop. I lol'd at the big unsold stacks of Amazons Attack 1 and 2

[mithel]

I wouldn't like to see an emotionally troubled Ragman, and I don't think it would really work in the context of the character. After all, he absorbs evil souls then basically tortures servitude out of them. Someone capable of that is a powerful mind, and not given easily to Sandman-style mental histrionics.:D

[smaktakula]

Yeah, I agree, his name is exceptionally bad.

I always liked the name, actually. I thought it was befitting of his origin. At least in his first incarnation back in the 1970's, the son of a ragman in Gotham or NYC.

Although I agree that not enough has been done with the character, he's undergone quite a change since his inception in the 1970's. I don't believe that RM's Jewish heritage played as big a part in that first incarnation (although it was apparent then, or at the very least, likely that RM was Jewish).

There was an RM limited series in the 90's in which RM's heritage was more well-defined. His powers were expanded there as well, I believe. It may have been a reboot.

Sorry to jump into this so much after the fact.

[esophagus]

http://members.aol.com/whoclix/ragman.gif

So, in DC, Ragman (III - Rory Regan) is a guy with a unique costume which has the ability to trap the souls of corrupted people. After acquiring a soul, Ragman is able to call upon them to enhance his strength, speed, agility, endurance, etc... Now, as far as I know, Ragman has never absorbed the soul of a metahuman or an alien -- basically, anything that has above human capabilities.

So, let's say that Ragman was able to absorb Darkseid. Would Ragman then be able to use Darkseid's omega beams? Furthermore, Darkseid is way stronger than an average human, so if Ragman used him to enhance his own strength, would it increase by a much greater degree than if he just called upon an average soul?

In my opinion, Ragman is the sort of character that could be much more popular and important.

Wikipedia link to Ragman article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RagmanAs much as I hate the name, I do actually love his costume. He looks like the perfect gotham city villain, in the ranks of Scarecrow, Clayface, etc.

As for his powers, his story told so far doesn't allow him to use the powers of the souls. He collects souls for the soul purpose of staying alive. If he stops eatting them he would die, but the more he takes, the stronger he is, which makes him a little power hungry about it.

I think he deserves a vertigo book. Grant Morrison, maybe Eliis, it would be perfect.

[smaktakula]

Ragman is currently featured in DC's Shadowpact, which is a grouping of B and C list DC heroes who fight magical menaces. They're kind of like a DC "Defenders" series.

Detective Chimp (whom somebody mentioned earlier in this thread, I believe) and Rex The Wonder Dog (or a decendant) are affiliated with the team. Gotta love Rex.

But where's Brother Power, The Geek? Or Prez?

[iSteve]

If Booster Gold can save the multiverse and then get his own ongoing monthly, then surely Ragman can be upgraded to at least "B" status and made more interesting.