Rip Hunter
Rip Hunter | |
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![]() Rip Hunter as depicted inTime Masters: Vanishing Point#1 (September 2010). Art byDan JurgensandNorm Rapmund. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Showcase#20 (May 1959) |
Created by | Jack Miller (writer) Ruben Moreira(artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Michael Jon Carter Jr. |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | Linear Men Forgotten Heroes Legends Time Bureau Time Masters |
Partnerships | Booster Gold Supernova Goldstar |
Abilities | Genius level inventor Time travel Skilled in fighting styles and martial arts from every era of history |
Rip Hunteris a time-traveling superhero appearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byDC Comics.Created by writer Jack Miller and artistRuben Moreira,the character first appeared inShowcase#20 (May 1959).[1]Following three more appearances inShowcase(#21, 25, 26), Rip Hunter was given his own series which ran for 29 issues (1961–65). He later starred in the eight-issueTime Mastersseries (1990), written by Bob Wayne andLewis Shiner.After numerous revisions and following the events of the 2005 "Infinite Crisis"storyline, Hunter is established as the son ofBooster Gold.
The character appeared in the first three and seventh seasons ofThe CW'sArrowversetelevision seriesLegends of Tomorrow,portrayed byArthur Darvill.
Publication history
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/68/Showcase_20_%281959%29.jpg/170px-Showcase_20_%281959%29.jpg)
TheChallengers of the Unknownis a quartet of science fiction adventurers created byJack Kirby.They debuted in 1957, and their commercial success spawned two other science fiction characters:Cave Carsonand Rip Hunter. Hunter was the more successful of the two, with art in his early appearances byJoe Kubert,Mike Sekowsky,andNick Cardy.Hunter was the leader of a gang of time travelers who were featured in brisk and historically accurate adventures in various eras. DC editorJack Schiffreported that he and writer Jack Miller had "lots of fun" creating the comics.[2]
Rip Hunter has had numerous revisions within the fictional DC Universe. Those changes are generally connected to larger events and story lines. The writing and editorial staff often use a narrative device within the comics, known as a crisis event, to explain dramatic changes to the appearance or personality of characters. Rip Hunter has undergone several different developments within this fictional universe.
Fictional character biography
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/Time_Masters_1_%281990%29.jpg/170px-Time_Masters_1_%281990%29.jpg)
In his original incarnation, Rip Hunter is portrayed as an ordinary man who uses his invention, the Time Sphere, to travel through time.[3]Aided by his friend Jeff Smith, girlfriend Bonnie Baxter, and Bonnie's kid brother Corky, they have adventures in time. These stories were told in the seriesRip Hunter...Time Masterwhich ran for 29 issues between 1961 and 1965.[4]
Rip is next seen in the seriesChallengers of the Unknown,where, in the yearAD12,000,000, he assists theChallengers of the Unknown,Swamp Thing,andDeadmanin defeating the dictatorial Sun Lords.[5]The character's next major appearance is inAction Comics#552–554. With the aid ofSupermanand theForgotten Heroes,he prevents an alien invasion of Earth.[6]
The Forgotten Heroes are then seen in the 1985 seriesCrisis on Infinite Earths,a mini-series intended to change the fictional universe shared by DC characters. During this story, Hunter enables the superheroes of theMultiverseto travel to the dawn of time where they face off against theAnti-Monitor.The battle that ensues effectively destroys the Multiverse. Hunter then reunites with some of his Forgotten Heroes teammates, as well as cosmic heroesAdam StrangeandCaptain Cometin a quest to defeat the Anti-Monitor once and for all. With the help ofBrainiac,they journey toApokolips,where the tyrantDarkseiduses his advanced science to peer into the Anti-Matter universe and aidAlex Luthor,Superman,andSuperboy-Primein the ultimate destruction of the Anti-Monitor.[7]This narrative event allowed the writing staff of DC Comics to alter many of their heroes and fictional situations.
TheCrisis on Infinite Earthsseries was used as a plot device to dramatically alter the fictional histories of many characters. Unlike most other characters, Hunter continues with the same personality and memories that preceded this event, becoming a man out of time and without a home, with no one remembering his existence. The writers further expanded on this by having their new fictional universe contain an alternative version of Rip, one who was native to this timeline, and also a master of time travel.
The original version of Rip is then depicted as attracting the attention of theLinear Menwith his attempts to reach his original universe.[8]Impressed by Hunter, the Linear Men recruit him into their ranks and the writers altered the appearance of Rip, using the stress of time travel as an explanation for those changes. Now, with white hair and bionic implants, he is seen in several series that involve time, or the manipulation of time as an element of the narrative—most notably during theZero Hour: Crisis in Time!mini-series and event.
InThe Kingdom,Hunter turns on the other Linear Men, who believe that time follows a single course of events, and joins forces with Superman,Batman,andWonder Woman.Rip also joins forces with young heroes from the future, to stop the time-traveling villainGogin his efforts to destroy Kansas twenty years ahead of schedule. As a result of this battle, Hunter finally breaks down the barrier toHypertime,revealing that the Linear Men are wrong about the non-existence of alternate timelines in the post-Crisis universe. Rip also reveals that the timeline of the Kingdom can exist, regardless of what happens in the present.[9]
Shortly thereafter, the Linear Men, including the original character of Hunter, are destroyed duringImperiex's onslaught.[10]Although their consciousnesses survive, and they eventually construct new bodies for themselves, they have been driven insane by the experience. The Quintessence, a group of cosmic beings who counsel one another, disband the Linear Men, and Hunter vanishes in a whirlwind.[11]
Running parallel to those stories, another version of Rip has adventures; as the inventor of time travel technology in the Post-Crisisuniverse.[12]In this universe, Hunter aids heroesBooster GoldandAnimal Manin their own time-traveling adventures, before taking on the vast Illuminati conspiracy during the eight-issue seriesTime Masters.This more gritty and realistic (symbolized by jeans and a T-shirt rather than a costume) take on the character attempts to change the past to prevent the Illuminati, led byVandal Savage,from coming into existence. During the series, a relative of the character known as Dan Hunter decides to stay in the past at the time of theRevolutionary War.This is used to create a link between Rip Hunter and the pre-existing western themed Dan Hunter, a character associated withTomahawk.This series concludes with Hunter being stranded in the prehistoric past.[13]
In theChronosseries, starring Walker Gabriel, an alternate version of Gabriel, experimenting with time travel to avert World War III, mentions a horrible accident suffered by a Commander Hunter, who apparently scattered himself across time, with only "bits of flesh and bone" which kept resynchronizing in the lab.
Rip's next major appearance is within the page of 2004'sJustice Society of America,where he takes members of the modern dayJustice Society of Americaback in time to fight the villainousPer Degaton.[14]Once again, Rip serves as a device that allows for time-travel, and for other heroes to do so. This version of the character returns to a sci-fi influenced costume and the use of a time bubble. The ramifications of being a time-traveler are explored by writerGeoff Johns,who turns the name Rip Hunter into an alias. This is explained as being part of an attempt by the character to hide all of the details of his history, lest an enemy travel back in time and kill him as a child.
52
[edit]The themes of time and changes to the timeline are next explored in the weekly series52.Following up from events in theInfinite Crisismini-series,Booster Goldtries to contact Hunter. Booster discovers his base of operations in a time-locked concrete bunker in theArizonadesert, but when he finally manages to enter the bunker, he finds only a blackboard, a globe, and some pieces of paper filled with writings about the future. These papers had references to facts and events like the mortality ofVandal Savage,the last Lazarus Pit ofNyssa Raatko,and the appearances of the mysteriousSupernova.The purpose of the blackboard was to provide clues for the readers of upcoming storylines within that series and other DC Universe titles.
As this series progresses, more and more time-traveling characters, such asWaveriderare killed by a mysterious figure who is later revealed to be Booster Gold's robot companion Skeets.[15][16]
Hunter finally emerges in the Bottle City ofKandor.Working with Supernova, Hunter has been trying to put together a machine that will "fix" time before Skeets can find him.[17]When Skeets attacks Kandor, Supernova turns back into Booster Gold and battles Skeets using special items gathered from the planet. Rip Hunter and Booster then teleport away, angering Skeets even more.[18]After discoveringMister Mindburrowing into Skeets' shell, Rip Hunter usesT.O. Morrowand the severed head ofRed Tornadoas bait for him.[19]Mr. Mind metamorphoses into a nigh-omnipotentimagoform, a universe-eating hyperfly. Hunter then reveals toBooster Goldand Booster's ancestor Daniel Carter that theMultiverseis restored as 52 individual universes as a result of Alex Luthor's actions after he escaped his "paradise dimension". Subsequently, the heroes seal Mr. Mind in a time rift to save the multiverse.[20]Hunter warns the others to keep the Multiverse a secret for the time being as he eagerly prepares to explore it.
Booster Gold
[edit]Rip is next seen as an integral part of the cast of theBooster Goldseries. Rip acts as a companion and Boss to Booster Gold. His identity is revealed to be that of Booster Gold's yet-to-be-born son and that most, if not all, of Rip's exploits were actually committed by Booster.
To protect the timeline, Rip convinces Booster to turn down membership in the recently reformed Justice League and to continue to act like a self-absorbed goof to make sure that his father's legacy is one of failure and is ultimately forgotten by history. This is done to ensure rogue time travelers have no motivation to kill Booster in the past, erasing Rip in the process and the various works he and Booster will engage in to protect the timestream. Rip and an older Booster occasionally would interact during the present version's mission, as they discuss the need to manipulate Booster (in particular, teaching him not to change history when Booster demands they prevent the death of Ted Kord).[21]
InCarl Draper'sCheckmateblog, a reference is made to the Smith-Baxter Group, a time-travel consultancy whose founders were trained by Hunter.
In this new version, Rip Hunters' methods are darker than previously portrayed: he imprisoned the surviving members of theLinear Menafter they tried to mess with the timeline to saveWaverider(the time abnormality); and Rip tortured Rex Hunter when Rex wouldn't give Rip information. Rip might have also been motivated by a personal grudge, as Rex was a former Time Master who had murdered Rips' previous team. Rex had been working with the Time Stealers and was murdered as a child by them before Rip could learn any information.[22]
Time Masters: Vanishing Point
[edit]Rip, along withBooster Gold,Superman,andHal Jordanstarred inTime Masters: Vanishing Point(2010–11), alimited seriesthat is a companion piece toBatman: The Return of Bruce Wayne.The series followed the heroes' journey to find Batman who was lost in time followingFinal Crisis.[23]
"Convergence"
[edit]Though Rip Hunter was shown blinking out of existence following the end of the 2011 storyline "Flashpoint",Convergencereveals that he survived and may have turned against his father, Booster Gold (who survived the continuity reboot of the DC Universe that occurred in the aftermath of "Flashpoint" withThe New 52). Through means that are yet to be revealed, Rip Hunter almost managed to prevent his father from frantically warning his newly created counterpart that the romance between Wonder Woman and Superman will erase the past of his future from existence.[24]
Vertigo
[edit]A Rip Hunter story by writerDamon Lindelofand artistJeff Lemireappeared inTime Warp#1, published byVertigoin May 2013.[25][26]
DC Rebirth
[edit]In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books calledDC Rebirth,restoring its continuity to a form much as it was beforeThe New 52.the Green Lantern Corps began investigating strange temporal anomalies, one such anomaly was detected inside the Citadel of the Corps. As the Green Lanterns stay on guard, from the anomaly emerges Rip Hunter who introduces himself and delivers a cryptic message before he passes out: "The Green Lantern Corps has been erased from the future...". More strange is whenHal Jordannotices that Hunter is wearing a Green Lantern power ring.[27]Rip Hunter was seen in theDC Nuclear Winter Special#1, stranded on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth's future telling holiday stories about DC heroes from alternate earths, the future, and the past to some cannibals trying to eat him, stalling for time while he recharged the battery in his Time Sphere.
Later, when Booster Gold andBlue Beetleattempted to establish a "Heroes for Hire" type business, subsidized by Beetle’s fortune which fell through, thanks to Beetle being shut out of his own company. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle’s troubles were compounded by the arrival of the Omnizon, an alien warrior claiming Earth as her own. Help has arrived, however, in the form of Rip Hunter. After investigating, Hunter learns that Omnizon and her people claimed the Earth millennia ago, when humanity was still in its infancy and in no position to dispute the claim. Hunter tells his companion Terri that he can help, but it will require "breaking the rules". Terri, curious, presses Rip about time-travel, and she realizes he can find out anything he wants from any point in time with Terry concluding that this level of power is too dangerous to be in one person’s hands. Rip agrees, telling her this is why he leads a guarded life, constantly protecting his identity. When Hunter confronts Omnizon and her people, he reminds her that to kill aTime Masterlike himself is to bring about her own destruction. Rip Hunter does not elaborate what he meant by this, but the implication is clear: Rip Hunter’s knowledge of the time stream and temporal mechanics makes him dangerous beyond measure - more so than any member of the Justice League.[28]Rip Hunter was about to leave by Boom Tube after he had saved his father and his best friend from a battle. Rip Hunter's friend Trixie wanted to say good to him, and was wondering why Rip Hunter cared for Booster Gold for. Rip Hunter revealed to Trixie that Booster Gold was his father, and that he did not want to embarrass her with a long story about time travel, before leaving.
In other media
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9a/RipHunterLegends.jpg/170px-RipHunterLegends.jpg)
Television
[edit]- Rip Hunter appears inBatman: The Brave and the Bold,voiced byBrian Bloom.[29]
- Rip Hunterappears inLegends of Tomorrow,portrayed byArthur Darvill.[30]This version is a rogue Time Master who came to the present to assemble the titular group and opposeVandal Savage.In thesecond season,Rip is temporarily brainwashed into joining theLegion of Doom.In thethird season,he forms the Time Bureau organization to fix time anachronisms and defeat the time entityMallus,ultimately sacrificing himself in the season finale to save his teammates.
Video games
[edit]- Rip Hunter appears as an NPC inDC Universe Online.
- Rip Hunter appears as a character summon inScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[31]
References
[edit]- ^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016).The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe.DK Publishing. p. 146.ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ^Jacobs, Will;Gerard Jones(1985).The Comic Book Heroes: From the Silver Age to the Present.New York, New York:Crown Publishing Group.pp. 38–39.ISBN0-517-55440-2.
- ^Markstein, Don."Rip Hunter, Time Master".Don Markstein's Toonopedia.Retrieved2 April2020.
- ^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019).DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle.DK Publishing. p. 88.ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^Challengers of the Unknown#85-87. DC Comics.
- ^Action Comics#552–554 (February–April 1984). DC Comics.
- ^Crisis on Infinite Earths#11. DC Comics.
- ^Legends of the DC Universe 80-page Giant#1 (September 1998)
- ^The Kingdom#2 (Feb. 1999). DC Comics.
- ^Superman(vol. 2) #165 (Feb. 2001). DC Comics.
- ^Superman: The Man of Steel#118 (November 2001). DC Comics.
- ^52Week Six
- ^Time Masters1–8 (February–September 1990). DC Comics.
- ^JSA#66, 68–72 (December 2004 – June 2005). DC Comics.
- ^52Week Nineteen. DC Comics.
- ^52Week Twenty-Seven. DC Comics.
- ^52Week Thirty-Six. DC Comics.
- ^"52" Week Thirty-Seven. DC Comics.
- ^52Week Fifty-One. DC Comics.
- ^52Week Fifty-Two. DC Comics.
- ^Booster Gold(vol. 2) #30 (March 2010). DC Comics.
- ^Time Masters: Vanishing Point#3 (September 2010). DC Comics.
- ^"DC's Own Time Master Dan Jurgens Talks Vanishing Point".Newsarama.April 15, 2010.
- ^Justice League Internationalvol. 3 Annual #1 (August 2012). DC Comics.
- ^"Vertigo ShowcasesTime WarpAnthology Art ".Comic Book Resources.February 22, 2013.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2013.RetrievedJuly 13,2013.
- ^Khouri, Andy (April 2, 2013)."Vertigo'sTime WarpAnthology Returns Rip Hunter and Trolls with Super-Science ".ComicsAlliance.Archived fromthe originalon September 2, 2013.RetrievedJuly 13,2013.
- ^Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps#18. DC Comics.
- ^Blue and Gold#6. DC Comics.
- ^"Rip Hunter Voice - Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Show)".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedJune 15,2024.A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
- ^Kit, Borys (March 30, 2015)."CW's 'Flash'/'Arrow' Spinoff Casts Time Travel With 'Doctor Who' Alum".The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^Eisen, Andrew (October 4, 2013)."DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide".IGN.RetrievedJune 15,2024.