Rocket Racoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rocket Raccoon |
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Rocket Raccoon on the cover of
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 6 #14. Art by Brett Booth. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Preview #7 (July 1976) |
| Created by | Bill Mantlo Keith Giffen |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Raccoon halfworlder mutate |
| Place of origin | Halfworld |
| Team affiliations | Guardians of the Galaxy Nova Corps |
| Partnerships | Groot |
| Notable aliases | Rocky Raccoon Ranger Rocket |
| Abilities |
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Rocket Raccoon is a popular character from American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, first appearing in Marvel Preview #7 in July 1976. Rocket is an intelligent raccoon who can talk and walk like a human. He is very good at shooting, using weapons, and planning strategies. His name and some parts of his character were inspired by the Beatles' 1968 song "Rocky Raccoon".
Rocket Raccoon became a very important member of the superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy when the team was restarted in 2008. He has also appeared in many other forms of media. These include animated TV shows, toys, and video games. You might know him best from the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. He appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). He was also in the Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special (2022 TV film). In these movies, Bradley Cooper provides Rocket's voice, and Sean Gunn does the motion capture for his movements. Rocket is set to return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
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How Rocket Raccoon Was Created
Rocket Raccoon was created by Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen. They got the idea for him from the Beatles song "Rocky Raccoon". This song was even mentioned in one of Rocket's early comic appearances. In The Incredible Hulk #271 (May 1982), the story was called "Now Somewhere In the Black Holes of Sirius Major There Lived a Young Boy Named Rocket Raccoon." In this story, the Hulk helped Rocket stop a bad guy who wanted to steal "Gideon's Bible." In the Marvel Universe, this book held all the knowledge of a place called the Loonies colony.
Rocket Raccoon first showed up in Marvel Preview #7 in 1976. Back then, he was just called "Rocky." He next appeared in The Incredible Hulk #271, where it was revealed that "Rocky" was short for "Rocket."
Rocket's Own Comic Series
In 1985, Rocket Raccoon got his very own four-issue comic series. The artist for this series was Mike Mignola. After this, Rocket appeared in a few other comics like Quasar in 1990 and Sensational She-Hulk in 1992. For his first 30 years, Rocket only appeared in about ten comic books in total.
Joining the Guardians of the Galaxy
Rocket Raccoon became much more important in 2007. He was featured in the Annihilation: Conquest comic series. After this, he became a regular member of a new Guardians of the Galaxy comic series. He stayed with the team until that series ended in 2010. He also appeared in another series called The Thanos Imperative.
Along with his good friend Groot, Rocket starred in some extra stories in the Annihilators comics in 2011 and 2012.
Rocket Raccoon and the other Guardians also appeared in Avengers Assemble. This comic series was made for fans who enjoyed The Avengers movie. Rocket is also a big part of the Guardians of the Galaxy comic series that started in 2013 as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch.
In 2014, it was announced that Skottie Young would write and draw a new Rocket Raccoon comic series. The first issue of this series sold over 300,000 copies! The series ended in 2015 because of a big Marvel event called Secret Wars. A new series, called Rocket Raccoon and Groot, started in 2016.
Rocket Raccoon's Story
Rocket Raccoon used to be the "Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant." This was a special part of outer space that was separated from the rest of the universe. Rocket was the captain of a spaceship called the Rack 'n' Ruin. He and his first mate, Wal Rus (a talking walrus), came from a planet called Halfworld.
Halfworld was a place where people with mental illnesses were sent. The animal companions there were changed to become super smart and walk on two legs. This way, they could take care of the patients. Rocket was the main law officer, or "ranger," on Halfworld. He protected the colony from different dangers.
At one point, a character named Judson Jakes tried to steal the Halfworld Bible. Rocket and his animal friends stopped him. Later, Lord Dyvyne kidnapped Rocket's friend Lylla Otter, and Jakes started something called the Toy War. As the war continued, Blackjack O'Hare teamed up with Rocket, and Rocket found Lylla again.
The Rack 'n' Ruin spaceship was destroyed. Judson Jakes and Lord Dyvyne worked together to try and kill Rocket Raccoon. But Rocket and his friends managed to cure the patients of their mental illnesses. Judson Jakes and Lord Dyvyne seemed to be defeated. Rocket, the animals, and the robots then left Halfworld to have their own adventures in space. Later, it was found out that Rocket had been a test subject on the Stranger's planet, but he managed to escape.
Joining the Guardians of the Galaxy Team
Rocket Raccoon showed up again as a member of a team chosen to help Star-Lord. Their mission was to stop an alien group called the Phalanx from taking over the Kree homeworld. In this story, Rocket is shown as a very skilled military planner. He is brave, loyal, and smart. It is also hinted that he has a bit of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Rocket joins the new Guardians of the Galaxy because his friend Star-Lord asked him to. It was Rocket's idea for the team to use the name "Guardians of the Galaxy." Later, when the team almost broke up and Peter Quill (Star-Lord) disappeared, Rocket kept the team together. He also brought Groot onto the team, as they had become very close friends. Rocket became the leader until they rescued Peter and saved Earth from an alien attack.
When the team tried to stop a big conflict called the War of Kings, Rocket led the part of the team that went to talk to the Shi'ar. They couldn't teleport onto the Emperor Vulcan's ship and had to be saved by the Starjammers and Rocket's old friend Ch'od. They were able to bring back the rightful queen of the Shi'ar, but she was killed after Rocket left, which made him very upset.
After the Guardians team broke up, Rocket Raccoon took a normal job. He and Groot met again and were tricked into going back to Halfworld. There, he found out that many of his memories about the place were not completely true. In reality, Judson Jakes and Blackjack O'Hare had worked with Rocket. They were providing security at Halfworld Asylum for the Criminally Insane. Doctor Dyvyne was the head of psychology there. The talking animals and robot clowns were created to work at the asylum because their appearance would calm the patients. The problems Rocket remembered were caused by a powerful villain called the Star Thief. He had been a patient and used his mind powers to turn everyone against each other. Rocket had changed the guards into a special "key" to keep the Star-Thief locked up. He also changed his own mind and left Halfworld so the thief could never escape. But he was tricked into returning by the Thief, whose mind had escaped into the asylum after his body died.
When the Guardians of the Galaxy comic title was relaunched in 2013, Rocket was once again a member of the team.
In the first issue of "Secret Wars" (a big comic event), the Guardians of the Galaxy were part of a clash between two different Earths. Rocket and Groot were sadly killed during this event.
New Adventures
As part of Marvel's "All-New, All-Different Marvel" comics from 2015–2019, Rocket Raccoon took over as the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. This happened while Star-Lord was busy with things on his home planet, Spartax.
During a big crisis in Avengers: No Road Home, when light itself was almost destroyed by the Greek goddess of darkness, Nyx, Rocket was one of the heroes who came together to fight her. This group included Hawkeye, Hercules, Hulk, the Scarlet Witch, Spectrum, the Vision, Voyager, and Conan the Barbarian. After Nyx was defeated, Rocket joked that he could now cross "being an Avenger" off his bucket list!
Rocket Raccoon's Powers and Skills
Rocket Raccoon has the normal abilities of an Earth raccoon, but they are much stronger. This includes great speed (which he has improved with training), and a very sharp sense of smell, sight, hearing, and touch. His sharp claws let him climb walls, buildings, and trees easily.
He is an amazing starship pilot and a brilliant engineer and technician. Rocket is also an expert marksman, meaning he is very accurate with the two laser pistols he carries. He is also great with heavy weapons. He is a master military planner and leader. These skills help him take charge of the Guardians of the Galaxy when Star-Lord is not available.
Images for kids
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Rocket Raccoon on the cover of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 6 #14. Art by Brett Booth.
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Rocket Raccoon #1 (May 1985). Cover art by Mike Mignola and Al Gordon.
See also
In Spanish: Rocket Raccoon para niños
