RAGMAN #1
(Cover by Joe Kubert)
Published and © by DC, Sep. 1976
“Origin of the Tatterdemalion”
Synopsis: When his father is murdered, Rory Regan dons a tattered costume to fight for justice in the ghetto — as Ragman!
Writer: Robert Kanigher
Penciler: Redondo Studio
Inker: Redondo Studio
Review: Moody. Gritty. Stylish. Ragman #1 is a top-shelf debut from the DC-Explosion era (though its cancellation would be a sad, early harbinger of the DC Implosion to come). Writer Bob Kanigher does a great job introducing the downtrodden ghetto world of the Ragman, while teasing out the beginnings of the character’s origin. From the opening page, it’s clear this series is edgier than the average DC comic of the era. The equally moody art is credited to the Redondo Studio, but Ragman co-creator Joe Kubert’s influence is clear. Regardless who gets credit, the art is a perfect fit.
Grade: A-
Second opinions: “Kanigher crafted an amazing story. … The Redondo Studio does a fantastic job on the art.” — Mathan Erhardt, Comics Nexus. … “… one of DC’s more interesting superhero experiments of the Bronze Age.” — Scott M, Seduction of the Indifferent. … Recommended by The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition).
Cool factor: Great character, good story, sublime art. This is one of the underrated gems of the mid-1970s.
Notable: First appearance of Ragman. … This issue includes an odd essay on the nature of junk and recycling by E. Nelson Birdwell.
Character quotable: “What made you imagine there was anything in this junkyard … worth dying for?” — Rory Regan, not quite yet the Ragman.
Great choice. Like I noted in another thread on this blog before, this is very much an unappreciated title, then and later: I bought all 5 issues for about a dollar in around 1980 from a used comics dealer (of course, it disappeared along with the rest of my collection my senior year of HS, which is why I now pine for some kind of trade reprint. I’m assuming there’s no Showcase edition because there’s too little material).
Edo:
Your missing collection makes me sad! Though I’ve sold off some issues over the years that I’ve later regretted, I’m glad most of the comics I’ve bought — especially the Bronze Age ones — since I was about 13 remain in my collection.
Ragman would make a sweet collected edition, though there’s not enough for a Showcase volume, even if DC included The Batman Family #20 (a great Batman/Ragman team-up with Michael Golden art; see Comics Bronze Age’s review here) and The Brave & the Bold #196. That’s a shame because the art on the series would look sublime in B&W.
Andrew
You’d probably be even sadder if I listed all of the stuff I had in that collection (at least what I can recall). But back then, like now, I never was much of a collector, in the sense of hoarding my comics and making sure they remained in pristine condition. Hell, I just stacked them loosely in grocery store boxes, no bags, no boards. Even now that I’ve sort of gotten back into the whole comics scene, I keep my purchases of “floppies” to a minimum – I prefer TPB collections.
Speaking of which as far as Ragman goes: I would love, and immediately buy, a collected trade edition of all Bronze Age Ragman stories.