Rocket Racoon

Rocket Raccoon
Real Name	Rocket Raccoon
First Appearance	Marvel Preview #7 (Summer, 1976)
Creators	Bill Mantlo, Keith Giffen
Team Affiliations	The Guardians of the Galaxy
Aliases	None
Base of Operations	Mobile
Powers	Normal-physical attributes of an Earth raccoon
Skills and Abilities	Genius-level intellect, Master tactician and field commander, Expert marksman and sniper, Accomplished starship aviator
Paraphenalia	Various Guns and Weapons, Rocket Pack

Rocket Raccoon is a superhero in the Marvel Universe and is a member of the modern day Guardians of the Galaxy.

Origin

A citizen a Halfworld, a planet of insane humans cared for by genetically-engineered human-like animals, Rocket Raccoon became a guardian of the Keystone Quadrant of outerspace as a space ranger.

Biography

Centuries ago, an alien race (their true names and origins unknown) settled the largest planet in the Keystone Quadrant of the galaxy to build a massive compound to house and treat the insane. Rocket Racoon was one of many animals born on the compound on the planet known as Halfworld that had been given human-level intelligence and humanoid body reconstruction to act as a character for the residents there. Rocket Raccoon acts as the "Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant", an area of outer space sealed off from the rest of the cosmos by the so-called Galacian Wall. Rocket is captain of the starship Rack 'n' Ruin, and he and his first mate Wal Russ (a talking walrus) come from the planet Halfworld in the Keystone Quadrant, . Rocket was Halfworld's chief law officer ("ranger") who protected the colony against various threats.

At one point, Judson Jakes tried to steal the Halfworld Bible, but was thwarted by Rocket and The Hulk. Later, Lord Dyvyne abducted Rocket's friend Lylla, and Jakes began the Toy War. As the Toy War continued, Blackjack O'Hare teamed up with Rocket, and Rocket was reunited with Lylla. The Rack 'n' Ruin was soon destroyed, as Judson Jakes and Lord Dyvyne teamed up to kill Rocket Raccoon. Rocket Raccoon and his friends cured the Loonies of their mental illnesses, as Judson Jakes and Lord Dyvyne were apparently killed. Rocket and the animals as well as the robots left Halfworld and took off into space for their own adventures.^[19] Some time later, Rocket was revealed to have been a laboratory subject on the Stranger's planet, and escaped his captivity there.

Rocket Raccoon resurfaced as a member of the team chosen to accompany Star-Lord on his mission to stop a Phalanx infiltration of the Kree homeworld. Rocket is depicted as a gifted military tactician who is fearless, loyal, and insightful. It is heavily implied that he has a case of obsessive compulsive disorder. Rocket's trademark rocket skates are absent.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Rocket joins the new Guardians of the Galaxy at the behest of his friend Star-Lord. It is he who suggests that the team adopt that moniker after hearing it mentioned by Major Victory. Later on, when the team almost disbands and Peter Quill (Star-Lord) disappears (sent into the Negative Zone by Ronan), Rocket keeps the team alive, and brings in Groot as member, as the two had become firm friends. Rocket takes over as leader until they rescue Peter, and save the Earth from an alien invasion. When the team tries to halt the growing War of Kings, Rocket decides to lead the portion of the team assigned to make contact with the Shi'ar. They are unable to teleport into the Emperor Vulcan's flagship and have to be rescued by the Starjammers and Rocket's old friend Ch'od. They are able to bring back the rightful queen of the Shi'ar, but she is killed after Rocket departs, much to his horror.

After the Guardians disband,Rocket Raccoon takes up a normal job with Timely Inc. He and Groot were reunited and tricked into returning to Halfworld: here, he found out his memories of the place were mostly half-truths and deliberately crafted fake memories. In reality, Jakes and Blackjack O'Hare had worked with Rocket in providing security at Halfworld Asylum for the Criminally Insane; Doctor Dyvyne had been Head of Psychology there; and both the anthropomorphic animals and the automaton clowns were deliberately created to work at the asylum, as their appearance would calm the inmates. The crises that Rocket half-remembered had been caused by the psychic supervillain the Star Thief, who had been admitted as an inmate and used his psychic powers to turn the inhabitants against each other. Rocket had turned the warders into a biological "key" to keep Star-Thief locked up, and deliberately altered his mind and left Halfworld so it could never be opened - but he was tricked into returning by the Thief, whose mind had escaped into the asylum after his host body died.

Rocket is a member of the revamped Guardians of the Galaxy in the first issue of the 2013 series.

Powers, Abilities, and Equipment

Rocket Raccoon possesses the normal attributes of an Earth raccoon, including speed (which has been additionally amplified by his training), and an acute sense of smell, sight, hearing and touch. He is an accomplished starship pilot, an expert marksman with the two laser pistols he carries as well as having an affinity for heavy weapons. He is a master military tactician and leader, attributes that help him take charge of the Guardians of the Galaxy when Star-Lord is unavailable.

TV Shows and Movies

• TV Shows; Avengers; Earth Mightiest Heroes, Ultimate Spider-Man

• Movies: Guardians of the Galaxy