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Rage (comics)

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For the webcomics, see Rage comics.
Rage
Rage.
Art by Paco Medina.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Avengers #326 (November 1990)
Created byLarry Hama (writer)
Paul Ryan (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoElvin Daryl Haliday
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsCounter Force
The Initiative
New Warriors
Avengers
Psionex
AbilitiesSkilled street fighter
Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability and resistance to injury
Ability to leap great distances

Rage (Elvin Haliday) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He has been a member of the Avengers and the New Warriors, and appeared in the pages of The Avengers, New Warriors, Night Thrasher, and Avengers: The Initiative.

Creation

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Rage's co-creator Larry Hama described the character's creation in a 2012 interview with Comic Book Resources. Rage being a teenager with a superpowered adult appearance was inspired by DC Comics' Captain Marvel, while his grandmother Edna was inspired by Spider-Man's Aunt May. Hama did not intend to make Rage African-American, but realized that the ethnicity fit his character and changed other aspects of Rage to make him work.[1]

Publication history

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Rage was created by Larry Hama and Paul Ryan and first appeared in The Avengers #326 (November 1990).[2]

Fictional character biography

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Elvin Daryl Haliday was born in Brooklyn, New York. At age 13, he is exposed to toxic waste while hiding from bullies, which accelerates his growth and gives him superhuman physical abilities. Encouraged by his grandmother to use his newfound abilities for good, Elvin adopts a costume and the name Rage.[3][4]

Soon after his transformation, Rage confronts the Avengers, demanding to be made a member. He scolds Captain America for the team's lack of black members. Rage leaves after a brief scuffle, but assists the Avengers in their next mission against L.D.50. Alongside the Avengers, he battles other-dimensional alien prisoners.[5]

After the Avengers are reorganized, Rage is invited to join as a probationary member. When the Avengers discover that Rage is actually a teenager, they oust him from the main team and only let him stay as a trainee.[6][4]

Rage later leaves the Avengers and joins the New Warriors.[7] After the New Warriors disband, Elvin joins the Initiative, a superhero training program.[8][4] In Dark Reign, Rage, Justice, Debrii, Slapstick, and the Scarlet Spiders leave the Initiative and form Counter Force.[9]

In Captain America: Sam Wilson, Rage goes to Empire State University with Falcon (Joaquin Torres) to confront an anti-immigrant politician who is giving a speech at campus. They later face the Bombshells, a trio of armored protesters, and defeat them. While returning home, Rage encounters Man Mountain Marko and Speed Demon, who are robbing a pawn shop. After a brief fight, the villains escape and Rage is arrested by the Americops. When Captain America (Sam Wilson) offers him help, Rage turns it down, preferring to prove his innocence himself. Sam does so by releasing footage of the Americops beating Rage. Judge David Roderick deems the footage inadmissible and has Rage convicted. To get better proof of Rage's innocence, Sam captures Speed Demon, who confesses to his and Marko's robbery of the pawn shop. Rage is beaten by prisoners and sustains severe brain damage, with Claire Temple stating that he will not survive.[10][11][12] In the Venomized event, Rage recovers and helps evacuate Manhattan during the Hive's invasion of Earth.[13]

Powers and abilities

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Elvin's exposure to unknown biochemical radioactive wastes gave him superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability and resistance to physical injury. Rage possesses basic street-fighting skills, and has received some combat training from Captain America and Night Thrasher.

Rage usually wears a costume of synthetic fabric and body armor, and formerly wore a helmet of unspecified material, all of which he designed for himself.

Other versions

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Rage appears as a member of the House of M version of the Wolfpack alongside Speedball, Turbo, Zero-G, Darkhawk, and Lightspeed.[14]

In other media

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Rage makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Fantastic Four episode "To Battle the Living Planet".[citation needed]

Reception

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Newsarama ranked Rage as the seventh worst Avengers member, describing him as having been "created at a time when the formula for creating Avengers was Name > Costume > Concept > Usefulness > Relevance, and the formula for creating black superheroes was Teenager > Drugs > Skateboard > Urban > Character Development".[15]

References

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  1. ^ Cronin, Brian (April 27, 2012). "Comic Book Legends Revealed #364". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  2. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 290. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. ^ Avengers #328 (January 1991)
  4. ^ a b c Allan, Scoot (July 2, 2020). "New Warriors: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Rage". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  5. ^ Avengers #326 (November 1990)
  6. ^ Avengers #329 (February 1991)
  7. ^ New Warriors #26 (August 1992)
  8. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #1 (June 2007)
  9. ^ Avengers: The Initiative #12 (June 2008)
  10. ^ Captain America: Sam Wilson #17 - 20 (March - May 2017)
  11. ^ Morris, Bryce (July 12, 2021). "Why Sam Wilson Quit Being Captain America in the Comics". Screen Rant. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  12. ^ Johnston, Rich (April 23, 2018). "So How Did Rage Get Better Then? Marvel Continuity Gets Venomized..." Bleeding Cool. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  13. ^ Venomized #2 (June 2018)
  14. ^ House of M: Avengers #3-4 (February - March 2008)
  15. ^ "The 10 WORST AVENGERS of All Time". Newsarama. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
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