Rai (comics)
Encyclopedia
Rai is a fictional
superhero
that appeared in books published by Valiant Comics
. Rai was the first original hero created by Valiant and had its beginning as a flipbook back-up feature in Magnus Robot Fighter issues #5-8. The popularity of the flipbook back-up story later led to an ongoing series. Valiant Entertainment is the current owner of Rai and the rest of the original Valiant Comics characters.
Rai is the spirit guardian that protects the nation of Japan
in the 41st century. It is a mantle passed down from father to son through the generations. As such the series chronicled a number of protagonists.
. Fifty billion Japanese dwell inside this mighty construct, which is, in fact, a single, enormous robot. Rai is the hereditary defender of the Host - its living "immune system." Rai draws weapons from his own body to protect the people of Japan and his creator Grandmother, the sentient AI robot that controls Japan.
The line of Rai were created by Grandmother in the image of the 20th century hero Bloodshot
. She hoped to inspire her people by invoking his heroism.
Japan is torn by two warring ideologies. The traditionalists, who believe Grandmother should continue controlling every aspect of life; and the extremist Anti-Grannies, who want to destroy Grandmother and believe that Japan should begin caring for itself.
, her Spirit Guardian would be called "Rai", the kanji
word for "spirit", though it is spelled "Rei" in English.
's veins over twelve hundred years before. Once a suitable host could be found, the blood's power could be used to give them control over any electronic intelligence - including Grandmother's. Sho Sugino, the second Rai, was raised up from life as a vagrant to defend Japan, protect Grandmother, and defeat the terrorists. He succeeded but after handing over the blood of heroes he was abandoned in the Lost Land by Grandmother. Feeling Sugino's personality unsuited for the task, she chose a member of the high-born Nakadai family to be the next Rai, declaring henceforth that the line of Rai would be passed from father to son through the generations.
Mothergod proved disastrous to Japan. As a result of her machinations, the orbiting island fell from space shortly before Tohru's death, killing billions of its inhabitants. But in its darkest hour, Takao Konishi, a Harbinger
with the potential to receive the Blood of Heroes, was chosen to inherit the mantle and continue the lineage of Rai (Rai #0).
, and a Harbinger
by birth. Though not of the original line of Rais, he was what "the Rais were supposed to be."
, it also gave him some of his memories.
He would become the elder half-brother to Torque, son of Magnus, Robot Fighter
and Leeja Clane, and was raised by the First Family of North Am. Upon becoming Rai, "Obie" came into conflict with Tohru Nakadai's son Takashi, who was bitterly jealous of what he saw as Obadiah's preferential treatment as "the last Rai", particularly since Takashi's late father was in fact the last "legitimate" Rai reared by Grandmother.
Note: The true first four issues of Rai were a flipbook to issues 5-8 of Magnus, Robot Fighter. These will be denoted as R/FB.
R/FB-1: Jim Shooter
, writer/David Lapham
, pencils/Kathryn Bolinger, inks/Lapham & Bob Layton
, cover (the credits in the comic were wrong and corrected next issue).
R/FB-2: Shooter, writer/Lapham, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Creddick & Layton, cover.
R/FB-3: Shooter, writer/Lapham, pencils/Bolinger & John Holredge, inks/Lapham & Layton, cover.
R/FB-4: Shooter, writer/Lapham, pencils/Bolinger & Maria Beccari, inks/Lapham & Layton, cover.
0: (Note-this was released after the series had begun its regular run) Shooter & Lapham & Layton & John Hartz, story/Layton, script/Lapham, pencils/Tom Ryder
, inks/Creddick, cover.
1: David Michelinie
, writer/Joe St. Pierre, pencils/Charles Barnett III, inks/Lapham & Layton, cover.
2-3: Michelinie, writer/St. Pierre, pencils/Barnett III, inks/Layton & St. Pierre, cover.
4: Michelinie, writer/St. Pierre, pencils/Bolinger, inks/St. Pierre & Ralph Reese
, cover.
5: Michelinie, writer/St. Pierre, pencils/Bolinger & Dave Chlystek, inks/St. Pierre & Reese, cover.
6: Michelinie, writer/Sal Velluto, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Frank Miller
, cover.
7: Shooter, writer/Peter Grau, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Walter Simonson, cover.
8: Michelinie, writer/Grau, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Grau & Bolinger, cover.
9: (note-becomes Rai & The Future Force) John Ostrander
, writer/Sean Chen
, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Layton & Chen, cover.
10-16: Ostrander, writer/Chen, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Chen & Bolinger, cover.
17: Ostrander, writer/Jim Calafiore
, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Chen & Bolinger, cover.
18: Anthony J. Bedard, writer/Spark
, pencils/Gonzalo Mayo, inks/Rodney Ramos, cover.
19: Dave DeVries, writer/Calafiore, pencils & cover/Mayo, inks.
20-23: Bedard, writer/Dave Ross
, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross & Ramos, cover.
24: (Note-becomes Rai, again. First denoted by "New Rai") Bedard, writer/Ross, pencils & cover/Ramos, inks.
25: Bedard, writer/Ross, pencils/Ramos, inks/George Saravia & Ramos, cover.
26: Bedard, writer/Ross, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross & Layton, cover.
27-29: Bedard, writer/Kevin Kobasic, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross, cover.
30: Bedard, writer/Kobasic, pencils/Ramos & Phyllis Novin & Charles Yoakum, inks/Ross, cover.
31: Fred Schiller, writer/John Royle, pencils/Brad Vancata, inks/Ross, cover.
32: Schiller, writer/Royle, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross, cover.
33: Bedard, writer/Kobasic, pencils/Ramos & Novin, inks/Ross, cover.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
that appeared in books published by Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
. Rai was the first original hero created by Valiant and had its beginning as a flipbook back-up feature in Magnus Robot Fighter issues #5-8. The popularity of the flipbook back-up story later led to an ongoing series. Valiant Entertainment is the current owner of Rai and the rest of the original Valiant Comics characters.
Rai is the spirit guardian that protects the nation of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the 41st century. It is a mantle passed down from father to son through the generations. As such the series chronicled a number of protagonists.
Story
In 4001 A.D., a massive machine known as the Host covers the entire island of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Fifty billion Japanese dwell inside this mighty construct, which is, in fact, a single, enormous robot. Rai is the hereditary defender of the Host - its living "immune system." Rai draws weapons from his own body to protect the people of Japan and his creator Grandmother, the sentient AI robot that controls Japan.
The line of Rai were created by Grandmother in the image of the 20th century hero Bloodshot
Bloodshot (comics)
Bloodshot is the title character of the American comic book series published by Valiant Comics.-Publication history:Bloodshot was launched in the mid 1990s on the back of a wave of popularity for the Valiant Universe. Bloodshot became an immediate hit with readers, as the first issue has sold...
. She hoped to inspire her people by invoking his heroism.
Japan is torn by two warring ideologies. The traditionalists, who believe Grandmother should continue controlling every aspect of life; and the extremist Anti-Grannies, who want to destroy Grandmother and believe that Japan should begin caring for itself.
Fictional character biography
Early in the 31st century, the entire land mass of the island nation of Japan was blanketed by hundreds of levels of high-tech urban sprawl. In order to support such a spectacular megalopolis, with its population of over 50 billion, a tremendously powerful central computer was designed to control every aspect of the island's function. In 3050, that computer went "freewill", meaning that it took on an independent, artificial intelligence. The populace dubbed it "Grandmother" because of its clearly benevolent desire to care for and protect the people of Japan. To insure her own safety, Grandmother created a security force of one. Forged in the image of the legendary 20th century hero, BloodshotBloodshot (comics)
Bloodshot is the title character of the American comic book series published by Valiant Comics.-Publication history:Bloodshot was launched in the mid 1990s on the back of a wave of popularity for the Valiant Universe. Bloodshot became an immediate hit with readers, as the first issue has sold...
, her Spirit Guardian would be called "Rai", the kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
word for "spirit", though it is spelled "Rei" in English.
Shiro Yagami, the first Rai
Shiro Yagami, a man of noble birth, was infused with some unknown form of energy which gave him great strength, and the ability to form energy weapons. He was also able to travel through the nerveweb of Japan, the computer network which gave Grandmother control of the city, thus allowing him to move anywhere inside Japan at virtually the speed of thought. More skilled as a politician than as a warrior, Shiro met his death in 3216 at the hands of the Anti-Grannies.Sho Sugino, the second Rai
In the year 3216, seeking to thwart Grandmother's champion, the Anti-Grannies had somehow managed to obtain the Blood of Heroes - the very plasma that coursed through BloodshotBloodshot (comics)
Bloodshot is the title character of the American comic book series published by Valiant Comics.-Publication history:Bloodshot was launched in the mid 1990s on the back of a wave of popularity for the Valiant Universe. Bloodshot became an immediate hit with readers, as the first issue has sold...
's veins over twelve hundred years before. Once a suitable host could be found, the blood's power could be used to give them control over any electronic intelligence - including Grandmother's. Sho Sugino, the second Rai, was raised up from life as a vagrant to defend Japan, protect Grandmother, and defeat the terrorists. He succeeded but after handing over the blood of heroes he was abandoned in the Lost Land by Grandmother. Feeling Sugino's personality unsuited for the task, she chose a member of the high-born Nakadai family to be the next Rai, declaring henceforth that the line of Rai would be passed from father to son through the generations.
Rentaro Nakadai, the 41st Rai
Rentaro served as Rai well into his old age, mainly because his son, Tohru, refused to assume the mantle. Tohru finally relented in 4001, and Rentaro was able to retire.Tohru Nakadai, the 42nd Rai
In 4001 A.D., however, the Earth was invaded by vicious Spider Aliens, and Grandmother was forced to launch Japan into space in order to defeat them. With the combined might of Earth's forces, the armada was repelled, but Grandmother was so badly damaged that she finally left Japan to govern itself. The Rai of that time, Tohru Nakadai, remained behind to champion his nation, until his death at the hands of Mothergod during the Unity conflict.Mothergod proved disastrous to Japan. As a result of her machinations, the orbiting island fell from space shortly before Tohru's death, killing billions of its inhabitants. But in its darkest hour, Takao Konishi, a Harbinger
Harbinger (comics)
Harbinger was a comic book series published by Valiant Comics about a group of teenage super-powered outcasts known as Harbingers. Harbinger initially featured writing and art by Jim Shooter and David Lapham...
with the potential to receive the Blood of Heroes, was chosen to inherit the mantle and continue the lineage of Rai (Rai #0).
Takao Konishi, the 43rd Rai, or "The Last Rai"
Infused with the "Blood of Heroes" once belonging to the hero BloodshotBloodshot (comics)
Bloodshot is the title character of the American comic book series published by Valiant Comics.-Publication history:Bloodshot was launched in the mid 1990s on the back of a wave of popularity for the Valiant Universe. Bloodshot became an immediate hit with readers, as the first issue has sold...
, and a Harbinger
Harbinger (comics)
Harbinger was a comic book series published by Valiant Comics about a group of teenage super-powered outcasts known as Harbingers. Harbinger initially featured writing and art by Jim Shooter and David Lapham...
by birth. Though not of the original line of Rais, he was what "the Rais were supposed to be."
Obadiah Konishi, the 44th Rai, and possibly "The Greatest Rai"
Son of Takao Konishi and Leeja Clane via a short love affair. He was born with nanites in his blood, which made it possible for him to be more powerful than his father. He was later infused with the "Blood of Heroes" that once coursed through his fathers veins, which not only gave him the powers of the hero BloodshotBloodshot (comics)
Bloodshot is the title character of the American comic book series published by Valiant Comics.-Publication history:Bloodshot was launched in the mid 1990s on the back of a wave of popularity for the Valiant Universe. Bloodshot became an immediate hit with readers, as the first issue has sold...
, it also gave him some of his memories.
He would become the elder half-brother to Torque, son of Magnus, Robot Fighter
Magnus, Robot Fighter
Magnus, Robot Fighter is a fictional comic book superhero created by writer/artist Russ Manning in 1963, based primarily on Tarzan. Magnus first appeared in Magnus Robot Fighter 4000 A.D. #1, published by Gold Key Comics in February 1963...
and Leeja Clane, and was raised by the First Family of North Am. Upon becoming Rai, "Obie" came into conflict with Tohru Nakadai's son Takashi, who was bitterly jealous of what he saw as Obadiah's preferential treatment as "the last Rai", particularly since Takashi's late father was in fact the last "legitimate" Rai reared by Grandmother.
Series issues and creators
The following is a list of all who contributed to the creation of the series. When repeated, only last names are be used.Note: The true first four issues of Rai were a flipbook to issues 5-8 of Magnus, Robot Fighter. These will be denoted as R/FB.
R/FB-1: Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
, writer/David Lapham
David Lapham
David Lapham is an Eisner Award winning American comic book writer, artist, and cartoonist, best known for his work on his groundbreaking independent comic book Stray Bullets.-Biography:...
, pencils/Kathryn Bolinger, inks/Lapham & Bob Layton
Bob Layton
Bob Layton is an American comic book artist, writer, and editor, who has worked for Marvel Comics, Valiant Comics, DC Comics, Future Comics, and other publishers.-Early life:...
, cover (the credits in the comic were wrong and corrected next issue).
R/FB-2: Shooter, writer/Lapham, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Creddick & Layton, cover.
R/FB-3: Shooter, writer/Lapham, pencils/Bolinger & John Holredge, inks/Lapham & Layton, cover.
R/FB-4: Shooter, writer/Lapham, pencils/Bolinger & Maria Beccari, inks/Lapham & Layton, cover.
0: (Note-this was released after the series had begun its regular run) Shooter & Lapham & Layton & John Hartz, story/Layton, script/Lapham, pencils/Tom Ryder
Tom Ryder
Thomas P. "Tom" Ryder is a rugby union footballer who plays at lock for Glasgow Warriors after signing from Saracens in the Summer of 2011...
, inks/Creddick, cover.
1: David Michelinie
David Michelinie
-Biography:Some of his earliest work is for DC Comics's House of Secrets and a run on Swamp Thing , following Len Wein and preceding Gerry Conway, illustrated by Nestor Redondo. Michelinie did a run on Aquaman in Adventure Comics which led to the revival of the Sea King's own title in 1977...
, writer/Joe St. Pierre, pencils/Charles Barnett III, inks/Lapham & Layton, cover.
2-3: Michelinie, writer/St. Pierre, pencils/Barnett III, inks/Layton & St. Pierre, cover.
4: Michelinie, writer/St. Pierre, pencils/Bolinger, inks/St. Pierre & Ralph Reese
Ralph Reese
Ralph Reese is an American artist who has illustrated for books, magazines, trading cards, comic books and comic strips, including a year drawing the Flash Gordon strip for King Features...
, cover.
5: Michelinie, writer/St. Pierre, pencils/Bolinger & Dave Chlystek, inks/St. Pierre & Reese, cover.
6: Michelinie, writer/Sal Velluto, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
, cover.
7: Shooter, writer/Peter Grau, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Walter Simonson, cover.
8: Michelinie, writer/Grau, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Grau & Bolinger, cover.
9: (note-becomes Rai & The Future Force) John Ostrander
John Ostrander
John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.-Career:...
, writer/Sean Chen
Sean Chen
Sean Chen is an Asian American comic book artist.-Career:Chen is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University where he received a bachelor's degree in industrial design. He started his career after being discovered by Barry Windsor-Smith...
, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Layton & Chen, cover.
10-16: Ostrander, writer/Chen, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Chen & Bolinger, cover.
17: Ostrander, writer/Jim Calafiore
Jim Calafiore
Jim Calafiore is an American comic book penciller and inker, known for his work on Marvel Comics Exiles, and DC Comics' Aquaman. His other work includes Faction Paradox, and writing Marvel's Exiles and Millennium Visions....
, pencils/Bolinger, inks/Chen & Bolinger, cover.
18: Anthony J. Bedard, writer/Spark
Spark
-Physical sparks:* Spark , a small glowing particle or ember* An electric spark, usually with a flash and a sharp noise-Computer science:* SPARK...
, pencils/Gonzalo Mayo, inks/Rodney Ramos, cover.
19: Dave DeVries, writer/Calafiore, pencils & cover/Mayo, inks.
20-23: Bedard, writer/Dave Ross
Dave Ross
Dave Ross is a talk show host on Seattle's KIRO-FM radio station, with whom he had been a news anchor from 1978 until his talk show started nine years later in 1987. He has sometimes broadcast his show while on assignment in other locations, including overseas, such as Baghdad, Iraq in April...
, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross & Ramos, cover.
24: (Note-becomes Rai, again. First denoted by "New Rai") Bedard, writer/Ross, pencils & cover/Ramos, inks.
25: Bedard, writer/Ross, pencils/Ramos, inks/George Saravia & Ramos, cover.
26: Bedard, writer/Ross, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross & Layton, cover.
27-29: Bedard, writer/Kevin Kobasic, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross, cover.
30: Bedard, writer/Kobasic, pencils/Ramos & Phyllis Novin & Charles Yoakum, inks/Ross, cover.
31: Fred Schiller, writer/John Royle, pencils/Brad Vancata, inks/Ross, cover.
32: Schiller, writer/Royle, pencils/Ramos, inks/Ross, cover.
33: Bedard, writer/Kobasic, pencils/Ramos & Novin, inks/Ross, cover.