Rainbow Raider
Encyclopedia
Rainbow Raider is a fictional supervillain
in the DC Comics
universe. His real name is a pun based on the acronym "ROYGBIV" (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, pronounced roy-gee-bihv), a mnemonic for the colors of a rainbow
.
He first appeared in The Flash vol. 1 #286 June 1980, and was created by Cary Bates
and Don Heck
. He was a minor, though recurring, enemy of the Flash and other heroes.
Turning to crime because the world didn't appreciate his art, Roy, now the Rainbow Raider, went on a crime spree focused mostly on art galleries, saying that if he couldn't appreciate the great works of art in them (due to his disability), no one else would. During this time he often clashes with the Flash
, and sparks a rivalry that would last several years. Some years later he would fight Booster Gold
as well.
He later becomes a minor enemy of the JLA
, and is part of the riot in the super-hero prison of Belle Reve inJLA #34. Though he attacks Kyle Rayner
, he is quickly defeated by a single punch from Zauriel
. He is also featured in JLA-80 Page Giant #1, discussing other villains with Sonar II.
Roy is slain by the villainess Blacksmith when she impaled him with his latest work of art. More recently, in Blackest Night #3, he is temporarily reanimated as a zombie within the Black Lantern Corps. Also, since his death, a team of color-themed supervillains have dubbed themselves the Rainbow Raiders
in his honor.
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. His real name is a pun based on the acronym "ROYGBIV" (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, pronounced roy-gee-bihv), a mnemonic for the colors of a rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
.
He first appeared in The Flash vol. 1 #286 June 1980, and was created by Cary Bates
Cary Bates
Cary Bates is an American comic book, animation television and film writer.-Biography:Bates began submitting ideas for comic book covers to DC Comics at the age of 13, and a number of them were bought and published, the first as the cover to Superman #167...
and Don Heck
Don Heck
Don Heck was an American comic book artist best known for co-creating the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, and for his long run penciling the Marvel superhero-team series The Avengers during the 1960s Silver Age of comic books.-Early life and career:Born in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New...
. He was a minor, though recurring, enemy of the Flash and other heroes.
Fictional character biography
As a child, Roy G. Bivolo always dreamed of a career as an artist, a lofty goal considering he was completely colorblind. He would often paint what he thought were beautiful pieces of art, only to be told that it was made up of clashing colors. His father, an optometrist and genius in optical technology, swore he would find a cure for his son's disorder. Due to failing health, he was unable to complete his product, but instead created a sophisticated pair of goggles that would allow Roy to create beams of solid rainbow-colored light. On his death-bed, his father presents him with this gift, and it wasn't long before Roy found a sinister use for it.Turning to crime because the world didn't appreciate his art, Roy, now the Rainbow Raider, went on a crime spree focused mostly on art galleries, saying that if he couldn't appreciate the great works of art in them (due to his disability), no one else would. During this time he often clashes with the Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
, and sparks a rivalry that would last several years. Some years later he would fight Booster Gold
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a fictional DC Comics superhero. Created by Dan Jurgens, he first appeared in Booster Gold #1 and has been a member of the Justice League, DC Comics' all-star team of heroes. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of...
as well.
He later becomes a minor enemy of the JLA
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, and is part of the riot in the super-hero prison of Belle Reve inJLA #34. Though he attacks Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, he is quickly defeated by a single punch from Zauriel
Zauriel
Zauriel is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Originally a guardian angel who served Heaven for millions of years, he willingly fell to Earth and becomes a superhero, having been a member of DC's all-star Justice League. He first appeared in JLA #6...
. He is also featured in JLA-80 Page Giant #1, discussing other villains with Sonar II.
Roy is slain by the villainess Blacksmith when she impaled him with his latest work of art. More recently, in Blackest Night #3, he is temporarily reanimated as a zombie within the Black Lantern Corps. Also, since his death, a team of color-themed supervillains have dubbed themselves the Rainbow Raiders
Rainbow Raiders
The Rainbow Raiders are a group of characters in the Flash comic book.-History:After the death of the first Captain Boomerang, a funeral was held that every villain ever to face the Flash attended. Among the large crowd was an eclectic group of metahumans calling themselves the "Rainbow Raiders,"...
in his honor.
Powers and abilities
Rainbow Raider's powers are derived entirely from the special goggles he wears, which allow him to project solid beams of rainbow-colored light he can either use offensively or as a slide for travel. In addition, he can coat people in certain colors of light to induce emotions (coating someone in blue light, for instance, would make them sad).Other versions
- The Raider becomes the mind-addled slave of a crimelord in the Armageddon 2001Armageddon 2001"Armageddon 2001" was a 1991 crossover event storyline published by DC Comics. It ran through a self titled, two issue limited series and most of the annuals DC published that year from May through October...
crossover.
- Dr. Quin (a villain from the Dial H for HeroDial H for HeroDial H for Hero is a comic book feature published by DC Comics about a mysterious dial that enables an ordinary person to become a superhero for a short time, by selecting the letters H-E-R-O in order. Each time it is used, the dial causes its possessor to become a superhero with a different name,...
series) appears in "House of Mystery" #167 as a different version of Rainbow Raider. This version could change his costume into different colors of the rainbow. Depending on which he chose, he would gain a different superpower.