Editor: James Paraha. Wednesday 27th April 2005.
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Editor: James Paraha. Wednesday 27th April 2005.
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 “Roy Harper Aint Black”
VS, like any gamers scene has its player archetypes, the rules stickler, the 'Pro', the Titans guy. Me, I'm the kinda guy who blanches at including Apocalypse in an Arkham deck just to get a good 8 drop, 'cause y'see, THE DON'T EVEN EXIST IN THE SAME UNIVERSE!!! Yes, I am what is known as a comic fanatic. I have been reading and collecting comics for over 20 years, my spare room is stacked with over 50 boxes full of comics. I probably know more about some comic characters than my own cousins. So imagine my surprise when my friend (and forum member) Eggnet casually says to me the other day "Y'know when DC first came out, some people thought Arsenal was black, because the colouring was a bit dark on his picture." It was that comment that spurred me to write this column for VSP. In 'On the Face of Things' we'll take a look at who those people in the little pictures actually are, their histories, powers and how these qualities are represented on their VS. cards. So without further ado lets take a closer look at our pal Roy Harper...
So lets start with the basics - Roy aint black, he is in fact a white boy with read hair and just a touch off of six feet tall. He also seems to be one of the genuinely cool comic characters I know of. No matter who writes or draws him he seems to come off slick and suave with the cool haircut o the moment. Which is kind of interesting 'cause you see Roy's life hasn't been all peaches and cream.... First featuring in the DC Comics title More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941), Roy's was created to take advantage of the success that the Batman comic had had by introducing a kid sidekick in the form of Robin. Following the likes of Kid Flash and Aqualad, DC struck on the 'original' idea of giving Green Arrow his own bowslinging sidekick. It turns out that Roy is an orphan bought up by the Navajo 'medicine chief' Brave Bow. As something of an outcast on the indian reservation Roy dedicates himself to mastering the skills of archery just like his idol Green Arrow (GA)*. With a little maneuvering by the ailing Brave Bow, Roy finally got to meet GA at an archery contest where Roy is able to impress him by helping foil a burglary on the reservation. During the action Roy is actually able to outdraw GA earning him the nickname 'Speedy'. Green Arrow then takes the newly christened Speedy on as his sidekick giving him his own costume and quiver of 'trick' arrows**. DC made use of Green Arrow and Speedy for around 20 years in various back-up features in the titles The Brave and the Bold and Worlds Finest Comics but in 1963 dropped the duo in favour of retooling the titles for different genres. Green Arrow became a permanent member if the Justice League of America and Speedy was left in publishing limbo.
During the next 10 years Roy was relegated to the sidelines due to his former addiction. He had guest staring roles in the new New Teen Titans and in Green Arrow's book. Variously he was shown as a drummer in the rock band Great Frog and also as an agent of the governmental agency CBI both as Speedy and undercover. It was during an undercover mission that Roy fell in love with one of his targets, Jade Nguyen aka Cheshire***. Unable to turn her in to the authorities, Roy walks out on her never revealing his true identity.
Since then Roy has been pretty much a Titans exclusive, running with the group in three various incarnations during the 1990's and even leading one when Nightwing resigned his post. He got his rematch with Cheshire and was finally able to bring her to justice and in 1998 starred in his own miniseries. With the recent disbanding of the Titans, Roy has convinced Nightwing to start a new team, the Outsiders. Powers: None, Roy Harper has the physical attributes of a normal adult male who engages in intensive regular exercise. Roy has an incredible level of accuracy with ranged weaponry and the ability to use most objects as effective weapons. Roy also has high levels of training in strategy and detective work. The cards: Ok, so keep in mind we'll be looking at the cards in relation to how they portray the comic character, not their in game value.
Not a bad, cost and power values represent Roy well in what would be his early years. His brashness comes through in his first ability, acting quick to pop his opponent at the expense of putting himself out of action. It also represents his speed - knockout the early game 1 drops but after that when speed vs brawn, well Roy's done his dash. His second ability is pretty much perfect, lower powered than his adult version Speedy was always more handy in a backup or sniper situation, if his front line team mates could hold them off Roy would come through with the head shot, even if it was only boxing glove arrow... Probably the only thing I don't like is the rarity. Kid sidekicks were a dime a dozen when Roy was introduced, so Roy as a common would have been more fitting.
As most Titans players will agree, Arsenal kicks some major ass. Still quick to the fight as a 3 drop Roy doesn't need babysitting straight away but if he can hang about watching everyone's back, he can put the beatdown on most big bads with a little help from his friends and a bullet between the eyes. KO'ing a resource is a good representation of Roy's ability to use anything at hand to get the job done, which in this case is wuppin' some major ass. Again, it's the rarity that doesn't quite sit right. Roy is no icon, nor is he a heavy hitter on his own but he is a long standing second tier hero with loads to offer so uncommon's the way to go. Now Roy Harper @ Recovering Junkie... that would have been a common all the way.
So there we go, now you know a little more about this 'Lost Arrow'. I've already got a couple more articles lined up but give me a shout out in the forums if you've got a favourite character you'd like to know some more about and I'll see what I can do. Cheers, James Paraha (Torquemada on the forums).
* Roy was given the Navajo name of Lost Arrow when growing up on the reserve. **And you thought that 'Bat Shark Repellent' from the 1970's Batman movie was the stupidest superhero gimmick ever? Check out some of the trick arrows in Green Arrow and Speedy's quiver:
***Cheshire is DC Comics master of poisons.
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History:
It wasn't until 1966 that Speedy returned in the pages of Teen Titans #4.
Up until this issue the Teen Titans had consisted of just Robin, Aqualad and Kid
Flash. Issue #4 expanded out the team with the addition or Wonder Girl and
Speedy. Here Speedy Found love in the form of Donna Troy (Wonder Girl) and a
home for the next 12 years.
Although
DC continued to (inconsistently) put out the adventures of
Roy and co. until 1978, it was in 1971 that things started to go freaky for
Speedy. Green Arrow, partnered with Green Lantern, was starring in a new run of
The Brave and the Bold. The social consciousness of the late 60's and
early 70's was being felt far and wide and The Brave and the Bold was
proving quite the hit with socially relevant issues being discussed in
parables of its 'hard travelling heroes'. Writer Denny O'Neil wanted to deal with
the problem of drug addiction in the youth of the time and was given free reign
to revamp Roy. Denny setup that due to the absence of GA and his split with
Wonder Girl, Roy had spiralled into depression and deep heroin abuse. When the
usually liberal Green Arrow confronts his ward in The Brave and the Bold #85
his shock at the discovery of Roy's addiction causes him to leave, unable to
deal with the revelation. Despite being abandoned by GA, Roy manages it quit
cold turkey with the help of Green Arrow's lover Black Canary and his partner
Green Lantern. When clean Roy cuts all ties to Green Arrow vowing to 'stand on
his own' and 'make it as his own man'.
A year later; having returned to superheroing, Speedy was among a number of
Titans summoned to Switzerland to prevent Cheshire from sabotaging a critical
international arms control meeting. Revealing his identity to Cheshire for the
first time, Roy is informed by her that he is the father of her daughter Lian
before escaping. Roy then returned to the CBI but was fired soon after for
spending too much time tracking down Cheshire and his daughter. Roy then turns
to his old friend Dick Grayson, the former Robin and current Nightwing to help
him find Cheshire without revealing his intentions for Lian. In the ensuing
adventure Roy is dosed with a slow acting poison but manages to drive off
Cheshire while Dick rescues Lian and bring them together for the first time. Now a parent with responsibilities, Roy joins the Checkmate agency as a
costumed 'Knight' agent. In an undercover role Roy is once again faces off
against Cheshire but fails to stop her from nuking the entire country of Quarac.
Due to the machinations of the Wildebeest Society, Roy is called to aid the
Titans and in Teen Titans #99 (1993) dons his new identity of tactician
and weapons specialist - Arsenal.
Name: Roy Harper @ Speedy