Difference between revisions of "Jack-in-the-Box"

From Herocopia
Jump to: navigation, search
(Other legacies not listed.)
 
(47 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Multibox
+
'''Jack-in-the-Box''' can refer to three Astro City heroes:
|box1=
 
{{Character infobox2
 
|image        = Image:jackInTheBoxI.jpg
 
|Box title    = As Jack Johnson:
 
|status        = Deceased - October 13, 1983
 
|realname      = Jack Johnson
 
|debut        = Kurt Busiek's Astro City Vol. 1 #3
 
  
|earliest      = August 11, 1964
+
* [[Jack-in-the-Box (Jack Johnson)]], the original version.  He made his debut in 1964 .<br>
|origin        =
+
* [[Jack-in-the-Box (Zachary Johnson)]], Son of the first Jack-in-the-Box. Active throughout the 1980s and 1990s until he hand picked his successor...<br>  
|affiliation  =
+
* [[Jack-in-the-Box (Roscoe James)]], the current Jack. He grew up in the Bakerville neighborhoods of Astro City.
|baseops      = Astro City
 
|rangeops      = Astro City
 
|relatives    =
 
|aliases      =
 
|occupation    =
 
|birthdate    = Uncertain
 
|maritalstatus =
 
|height        = 6' (estimate)
 
|weight        = 200lbs (estimate)
 
|eyes          =
 
|hair          =
 
|Headlines    =
 
1964: Bizarre Clown Saves Hostages around June 10th<br>
 
April 8, 1968: Jack-In-The-Box Exposes WhamCo Corruption<br>
 
September 10, 1976: Mob War Becomes Surprise Party<br>
 
October 14, 1983: Jack-In-The-Box Trapped In Fiery Explosion<br>
 
|appearances  = {{KBAC2}} #3
 
}}
 
  
  
|box2=
+
[[image:jackInTheBoxHS.gif|75px|left]]
{{Character infobox2
+
They all have worn the same costume, and used pretty much the same assortment of fighting gadgets.  Famously described on his debut as a "goofy clown," and the Harlequin of Justice, Jack-in-the-Box has become one of the most easily identifiable and popular heroes of Astro City. Almost as famous for his love of wordplay during a battle as for the battles themselves, Jack has attracted considerable attention from the media and the public, not all of it positive.
|image         = Image:jackInTheBoxII.jpg
 
|Box title    = As Zachary Johnson:
 
|status        = Retired - Fall 1997<br>
 
currently in mentorship mode
 
|realname      =
 
|debut         = {{KBAC1}} #3
 
Reappeared: December 28, 1989
 
|origin        =
 
|affiliation  =
 
|baseops      = Astro City
 
|rangeops      = Astro City
 
|relatives    =
 
|aliases      =
 
|occupation    =
 
|birthdate    = Uncertain, but in the range of October 14, 1970 - October 13, 1971
 
|maritalstatus = married
 
|height        =
 
|weight        =
 
|eyes          =
 
|hair          =
 
|headlines    =
 
May 5, 1989: Jack's Back<br>
 
August 8, 1995: Jack-in-the-Box Captures Brass Monkey<br>
 
|appearances  = {{KBAC1}} #3<br>
 
{{KBAC2}} #1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12<br>
 
}}
 
  
|box3=
+
<!--
{{Character infobox2
+
Jack-In-The-Box — an athletic urban hero who uses clown-based gimmicks, including his "handsprings," "footapults," entangling confetti and electro-shock rubber noses in his crusade against crime. The first Jack-In-The-Box, debuting in 1964, was Jack Johnson, a toy designer who created the identity after learning that his toy designs were being used as weapons. The second Jack-In-The-Box was his son, Zachary Johnson, who owns and runs a successful toy company himself. The current Jack-In-The-Box, Roscoe James, is Zachary's protegee and trainee.
|image        = Image:roscoeJIB3.jpg
+
-->
|Box title    = As Roscoe James
 
|status        = Active
 
|realname      = Roscoe James
 
|debut        = {{KBAC2}} #11<br>  
 
Assumed Role: Late 1997 in {{KBAC2}} #12
 
|origin        = {{KBAC2}} #12
 
|affiliation  =
 
|baseops      = Astro City
 
|rangeops      = Astro City
 
|relatives    =
 
|aliases      =
 
|occupation    =
 
|birthdate    =
 
|maritalstatus =
 
|height        = 5' 11" (estimate)
 
|weight        = 175 lbs (estimate)
 
|eyes          =
 
|hair          =
 
|headlines    =
 
  
|appearances  =
+
[[Category: Disambiguation pages]]
{{KBAC2}} #12<br>
 
{{LH}} #1<br>
 
}}
 
 
 
|box4 =
 
 
 
|box5 =
 
 
 
}}
 
 
 
 
 
{{Character page
 
|intro =
 
Famously described on his debut as a "goofy clown," Jack-in-the-Box has become one of the most easily identifiable and popular heroes of Astro City. Almost as famous for his love of wordplay during a battle as for the battles themselves, Jack has attracted considerable attention from the media and the public, not all of it positive. Since the start of his career in 1964, he has been the subject of debates about his background, motivations and alliances.
 
 
 
|history =
 
===Jack Johnson===
 
Jack Johnson worked as an engineer for the toy company WhamCo in the 1960s. Though incredibly talented, he was paid only a fraction of what his white peers were. When he realized WhamCo was using his designs to create underworld weaponry, he went to police but was only met with disbelief. Furthermore, to silence him, WhamCo kidnapped his father. Jack created the Jack-in-the-Box get-up to rescue his father and bring his former employers to justice. He went on to have a lengthy and storied run as a superhero.
 
 
 
He died in 1983, while fighting the Weirdies, when he was caught in an enormous explosion that destroyed most of [[Torres Island]]. He left behind a wife and son, Zachary.
 
 
 
===Zachary Johnson===
 
In 1989, Jack's widow passed away. While going through his parents' possessions, Zachary discovered his father's equipment and secret journals, and thus learned of the man's secret alter ego. He was torn by the revelation, unable to help feeling that his father, by risking his life as a superhero, had chosen helping strangers over being there for his family. Zach adopted the Jack-in-the-Box identity in order to bring down the Underlord, the Weirdies' employer.
 
 
 
By 1995, Zach was the owner and CEO of his own toy company, the small-but-growing Z.J. Toys, and married to Tamra Dixon, a news anchor. He was a successful superhero in his own right. He had befriended the [[Trouble Boys]], who would sometimes help him in his adventures.
 
 
One night, unbeknownst to Zach, the small-time [["Eyes" Eisenstein]] secretly saw him take off his mask. Eyes considered profiting from this knowledge but over time became too paranoid to tell anyone. ("[[A Little Knowledge]]")
 
 
 
In 1997, Zach encountered three time travelers from the future, each a possible future version of his own son, as yet unborn in the present. They revealed that his death was in the near future. [[Box|Two]] [[The Jackson|versions]] of his son were twisted, monstrous mirror images of Jack-in-the-Box and the third an ordinary individual, but all three were men who had been deeply scarred and haunted by the absence of their father growing up. Not wanting to leave his future child fatherless as his own father inadvertently did to him, Zach passed on the Jack-in-the-Box identity to Roscoe James (see below).
 
 
 
Via microphone and flying camera, he advises his successor in the field.
 
 
 
===Roscoe James===
 
Roscoe James grew up in Astro City's Bakerville area. He founded the Trouble Boys as an alternative to the more criminal gangs in his neighborhood. Through his years with the group, which did after all like to run around the rooftops alongside Jack-in-the-Box, Roscoe developed quite the prowess as an acrobat.
 
 
 
In 1995, the [[Deacon]] was recruiting away members of the Trouble Boys, to Roscoe's frustration. When Zachary Johnson offered him the Jack-in-the-Box mantle, Roscoe saw it as an opportunity to bring down the Deacon.
 
 
 
His first mission in the role was stopping a museum heist by the Brass Monkey.
 
 
 
("[[Serpent's Teeth]]") ("[[Father's Day]]")
 
 
 
For a detailed look at the various Jack-in-the-Boxes, adventures, see [[Jack-in-the-Box Cases and Adventures]]
 
 
 
|equipment =
 
 
 
 
 
<table padding=5>
 
 
 
<tr>
 
<td>
 
[[image:footapults.jpg|200px|left]]
 
</td>
 
<td> '''Footapults'''
 
 
 
Spring-like mechanisms in his boots. Used to make amazing leaps, and the apparent source of some of his amazing athletic feats.
 
</td>
 
</tr>
 
 
 
<tr>
 
<td>
 
[[image:handsprings.jpg|200px|left]]
 
</td>
 
<td> '''Handsprings'''
 
 
 
Similar to Footapults in design, but mainly used for physical combat. Effectively increases the range of both fist and grasp severalfold.
 
 
 
</td>
 
</tr>
 
 
 
<tr>
 
<td>
 
[[image:NosesJIB.jpg|200px|left]]
 
</td>
 
<td> '''Rubber Noses'''
 
 
 
Deliver an electric shock comparable to a police taser.
 
</td>
 
</tr>
 
 
 
<tr>
 
<td>
 
[[image:confettiJIB.jpg|200px|left]]
 
</td>
 
<td> '''Confetti'''
 
 
 
A multi-chain thermoplastic resin that hardens on contact - usually used to restrain criminals that Jack has caught or disabled. Fired from his gloves.
 
</td>
 
</tr>
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
 
<td>
 
[[image:DoodleBug.jpg|200px|left]]
 
</td>
 
<td> '''Doodlebug'''
 
 
 
One of the many inventions at Jack's disposal includes this all purpose mobile monitor.  Handy for spying, surveillance and remote visual feedback in dangerous environments. In conjunction with a handy microphone, Zachary Johnson uses this to advise Roscoe in the field.
 
</td>
 
</tr>
 
</table>
 
 
 
He has also been known to carry other gadgets in his satchel, and even devise impromptu devices at the scene of a conflict or emergency.
 
 
 
 
 
|speculations =
 
 
 
 
 
|observations =
 
The Jackson, before disappearing, promised to get vengeance upon Zachary.
 
 
 
Observable Footapault-height estimates range from 120 to 200 feet but, fully extended could be much greater.
 
 
 
 
 
== Jack-in-the-Box's Rogues Gallery ==
 
:Brass Monkey
 
:The Deacon
 
:The Human Weasel
 
:Junkman
 
:Prospero
 
:Smoke & Mirrors
 
:Underlord
 
 
 
|Timelines =
 
 
 
 
 
|footnotes =
 
 
 
}}
 
 
 
[[Category: Heroes]]
 

Latest revision as of 23:38, 4 December 2016

Jack-in-the-Box can refer to three Astro City heroes:


JackInTheBoxHS.gif

They all have worn the same costume, and used pretty much the same assortment of fighting gadgets. Famously described on his debut as a "goofy clown," and the Harlequin of Justice, Jack-in-the-Box has become one of the most easily identifiable and popular heroes of Astro City. Almost as famous for his love of wordplay during a battle as for the battles themselves, Jack has attracted considerable attention from the media and the public, not all of it positive.