The Phantom Rogue isn't in the super villain game for the power, and he isn't in it for the thrills. He's in it for the money. Cold hard cash, please. True, he took control of a splinter faction of Third World once, but that was just the means to an end. He's after riches, pure and simple.
The Phantom Rogue has no special powers or gimmicks, though he sometimes leads people to believe that he does. No, his primary abilities are incredible greed, astonishing sneakiness, and an improbable ability to escape from danger at every turn. It's assumed that he adopted his "ghost" trappings to reflect his elusiveness.
The Phantom Rogue's true identity is unknown. He has impersonated assorted people, both real and of his own invention. Among his best-known capers are the time he stole Miles Major Memorial Stadium using a dirigible and holding the United States for ransom with the Stupendo Death Ray. He has run afoul of Captain Satellite several times, but always manages to find some means of escape.
The Phantom Rogue owes a huge debt to the villains of old movie serials. His primary inspiration comes from characters with names like "the Scorpion" and "the Wizard". You know the type - they wear hoods and speak in dubbed-in voices to hide their true identities. I also have found some bits of Steve Ditko's Ghost villain from the 1960s Charlton Captain Atom comics have crept into the Phantom Rogue over time.
No comments:
Post a Comment