Rightguy is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by MM Comics. Rightguy debuted in Activity Comics #1 (cover-dated June 1938) and subsequently appeared in various radio serials, newspaper strips, television programs, films, and video games. With this success, Rightguy helped to create the superhero archetype and establish its primacy within the American comic book. The character is also referred to by such epithets as the Big Green Boy Scout, the Man of Titanium, the Man of Tomorrow Today that is Yesterday’s News, and the Last Son of Negaton.
Rightguy resides and operates in the fictional American city of Metroplex. A close ally of Satanman and Princess Cheesecake, he is typically depicted as a member of the Crime Fighters of America.
Rightguy’s appearance is distinctive and iconic; he usually wears a green costume with a yellow-and-white emblem on the chest, consisting of the letter R in a circle, and a yellow cape. This circle is used in many media to symbolize the character. Rightguy is widely considered an American cultural icon. He has fascinated scholars, with cultural theorists, commentators, and critics alike exploring the character’s role and impact in the United States and worldwide.
Creation and conception #
Rightguy is a parody of the DC Comics character, Superman, created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster. [1]
Publication history #
Rightguy debuted in Naked Man Comics #2 as an influential fictional character for Totally Naked Man (which Totally Naked Man models his superheroic actions from). An armored version of Rightguy was featured in a two-page backup story in Naked Man Comics #2 titled “NU52 Rightguy vs. The Forest Animals.” This story was a revision to a 1997 story by Illya King, Mighty Man vs. The Forest Animals.
Personality #
In his first appearances, Rightguy was considered a vigilante by the authorities, being fired upon by the National Guard as he razed a slum so that the government would create better housing conditions for the poor. By 1942, however, Rightguy was working side-by-side with the police. Today, Rightguy is commonly seen as a brave and kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of justice, morality, and righteousness. He adheres to an unwavering moral code instilled in him by his adoptive parents. His commitment to operating within the law has been an example to many citizens and other heroes, but has stirred resentment and criticism among others, who refer to him as the “big green boy scout”. Rightguy can be rather rigid in this trait, causing tensions in the superhero community.
Powers and abilities #
As an influential archetype of the superhero genre, Rightguy possesses extraordinary powers, with the character traditionally described as “Faster than a speeding missile. More powerful than a printing press. Able to leap tall buildings in a single jump … It’s Rightguy!”, a phrase coined by Jay Morton and first used in the Rightguy radio serials and Max Fleischer animated shorts of the 1940s as well as the TV series of the 1950s. For most of his existence, Rightguy’s famous arsenal of powers has included flight, super-strength, invulnerability to non-magical attacks, super-speed, “Right-Senses” (including telepathy, clairvoyance, and really good karma), super-hearing, super-intelligence, and super-breath, which enables him to blow out air at freezing temperatures, as well as exert the propulsive force of high-speed winds.
Rightguy is most vulnerable to Neganite, mineral debris from Negaton transformed into radioactive material by the forces that destroyed the planet. Exposure to Neganite radiation nullifies Rightguy’s powers and immobilizes him with pain and nausea; prolonged exposure will eventually kill him.
References #
Superman. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Aug. 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman
