Raccoonatics.coM
Official Home of the Flarkin' Awesome Fandom for Marvel's Rocket Raccoon
Sketch by Andy Lanning
Rocket Raccoon Gallery
Please note, all artwork is creation and property of its respective original Marvel artists. (This is a work in progress, so check back later to see if more stuff is added)
"Rocky" in his debut appearance in 1976's Marvel Preview #7
Even then, he proudly declared himself a raccoon, albeit misspelled. (Take notes, Bendis/Loeb #RocketIsARaccoon)
Rocket Raccoon, in his Hulk #271 appearance in 1982. Since this is the first time he is solidly called "Rocket" and since his personality and story here tie more closely with his later 616 apearances, some consider this issue to be Rocket's true debut.
The iconic cover of Hulk #271. Rocket wore this "costume" in the latter half of the issue, while the two are in space. Apparently, Mr. Raccoon took fashion advice from Howard. Ahem.
Rocket, as he appeared in his definitive 1985 self-titled limited series.
Chartreuse, lime green, and red-orange?! Yes, I know, but it *was* the mid-80's, so give him a break.
Rocky still had his 80's costume when he encountered She-Hulk in 1992. So, let's go forward many years (and presumably many interplanetary adventures) later, to 2007's Annihilation: Conquest Star-Lord #1
This was Peter Quill's first encounter with Rocket, and the beginning of what would become a great friendship.
Also from the Annihilation: Conquest Starlord series. This is the costume that was assigned to Rocket, as part of Peter Quill's Kree directed taskforce.
Apparently, he liked the style because his later Guardians costume would be very similar.
From 2008-2010's Guardians of the Galaxy volume 2, Rocket Raccoon deciding on, ok, inisting on, a name for Peter Quill's new team. (Sometimes being obnoxious pays off)
A better look at Rocket's iconic volume 2 era costume. Although different artists through the course of Guardians of the Galaxy volume 2 and Thanos Imperative would draw Rocket somewhat differently, the costume itself would be Rocket's iconic look for the following years (and it could be argued it remains his most well-known costume)
Rocket Raccoon as he appeared on promotional artwork for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Though Rocket in game would have numerous moves that were not true to his canon background, his announcement on the game's roster was the first time many people learned the character existed (including Yours Truly)
By the conclusion of Thanos Imperative, which immediately followed Guardians volume 2, the team had successfully helped stop the threat known as the Cancerverse, but it was a victory that had its losses, including the presumed death of Rocket's buddy Peter Quill.
Having lost his belief in his ability to be a hero, Rocket took a normal job, at a mailroom at Timely Inc. This is from the side feature of 2011's Annihilators where he is working said job.
Rocket always seems to end up in green when he's not in the Guardians (favorite color, perhaps)
This is from later in the Annihilators side feature, after Rocket is, of course, dragged back into a life of heroics. It is a zip-up leather jacket over a jumpsuit.
The Guardians of the Galaxy appear together, once more reformed, in 2012's Avengers Assemble, Peter Quill having somehow escaped the Cancerverse (a situation he has *still* not yet explained to his teammates). But Rocky has his team back, so that's cool, and they help the Avengers take down Thanos.
This particular costume has elements from his Guardians v2/Conquest costumes but the colors are different.
Rocket, as he appeared in a promo artwork for the then-upcoming Marvel NOW! launch. The costume he ended up with for Guardians volume 3 is nothing like this, and he has yet to wear a similar costume. Perhaps it was a creative concept that was abandoned. It did inspire a cool costume for Rocket on Marvel Heroes, though, so there is that.
Rocket, as he appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy 0.1, early 2013, the Peter Quill-centric issue that (alongside a series of Infinite comics) was designed to introduce the now ongoing Guardians of the Galaxy volume 3 aka Guardians of the Galaxy NOW.
Essentially, this is Rocket's current primary costume. Although he also has a space variant with helmet and rocket pack.
Rocket, as he appears on Marvel Heroes. Rocket was first playable in Beta testing in April of 2013, and was one of the heroes available to public at the game's launch two months later.
His default costume, called Modern, is his v2 era look. Despite having all his available costumes and switching between them at random daily, it is my favorite costume for him.
There are many great Rocket moments I did not include here. A panel of him and Jack Flag that reached something of meme status, his emotional breakdown in Annihilators thinking of his lost friend Pete, his wacky trip through the Mojoverse in his Annihilators Earthfall side feature, a snazzy yellow and black casual outfit he wore in an issue of Guardians v3 and some great moments with him belittling Tony Stark, ha. In the scope of Marvel history, Rocket may not have had a lot of panel time, proportionately, but when he is in panel, he steals the spotlight, every time. (And there are some of his iconic moments, on the home page, the base Rocket Raccoon page, and the Flarkin' Awesome! page). For now, we are looking forward to Mr. Awesome's big screen debut, so I will leave you here with the first official still we received from that movie, releasing August 1, 2014.
