In the latest issue of GQ Hero, we sat down with the popular and Mysterious hero Blue Rhapsody, who's often been described the media as more of an Adventurer than as a true Superhero. Read on for the interview in its entirety.
1. Many people are curious, are you a vampire?
“I wish. However, I think Ringmaster might know something about that subject.”
“I wish. However, I think Ringmaster might know something about that subject.”
2. Tell us about your special abilities.
“I call it ‘sonic manipulation’. In short, I take the sound waves and manipulate them into whatever I want, be it a baseball bat or a frying pan. The higher the volume of the sound I manipulate, the larger the object I am able to manipulate it into.”
“I call it ‘sonic manipulation’. In short, I take the sound waves and manipulate them into whatever I want, be it a baseball bat or a frying pan. The higher the volume of the sound I manipulate, the larger the object I am able to manipulate it into.”
3. You've got many female...err...fans…why?
“Why did the Beatles? You can’t explain why they love me, it’s a natural affinity.”
“Why did the Beatles? You can’t explain why they love me, it’s a natural affinity.”
4. What motivates a man like you?
“As in to be a hero? Well, my story goes back far to an event several years ago, and then another a few years after. I won’t get into them, but in both instances many lives were lost, yet only I survived. I had to have survived for a reason, no? Plus, now I have the ability to stop events like that from happening.”
“As in to be a hero? Well, my story goes back far to an event several years ago, and then another a few years after. I won’t get into them, but in both instances many lives were lost, yet only I survived. I had to have survived for a reason, no? Plus, now I have the ability to stop events like that from happening.”
5. Inquiring minds demand to know...are you single?
“Hellz to the yes.”
“Hellz to the yes.”
6. It’s been said that heroes are the "new celebrity elite" and while much of the public is enamored with your larger-than-life personas, how do you balance being a savior, a sex symbol and a celebrity?
“It’s really not as much of a balance as it is all mashed together. I mean, say I’m rescuing a child from a burning building. I’m saving the child, but then of course I end up on the paper, the photo of which I look amazingly sexy in. It’s like a clockwork balance.”
“It’s really not as much of a balance as it is all mashed together. I mean, say I’m rescuing a child from a burning building. I’m saving the child, but then of course I end up on the paper, the photo of which I look amazingly sexy in. It’s like a clockwork balance.”
7. What made you decide to take up life as a superhero?
“Well, going back to my motivation, I have survived for a reason. Not only have I survived, but I now have these skills with which I can help others.”
“Well, going back to my motivation, I have survived for a reason. Not only have I survived, but I now have these skills with which I can help others.”
8. How was it you gained your abilities? Are you a mutant?
“I wasn’t born with them, if that’s what you mean. The abilities came, like many others of my colleagues, in a somewhat scientific ‘accident’. I won’t get too much into it, for the sake of my secret ID, but the accident involved a device with similar abilities to my own. Somehow I survived its ‘detonation’ and its abilities were infused into my own hands.”
“I wasn’t born with them, if that’s what you mean. The abilities came, like many others of my colleagues, in a somewhat scientific ‘accident’. I won’t get too much into it, for the sake of my secret ID, but the accident involved a device with similar abilities to my own. Somehow I survived its ‘detonation’ and its abilities were infused into my own hands.”
9. What's the significance of your name?
“My name is a reference to several things. There’s a piece of music by George Gershwin (plus a rendition done by Donovan, I love his stuff) titled ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, from which I primarily take my name. The ‘Blue’ is also a reference to several drum corps, one of which I was actually apart of in my teenage years. It’s also the color of my hands and eyes. Also, I’m a winter.
“My name is a reference to several things. There’s a piece of music by George Gershwin (plus a rendition done by Donovan, I love his stuff) titled ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, from which I primarily take my name. The ‘Blue’ is also a reference to several drum corps, one of which I was actually apart of in my teenage years. It’s also the color of my hands and eyes. Also, I’m a winter.
10. Your "costume" is quite different from the standard hero outfit. Explain.
“Well, I’ve always been fashionable, and spandex didn’t really work for me, so…”
“Well, I’ve always been fashionable, and spandex didn’t really work for me, so…”
11. How does a person manage balancing a "real life" with that of a hero?
“It’s not too hard. I have a pretty high profile secret ID, but luckily I only need to show up every now and then, avoid any scandals, etc.”
“It’s not too hard. I have a pretty high profile secret ID, but luckily I only need to show up every now and then, avoid any scandals, etc.”
12. You're a pretty big fixture at the Gotham Nightlife scene, why?
“Because I like to party.”
“Because I like to party.”
13. What other heroes (if any) do you look up to?
“Well, in the area of heroism, I’ve always looked up to Batman. That guy has like no powers, yet he could probably set me on fire just by looking at me. Supes on the other hand I’ve always thought of as a little goody-goody. In the area of fashion, however, I have to give it to Zatanna. She can work a top hat, and have you seen those… never mind.”
“Well, in the area of heroism, I’ve always looked up to Batman. That guy has like no powers, yet he could probably set me on fire just by looking at me. Supes on the other hand I’ve always thought of as a little goody-goody. In the area of fashion, however, I have to give it to Zatanna. She can work a top hat, and have you seen those… never mind.”
14. You've obviously come to Gotham to put away some of the
criminals here. Are there any criminal organizations the public needs to be on the lookout for?
“PETA.”
“PETA.”
15. Many critics have said that masked superheroes shouldn't have police powers, what's your response?
“I’m not sure I understand the question. Hold on while I Google it on my iPhone… oh, I get it. I feel that if people have the ability to help, they should. In the beginning and in the end, despite everything that separates us, we’re all here on planet Earth. If we can help each other, we should. And you can quote me on that. Unless you quote me saying something stupid.”
“I’m not sure I understand the question. Hold on while I Google it on my iPhone… oh, I get it. I feel that if people have the ability to help, they should. In the beginning and in the end, despite everything that separates us, we’re all here on planet Earth. If we can help each other, we should. And you can quote me on that. Unless you quote me saying something stupid.”
16. Reports have shown that a new generation of individuals with super abilities have appeared in larger numbers than ever before, how does this make you feel? Does it concern you that many of these "newer-breed" may be undisciplined?
“I only care if any of them dress better than me. Then I’ll have to serve ‘em up a slice o’ pain cake, and they WON’T want seconds of that.”
“I only care if any of them dress better than me. Then I’ll have to serve ‘em up a slice o’ pain cake, and they WON’T want seconds of that.”
17. What's your opinion on the numerous unsanctioned vigilantes that stalk the streets? Particularly those who take the law into their hands with lethal force?
“If you kill to stop a killer, you’ve lowered yourself to the original killer’s level, and thus should be killed by another killer, except they shouldn’t because that’s wrong. Get it?”
“If you kill to stop a killer, you’ve lowered yourself to the original killer’s level, and thus should be killed by another killer, except they shouldn’t because that’s wrong. Get it?”
18. Who's you're biggest nemesis, and why?
“Well, I’ve always been looking to take down Nocturne. Then again, I’ve had some nasty troubles with Demagogue too. And then there’s Il Dottore in Italy, he’s done some rotten things. Let’s just go with Nocturne. He’s done unspeakable acts of evil which have affected me and those I love.”
“Well, I’ve always been looking to take down Nocturne. Then again, I’ve had some nasty troubles with Demagogue too. And then there’s Il Dottore in Italy, he’s done some rotten things. Let’s just go with Nocturne. He’s done unspeakable acts of evil which have affected me and those I love.”
19. With time as a hero, what are some of your biggest regrets?
“Well, remember when I mentioned those two events that motivated me to become a hero? The second event came after I got my powers. I didn’t have a costume or anything, but I did a little crime-fighting, only something happened while I was off fighting that I could have stopped. I lost someone very close then.”
“Well, remember when I mentioned those two events that motivated me to become a hero? The second event came after I got my powers. I didn’t have a costume or anything, but I did a little crime-fighting, only something happened while I was off fighting that I could have stopped. I lost someone very close then.”
20. Are you concerned your high profile puts people around you in danger?
“Very much so. That’s one of the reasons I rarely have a lasting relationship. That or my personality, but both are great for contraception.”
“Very much so. That’s one of the reasons I rarely have a lasting relationship. That or my personality, but both are great for contraception.”
21. How long have you been here in Gotham?
“It’s been about two years.”
“It’s been about two years.”
22. You were apparently a popular Halloween costume, any comment?
“I remember there being a girl version of the costume that had me tricking and treating, if you know what I mean. Actually, that comment was more obscure than suggestive. Forget I said that.”
“I remember there being a girl version of the costume that had me tricking and treating, if you know what I mean. Actually, that comment was more obscure than suggestive. Forget I said that.”
23. Known evildoers like The Joker and Scarecrow have known footholds in Gotham, how do you address this?
“I’m no Batman, but I like to think I have some sleuthing skills. There’s a reason they call me the Dapper Detective. I’ve been investigating some Scarecrow happenings, leaving Joker to the Batman, and I’m coming close to breaking whatever operation he’s got going on.”
“I’m no Batman, but I like to think I have some sleuthing skills. There’s a reason they call me the Dapper Detective. I’ve been investigating some Scarecrow happenings, leaving Joker to the Batman, and I’m coming close to breaking whatever operation he’s got going on.”
24. What's your relationship with the vigilantes of Gotham?
“They don’t like me much.”
“They don’t like me much.”
25. We'll end the interview by letting you have the floor. Is there anything you'd like to say?
“I’m single.”
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