Rampage (DC Comics)

Rampage (Karen Lou "Kitty" Faulkner) is a fictional character in the DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman comic books, and was later utilized in Starman. Rampage has a distinct appearance, with orange skin, a towering, muscular build, and a fiery red mohawk. Rampage's personality is (like her namesake) hot-tempered, aggressive and uninhibited, the complete opposite of her alter ego Kitty Faulkner.

Rampage
Rampage as depicted in Supergirl vol. 4 #6 (February 1997). Art by Gary Frank.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman (vol. 2) #7 (July 1987)
Created by	John Byrne
In-story information
Alter ego	Karen Lou "Kitty" Faulkner
Species	Metahuman
Team affiliations	S.T.A.R. Labs
Abilities	Superhuman strength, stamina, durability, and leaping Solar radiation absorption Gifted intelligence

Publication history

Rampage first appeared in Superman (vol. 2) #7 and was created by John Byrne.

Fictional character biography

Dr. Kitty Faulkner was working on a pollution-free energy source for a competition sponsored by the Daily Planet. Faulkner is exhibiting her installation when Dr. Thomas Moyers, a colleague arguing the potential dangers of the project to reporter Lois Lane, shuts off the machine's safety systems. The resulting explosion transforms Faulkner into a metahuman with the ability to absorb solar energy and continuously grow in size and strength.^[1] Disoriented and confused, she runs amok through the streets of Metropolis. The Daily Planet, not knowing she is actually Kitty Faulkner, quickly dubs her "Rampage". Superman drains Faulkner's excess solar energy and returns her to normal.^[2]

Months later, Faulkner falls ill and learns that she will die without exposure to a certain amount of solar and cosmic energy. Moyers gives her a technological device in the form of a collar that will maintain the proper amount of exposure to keep her alive. Moyers also has a sinister motive - he transforms Faulkner into Rampage and has her sabotage the presidential campaign of Herbert Forrest. Forrest and Moyers were former friends, but Moyers had come to resent the candidate's corrupt morality. After several attacks, Superman helps free Rampage from Moyers' control and sends him to jail. After modifying the collar, Faulkner places her powers under control and accepts a job at S.T.A.R. Labs.^[3]

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Faulkner befriends the young superhero Starman (Will Payton). She helps him on several occasions as Rampage, and the two formed a relationship. Faulkner is later forced to return to Metropolis to take part in the major re-organization of S.T.A.R. Labs necessitated by the destruction of the corporation's main laboratory. She supervises S.T.A.R. Labs' efforts to reignite the sun in The Final Night event.^[4]

When Faulkner's colleague Christine Bruckner frames her for embezzlement, Superman tries to speak in her defense, but is forced to pursue Rampage as she tears through the town of Leesburg trying to kill Bruckner for her betrayal. When Superman allows Rampage to attack Bruckner to end the pursuit, Rampage accepts that she is not willing to commit murder, returning to her human form while Supergirl forces Bruckner to confess what she had done.^[5]

Faulkner supervises the enhancement of the abilities of the hero Antaeus. In return, S.T.A.R. Labs gained valuable knowledge about the nature of genetically enhanced super-beings.^[6] Faulkner later becomes the director of S.T.A.R. Labs in Metropolis.^[7]

Powers and abilities

Rampage can absorb and store solar energy as sustenance to empower herself. She can also leap great distances, simulating the effects of flight.^[8]

Other versions

Future's End

An alternate universe variant of Rampage appears in The New 52: Futures End. This version is a LexCorp geneticist.^[9][10][11]

Tangent Comics

An alternate universe variant of Rampage appears in Tangent Comics: Doom Patrol #1 as a member of the eponymous group.

In other media

Television

• Rampage appears in Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Susan Eisenberg in "Dead Reckoning" and by Lauren Tom in "The Great Brain Robbery", both of whom were uncredited. This version is a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society before being killed by Darkseid.
• A character loosely based on Karen Faulkner named Kit Faulkner appears in the second season of Superman & Lois, portrayed by Catherine Lough Haggquist.^[12] This version is a geologist working for AmerTek Industries who oversees a mining operation at the Shuster Mine in Smallville and is connected to Ally Allston's Inverse Method cult. While attempting to keep people away from the Shuster Mine, Faulkner is killed by Bizarro.

Video games

Rampage appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[13]

Miscellaneous

Rampage appears in the Supergirl tie-in digital comic Adventures of Supergirl.^[14] This version is an alien named Caren Falqnerr who can assume a human form.