Origin of the Royal Flush Gang

[phydaux]

Did anyone else see The Justice Laegue this weekend? They had the Joker, and showed the origin of the Royal Flush gang.

I was really disapointed.

Now let me explain - The whole "Joker takes over Las Vagas" was good. And while the "Supes/GL/Flash all fight the henchmen while Bats figures out how to beat the master villain" is a tad overused, is is a classic. And how Bats tricked Harley Quinn into giving up the Joker's lair (just ONCE I'd like to see Harley rack the Joker right in the nads...), and then how Bats got the NPC super villain to turn on the Joker, THAT was all OK.

The thing I didn't like was the set up of the Royal Flush gang. They're supposed to be Jewel Thieves! What was with the whole "taken as children by the government, "rescued" by the Joker and now they don't care if they get blown up by bombs" thing?

The Royal Flush Gang is one of my favorite villain teams from Batman Beyond (do they even exist anywhere else in the DCU?). And now they have been given the WORST origin since Power Preppie!

I'm so bummed.

(BTW, Power Preppie was a character in an old Champs campaign of mine. She was an Radclyffe student who gained superpowers when a radiation leak from a microwave oven reacted with her Sorority Pin to give her super powers. Everyone, including the player, agreed that was the WORST super hero origin EVER. Until now.)

[JmOz]

Yes they exist in the DCU, actualy 2 gangs of them do, the most commonly seen version is the Spades version, I know the other was a red but not if diamonds or hearts.

They originaly targeted the JLofA, but the last time I saw them they tussled with the Titans (Note, this story involved 10 organising a gang of cards 2-9 who were essentialy street theives)

To my knowledge, except for there hardware (Ace was a robot for instance) they were essentialy thieves.

Also note that they appeared in an issue of "Challange of the Super Friends", where Joker played a part in it again

[Brandi]

That was a completely different version of the gang; as far as I know the version in the comics was always like the one in Batman Beyond-- the family + robot burglary crew. I'm not sure quite how the Joker would entice that group to work for him, whereas the mutant kids seemed to feel they owe him something. Either that or maybe the writers thought if the 'standard' Royal Flush gang was in the future setting of Batman Beyond, the current ones could be someone else entirely.

Curiously, they were all voiced by the Teen Titans voice actors.

Even more curiously, this version of the gang (as I do Google searches to confirm that the Batman Beyond version was like the original comic book team) resembles a version of the Gang done for the 1985 Superfriends/Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians episode, right down to being recruited by the Joker! See

http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/rob...uide/id19.html

[JmOz]

The Royal Flush Gang is well established, having fought the JLofA mostly (Or various members singularly) sense the 50's

There have actualy been two, a red and a black version, the blacks (Clubs IIRC) are the more often encountered

[tkdguy]

I do remember the Royal Flush Gang back in the 70's, when they went up against the Joker and lost. BTW, this was the Joker comic book (I guess he got so popular, he got his own show), so the Joker didn't lose very often. I think it was issue #5.

Anyway, I do remember the gang had just switched their logo from clubs to spades, because spades were "...the symbol of treachery. And tonight, we're going to be treacherous." It's scary I can recall that line verbatim from over twenty years ago.

This was the only time that I saw this gang, and I never saw the other gang. But yes, they actually do exist in the DCU. And I think they just might make a cameo in my next campaign. Or rather, characters based on them, to avoid any problems with copyright.

[Eyendasky80]

I was really bummed because I forgot to hit record on the VCR before I went to work and did not get to see Justice League. The new season has been so good too. All I remember of the Royal Flush Gang is Booster Gold kicked the crap out of all of them except the robot in Giffen Justice League. And they were spades then.

[altamaros]

Originally posted by JmOz
The Royal Flush Gang is well established, having fought the JLofA mostly (Or various members singularly) sense the 50's

There have actualy been two, a red and a black version, the blacks (Clubs IIRC) are the more often encountered

I remember in a old DC comics of mine a Royal Flush Gang (Spades) but they were not a family like in Batman Beyond.

Ten was a former test pilot with no special ability except a powered costume and energy blasts

Jack was a former con man; i dont recall his abilities.

Queen was a former alcoholic actress ("Mona Taylor" i remember the name since the obvious reference to Elisabeth) with a holo-disguise scepter

King was a former homeless with a hypnotic gaze.

Ace was a robot, secretly working for another villain (a big-headed guy named Hammond IIRC).

does that say anything to someone ?

[Eyendasky80]

I just remembered another fun fact about the Royal Flush Gang. In one story in a Justice League annual, King quit. And when he left Jack said they couldn't be the Royal Flush gang without a King and he said, "Well maybe you could pick up a nine and call yourself the straight flush. Wait, that wouldn't work." There was a lot of speculation that he was inferring that someone in the gang was gay. Which may or may not be, because he could also have meant you can't get a straight with 9,10,J,Q,A. But it's a funnier line if you take the gay context.

[ChuckB]

Originally (pre-CRISIS) , the RFG were pals of Prof. Amos Fortune (a villain who could manipulate luck) who formed the gang after his defeat the 1st time he fought the JLA.

In the RFG , fortune was "Ace".

Way back ('70's) , the RFG clashed with the Joker (I guess there themes were too similar) in his comic book( I think it was Joker #2 or #3).

[Armitage]

Originally posted by ChuckB
Originally (pre-CRISIS) , the RFG were pals of Prof. Amos Fortune (a villain who could manipulate luck) who formed the gang after his defeat the 1st time he fought the JLA.

Which I guess explains the "Amos Fortune Hotel & Casino" where Green Lantern got blown up.

[Mephron]

Originally posted by Armitage
Which I guess explains the "Amos Fortune Hotel & Casino" where Green Lantern got blown up.

This is what I love about the current DC-based cartoons. There's little things that make the long-time readers crack up with the little references.

For example, that one. I nearly wet myself laughing at the reference.

And yes, the 'mutant kids' RFG was annoying, but hey! it was nice to see the voice actors for the Teen Titans working. (Ten/Cyborg, Jack/Beast Boy, King/Robin, Queen/Raven, Ace/Starfire - we checked.)

[phydaux]

What about:

1) The romance between GL and Hawk Girl?

and

2) Next week's "Justice League Christmas?"

[Brandi]

Originally posted by Mephron
This is what I love about the current DC-based cartoons. There's little things that make the long-time readers crack up with the little references.

Funny how that works-- I'm not really all that hipped on DC comics so I missed that completely, but "Gwynplaine Entertainment" made me grin wryly.

[Eyendasky80]

Only thing I've heard about the Christmas special is it's only half an hour.

[Mephron]

Originally posted by Brandi
Funny how that works-- I'm not really all that hipped on DC comics so I missed that completely, but "Gwynplaine Entertainment" made me grin wryly.

I'll admit it: That joke I DIDN'T get. Can you explain it to me?