Jack-in-the-Box (Roscoe James)

Jack-in-the-Box
Real name	Roscoe James
Gender	Male
Nationality	American
Marital status	Single
Base of operations	Bakerville, Astro City
Alignment	Good
Publication
Creators	Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson
First appearance	Astro City (Volume 2) #11 (1996)

Roscoe started the Trouble Boys. He never said why -- but I think it was to stay out of the other gangs, out of crime.

--Jack-in-the-Box (Zachary Johnson)

Roscoe James -- once one of the Trouble Boys. A good, honest kid with a smart mouth and a strong sense of good and evil. He was recruited to be the third and current Jack-in-the-Box by Zachary Johnson after a run-in with the police. His goal is to take down the Deacon and defend Bakerville.

History

Roscoe James, known as Jack-in-the-Box, is the modern day incarnation of the clown hero. The youngest ever to take on the role, Roscoe was once the leader and founder of the Trouble Boys. The Trouble Boys were a group of young men and children who idolized Jack-in-the-Box and decided to run on the rooftops after him whenever he showed up in their neighborhood. Roscoe and his Boys kept the streets safe from the small crimes while Jack handled the crimes too tough for the group.

However, when Jack-in-the-Box (Zachary Johnson) was cornered in a junkyard by villains from an alternative timeline, it was Roscoe and his Boys that worked together to distract the villains and give Jack enough time to defeat them. Without Roscoe, Jack might not have made it out alive. Though, despite the successful night, Roscoe was arrested by the police under false information.

Roscoe was acquitted of the crimes he was charged with when the police were given an alibi by Jack-in-the-Box. Though he knew who tried to put him away, it was the Deacon. The Deacon was a criminal mastermind, a villain and a crime boss who tried to dismantle any law abiding groups from his territory so that he could rule. When Zachary Johnson tried to help, Roscoe rebuked him. But Zachary was determined to help Roscoe with his problems and solve his own at the same time. Zachary asked if Roscoe would be the new Jack-in-the-Box in order to give him the purpose and the means to take down the Deacon once and for all. Roscoe agreed and, with Zach's tutelage, became the new Jack-in-the-Box and started his journey against crime.

Powers and Abilities

• Acrobatics: Years of following Jack-in-the-Box around on the rooftops of Bakerville have trained him in the ways of moving about the streets. From rooftop to rooftop, on top of cars, off of streetlamps and above street signs.
• Hand-to-Hand Combat: Not only does a life on the streets give you experience in hand-to-hand combat but the Trouble Boys were very good at fighting off other gangs.
• Leadership: Roscoe founded and lead the Trouble Boys which continued even after he became the newest Jack-in-the-Box. He has also partnered with more heroes than any other Jack-in-the-Box, including Cleopatra and Sticks.

Appearances

This list is incomplete.

Astro City (Volume 2) #11 Astro City (Volume 2) #12 Astro City A Visitors Guide #1 Astro City (Volume 3) #13 Astro City (Volume 3) #15 Astro City (Volume 3) #18 Astro City (Volume 3) #24

Gallery

External links

• Jack-in-the-Box (Roscoe James) at Comic Book Database