10 Comics Secrets We Still Can't Explain

8. What Is Rip Hunter's Real Name?

Mother Box
DC Comics

Rip Hunter was introduced to the DC Universe in May of 1958 via Showcase #20, and he's been a major player in DC Comics ever since. When he started out, he traveled through time vis an invention of his making called the Time Sphere.

Over the years, he maintained his own series and jumped into others. He appeared in the year 12,000,000 to assist the Challengers of the Unknown, Deadman, and Swamp Thing in their campaign against the Sun Lords. He's teamed up with Superman, and many more heroes across time and the Multiverse.

Essentially, Rip Hunter is a major player in the DC Universe, and he's been one for decades, but there's an interesting aspect of his identity that remains a secret: nobody knows his real name. Because he feared someone might one day use his own time travel technology against him, he went by the name "Rip Hunter" instead of his own.

It was eventually revealed that he was the son of Booster Gold, which makes him "Insert Name Here" Carter, but his first name remains a mystery.

His identity may not be confirmed, but there are plenty of guesses online, including a probable first name of "Jon," which would mean he was named after Booster Gold's father.

Contributor
Contributor

Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com