Welcome back to another edition of Demanded Characters. This week a character with nothing but time on his hands comes into the spotlight. There have been less incarnations of today’s hero than Hawkman, but we still have a few to choose from. This week our man of the hour is none other than Hourman himself.
Last week the massive confusion still produced a clear winner. The current Hawkman look minus the parachute pants is the Fwoosh crowd favorite.
Rex Tyler was a brilliant scientist who developed new things for the Bannerman Chemical Company. During his time there he invented a new steroid, Miraclo. This new drug provided the user super human powers for about an hour. Rex used the pill himself at first, going by the name Man of the Hour, and later just Hourman. The new hero became a member of groups like the Justice Society and the All Star Squadron. The drug, while making him a hero, also made him addicted to the drug. This addiction led to a depression, which led Rex into retirement. Rex tried to save his life and find a new life with a movie star named Wendi Harris. The two had a son named Rick who followed in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one.
During Crisis Rick took up his father’s mantle to become the next Hourman. Though he did not wear the same costume he developed the same addition to Miraclo. Rick went over the edge and killed the Wizard, resulting in a life of addition and depression. He would leave the hero life for a time and fade out of the limelight.
The third Hourman was not born but invented and infused with the original Hourman’s DNA. Created in the 853rd century the Android traveled back in time to the 21st century. During his stint in our time Hourman III learned much about the great heroes of the time. He left our time, but not before he made a few changes. The Android cured Rick of his addiction, saved Rex only moments before his death, and placed him out side time, allowing Rick to have 1 last hour before his death.
In the past year the legacy of Hourman has become somewhat simplified. Rex is saved and the Android takes his place in his final battle. Rick is healed from a battle during the battle of Kahndaq, and takes up the mantel of Hourman. Rex gets the chance to retire to the future with Wendi and they live a quiet life for now, working on rebuilding the Android Hourman.
Now on to the all important question: which Hourman do you want- first in the Classics line? Should we see Rex, Rick in his first costume, Rick’s current JSA look, or the Android?
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