Hourman #1 (1999)

Hourman #1 (April, 1999)
"Through the Hourglass"
Writer - Tom Peyer
Penciller - Rags Morales
Inker - David Meikis
Colorist - John Kalisz
Separations - Digital Chameleon
Letterer - Kurt Hathaway
Editor - Tony Bedard
Thanks - Grant Morrison, Mark Waid & Dan Raspler
Cover Price: $2.50

Today we're going to discuss a book that went completely under my radar when it first came out... however, has intrigued me ever since!

Unfortunately it's not a series that I come across all that often "in the wild"... and whenever I do, it's never the first (or first few) issues.

Yesterday... St. Patrick's Day... I guess I had a little of the Luck of the Irish when I ventured down to a local shop, and plopped my happy self in front of their discount bins... because lo and behold... I found myself a grip of Hourman.

And today... we're going to finally "meet" him.

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We open with an introduction to our new Hourman from the 83rd Century... with some narration from... well, that'd be telling.  We jump to the JLA Watchtower where Hourman is pleading with the team to allow them to jump ahead 20 minutes.  The rest of the team hasn't the foggiest idea what he's going on about.  He claims that there will be much awkwardness afoot over the next half hour or so, and he'd prefer to skip it altogether.  He spoils who's going to win a will-construct video game between Wally and Kyle... and then infers that Kyle will eventually make a... sorta-kinda, but not really sexist comment.  This annoys Huntress who berates Kyle as though he'd actually said anything at all.  It's really much funnier than I'm explaining it to be!

Hourman's even more confused at this point... not grasping how dangerous his knowledge of the future might be to those around him... but he goes on anyway.  He claims that Flash will make a remark about Hourman's need to socialize... and so, he wishes to go speak with the JLA's resident authority on... dating.  You're gonna love this.

The League hops to and heads out to chat up... Batman.  Unfortunately, he is currently preoccupied... he's dealing with the Mad-Hatter... and at the moment, his head is stuck in a guillotine.  Hourman swoops in, ages the wooden guillotine to the point where it turns to dust... and de-ages the Hatter and his gang.  Batman isn't pleased.

Batman insists he re-age the Hatter crew... and attempts to instill in Hourman that precognizance is not the same thing as actual experience.  With that, Hourman decides to "absorb" the entire history of the Justice League of America.

Now, knowing exactly what he must do, Hourman takes off.  The League follows him to the Mad Yax Cafe in Happy Harbor, where we meet our obnoxious mysterious narrator... Snapper Carr!

Snapper greets Hourman, or "Tyler" as he calls him... and the pair leave to meet up with a woman named Bethany.  The rest of the League remains, kinda dumbfounded... just staring at one another wondering if they ought to follow.  Zauriel suggests in Snapper, Hourman might've just found his "Guardian Angel".

On the walk to Snapper's pad, Carr tells Hourman everything he knows about him.  He's from the year 85,721... and his Miraclo Geneware is a dupe of Rex "Tick Tock" Tyler's DNA... hence why he's calling him "Tyler".  Hourman attempts to return the favor by telling Snapper everything he knows about him.  Snapper responds to each guess with a "Bzzzt!".  Snapper's house, by the way, is a dump.

Inside, Snap heads over to a corner of his disgusting living room (right next to the cinder-block bookcase) and fetches a thumbdrive... were those around in 1999?  If not, this book might actually be prescient!  Anyhoo, Hourman gets one sniff of it and says it "smells like... ten years.".  Y'ever look back at pictures from the 1970's or something... and think, "Man that decade must've smelled bad!"... I wonder if that's what Hourman means here.

What it actually is is... a little piece of the Android Adam... the first android ever created... the Mighty Amazo!  If I ever get around to building an android... I bet most of the time I'd be working on giving it the perfect Widow's Peak.

Anyhoo, Hourman... though annoyed that Snapper swiped this little bit from the JLA trophy room... really wants to chat up the first of his kind, and so... he summons him!  Amazo instantly recognizes Snapper for the irritating little tool that he is, and lashes out.

Hourman responds by sending Amazo "back".  Moments later, there's a great explosion... and Amazo has returned!  This time, however, with one-half of Hourman's own (infinite) power!  I can't claim to understand any of this... but it's pretty cool nonetheless!

At that moment, Bethany arrives at Snapper's (who I really want to call "Rick Jones" every single time I type it) hovel.  She winds up getting blasted by an errant time-shot... thing, and is de-aged into a tiny tot.

Back inside, Hourman splits into various Hourmen of the past and future... I think.  Amazo responds by building his own army of Amazos (or Timazos) from throughout time.  Again, I don't understand it... but it makes for a great visual.

Hourman claims to have made preparations for something like this and proceeds to count down from five.  At zero, Amazo... disappears.  Hourman reveals to Snapper that in order to "do away" with the disparate Amazos, he had to reknit time... changing the future to affect the past... I think.  At this point, Hourman realizes that Batman was right... there is a difference between power and experience.  He wonders what to do about his omnipotence... to which Snapper suggests he "chuck" it.

And so, Hourman does just that.

We wrap up with Hourman passed out on Snapper's bed (I swear I typed "Rick" again)... while Bethan-ita plays in traffic.

--

This was... a blast!

Definitely had more fun than I expected from this issue... I really didn't know what to expect going in.  As mentioned above, this is a character I have almost no knowledge of... he seemed to fly just under my radar back in the day, and didn't "rank" high enough for be to drop two-dollars and two-quarters on every month.  Looking back at some of the absolute garbage I paid that much (and more) for back then really compounds what a sin that was.

I mentioned that I kept wanting to refer to Snapper as "Rick" during the synopsis... that reason is twofold... first, I mean... duh, Rick Jones and Snapper Carr aren't terribly different... and second, I'm getting very strong Captain Marvel (the Peter David run) vibes from this.  It's equally humorous, and the hero-dynamic feels quite similar.

I was afraid there would be a lot of Hourman backstory from DC One Million that I'd have to have a "working knowledge" of before popping in here... and though, it might've helped a bit, it certainly wasn't a requirement.  It's been... yikes, twenty years since I read DC1M... can't remember a lick of it!

What we have here is a proper introduction to the character... his inexperience and naivete are the focus... and by the end, he has a newfound motivation to gain the experience to match his former omnipotence.  The series is given a "hero's journey" kinda format... and for a character such as this, it's a really cool idea.  He's discovering the "present" while at the same time learning more about himself.  Can't give that a big enough "thumbs up".

Another thing I wasn't expecting... this book is funny.  It's not often I chuckle (or even smirk) when reading a comic... but that bit at the beginning where Huntress is haranguing Kyle for a sexist remark he hadn't yet made?  Very funny!  Also, Batman as the League's "Resident Expert of Dating"?  C'mon... that's just great!

The "time powers" he wields... are a bit confusing to me... though, that might be intentional.  I really can't claim to follow much of what went down during the Amazo/Timazo fight... but again, I think (hope?) it was written that way to illustrate how truly powerful Hourman is... just how incomprehensible his powers are to us normies.  Messing around with time is never something I'm able to wrap my noggin 'round anyway... so maybe it's just me!

The art here is fantastic.  It's been awhile since I'd seen turn-of-the-century Rags... but, it's pretty great!  Also love the Scott McDaniel cover... it gives the character a "chunky" feel... almost like an action figure.  Really dig it!

Overall... if I haven't made it obvious, this book gets a high recommendation.  I can't (yet) speak for the rest of the series... however, if it's half as fun as this issue, I think we're in for a good time!  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this series has made it's way to DC Digital yet.  Worth the hunt!

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The Making of Hourman:

A Wizard Magazine Free-Insert which shows preliminary sketches for Hourman... his costume... his mask... and his cast!  Check out the ridiculous Snapper Carr!

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Green Lantern (vol.3) #129 (2000)

Green Lantern (vol.3) #129 (October, 2000)
"Something Old, Something New"
Writer - Judd Winick
Penciller - Darryl Banks
Inker - Andy Smith
Colors & Separations - Rod Schwiger
Letterer - Chris Eliopoulos
Assistant Editor - Frank Berrios
Editor - Bob Schreck
Cover Price: $2.25

Happy St. Patricks Day, everybody!

Figured we'd have to cover something GREEN today... lest we get pinched... and I do so hate being pinched on the only day of the year I willingly eat raisins.

Also worth noting... this marks our "lucky" 777th Daily Discussion... which, by the luck of the Irish falls on this fine day.  Er, I mean... I planned it all along!  Yeah, that's it!

--

We open with Kyle recounting the time in his life he was most scared.  He was on his father's boat, and fell off with a flat-back splash, which knocked the wind out of him.  He claims that's the most scared he'd ever been... until today!  He is currently floating through space, suit fairly well torn, and tangled in... some sort of mechanical tentacles.

We watch as Kyle attempts to wrestle himself free from the steely space squid for perhaps a few too many pages, before he attempts to "will up" a communication device with which he could call for help.  His efforts are futile.

We jump back to two weeks earlier... Kyle is at his drawing board, and screening calls.  One of the calls he is planning to screen turns out to be Feast Magazine... a trendy new rag, which he'd very much like to work for.  He excitedly answers and is immediately offered a job.  Yes folks, it's just that easy.

Next we know, Kyle's visiting with the Art Director/Fashion Nazi Andre Choi.  Andre is... yikes... a bit eccentric.  I mean, I can't say that I've ever hung around with any "fashion" types, but... I'm hoping they're not this forward.  Who knows, maybe they are?  Speaking of "fashion" stick around to the bottom of this post for something... er, special?

No sooner do they step out of Andre's office than he compliments Kyle's butt.  Now I feel bad... my butt's usually like the fourth or fifth thing to come up during a job interview... what's Kyle got that I don't?

He is escorted to the office of Rena Stone... who, judging from Kyle's reaction is a pretty big deal.  She takes one look, calls Kyle "gorgeous" and gives him a gig.

We jump to Kyle sharing the news with John Stewart... they make a few... Winickian music jokes, that I guess are kind of cute... overall though, John doesn't seem to grasp the magnitude of Kyle's new job.

Then... Kyle hears a strange voice... maybe?  The lettering could have made this clearer... it kinda looks like a shaky narrative caption, but could be something he's actually hearing.  Had to flip back and forth a couple of times... that might be more due to our "special insert" (see below) than anything though.  Anyhoo, Kyle's visibly shaken, and John asks what's up.  Kyle admits that he's just scared of screwing everything up.  The pair toast to the future with their coffee mugs... both of which, I really want.

A Radu's Mug... AND a Warrior's Mug?!  I've gotta find some clean logos and have these bad boys made!

Two days later, Kyle is visited by his new assistant Terry Berg.  Terry will become pretty important later on, and even have a widely (relatively speaking) known arc dedicated to him.  Our first impression?  Well he's... uh, kind of catty.  He immediately sets to insulting Kyle's furniture and sense of style.  No snide comment about his They Might be Giant Monkeys t-shirt though...

We jump ahead again... and Kyle's getting ready to submit his first strip for Feast Magazine.  Just then, he is attacked by the tentacle cluster from earlier.

Then... five (mostly wordless) pages of Kyle wrestling the tentacles.  Wonder what Winick's page rate was for this issue, because dude made the most of it.  We wrap up with Kyle being deposited right in front of............. the Manhunters.  Kyle's reaction is pretty non-plussed... more annoyed than anything.  Pretty fitting reaction.

--

Really not the story one might expect from a book with a cover that features Alan Scott, Superman and Wonder Woman, is it?  Well, a non-representative cover is only one of the turn-of-the-century comic tropes we can attribute to this issue.  The other?  Deeeeeeecoooommmmpprrreeeessssiiiiooooon.  Nearly half of this book is a (mostly wordless) fight scene.

Before I start in... I want to make it clear that I did enjoy this.  Heck, I enjoyed most of Judd Winick's run.  For the most part, I feel as though he was able to curb his soapbox-style... though, in fairness, he was pretty new to the game at this point... maybe he just didn't wanna cause waves.

Let's start with the dialogue.  It's... cute.  A bit too cute at times.  Ya know when you're at the office or with family... and you make a funny observation that really knocks everyone's socks off?  Then you might think to yourself that those witty observations are universally funny?  Only... they're not, because they're only funny in the context of the current conversation?  I get the feeling that happens a lot with Winick.  The "jokes" really aren't funny... and they're written in that purposefully "banterish" kinda way?

It's like the Kevin Smith/Gilmore Girls thing, where it became fashionable to snark at each other rather than actually speak?  I mean, clearly that kinda writing has its fans... but, I think you actually need to be funny to pull it off.  Very few people on this planet are actually funny... and I'm not at all convinced that Winick is one of them!

The depiction of the fashion folks... er... I dunno.  Like I said, I haven't hung around "fashion nazis" before, and the only thing I actually know about fashion is what was written in the included four-page insert (see below).  I'd like to think they aren't all hormones n' snark... perhaps Winick knows 'em better than I do.  Maybe ol' Kyle just put on a double dose of his Axe bodyspray before heading in for the interview?

As mentioned, the decompression is strong in this one.  If I were reading it in trade, I doubt I'd even notice... however, since I'm not... and back in 2000 wasn't really expected to, I kind of feel ripped off.  I don't remember how I felt back then... though, in fairness, I was probably dropping $100 a week on comics back then... and likely didn't give this a second thought before jumping into the next book on my pile.

Overall... an enjoyable enough read, sadly one which will only last about five minutes.

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Letters Page:

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Fashion Insert:

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Justice League Dark #1 (2011)

Justice League Dark #1 (November, 2011)
"in the dark, part one: Imaginary Women"
Writer - Peter Milligan
Artist - Mikel Janin
Colorists - Ulises Arreola
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Editors - Red Ogle & Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

"They're not really going to call it that, right?  That's surely just a place-holder title."

Those were my first thoughts when DC Comics announced a "Justice League Dark" title as part of their New-52! initiative.  I mean, it feels like such an awkward way to exploit a brand and it's just so damn cringy-sounding.  This sounds like something I would have "created" back in junior high.

"So, what's it about?"
"Well... it's kinda like [insert comics brand], only... dark, maaaaaaan."

Ehh, maybe I'm projecting.  After all, this came out just a year or two after Marvel created an entire "dark" line of books... that were equally cringy-sounding, but might've had an audience.

Anyhoo, let's get into it!

--

We open with Madame Xanadu, xanadoing what she does best... reading personalized tarot cards.  She has looked into the future, and seen that there is a terrible danger on the horizon.  There's a close-up on the "Fool" card, and that's when we're introduced to a troubled young woman by the name of June Moone.  She walks the streets of, whatever town we're in, and sees terrible demons.  She wanders into a local diner, where the townies are glued to the television... turns out there are a whole lotta ladies who look exactly like her currently wandering the freeway... and causing all manner of havoc.

We shift to a meeting between Shade the Changing Man and his girlfriend/better half/whatever Kathy.  She implores him not to leave, but he insists that he must.  Before he does, it's revealed that she wasn't a real girl, but a conjuring Rac made to stop him from being lonesome.  I wonder if this is intended as a callback or to cap off the 1990's Vertigo series in some way.  Wouldn't surprise me, I doubt any 2011 DC editorial execs read the thing!

Our next stop is a farmhouse... where a being known as the Enchantress dwells.

She uses her spells to bring about some madness in the world... it's some real non-sequitur stuff, and really feels like it's trying to evoke that early-Vertigo feel.

This has drawn the attention of the Justice League... er, Light-version, I guess.  Zatanna and Batman watch on the monitors while Superman, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman make their approach.  Cyborg doesn't have a good feeling about this... and, well... his intuition is correct.  The Mad Witch reveals herself... filling the skies with madness (and giving us our Pandora cameo [bottom left] to boot).

Suddenly teeth of all shapes swirl in the air, slicing Superman to ribbons... remember, he's got a weakness to magic.  It isn't long before Cyborg and Wonder Woman are overcome by the toothy-typhoon as well.

Back at the Watchtower, Zatanna informs Batman that she's going to head off and look into this.  Batman insists that he joins her, however, she has other plans.  She binds his feet and leaves without him.

Then... John Constantine pops into reality.  Hey, nice of him to make an appearance seeing as he's the reason we're all buying this book, right?

Back in town, June Moone knocks on a random door of a random apartment.  When the tenant answers, June tells her that she's looking for (a) Deadman...

Back at Madame Xanadu's shop, Rac Shade finds the lady of the house kayoed.  When she comes to, she informs him of the wickedness of the Enchantress and the fact that Imaginary Women have seemed to enter reality en masse.  She burdens him with the responsibility of setting things right.

We wrap up with Xanadu taking a look into the future... and not really liking what she sees.

--

Well... first things first.  This art is ridiculous... I mean, how gorgeous is this book?  I think this might've been my first exposure to Mikel Janin... and holy cow, this is one amazing-looking book!

Story wise, we get a pretty decent introduction to a few of our major players.  It is pretty cool to have Milligan working on Shade again.  I may be misremembering, but I recall so much of the "hoopla" around this book was the fact that John Constantine was going to be front-and-center.  Maybe I'm wrong... but if not, only having John appear on a single page feels like kind of a con.

While on the subject, I'm not a fan of Constantine being a "mainstream" sorta guy... and really never glommed onto him being a member of the Justice League.  To me, he always worked best on the fringes... or as a pestering thorn-in-the-side for the "big" heroes.  This kinda feels like a DC exec thinking "Hey, deez kidz really like dis Constantine guy..." and then just adding him to "a" Justice League.  Ehh, it's over a half-decade in the past though... I may as well be shouting at the wind.  Fact is, this wasn't a bad issue... or series.

The early/proto-Vertigo evoking, while something I kinda feel like I've outgrown, is a welcome addition here.  The Flashpoint fall-out was, if I'm not mistaken (and I might be)... the combining of the "main" DC Universe, Vertigo, and WildStorm.  So, it stands to reason that some Vertigo-y elements would make their way through.  Again, I feel like the "random" weirdness is a bit played out... but, it really "spoke to me" when I was a teen-ager.  Hopefully it did the same for the teens of 2011.

But still... that name.  Just saying "Justice League Dark" is enough to make my skin crawl.  It's one of those titles that feels like "bully bait"... like if you were caught reading this at school or something, you'd be ragged on mercilessly.  It's such a try-hard way of sounding edgy.  It's not as though DC doesn't have "dark" teams... I mean, Shadowpact is right there... hell, Sentinels of Magic is too!

But, of course... you couldn't piggyback either of those with the Justice League brand.  Similar to how our current (soon to be ending) volume of Justice League of America (Volume 6, I believe) is basically Batman and the Outsiders under a new (and more "sellable") title.

But really, if my only complaint about a book is that it has a silly (to me) title... then I think we've got a winner.  I'm still not a fan of Constantine being a "team player" or anything, much less on any version of the Justice League... but still, I'd say this issue is well worth checking out.

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