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Hourman (Rex Tyler)

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Rex Tyler
Rex Tyler as the original Hourman from the cover of Adventure Comics #54 (September 1940).
Art by Bernard Baily.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAdventure Comics #48 (March 1940)
Created byKen Fitch (writer)
Bernard Baily (artist)
In-story information
Full nameRex Tyler
Team affiliations
Notable aliasesHour-Man
Abilities
  • Use of Miraclo Pill grants:
  • Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and durability
  • Night vision
  • Ability to survive underwater
  • Martial arts

Hourman (Rex Tyler) is a fictional superhero appearing in comics published by DC Comics. He is known as the original Hourman (spelled Hour-Man in his earliest appearances, also referred to as The Hour-Man, and The Hourman). He was created by writer Ken Fitch and artist Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 (April 1940), during the Golden Age of Comic Books.[1] He continued to appear in Adventure Comics until issue #83 (Feb 1943).[2]

Rex Tyler made his live-action debut in the first season of DC's Legends of Tomorrow before becoming a guest star in the second season, portrayed by Patrick J. Adams. Rex Tyler also appeared in the first season of the DC Universe series Stargirl, portrayed by Lou Ferrigno Jr.

Fictional character biography

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Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate New York, developed an affinity for chemistry, particularly biochemistry.[3] Working his way through college, he landed a job researching vitamins and hormone supplements at Bannermain Chemical. A series of discoveries and accidents led him to the "miraculous vitamin" Miraclo. He found that concentrated doses of the "miraclo" given to test mice increased their strength and vitality several times that of normal, but only for one hour. After taking a dose himself, Rex found he could have superhuman strength and speed for an hour, before returning to human levels.[4]

Keeping the discovery of Miraclo a secret, Tyler decided that human trials would be limited to the only subject he could trust: himself. Feeling that the Miraclo-induced abilities should be used for good purposes, he decided to use the abilities to help those in need; in other words, he would become a superhero, based in Appleton City.[5] He received his first mission by placing an ad stating that "The Man of The Hour" would help the needy. Tracking down one responder to the ad, he aided a housewife whose husband was falling in with the wrong crowd, and stopped a robbery. Using a costume he found in an abandoned costume shop, he started to adventure as The Hour-Man[6] (later dropping the hyphen). In November 1940 Hourman became one of the founding members of the first superhero team, the Justice Society of America. After leaving the JSA in mid-1941 Tyler became one of Uncle Sam's initial group of Freedom Fighters.[7] He later became part of the wartime All-Star Squadron.

According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "Hourman fights a variety of Doctors: the robot-wielding Dr. Darrk, the hypnotist Dr. Feher, the big-headed genius Dr. Glisten; the occultist and alchemist Dr. Iker; and the bio-engineer Dr. Togg. There is also the 90-Minute Man, who gains Hourman-like powers for 90 minutes from his radium armor".[8]

Hourman was one of many heroes whose popularity began to decline in the post-war years. Eventually, his adventures ended, but with the resurgence of super-heroes in the mid-1950s and early 1960s, interest in the Golden Age heroes returned, and Hourman was soon appearing as a guest star in issues of Justice League of America. Like all the other Golden Agers, he was now considered an elder statesman of the super-hero set.

It is later revealed that Miraclo is addictive and that Rex is struggling with its effects. In Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Extant kills Hourman before the Hourman android rescues him and transports him to a pocket dimension.[9]

Rex is later resurrected, retires, and provides technical support for the JSA All-Stars, of whom his son is a member.[10]

In Doomsday Clock, Hourman is erased from existence when Doctor Manhattan alters the timeline, but is resurrected when Superman convinces Manhattan to undo his actions.[11]

Powers and abilities

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Through the use of Miraclo, Hourman can possess superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and durability, night vision, underwater survival, and expert martial arts skills for one full hour.

In other media

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Television

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  • Rex Tyler appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Golden Age of Justice!", voiced by Lex Lang. This version uses an hourglass-shaped device to fuel his powers instead of Miraclo and appears as a member of an aged Justice Society of America.
  • Rex Tyler appears in the Robot Chicken episode "Tapping a Hero", voiced by Seth Green.
  • Rex Tyler appears in Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by Patrick J. Adams.[12] This version is the leader of the Justice Society of America, who were active in the 1940s. At the end of the first season, he warns the Legends not to travel to 1942 due to their impending deaths, only to vanish shortly afterwards. In the second season, the team meets Tyler's past self when they ignore his warning. Tyler is later killed by the Reverse-Flash, erasing his future self who had discovered the Reverse-Flash's plans and warned the Legends from existence. Before his death, Rex was in a relationship with Vixen, who goes after and later joins the Legends to avenge Rex.
  • Rex Tyler appears in Stargirl, portrayed by Lou Ferrigno Jr.[13] This version is a member of the Justice Society of America whose powers are derived from an hourglass amulet. Ten years prior to the series, Rex and his wife Wendi are killed by Solomon Grundy. In the present, Rick Tyler assumes his father's mantle and amulet to avenge his parents' deaths.

Film

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  • Rex Tyler appears in the opening credits of Justice League: The New Frontier, in which he falls to his death while running from police officers due to a ban on vigilantes.
  • An alternate universe incarnation of Rex Tyler appears in Justice Society: World War II, voiced by Matthew Mercer.[14] This version hails from Earth-2 and is a founding member of the Justice Society of America, who were active during their Earth's version of the titular war.

References

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  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. p. 146. ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  3. ^ Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 25. ISBN 978-1605490892.
  4. ^ Markstein, Don. "Hourman". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  5. ^ Gardner F. Fox (w), Bernard Baily (a). Adventure Comics, no. 53, p. 1 (August 1940). DC Comics.
  6. ^ Gardner F. Fox (w), Bernard Baily (a). Adventure Comics, no. 48, p. 1-6 (March 1940). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). "Freedom Fighters". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  8. ^ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
  9. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). "Extant". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  10. ^ JSA All-Stars #1 (Feb. 2010)
  11. ^
    • Doomsday Clock #8 (December 2018)
    • Dark Nights: Death Metal #5 (January 2021)
    • The New Golden Age #1 (January 2023)
    • Wesley Dodds: The Sandman #1 (December 2023)
    • Wesley Dodds: The Sandman #6 (May 2024)
    • Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #5 (May 2024)
    • Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6 (July 2024)
  12. ^ Abrams, Natalie (May 19, 2016). "Legends of Tomorrow to introduce Justice Society of America in season 2". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  13. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (December 13, 2018). "Stargirl Casts Lou Ferrigno Jr. as Hourman, Founding Member of JSA". Variety. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  14. ^ "Stana Katic and Matt Bomer Headline DC's Animated Justice Society Film". January 7, 2021.
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