Who's This? A pill-popping legacy.
The facts: Hourman Rick Tyler is the son of the original, first appearing in Infinity Inc. #20 (November 1985) and taking the name in the subsequent issue (see below). He remained a member through the end of the series. After Infinite Crisis (One Year Later), he joins Geoff Johns' JSA, and is married to Jesse Quick/Liberty Belle II. He has played an active role in JSA comics ever since, and does appear in the current series.
How you could have heard of him: In addition to appearances in the last two JSA series, Rick Tyler made his live-action debut in Stargirl, portrayed by Cameron Gellman.
Example story: Infinity Inc. #21 (December 1985) "Shadows at Midnight!" by Roy & Dann Thomas, Todd McFarlane, Steve Montano and Tony DeZuniga
Rick's first time in action is a result of Harbinger popping in at Green Lantern and Harlequin's wedding reception, and kidnapping/recruiting all the Infinitors and Justice Society members, leaving only a few civilians behind, among them Rick Tyler, who was there with his parents. But he can't deal with this right now, because he already had a foot out the door, off to see the recently blinded Beth Chapel in South Carolina - by hitchhiking! Which is illegal in [REDACTED] county where the cops are loose cannons.
Copper's really trying to compensate for his tiny gun, if you know what I mean. But Dr. Mid-Nite's smoke bombs, picked up at the reception look mighty suspicious, as do the Miraclo pills, so Rick ends up in jail. But these podunk cops don't really follow procedure, so the pills are right there in view of the jail cell, allowing a very clever Rick Tyler to escape.
Wait, he had an Hourman costume?! I guess he'd decided on this life in the previous issue, but didn't wear it at the wedding unlike EVERY OTHER SUPER there, which is why Harbinger didn't scoop him up. He races from the police station at more than 50 mph, with the cops in pursuit, and jumps on the rooftops to escape. While the cops are confused, he jumps down and flips their car over.
I sure hope one of the Minute Men grew up to be a lawyer, because whether or not the original arrest was legal (no way), going out of your way to wreck a police car probably comes with charges of its own (or is it all fruit from the poison tree? Minute Lawyer? Yes? No?). He hitches a ride with a trucker the rest of the way, and is sexily (pointlessly) lounging on Beth's porch when she comes home from church.
Hey, that's some pretty good French. She recognizes his voice, so that's a secret identity blown (though arguably, the corrupt cops also know, having seen his I.D. AND his costume). She lets him in, and while they converse, some Shadow-Demons come out of the fireplace and it's time for some Miraclo. It just doesn't do much in this case.
Honestly, this is the new Dr. Midnight's time to shine, and I'll try to remember this bit when it's her turn to get a Who's This? (in a long while).
Well, it seems the new Hourman is a bit of a screw-up, which is just what Infinity Inc. needs, going into its third year of publication (I guess). I dropped out of comics in the late 90s, early 2000s, so tell me, did this continue in his JSA comics, or did he find his groove?
Who's Next? An explosive hero.
Comments