Secret Origins (1986) 16 (2)

Secret Origins (1986) 16

Jul 1987

The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Hourman

by Roy & Dann Thomas, Michael Bair, Mike Gustovich, Carl Gafford, David Cody Weiss, Agustin Mas, Robert Greenberger

22 pages

Rex ‘Tick-Tock’ Tyler, in a letter dated September 14, 1985, tells his son Rick about how he  became the Hourman and his first couple adventures as a mystery man. The crucial element  to his success was Miraclo, the drug he invented. It gave him superhuman powers for one hour.

Notes

This story is based in part on the story from Adventure Comics 48 (Mar 1940), his first appearance. He was a regular in Adventure Comics for 3 years. The last issue in which he appeared, during the golden age, was Adventure Comics 83 (Mar 1943). He was featured on the cover of all but two of the first 12 issues of Adventure Comics in which he appeared but after that he was replaced first by Sandman, then Starman, and then Sandman once again.

Hourman also appeared in the first seven issues of All-Star Comics during the golden age. In the first two issues it was in solo adventures. He was there for the founding of the Justice Society of America and all his remaining appearances in All-Star Comics, during the golden age, were as a member of the JSA.

Hourman’s only other golden age appearance was in a solo story in World's Fair Comics 2 (Jul 1940). Most if not all of his silver and bronze age appearances prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths were in the pages of Justice League of America, All-Star Comics, and All-Star Squadron.

Thoughts

I really like the visual storytelling but when I went back to re-examine the story I found the contents to be incredibly thin. The story is also very wordy. It is a better effort than most of the stories in this series scripted by Roy Thomas but that’s probably due in large part to the contributions by penciler Michael Bair and inker Mike Gustovich.

Secret Admirers

This month's letter's pages include two letters from fans who did not care for the new secret origin for Power Girl printed in SO 13. The other two letters from fans are bubbling with excitement over Power Girl's new origin story. Roy Thomas writes a little bit about Hourman's publishing history and his lack of success in the 1940s. Robert Greenberger announces that this would be his last issue as editor of Secret Origins.

The Secret Origin of 'mazing Man

by Bob Rozakis, Stephen DeStefano, Karl Kesel, Bob Lappan, Robert Greenberger

1 page

Siegfried Horatio Hunch III finds his iconic helmet in a large dumpster and renamed himself 'mazing Man.

I'm not sure what to make of this page. It it's at best a teaser for anyone like me who isn't really familiar with 'mazing Man.