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]
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
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
Television
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 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
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
^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. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
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