Changes: Rex Tyler (New Earth)

A chemist who discovered the miraculous chemical Miraclo, Rex Tyler became the super-hero Hourman, able to use extraordinary abilities for an hour at a time. He became a valued member of the Justice Society and the All-Star Squadron.

History

Man of the Hour

Raised in upstate New York, young Rex Tyler found an affinity for the sciences, particularly those areas involving chemistry and biology. In 1919, as a boy in Ithaca, New York, he was visited by his future self who gave the child version an hourglass and told him to keep it, saying that he would ask for it back in his final hour.^[1] Working his way through college, he landed a job researching vitamins and hormone supplements at Bannerman Chemical. A series of discoveries and accidents led him to the "miraculous vitamin" or Miraclo. He found that concentrated doses of that "vitamin" gave a strength and vigor to laboratory mice several times that of normal. Taking a dose, Rex found that his strength, vitality and speed increased to super-human levels. However, the human body could only process the Miraclo for one hour at a time, after which the subject was left weakened and returned to human strength levels.

Keeping his discovery of Miraclo a secret, Tyler decided that human trials could 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 who needed it. His first mission came as a result of Tyler's placing an ad stating that "The Man of The Hour" would help those that needed it. Tracking down one respondent 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 (later dropping the hyphen).

The JSA

Nearly eleven months later, after becoming noted for helping the "common man" and battling weird menaces, Hourman became a charter member of the Justice Society of America. Faced with heroes that used magic, flew and wielded mystical rings, Hourman further strengthened his Miraclo and this led to it slowly becoming addictive. The drug would make him anxious and talkative when he used it.^[2]

During one case, Tyler's heart gave out, his system poisoned with the toxic side effects of Miraclo. Doctor Fate, through mystical means, cleansed Hourman, and after the case, he retired from active crime fighting, taking a leave of absence from the JSA. During that final case, he was irradiated with chronal energies that slowed his aging later in life.^[3]

Retirement

Even as diminished use and refinement led Rex to abandon his Hourman identity in 1943, the physical and emotional strain too great even for occasional use. He did assist the JSA on occasion, but after 1945, he devoted his time and effort to biochemical advances. Using independent patent royalties, he purchased Bannerman Chemical and renamed it Tyler Chemical Company (later TylerCo). With branch labs around the US, Rex Tyler had little time to relive his wartime glory days.

About twenty five years ago, Rex began to take up company with Wendi Harris, an up-and-coming stage actress. During one of their dates, they ran across The Psycho-Pirate, a modern criminal whose mentor was an old Justice Society foe. Along with a recently empowered Doctor Fate, the duo defeated the villain and Rex worked up the courage to ask Wendi to marry him, despite the twenty-some odd year difference in their ages. Wendi agreed, and they were soon blessed with a son, Richard. To Rex's consternation, Rick showed no interest in things academic, instead leaning towards sports and art. This was a major source of friction between father and son for most of their lives.

Seeing that one day his son might want to take up the cause and fight for justice, Rex began secretly tailoring the Miraclo formula using genetic engineering for use by Rick or his descendants. He forbade Rick from taking up the Miraclo Pill, citing its side-effects. However, during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, to save the lives of people trapped during one of the time-storms, Rick took the pills and began to adventure as Hourman as his father and his fellow Justice Society members were caught in a limbo-like dimension.

Reports of My Death

Main article: Zero Hour

He was seemingly killed along with other Golden Agers fighting a time traveling villain named Extant during the events of Zero Hour. He was recently rescued from that fate by the third Hourman who took his place in that battle. Rex now lives in semi-retirement with his wife Wendi.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Sometimes Rex could reinforce residues of the Miraclo pill contained in his body and access its effects, once by using a black light,^[4] other time by reciting the mantra "Man of the Hour".^[5]
Enhanced immune system:^[2] the effects evidently persist even after Miraclo wears off.

Abilities

Weaknesses

60 Minute Time Limit: After a 60 minute time period, the "AQP" burns itself out, and the waste toxins generated need to be eliminated in the bloodstream over about a 24 hour period.
Drug Addiction (Miraclo) (Formerly)

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Miraclo: Hourman derives all his superhuman abilities from the "miracle vitamin" Miraclo. The active ingredient is a special form of phosphorus, which bonds temporarily with the ATP in muscle cells to create a "Adenosine Quad-Phosphate" which energizes the cells.
- Superhuman Strength: The energy released gives the subject increased strength.
- Superhuman Durability: The energy released gives the subject limited invulnerability.
- Superhuman Stamina: The energy released gives the subject heightened stamina.
- Superhuman Agility: The energy released gives the subject increased agility.
- Aquatic Adaptation: The energy released gives the subject the ability to breath underwater.^{[citation needed]}

Weapons

Tear Gas Ring: During his early adventures, Hourman used a ring capable of emitting a tear gas to overcome his foes.^[8]

Notes

Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.

Trivia

Rex was 6 years old in 1919.^[9] Combined with his birthday from the 1976 Super DC Calendar, this would make his birthdate November 5th, 1913.
Rex has gone by a few nicknames during his Golden Age career such as Tick-Tock and The Man of The Hour.
Recently, it was discovered that Venom, a super-steroid compound was derivative of Miraclo, and the street drug A39, which was a form of Venom, gave the second Doctor Mid-Nite his heightened strength and night vision.
Rex and Rick both wore an hourglass around their necks given to them by the Hourman Android. It was filled with energized tachyons, time in its most basic form.

This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats.
This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice League of America members" category.

[1] JSA Returns: All-Star Comics #1

[smash-2] 2.0 ^2.1 JSA Returns: Smash Comics #1

[3] All-Star Squadron Annual #3

[4] All-Star Squadron #

[5] Justice Society of America (Volume 2) #3

[6] Adventure Comics #67

[7] Adventure Comics #48

[8] Adventure Comics #48, page excerpt.

[9] JSA Returns: All-Star Comics #1

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 | Image                   = Hourman.jpg
 | RealName                = Rex Tyler
-| CurrentAlias            = Hourman
+| MainAlias               = Hourman
-| Distinguish1            = Hourman
+| Aliases                 =
-| Aliases                 = "Tick-Tock"; "The Man of The Hour"
 | Identity                = Secret
 | Alignment               = Good
-| Affiliation             = Formerly [[JSA]], [[Freedom Fighters]], [[All-Star Squadron]], [[Justice League Task Force]]
+| Affiliation             = ''formerly''<br>[[Justice Society of America]]; [[Freedom Fighters]]; [[All-Star Squadron]]; [[Justice League Task Force]]
-| Relatives               = [[Wendi Harris (New Earth)|Wendi Harris]] (Wife), Rick Tyler ([[Hourman (Rick Tyler)|Hourman]], Son), Matthew Tyler ([[Hourman (Matthew Tyler)|Hourman]], Biomechanical Clone), Rebecca (Niece)
+| Relatives               = [[Wendi Harris (New Earth)|Wendi Harris]] (wife)<br>[[Richard Tyler (New Earth)|Richard Tyler]] (son)<br>[[Johnny Tyler (New Earth)|Johnny Tyler]] (grandson)<br>[[Rebecca Tyler (New Earth)|Rebecca Tyler]] (niece)<br>[[Matthew Tyler (New Earth)|Matthew Tyler]] (clone, deceased)
 | Universe                = Earth-Two; New Earth
-| BaseOfOperations        = New York City
+| BaseOfOperations        = [[New York City]]
 | Gender                  = Male
@@ Line 21: / Line 20: @@
 | Citizenship             = American
 | MaritalStatus           = Married
-| Occupation              = Research Chemist, Former CEO Of Tyler Chemical Company
+|  Occupation              = [[Engineer]]; [[Chemist]]; [[Businessman]]
-| Education               = College Graduate
-| Origin                  = A chemist who discovered the miraculous chemical [[Miraclo]], Rex Tyler became the super-hero Hourman, able to use extraordinary abilities for an hour a a time. He became a valued member of the Justice Society and the All-Star Squadron.
-| PlaceOfBirth            = New York City
 | Creators                = Ken Fitch; Bernard Baily
-| First                   = Adventure Comics #48
+| First                   = Adventure Comics Vol 1 48
 | Last                    =
-| Quotation               =
+| Quotation               = It really galls me to see technology used so thoughtlessly!  Wait -- No, it doesn't!  I do it all the time!
-| Speaker                 =
+| Speaker                 = [[Rex Tyler (New Earth)|Hourman]]
+| QuoteSource             = Hourman Vol 1 5
+| Overview                = A chemist who discovered the miraculous chemical [[Miraclo]], '''Rex Tyler''' became the super-hero '''Hourman''', able to use extraordinary abilities for an hour at a time. He became a valued member of the Justice Society and the All-Star Squadron.
 | HistoryText             =
-===Man of the Hour===
-Growing up in upstate New York, young '''Rex Tyler''' found an affinity for chemistry, particularly those areas involving biology. Working his way through college, he landed a job researching vitamins and hormone supplements at Bannerman Chemical. A series of discoveries and accidents lead him to the "miraculous vitamin" or Miraclo. He found that concentrated doses of that "vitamin" gave a strength and vigor to test mice several times that of normal. Taking a dose, Rex found that his strength and vitality and speed increased to that of super-human levels. However, the human body could only process the Miraclo for an hour at a time, whereafter the subject was weakened and returned to human strength levels.
+===Man of the Hour===
-[[File:Adventure Comics 48.jpg|left|thumb|Tyler in his first outing as Hourman. <small>[[Adventure Comics Vol 1 48|''Adventure Comics'' #48 (March 1940)]]</small>]]
+Raised in upstate New York, young Rex Tyler found an affinity for the sciences, particularly those areas involving chemistry and biology. In 1919, as a boy in [[Ithaca]], [[New York]], he was visited by his future self who gave the child version an hourglass and told him to keep it, saying that he would ask for it back in his final hour.<ref>{{c|JSA Returns: All-Star Comics Vol 1 1}}</ref> Working his way through college, he landed a job researching vitamins and hormone supplements at Bannerman Chemical. A series of discoveries and accidents led him to the "miraculous vitamin" or Miraclo. He found that concentrated doses of that "vitamin" gave a strength and vigor to laboratory mice several times that of normal. Taking a dose, Rex found that his strength, vitality and speed increased to super-human levels. However, the human body could only process the Miraclo for one hour at a time, after which the subject was left weakened and returned to human strength levels.
-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 that needed it. His first mission came as a result of Tyler's placing an ad stating that "The Man of The Hour" would help those that needed it. Tracking down one respondent 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 (later dropping the hyphen).
+Keeping his discovery of Miraclo a secret, Tyler decided that human trials could 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 who needed it. His first mission came as a result of Tyler's placing an ad stating that "The Man of The Hour" would help those that needed it. Tracking down one respondent 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 (later dropping the hyphen).
 ===The JSA===
-Nearly eleven months later, after becoming noted for helping the "common man" and battling weird menaces, Hourman became a charter member of the Justice Society of America. Faced with heroes that used magic, flew and wielded mystical rings, Hourman further strengthened his Miraclo and this led to it slowly becoming addictive.
+Nearly eleven months later, after becoming noted for helping the "common man" and battling weird menaces, Hourman became a charter member of the Justice Society of America. Faced with heroes that used magic, flew and wielded mystical rings, Hourman further strengthened his Miraclo and this led to it slowly becoming addictive. The drug would make him anxious and talkative when he used it.<ref name="smash">{{c|JSA Returns: Smash Comics Vol 1 1}}</ref>
-During one case, Tyler's heart gave out, his system poisoned with the toxic side effects of Miraclo. [[Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson)|Doctor Fate]], through mystical means, cleansed Hourman, and after the case, he retired from active crimefighting, taking a leave of absence from the JSA. During that final case, he was irradiated with chronal energies that slowed his aging later in life.<ref>{{c|All-Star Squadron Annual Vol 1 3}}</ref>
+During one case, Tyler's heart gave out, his system poisoned with the toxic side effects of Miraclo. [[Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson)|Doctor Fate]], through mystical means, cleansed Hourman, and after the case, he retired from active crime fighting, taking a leave of absence from the JSA. During that final case, he was irradiated with chronal energies that slowed his aging later in life.<ref>{{c|All-Star Squadron Annual Vol 1 3}}</ref>
 ===Retirement===
-Even as diminished use and refinement led Rex to abandon his Hourman identity in 1943, the physical and emotional strain too great even for occasional use. He did assist the JSA on occasion, but after 1945, he devoted his time and effort to biochemical advances. Using independent patent royalties, he purchased Bannerman Chemical and renamed it Tyler Chemical Company (later TylerCo). With branch labs around the US, Rex Tyler had little time to relive his wartime glory days.
+Even as diminished use and refinement led Rex to abandon his Hourman identity in 1943, the physical and emotional strain too great even for occasional use. He did assist the JSA on occasion, but after 1945, he devoted his time and effort to biochemical advances. Using independent patent royalties, he purchased Bannerman Chemical and renamed it [[Tyler Chemical Company|Tyler Chemical Company (later TylerCo)]]. With branch labs around the US, Rex Tyler had little time to relive his wartime glory days.
 About twenty five years ago, Rex began to take up company with Wendi Harris, an up-and-coming stage actress. During one of their dates, they ran across The [[Psycho-Pirate]], a modern criminal whose mentor was an old Justice Society foe. Along with a recently empowered Doctor Fate, the duo defeated the villain and Rex worked up the courage to ask Wendi to marry him, despite the twenty-some odd year difference in their ages. Wendi agreed, and they were soon blessed with a son, [[Hourman (Rick Tyler)|Richard]]. To Rex's consternation, Rick showed no interest in things academic, instead leaning towards sports and art. This was a major source of friction between father and son for most of their lives.
@@ Line 53: / Line 50: @@
 Seeing that one day his son might want to take up the cause and fight for justice, Rex began secretly tailoring the Miraclo formula using genetic engineering for use by Rick or his descendants. He forbade Rick from taking up the Miraclo Pill, citing its side-effects. However, during the [[Crisis on Infinite Earths]], to save the lives of people trapped during one of the time-storms, Rick took the pills and began to adventure as Hourman as his father and his fellow Justice Society members were caught in a limbo-like dimension.
-==="Reports of My Death ..." ===
+===Reports of My Death===
+{{Main|Zero Hour}}
-He was seemingly killed along with other Golden Agers fighting a time traveling villain named [[Extant]] during the events of [[Zero Hour]]. He was recently rescued from that fate by the third Hourman who took his place in that battle. Rex now lives in semi-retirement with his wife Wendi.
+He was seemingly killed along with other Golden Agers fighting a time traveling villain named [[Extant]] during the events of [[Zero Hour]]. He was recently rescued from that fate by the [[Matthew Tyler (New Earth)|third Hourman]] who took his place in that battle. Rex now lives in semi-retirement with his wife Wendi.
 | Powers                  =
+*Sometimes Rex could reinforce residues of the Miraclo pill contained in his body and access its effects, once by using a black light,<ref>{{c|All-Star Squadron Vol 1}}</ref> other time by reciting the mantra "Man of the Hour".<ref>{{c|Justice Society of America Vol 2 3}}</ref>
-'''Known Powers:''' Hourman derives all his super-human abilities from the "miracle vitamin" Miraclo. The active ingredient is a special form of phosphorus, which bonds temporarily with the ATP in muscle cells to create a "Adenosine Quad-Phosphate" which energizes the cells. The energy released gives the subject increased strength, limited invulnerability and heightened stamina for about an hour. After that time, the "AQP" burns itself out, and the waste toxins generated need to be eliminated in the bloodstream over about a 24 hour period. Miraclo works specifically on the Tylers and may or may not work on others who take it. Once in their biochemistry it interacts with the metagene they possess.
+*Enhanced immune system:<ref name="smash" /> the effects evidently persist even after Miraclo wears off.
-*'''''[[Superhuman Strength]]'''''
-*'''''[[Superhuman Endurance]]'''''
-*'''''[[Superhuman Speed|Enhanced Speed]]'''''
-*'''''[[Superhuman Durability|Enhanced Durability]]'''''
-*'''''[[Enhanced Vision|Night Vision]]'''''
-*'''''[[Amphibious Nature|Aquatic Adaptation]]''''': Ability to survive underwater.
 | Abilities               =
+* {{Aviation}}<ref>{{c|Adventure Comics Vol 1 67}}</ref>
-'''Chemist'''
+* {{Chemistry}}<ref>{{c|Adventure Comics Vol 1 48}}</ref>
+* {{Science|Biology}}
-| Strength                =
 | Weaknesses              =
+* {{Power Limitation|60 Minute Time Limit}}: After a 60 minute time period, the "AQP" burns itself out, and the waste toxins generated need to be eliminated in the bloodstream over about a 24 hour period.
-'''60 Minute Time Limit''': Effects of Miraclo wear off in an hour and require 24 hours to eliminate toxins
+* {{Drug Addiction}} (Miraclo) {{Formerly}}
 | Equipment               =
+* '''[[Miraclo]]''': Hourman derives all his superhuman abilities from the "miracle vitamin" Miraclo. The active ingredient is a special form of phosphorus, which bonds temporarily with the ATP in muscle cells to create a "Adenosine Quad-Phosphate" which energizes the cells.
+** {{Superhuman Strength}}: The energy released gives the subject increased strength.
+** {{Superhuman Durability}}: The energy released gives the subject limited invulnerability.
+** {{Superhuman Stamina}}: The energy released gives the subject heightened stamina.
+** {{Superhuman Agility}}: The energy released gives the subject increased agility.
+** {{Self-Sustenance|Aquatic Adaptation}}: The energy released gives the subject the ability to breath underwater.{{Citation}}
 | Transportation          =
+| Weapons                 =
-| Weapons                 = *'''''Tear Gas Ring''''': During his early adventures, Hourman used a ring capable of emitting a tear gas to overcome his foes.<ref>{{c|Adventure Comics #48}}, [http://dccomicsartists.com/goldage/hourman-adv48.JPG page excerpt].</ref>
+* '''[[Wikipedia:Ring Airfoil Projectile|Tear Gas Ring]]''': During his early adventures, Hourman used a ring capable of emitting a tear gas to overcome his foes.<ref>{{c|Adventure Comics #48}}, [https://dccomicsartists.com/goldage/hourman-adv48.JPG page excerpt].</ref>
-| Notes                   =
+| Notes                   = {{Multicont Earth-Two}}
-===Related Articles===
-* [[JSA]]
-* [[Hourman (Rick Tyler)]]
-* [[Hourman (Matthew Tyler)]]
 | Trivia                  =
+* Rex was 6 years old in 1919.<ref>{{c|JSA Returns: All-Star Comics Vol 1 1}}</ref> Combined with his birthday from the 1976 Super DC Calendar, this would make his birthdate November 5th, 1913.
+* Rex has gone by a few nicknames during his Golden Age career such as ''Tick-Tock'' and ''The Man of The Hour''.
+* Recently, it was discovered that [[Venom]], a super-steroid compound was derivative of Miraclo, and the street drug A39, which was a form of Venom, gave the second [[Doctor Mid-Nite]] his heightened strength and night vision.
+* Rex and Rick both wore an hourglass around their necks given to them by the Hourman Android. It was filled with energized tachyons, time in its most basic form.
 | Wikipedia               = Hourman
 | Links                   =
-===External Links===
-*[http://my.execpc.com/%7Eicicle/HOURMAN.html Hourman Biography]
-*[http://filingcabinetofthedamned.blogspot.com/2005/10/harveyizing-hourman-experiment.html ''Harveyizing'' Hourman]
 }}
@@ Line 100: / Line 93: @@
 next     = [[Hourman (Rick Tyler)]]|
 }}
+{{Freedom Fighters Member}}
 {{JSA Member}}
-{{Freedom Fighters Member}}
+{{All-Star Squadron Member}}
+{{Justice League Member}}
 [[Category:Formerly Deceased]]
-[[Category:Retired Characters]]
-[[Category:All-Star Squadron members]]
-[[Category:Golden-Age Characters]]
-[[Category:Secret Identity]]
-[[Category:Good Characters]]
-[[Category:Justice Society of America members]]
-[[Category:Americans]]
-[[Category:Male Characters]]
-[[Category:Freedom Fighters members]]
-[[Category:Chemists]]
-[[Category:Blue Eyes]]
-[[Category:Brown Hair]]
-[[Category:Married Characters]]
 [[Category:Drug Users]]
 [[Category:Justice League Task Force members]]
-[[Category:1940 Character Debuts]]
+[[Category:Retired Characters]]