Tom Mandrake — criminally underrated as a storyteller — gets to have some fun with the DC occult universe in a page that’s somehow now twenty years old.
The bottom 1/2 splash featuring Etrigan (Demon), Phantom Stranger, Dr, Fate and Zatanna is definitely cool — and looks especially great in the original black and white.
And the long-time villain Eclipso —also apparently an avenging angel, but an evil one — merging with the Spectre to form a super-villainous apparition? Love it.
Continuing our celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Justice Society of America, with each new post featuring a different classic JSA character.
Hourman’s third incarnation becomes trippier in the amazing hands of Tony Harris, who drew this issue as a fill-in for series regular Rags Morales.
I’ve discussed my appreciation for Harris’ art previously, and his Starman and Ex- Machina series are definitive achievements. I also love his cover work, and this is a fine example, with a rare hand-drawn logo.
As for this incarnation of Hourman? He’s not Rex Tyler, the original version of Hourman, nor his son, Rick Tyler. He’s Mathew Tyler, and android from the future who has incorporated Tyler DNA… and well, you have to read it for yourself.
Hourman has also had a bit of a TV career, appearing on Justice League Unlimited and Legends of Tomorrow. Both the Rex and Rick Tyler versions will apparently appear in the new Stargirl series as well
Hourman swings into the Golden Age in his first ever appearance, and, like many of his JSA colleagues(including Doctor Fate), returns during the Silver Age superhero revival. All three “Hourmen” appear together in JSA #65 in 2004.