Aliases : Rick Tyler.
Base of Operations : Primary location for the character.
Tag : hourman
Important Plots : None
Journal(s) : miraclo3, jla_extras
Status : Played

Powers and Abilities : Neither Rex nor Rick have any innate powers (though it was theorized once that their powers derive from a metagene, like most DC superheroes). Any superhuman abilities they display are derived from the use of Miraclo. Taking the drug grants a user several abilities for the span of an hour. Most obvious are the superhuman strength, durability, increased resistance to physical damage (to the extent of being impervious to small arms fire) and speed enhancements. Other, lesser known and mentioned powers include night vision and the ability to survive underwater. Rex and Rick both took Miraclo in pill form, but Rick currently uses a transdermal patch.

The amount of Miraclo that can be taken a day has varied. Normally, it is once a day, but in some instances, Rex has been shown taking another pill as soon as an "Hour of Power" runs out. Miraclo works specifically on the Tylers and may or may not work on others who take it. In one instance it worked on an animal, Dr. Mid-Nite's owl, Hootie as well as the villain Bane.

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. It gives Rick "time vision," flashes of events that will happen exactly one hour later as well as the ability to touch those out of phase with normal time. The latter effect comes to anyone holding the hourglass. Rex displayed neither of these abilities.

History : Rick Tyler, Rex's son, took over the Hourman mantle during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Rick swallowed some of his father's Miraclo pills to help him save people trapped in a burning hospital. After serving for a few years as a member of Infinity, Inc., a team largely comprised of other JSA-member children, Rick began to grow addicted to Miraclo just as his father did. He spent many years after leaving the group critically ill until Amazo, posing as a future incarnation of the android Hourman, cured him of his Miraclo addiction. Having conquered his personal demons and regaining his health,

Rick joined the JSA in its incarnation as a small band of freedom fighters during the "Stealing Thunder" arc. The android had given him an hourglass full of tachyons that gave Rick random visions one hour into the future. As a second gift, Rick could visit with his father in an otherworldly dimension called the Timepoint, frozen in time, just before Rex's death. Recently, Rick was severely injured in battle, and switched places with his father to save his life. Tyler, the android known as the third Hourman, took Rex and some other JSA members to the Timepoint to save Rick's life. The one hour Rex was allotted in the Timepoint expired just as Doctor Mid-Nite and Tyler had healed Rick of his injuries. Father and son fought over who would perish in the battle with Extant. Ultimately, Tyler the android took Rex's place and was destroyed when Rick and Rex returned to earth. Rick is once again active as Hourman and is an active member of the JSA.

Other Sources :

• Hourman at the DC Database Project
• Hourman at Wikipedia

Divergences : In Watchtower continuity, unlike the DCU proper, Hourman is not married to Jessie Quick. He is in an ongoing relationship with Jennie-Lynn Hayden, the superhero known as Jade.

Disclaimer - unless otherwise noted, all characters are property of DC Comics, used here only for roleplaying purposes.