Hourman (Matthew Tyler)

History

During his lifetime Rex Tyler, the first Hourman, had frequent blackouts that sometimes lasted entire weekends. It turned out that these were actually periods of time where he would travel to the future and run his company, Tyler Chemorobotics. Once there, he would design the next generation robotics. It was in this future that Rex created the android Hourman.

The android Hourman became self-aware in the year 85,269 AD. He was a diamond-generation intelligent machine colony, DNA-programmed with Tyler Miraclo gene bio-software. He was a top of the line android, and still considered cutting edge even two years after his creation. Rex Tyler had high hopes for this android, whom he based off of his own genetic code.

Justice Legion Alpha

At one year old, Hourman joined the 853rd century’s greatest heroes, the Justice Legion Alpha. As a member of this JLA, Hourman fought many foes, including the android sun Solaris. While a member of the Justice Legion Alpha, Hourman was approached by the New God Metron. Metron wanted to groom this Hourman to become his replacement, and to become the new master of time and space. Metron spent many years training Hourman, helping him to create a Timeship to navigate the timestream.

When he felt Hourman was ready, Metron revealed his final lesson. He explained to Hourman the existence of the Worlogog, a map of the entire space-time continuum. He also told of three Justice Leaguers ( Aquaman, Flash, and Green Lantern) bouncing through time to find it. The Worlogog was lost on Earth in the 16th century, but was being used in the 20th century by Lex Luthor and the Injustice League. Hourman guided Green Lantern into understanding the true nature of the Worlogog. The League defeated Luthor and his Injustice League, retrieved the Worlogog, and passed it along to Metron. Metron, having taught Hourman that time was not rigid, but was in fact a myriad of possibilities, handed over the Worlogog to him. Hourman, two years into his creation, was now the possessor of one of the most powerful artifacts in the universe.

DC One Million

During the DC One Million story arc, Hourman used the Worlogog to bring himself and the rest of the Justice Legion Alpha back to the 20th century. In the year 85,271 AD, after one hundred centuries of living in the core of the sun, the Prime Superman, our Superman, will be returning. The Justice Legion Alpha wanted the younger Superman and his greatest friends from the past to be there to greet him. The Hourman used the Worlogog to send Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Flash into the year 85,271 AD. However, before he was able to return them, a hidden program fluxsys/01010001/stp triggered, and released a virus that incapacitates the Justice Legion and the remaining League members that stayed behind.

The Hourman Virus, as it became dubbed, was created by the 853rd century Vandal Savage and Solaris, and was part of their plan to end the Superman Dynasty before it even began. The virus was designed to interfere and overload superhuman powers, all the while also dampening higher intelligence. Solaris also disabled Hourman’s abilities to travel through time, stranding the Justice Legion in the 20th century.

While in the past, the Justice Legion realized Solaris’ intention: the Hourman Virus also contained Solaris’ base programming. In order to cure the Hourman Virus, the Justice Legion would need to create Solaris. Deciding to choose the lesser of two evils, the two JLA’s created Solaris. Once Solaris’ body was created, the Hourman Virus left all of its hosts and merged with the Solaris body to create Solaris. However, before the 20th century Solaris was fully sentient, Justice Legion member Starman sacrificed his life to destroy this Solaris. And in the future, the Justice League and the heroes of the 853rd century defeated the future Solaris. Hourman’s time manipulation abilities returned with Solaris’ destruction.

Justice League of America

After Solaris was defeated, Hourman decided to stay in the 20th century. While Metron had taught him everything about time and space, he had not taught Hourman what it meant to have a soul, and the guilt from the chaos he caused during DC One Million caused him to question himself a great deal.

Hourman joined the Justice League of America, replacing Martian Manhunter when the Manhunter took a leave of absence. Hourman fought alongside the JLA during the Crisis Times Five against an evil Triumph and djinni from the 5th dimension, as well as against Mageddon during World War III. He also accidentally caused the Flash to relive crises in the past when his touch triggered his time-manipulation powers. Shortly after World War III, the Justice League disbanded and reformed, and Hourman left the team.

Happy Harbor

In order to better understand what it meant to be a sentient android, Hourman befriended Justice League mascot Snapper Carr and Carr’s ex-wife Bethany Lee. Carr gave him the name “Tyler,” after the previous two Hourmen. To make himself more able to experience humanity, he gave up the Worlogog, and began exploring what it meant for an android to have a soul. He met Amazo (the first android), Professor Ivo (creator of the first android), and Tomorrow Woman (a deceased android member of the Justice League). He fought villains like the Lord of Time, Dr. Togg and his Gombezis, and a demon torture cult. During Brainiac 13’s Y2K assault, Hourman found himself controlled by Brainiac 13, along with most of earth’s other sentient mechanoids.

While exploring his past as a creation of Rex Tyler, Hourman went to the Tyler manor, where he digested some Miraclo. The Miraclo had an unusual effect, and sent Hourman into a hallucinatory rage. He gained the first Hourman’s memories, but accidentally destroyed a portion of the Tyler home. Hourman reached out to Wendi Harris, the widow of the first Hourman. At this point in time, Rex Tyler had died at the hands of Extant. Hourman reached out to apologize to Wendi, and in return, brought Wendi into the past to a time right before her son Rick Tyler was born.

Hourman and Wendi’s meeting happened at the point in time when Rick was bedridden from leukemia. The two approached Rick in the hospital, with Hourman intent to cure Rick’s leukemia. However, Hourman realized that Rick did not have leukemia, but rather an undiagnosed disease. Angry and being promised false hope, Rick tried to destroy Hourman by ingesting Miraclo pills and gaining superhuman strength, but the android Hourman stopped him. Rick collapsed from the disease, and Hourman sent Rick to Timepoint, a point frozen in time where he would not die from the disease.

Hourman was retrieved by the Justice Legion Alpha back to the 853rd century to help that century’s JLA investigate the massacre on Rann-Prime. Hourman, Superman and Wonder Woman encountered the Else-Spheres, energy beings that created “ultimate” versions of the JLA. Hourman’s ultimate counterpart almost destroyed him. Superman rushed Hourman to Tyler Chemorobotics, where they were again attacked again by “Ultimate Hourman.” The workers at Tyler Chemorobotics disabled Ultimate Hourman, and they transferred Hourman’s consciousness into the Ultimate body. Hourman, when he awoke, decided to turn his back on his life in the 20th century. He rejoined Metron, and tried recreating the Worlogog. However, after a battle with the Undersoul, Hourman changed his mind and returned to the 20th century, and into the arms of his new lover Bethany Lee.

Justice Society of America

While attending the funeral of Wesley Dodds, the golden age Sandman, Hourman was caught up in an attack orchestrated by Mordru, the Dark Lord. Hourman joined other first and second generation members of the Justice Society to save the resurrected Dr. Fate from Mordru. At the end of the adventure, the heroes decided to revive the Justice Society of America, and Hourman accepted the invitation to join. As a member of the Society, Hourman met Rebecca Tyler, niece of Rex Tyler and current CEO of TylerCo. Hourman also fought alongside the Justice Society against Black Adam, Obsidian, the Counter-Evolutionary and the Nebula Man. During the Sins of Youth story arc, Hourman was one of the Justice Society members transformed into a child by Klarion the Witch Boy, but was restored with the rest of the heroes.

When the dead Star-Spangled Kid arrived alive at JSA Headquarters, Hourman detected a problem with the timestream. Hourman detected that Extant was behind it, and took a group of JSA members (Dr. Fate, Flash, Sentinel, Star-Spangled Kid, and Wonder Woman) aboard his Timeship to investigate. Little did he know that Extant followed the Timeship into the timestream. The JSA aboard the Timeship found a wounded Metron, and brought him aboard right before they were all attacked by Extant. Extant crippled the ship, causing Metron (thought to be the sole survivor) to use the ship to find the rest of the JSA. Metron retrieved the JSA, and brought them to confront Extant.

While Metron recruited the other half of the JSA, Hourman’s half had retreated into Dr. Fate’s helmet. When the second half of the JSA confronted Extant, the first half emerged from Fate’s helm and joined the battle. Prior to the fight, the JSA had freed Dawn Granger, Extant’s former partner when they were Hawk and Dove. During the fight, Dove jumped in front of a blast meant for Hourman, saving him.

After the fight, and Extant’s defeat, Hourman was wracked with guilt because of his hesitancy in combat. Metron, who had successfully recreated the Worlogog, told Hourman that he was no longer ready to be his successor. With these two defeats, Hourman realized he was not made to be a superhero, and left the JSA to return to Happy Harbor.

Exploring the Timestream

While being a member of the Justice Society, Hourman became enraptured with the idea of being a super-hero. He adopted a secret identity (scruffy-haired Matthew Tyler), and gained a Century of Solitude (a century where everyone worshipped Hourman). However, after leaving the Justice Society, Hourman felt unsure of his life. Meanwhile, Amazo, disguised as a future version of Hourman, tried to gain revenge on Hourman by replacing him in his own life. Amazo succeeded, and Hourman fled to the Century of Solitude. Hourman realized Amazo was behind it, and returned to defeat Amazo.

Wanting to truly live life, Hourman took all his friends aboard his Timeship and began a tour of the timestream. The group visited both the past and future Happy Harbor. While traveling the timestream, Hourman finally met his creator, Rex Tyler. When he realized that 853rd century Tyler Chemorobotics was stealing Rex from the past, Hourman put a stop to it. He took ownership of Tyler Chemorobotics.

While on the tour, Amazo resurrected himself. Hourman, trying to be the hero he wanted to be, attacked Amazo. He put his friends first, and brought them all safely back to Happy Harbor, while he jumped into the timestream, to both fight Amazo and to find freedom to enjoy his life with no pressures. That was the last time either Snapper Carr or Bethany Lee every saw Hourman.

Last Mission

When Rick Tyler (now a member of the Society himself and back to being called Hourman) was mortally wounded in Kahndaq, Rick had teleported to “no-when”, the point where the golden age Hourman was living out the last hour of his life before he was destined to be killed by Extant. Mr. Terrific used his T-Spheres to contact Hourman. At this point in his timeline, Hourman was living in the 22nd century, learning what it meant to be a “synthetic life-form” (as he now liked to be called) by the synthetic companions of the Space Ranger. Hourman uses his Timeship to retrieve Dr. Mid-Nite, and bring him to no-when. Once there, Hourman, Flash, Mr. Terrific, Dr. Mid-Nite, and the first Hourman tried to save the second Hourman’s life. However, they used up the hour that was left in no-when, and the time came for the golden age Hourman to die at Extant’s hands.

Instead of having his father die at Extant’s hands, Rick jumped into the portal, intending to sacrifice himself. Rex, wanting to save his son, took Hourman’s Timeship to save him. As Rex and Rick fought each other over who would die, Hourman realized the true meaning of family. He gave Rex control of his Timeship via his hourglass one last time, and it was he that took Rex Tyler’s place. The android Hourman placed a hologram about him to appear as Rex Tyler to Extant, and took Rex’s place, dying at the hands of Extant. Rick, Rex, and Wendi were reunited as a family.

Rex Tyler, though, had hopes to rebuild the android Hourman using the Timeship controller. Whatever came of Rex’s plan has yet to be seen. One version of the android/synthetic Hourman journeyed to the base of the JSA Allstars and talked with Roxy about learning to be more human. He jumped back into his timeship and went presumably, back into the timestream.

Characteristics

• Height: 6’ 1”
• Weight: 181 lbs
• Eyes: white
• Hair: none

Powers & Abilities

The third Hourman was an android created by Tyler Chemorobotics in the 853rd century. Like all androids created by Tyler Chemorobotics, Hourman possessed a consciousness, super-human strength, flight, and an automated program that would repair minor damage done to his systems. Hourman had a hologram program that allowed him to appear as another person, such as in the case of Matthew Tyler, or even an animal. Hourman had the stored knowledge of 853rd century technology, which included the ability to build future technology and cure most diseases.

Unlike other Tyler androids, his designer Rex Tyler based Hourman’s DNA on his own modified Miraclo DNA. A step up from the Tyler-designed Promethium series androids, Tyler’s DNA modifications enabled Hourman to use his own version of an Hour of Power. With his Time Vision, Hourman had the ability to manipulate time for a period of one-hour. During this period, Hourman could use optic blasts to manipulate time. Within the period of an hour, he could advance or regress the age of anything. He could call other temporal versions of his target into existence; these target would only last, though, during the Hour of Power. He could “step between picoseconds,” allowing him to move almost instantaneous or to disappear from view. He could also open a portal into hypertime, allowing himself and others to travel through time or to other branches of hypertime, such as alternate realities.

While he had super-human strength, Hourman was a very poor hand-to-hand combatant, preferring to avoid combat whenever necessary. Hourman was also extremely hesitant in battle, which caused him to have a poor reaction time.

Under the tutelage of Metron, Hourman learned how to navigate the timestream. Hourman constructed a Timeship, which he used as a vessel to travel through time. Either Hourman or Metron imbued the Timeship to work under its own power, so that someone could navigate time without Hourman present.

At one point, Metron gave Hourman the Worlogog, a map of the space-time continuum. When he possessed the Worlogog, Hourman could travel and manipulate time without the need of his Hour of Power. With the Worlogog, Hourman could manipulate time and space with a thought. Feeling that the Worlogog was too powerful, Hourman spread the Worlogog’s power throughout the ages, destroying it.

Hourman also brought back Krypton prior to its destruction with the power of the Worlogog.