Hourman(Rex Tyler)(1459)

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

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, 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.

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 decided he was to retired from active crime fighting, World War II broke out and he placed his retirement on hold as the group went on to help fight in the war.

Death
Hourman was killed in the line of duty in 1945 just as the war neared it's end.

Powers

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

Abilities

 * Aviation
 * Chemistry
 * Biology

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)

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.