“Yesterday’s” Comic> Hardcase #3

“Fine, I’ll call the electrician!”

Hardcase #3

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (August, 1993)

“Hard Decisions”

WRITER: James Hudnall

PENCILER: Jim Callahan

INKER: Rodney Ramos

COLORIST: Moose Bauman

LETTERER: Tim Eldred

EDITORS: Chris Ulm & Hank Kanalz

Dixon calls in J.B. Hunt and someone the narration only refers to as “the man who isn’t a man” to help recapture the girl, who I guess we’re calling Choice now. There’s just enough of her conditioning left that she is compelled to keep the Choice Corporation out of the blame for what’s happening both with the police and the press. Mr. Isn’t or whatever his name is sends his “Omega Team” to recapture Choice because he wants to take out Hardcase. They fail at both missions, and Hardcase returns home with Choice to find the Strangers waiting for them.

What they got right: Looks like the reading order got something caught up. (Meanwhile Prime is still on the moon.) There’s some pretty decent action and more shared continuity by bringing Hunt in and mentioning the matching situation with Candy to Choice.

What they got wrong: The names of the Omega Team are dumb. The guy who shoots special needles (including a set that can pierce Hardcase’s skin) is called the Needler. The other two guys are Trouble and his brother, Gun Nut. I’ve come up with better names in the time it probably took to create these names. Slight continuity gaf. In the Strangers issue, it was the Strangers knocking on Hardcase’s door and the hero responding. In this comic Hardcase and Choice return to his house and the Strangers are waiting for them.

What I think overall: Right now this story is barely holding my attention. Hopefully things get better because I kind of want to be reading this when the Ultraforce comic hits the reading list, but right now I’m just not impressed with this series beyond “better than Freex“, and that’s hardly a high goal.