“Yesterday’s” Comic> Hardcase #5

“Awww, my collection of international ketchup packets.”

Hardcase #5

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (October, 1993)

“Friends & Enemies” part one: “The First Cut”

WRITER: James Hudnall

PENCILER: Scott Benefiel

INKER: Mike Christian

COLORIST: Moose Baumann

LETTERER: Tim Eldred

EDITOR: Hank Kanalz

Things are getting stranger for our two heroes, and the Strangers aren’t even here. First they found out that the cop who visited Hardcase at his home was never actually there, or so he claims. Hardcase and Choice go to him for help in making a more civil contact with Dixon, who shows he still has some control over Choice. Meanwhile, Mundi contacts an assassin broker known as The Operator to send one of her Ultra assassins after Hardcase…interesting given he hates Ultras. He’s still mad about Hardcase’s taking out NM-E…except the robot may not be as finished as either of them think. A night out on the town for Hardcase and Choice is interrupted by the Operator’s assassin, a villain named Hardwire that is somehow able to cut even Hardcase’s steel-hard skin, and Choice may be next if Hardcase is dead.

What they got right: I was going to complain about all the various plotlines going on, but they come together for the most part with the killer from the start of the story that hits a drug dealer being the same one going after Hardcase. The action is pretty good.

What they got wrong: NM-E making a return by taking over some kid’s body may be a bit much, and we’ll see if the mystery involving Detective Brown (first name Chuck, so I wonder if it’s an intentional Peanuts reference despite Brown being a black man instead of a bald white boy) matters at all. They aren’t big distractions since it’s the Rune back-up I’m still not bothering with that uses up page space. The facial expressions are probably the biggest letdown.

What I think overall: I’m still enjoying this series, and I’m wondering if I should have given the Ultraverse more of a chance when it first came out.