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H.E.R.O. (comics)
Encyclopedia
H.E.R.O. is an American comic book
series published by DC Comics
that started in 2003 and ran for 22 issues. The series was written by Will Pfeifer
. Artists included Kano
, Leonard Kirk
and Dale Eaglesham
.
The series' focus was the "H-Dial" that DC had first introduced in "Dial H for Hero
" in House of Mystery
in the 1960s. For this series the Dial was depicted as an object with buttons instead of a dial and was referred to as the H-Device.
Unlike earlier stories, H.E.R.O. did not have one or two protagonist
s being turned into a new hero every issue, but showed the H-Device passing from bearer to bearer, examining how different people react to the sudden gift of supernatural powers. There was a subplot involving Robby Reed (the main character from the original Dial H for Hero) that ran through most issues and led to the series' final storyline.
who has obtained the H-Device and gained the power to use any power he can think of. Most of the other characters from the previous storyarcs are either recruited by Reed or killed by the serial killer. Tony Finch is one exception to this when he agrees to work for the serial killer.
The series ends with the H-Device being sent back in time where it is found by the caveman from issue #11. On a related note, the H-Device's powers are internalized into Robby Reed, Jerry Feldon (and later his son), Anthony Finch, Matt Allen,, Andrea Allen, and Wayne (of Captain Chaos).
:
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
that started in 2003 and ran for 22 issues. The series was written by Will Pfeifer
Will Pfeifer
-Personal life:Will Pfeifer was born in 1967 in the town of Niles, Ohio. He attended Kent State University and graduated in 1989. He has resided in Rockford, Illinois since 1990, with his wife, Amy....
. Artists included Kano
Kano (comics)
Kano is the pseudonym of a Spanish comic book artist, whose real name is Jose Angel Cano Lopez.-Biography:After breaking into the comic book industry in 1998 as the artist for Virtex, published by Oktomica Comics, Kano moved on to work for DC Comics, with long runs on Action Comics.He has since...
, Leonard Kirk
Leonard Kirk
Leonard Kirk is an American-born comic book artist living in Canada. He has worked on such properties as Supergirl, JSA, Star Trek, Batman, and Witchblade...
and Dale Eaglesham
Dale Eaglesham
Dale Eaglesham is a comic book illustrator who has been working in the industry since 1986. He is best known for his work on titles like Conan, Punisher, Green Lantern, Villains United, Justice Society of America and Fantastic Four...
.
The series' focus was the "H-Dial" that DC had first introduced in "Dial H for Hero
Dial H for Hero
Dial H for Hero is a comic book feature published by DC Comics about a mysterious dial that enables an ordinary person to become a superhero for a short time, by selecting the letters H-E-R-O in order. Each time it is used, the dial causes its possessor to become a superhero with a different name,...
" in House of Mystery
House of Mystery
The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
in the 1960s. For this series the Dial was depicted as an object with buttons instead of a dial and was referred to as the H-Device.
Unlike earlier stories, H.E.R.O. did not have one or two protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s being turned into a new hero every issue, but showed the H-Device passing from bearer to bearer, examining how different people react to the sudden gift of supernatural powers. There was a subplot involving Robby Reed (the main character from the original Dial H for Hero) that ran through most issues and led to the series' final storyline.
Storyarcs and characters
- Issue #1–4: Jerry Feldon, a minimum wageMinimum wageA minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
earner from the fictional city of Heaton, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, uses the H-Device in order to impress a co-worker.
- Issue #5: Matt Allen, a businessman finds and becomes obsessed with using the H-Device. In the end his wifeWifeA wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
leaves him taking their daughterDaughterA daughter is a female offspring; a girl, woman, or female animal in relation to her parents. The male equivalent is a son. Analogously the name is used on several areas to show relations between groups or elements.-Etymology:...
with her.
- Issue #6: Andrea Allen, the daughter of Matt Allen, finds the H-Device while leaving with her motherMotherA mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
. She uses it with two of her friends Julie and Denise, but they begin to fight over it and lose it as a result.
- Issue #7–8: Captain Chaos, the communal code name of a group of friends named Mark, Jay, Galen, Craig, and Wayne. They use the H-Device to create a website showing them doing superpowered stunts which seem to be inspired by the television show JackassJackass (TV series)jackass is an American reality series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, crude, ridiculous, self-injuring stunts and pranks...
.
- Issue #9–10: Tony Finch, a small time Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
criminal whose claim to fame is that he was a henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household...
for the JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
at one point. He uses the H-Device in an effort to become a player in the Gotham City underworld, but gives it up when the Joker becomes interested in his ex-henchman.
- Issue #11: A cavemanCavemanA caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
from 50,000 years ago in what will become GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
finds the H-Device and become his era's version of SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. He never transforms back and as an old man throws the H-Device into space and leaves Earth to go to the Moon where he dies.
- Issue #12–14: Joe Walker, a man who uses the H-Device to become a superpowered woman named Shocking Suzi. He loses the H-Device and becomes trapped in femaleFemaleFemale is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
form.
Final story arc
Issues #15–22 bring together all the elements presented in the previous issues. Robby Reed is the featured character as he attempts to stop a serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who has obtained the H-Device and gained the power to use any power he can think of. Most of the other characters from the previous storyarcs are either recruited by Reed or killed by the serial killer. Tony Finch is one exception to this when he agrees to work for the serial killer.
The series ends with the H-Device being sent back in time where it is found by the caveman from issue #11. On a related note, the H-Device's powers are internalized into Robby Reed, Jerry Feldon (and later his son), Anthony Finch, Matt Allen,, Andrea Allen, and Wayne (of Captain Chaos).
Collected editions
Part of the series has been collected as a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Power & Abilities (collects H.E.R.O. #1-6, 144 pages, DC Comics, November 2003, ISBN 1401201687)
External links
- Review of issue #1
- Review of issue #2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 11, 15, 19, 20, 21 and 22, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
- H.E.R.O. at the Big Comic Book DataBaseBig Comic Book DataBaseThe Big Comic Book DataBase is a website containing information about comic books, and run by the maintainers of the Big Cartoon DataBase. , the database contains information on over 100,000 books in 5000+ series, including over 35,000 cover scans....