The Brave and the Bold: Hourman, Lady Tarantula and Blackout

Darkness Unyielding

by Libbylawrence

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Part 1

Angela Leonard was bored. The pretty blonde smiled at the latest customer at the Altered Ego Eatery, and asked, “May I take your order?” in her perkiest voice.

“Sure, doll, I’ll have the Johnny Thunder Burger, and make it quick… Johnny Quick!” chuckled a fat black man.

“Certainly, sir!” said a smiling Angela as she thought, Haven’t heard that one before! in her most sarcastic mental tone. She wished she could tell the customers what she thought of them and of her boring job, but she knew the little cafe was all she had to live on.

The heroically-themed cafe was the legacy of her “uncle” Jonathan Law, a.k.a. the Tarantula. She had been raised by the former hero, and his housekeeper Olga Clatterbuck had been Angela’s grandmother.

Now he was seriously ill… although truth to be told, the young blonde girl felt guilty because she had not been to see him recently.

She straighted her fishnetted Black Canary costume and approached a heavy girl dressed as Hawkgirl. “Madge, take over. I have to get some air!” sighed Angela.

“No problem!” said the cheerful Madge.

Angela gazed around the cafe with its heroic themed decor and menu.

“The Black Condor chicken pattys are not selling! The hours I spend dressed like old heroines gets me nothing in tips… the bad puns… I can’t stand it here!” she said as she stepped out.

She wondered if she should resort to the outlet she had recently discovered. She had become a heroine in her own right. She had modified her “uncle’s” old look and added weaponry that incorporated his All-Star Squadron associates’ own inventions.

As Lady Tarantula she had donned a sleeveless brown and black costume with fishnet hose and black slippers. She added a wrist wirepoon that fired either wires, knock out pellets, or sharpened darts. She could climb walls due to her special slippers, and she knew martial arts. She had even agreed to join a new, unauthorized version of the Law’s Legionnaires (no relation to the original group) sponsored by the glamorous Queen Arrow, yet Angela still wanted more!

Perhaps she would find it!

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Part 2

Angela returned to work, finished her shift, and crawled into her room above the Eatery. She sighed and slipped on the Lady Tarantula costume. After spending days dressed as various heroines while waitressing, she relished the irony of actually being one!

She teared up as she thought again of her ill “uncle”. Jon did not answer his phone. That could mean he had had a relapse.

She swung out across the night cityscape and smiled as she heard people gasp and point at her.

“Spider-Girl!” cried a kid.

“Well, I guess that’s close enough!” she laughed as she expertly fired one Sandman-style wirepoon after another and by loosing each in mid-swing, racing over the city streets at an impressive rate.

She paused as she saw the furtive movements below her. Someone else was out and about tonight, and possibly up to no good.

She stuck to the wall and scampered across it to get a better view. Her flaxen hair was drawn back in a ponytail, and she gazed down to see a woman hurrying down the street of the old Bannermain Chemical Company. Most people still called the place Bannermain’s, since it had been called by the name of the autocratic founder, his son, and his grandson since Victorian times.

Since the mid-1960s the place had been owned by the Tyler family and it was the sight in which many adventures had occurred. Nazi agents or criminals had tried to rob the place, heroes like Hourman had been seen there, and action, glamor, and mystery were etched into the very walls of the atmospheric old place!

Angela caught her breath as she saw the woman below stop in her tracks and yelled, “I see you up there! Come down or I’ll make you sorry!”

Angela dropped down to see a lovely woman with black hair and a revealing red and blue costume. “Who are you? This is private property!” said Lady Tarantula.

“Indeed it is… my family owns it. I’m Deena Tyler!” said the costumed beauty.

“Funny fashion sense!” said Lady T.

“I’m wearing my new costume. I’m a would-be mystery-woman like you. I am known as Blackout!” said the beautiful woman.

“So, why give me your real name?” asked Angela.

“Because I know who you are. My studies of past heroes gives me the background to guess that you are related to Law. He was a trusted ally, so you must be… plus,” she smiled, “I can take you in a fight, so I’m not too worried!”

Angela grinned, “You’re right about my secret. So, Blackout, why are you here?”

Blackout said, “That is a trade secret… but I guess…” She was stopped by a loud explosion.

“We better check that out and swap stories later!” she shouted.

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Part 3

As Lady Tarantula and Blackout raced toward the fiery chaos, they spotted Hourman fighting three dark figures.

Deena was a distant relative of Rex Tyler’s, and she had gained her own powers through exposure to the blackout bomb of Nightowl. She had learned much about the use of black light in weapons and various scientific experiments through study of Rex’s own works with the source. She knew he was Hourman, although she was not sure that she should let her female ally know too much too soon either!

She aimed a kick at the first dark clad figure and nearly took his head off. He reeled back from her enhanced strength and she connected with a second quick jab.

Hourman grimaced at the sight of Blackout. He knew she was Deena and he was not happy that the sharp girl had helped herself to so much of his past work. She had an intellect, stealth skills, and fighting prowesss beyond what he could easily explain. What was her secret?

He said, “These shadowy thugs blew up one of the labs in their efforts to escape with a black ray generator.”

Lady Tarantula dropped on the back of the third figure and gasped as she fell through his sticky body to land covered with black goop.

“Yuck! This creep’s body just melted over me!” she said. The shadowy film suddenly squeezed her tightly as it responded to some inner command and tightened over her trim form. She frowned. None of her weapons were of any use against such a foe. “Some help, please!” she called.

Blackout brought the darkness around them down with her innate power to generate darkness. She smiled as she saw as clearly as if it was still daylight. That nut Nightowl had given her amazing powers through his own insanity.

She saw the shadowy forms leave Hourman and Lady Tarantula and race toward her.

They like the dark! she thought. “They seem to be composed of nothing more than some dark light themselves! Wasn’t there a villain called Dr. Light?” she yelled as she high jumped over the heads of the three figures.

Hourman nodded. “He’s dead. I have it on good authority.”

Lady Tarantula swung down to join them. “They do look like ‘black-light men’ if that’s possible!”

Hourman smiled, “Anything is possible. I’ve learned that!”

The three figures massed together and flickered out of sight.

“They’re gone!” cried Angela.

“Come inside. We have to talk!” said Hourman.

He sat them down in a plush office. “Look, you’re Jon Law’s girl aren’t you? And you are Deena Tyler. I know your movements well,” he said.

Deena took off her red mask and said, “So what, Rex Tyler! We know your secret too. I have to stumble upon it after I realized what the implications were for your black light work.”

Rex said, “Now, look, ladies. I need you to keep my secrets. I also need your help. Whatever brought those things here will likely bring them back. They seem to be made of solid or semi-solid black light, and they wanted my old projector. They may feed off such a power source.”

“We’ll help you!” gushed Angela.

Deena crossed her legs and smiled in a sultry manner. “Anything for family!”

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Part 4

Rex Tyler was uncertain what his best course of action should be. He was well-known as a chemist. He was known in some circles as husband to a movie star. He didn’t want his secret identity to be made public. As Hourman he had many enemies. He could not bear to think that Wendi or Rick could be harmed because some maniac had learned his secrets. It was true that his work with Miraclo was top secret. However, he had written extensively on black light scientific applications and never knew this might come back to haunt him if anyone was ever brilliant enough to connect such black light with adrenal surges and super power.

He paced his office with restless energy. “Look, I was a bit abrupt a few minutes ago. You are not wearing those costumes or what passes for a costume because of any bad motive. I know that. I also could use any help you can offer. This place is simply too big a complex for one man to patrol alone. They want my devices and I know where they are stored. Let’s stake out the main lab.”

They reached the lab and Deena’s eyes gleamed. “This place always amazes me!” she whispered.

” ‘Always’? How have you ever even seen it before?” asked Hourman.

Deena smiled, “A girl has her secrets.”

Angela admired the girl’s cocky charm. “Deena, you stole my plans to save your kidnapped mother from Nightowl. I forgave you for that, but I need to know how you have such skills at… espionage!”

She said, “That girl’s school in Europe I attended was not what it seemed. It was a training ground for female agents. The school turned wealthy girls into trained fighters, killers, spies.”

Hourman gulped, “How can this be? That French Academy has a fine reputation.”

Deena smiled, “Ever heard of the Leipzig Academy from the 1940s?”

The lab shuddered as a black creature erupted through the floor. “Good night! Get back, girls!” cried Hourman as he charged the huge monster.

“Too late! The black light energy my children have drained from your devices has freed me at long last!” hissed the creature.

“He’s right. I thought the projectors were safe, but he didn’t need to steal them! Somehow, while we fought those three goons, this creature or his pawns drained all the others dry!” frowned Hourman.

“Exactly; it was a nice ploy and it achieved the desired result,” gloated the black figure.

Hourman swung at the beast and felt his fists connect with a solid jaw.

“You are powerful, but your cells feed me! You have residue of black-light energy within you, as does this vixen!” laughed the monster as he touched Rex and Deena, and they dropped into stunned states.

“You killed them!” shrieked Lady Tarantula as she fired her knock out pellets at the creature.

“I don’t breathe anymore!” he laughed and enveloped the fallen pair. He vanished and took them with him.

Lady Tarantula said, “I have to rescue them. I need help! I know just who to call!”

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Part 5

Diana Dare was pleased that Lady Tarantula had immediately contacted her and asked her to help rescue Hourman and Blackout. The lovely blonde wore the green bikini and high heels of her now famous “cheesecake” costume. As Queen Arrow she hoped to lead a new Law’s Legionaires team, yet she was vain, spoiled, and was barely an able heroine who had recently come to terms with her own limitations. She turned to Rob Harper then, once known as the second Speedy and said, “Will you join us?”

Rob smiled. “I won’t wear a costume, but I’ll bring my bow.”

A handsome blond man with rippling muscles and a red shirt and white pants ran inside the headquarters.

“Di, I have the plane ready. Let’s go! Hourman is a friend of mine!” said Lance Gallant, who was once known as Captain Triumph.

“Can you detect any trace of this blacklight creature?” he said… apparently to himself, but in fact to the apparition of his dead brother. After a moment he said, “Michael can’t sense the monster. He is not supernatural, despite the description you gave us.”

The blonde and beautiful Queen Arrow patted Lady Tarantula’s arm. “It’s OK, honey. We’ll find them.”

Lady Tarantula (Angela Leonard) nodded and hoped her confident friend was right.

Rob leaned over as Diana flew her private plane. “The creature sounds like something out of myth!” he said.

“Nope! If Lance’s ghostly sibling can’t detect it then I’d wager it is something technical or scientific,” she said.

Angela wished she knew more about what they had faced back at Tyler Chemicals.

The shadowy figure showed many talents beyond those of a normal man. Science could enable one to do such feats, but it sure looked like magic to the waitress.

Hourman cursed himself for involving Deena Tyler in the adventure. Her inexperience justified her errors, but he could only claim that he was caught off guard. Perhaps the remnants of Miraclo that still surged within his body and empowered him now without the use of the wonder drug still made him brash and reckless at times. What else could explain his willingness to bring in the two girls instead of calling Doc Mid-Nite or the Sandman? Still, he reassured himself he had been trying to display the willingness to accept a new generation of heroes that he had seemingly lacked when his own son first approached him about seeking such a career!

Now his muscles tensed against the chains that held him tightly above a grid. The grid seemed to drain the blacklight power that also apparently remained in his altered metabolism, and fed it to the man who appeared to be made of black-light! Nearby hung Deena Tyler in her short red and blue Blackout costume.

“You know I sensed the power within you two while I slumbered within the ground all those years. I could smell the raw energy your body carries, and when this delightful morsel came into power of her own due to this accident she speaks of, I fairly salivated in my rocky prison. Then I found that I could sent off spawn of my own form, and using my old favorite ploy of distracting a hero from my true goal, I seized all that power from your many devices created over a career of heroics,” said the shadowy man.

Hourman frowned, “Yeah, that’s us — human buffets! Now, tell me the truth Karkull, how did you escape?”

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Part 6

The black figure laughed. “You don’t know a thing about me! The expert on black-light thinks I’m some shadow man!”

Hourman knew the man he faced seemed to be composed entirely of black-light, yet Karkull had been the closest thing to such a being that he had experience fighting.

Deena said, “Hang in there. I’m sorry I brought this jerk down on you. He said it was the accident at Nightowl’s that gave me my Blackout powers that attracted him to us in the first place.”

Hourman shook his head. “No. He knew about me. He just gained some power from the freak accident of yours. Don’t blame yourself. It’s self-destructive to blame yourself for the dangers of science gone wrong. I should know!”

Deena looked on as their captor swelled up to giant-size once more.

“You do feed me! I can use this newfound might to slay the men who left me trapped below the surface for so long. I can kill the…” he began.

Then Captain Triumph smashed through the walls. “You’ll never kill the JSA while I live!” he yelled.

Queen Arrow posed for a second, then released arrows that tore apart the chains holding the two prisoners.

“Let me add some light to the situation!” said Rob Harper as he fired an arrow that exploded in white light. The shadowy man did not flinch or draw back from the bright light.

Hourman noted this. He was a man of action. He loved the addictive thrill of adventure. Yet he was also a keen mind matched with a powerful body, and he knew his science.

As Triumph slammed into the shadowy man, his power did little good, since the evil figure merely dissolved and reformed to the side of the hero.

“Force won’t work. Light won’t work,” muttered Rex Tyler as he carried the limp Deena toward the new arrivals. “She’s weak because of the drain on her power. I have my own resources that don’t depend on the black light very much!” he explained as the high swinging Lady Tarantula swung down to lift her friend to safety.

“Easy, Blackout, you’ll recover,” she cooed.

The dark man laughed and smashed his own solid fists into Captain Triumph! “You would have fit well with the group who trapped me. All brawn and no brains. You would have been a perfect Eighth Soldier of Victory!” he crowed.

Triumph shrugged off the blow and said, “You’re Blackstar!”

“Indeed! I was Blackstar — the Seven trapped me within the earth when my own mass sent me plunging downward. I retained my absorbed black-light power, and in time became entirely composed of the stuff!” he shouted.

Hourman acted with one smooth move. He put an arm around Queen Arrow’s back and withdrew one arrow. She gasped as he acted. “Let me borrow this, Miss!” he said.

He waited until Lance had pulled down a wall of machinery and, using that as a barrier to conceal his own actions, Hourman plunged the prism-headed arrow into the body of Blackstar!

The darkness exploded into hundreds of crystalline reflections as his very essence was diffused across the myriad of lens within the prism arrow!

A scream… then nothing!

“You scattered him across the whole place!” marvelled Lady Tarantula.

Hourman nodded. “I had no choice!”

DARKNESS UNYIELDING: Conclusion

As they exited the lab, Rob said, “My brother, Red Arrow, faced Blackstar when he was with the Seven. The creep tricked them into wasting time on his lackeys while he absorbed raw black-light energy. His own mass brought him down — literally. He must have survived and gradually turned into sheer light.”

Captain Triumph said, “Thanks for the tip!” He spoke to his unseen brother who had whispered the identity of their foe to him during the fight.

“Blackstar is scattered now. He is not dead, but it may take him an eternity to reform,” said Hourman.

Queen Arrow tossed out her golden curls and said, “You JSA boys never cease to amaze me. We just can’t measure up to you!”

Hourman laughed, thinking, Your measurements are impressive enough!

Deena smiled weakly as Lady Tarantula and the others laughed as well.