Hardcase #2

Hardcase #2 (July 1993)

Writer: James Hudnal
Artists: Cranial Implant Studios
Letterer: Tim Eldred
Color Designer: Moose Baumann
Editor: Chris Ulm and Hank Kanalz

Cover Art: Steve Wozniak

Variants: A Polybag version.

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

Title: Hard Choices.

Well, we’re introduced to Choice.  She’s a company Ultra.  That is, someone given Ultra powers by a corporation, and paid to be their ‘mascot’/spokesperson.  She has the ability to use a power for an hour after saying that power.  She is being chased by corporate Interceptors.  She has run from the company and they are after her to reclaim their property.

Hardcase attends the funeral of the police officer killed last issue.  The one he talked to who eventually was the reason he got back into the Ultra Hero business.

Choice finds Hardcase and talks to him.  The Interceptors show up and a fight ensues, and Hardcase helps her out and makes the statement that they are going to get to the bottom of this.

Not a bad issue overall, but not as solid as the first.  The art is odd.  It’s not great, but not terrible for the most part.  There are some really bad panels here and there, but not the worst art I have ever seen in a comic.  We are introduced to another character here in Choice.  It’s an interesting concept…the corporate spokesperson being given powers to attract the public.  Sure, the corporate hero thing has been done before (Booster Gold comes to mind right away), but this is someone becoming an Ultra to be a spokesperson.  Then running away from the company that made her what she is.

 A lot of time was spent in this issue setting Choice up.  Not in a bad way, but it limits the amount of Hardcase we see in the issue.