Credits
Writer(s):
Van Williams (story premise); Robert Ingersoll (full plot and script)
Penciller(s):
Dell Barras (painted)
Inker(s):
Dell Barras (painted)
Colorist(s):
Dell Barras (painted)
Letterer(s):
Joseph Allen
Subject Matter
Genres:
crime, superhero
Feature(s):
The Green Hornet
Character(s):
Green Hornet II [Britt Reid II]; Kato II [Hayashi Kato]; Daily Sentinel reporter Mike Axford (from 1960s TV version; first NOW Comics use; chronologically earlier appearances in Tales of the Green Hornet, 1991 series [aka Vol. 2] #4 and same title, 1992 series [aka Vol. 3], #3); Britt Reid I; Ikano Kato; Marie Kato; Mishi Kato; martial arts filmmaker Kazuya Fujikawa (I); his daughter, martial arts film actress Aiasha Fujikawa (I); Mr. Edwin Lewis (I, V; first name revealed next issue); Pinter Marcus (I, V)
Synopsis:
June 14, 1977 (per a Daily Sentinel front page, p. 13): As the second Green Hornet & Kato team break up a drug ring in The City, the senior partner receives a bullet wound to the upper left arm. The injury is superficial, but enough to put him out of action for a while (and to make him think about "retirement"). Hayashi consequently opts to accept a long-standing invitation to visit his family back in Japan and catches a flight "the next day." The two Britts find nothing more interesting in the drug ring's captured records, made available to them by District Attorney Diana Reid (no appearance), than the "reference to something called 'The Burma Horse.'" After a mere three days of inactivity, Kato is restless. Little sister Mishi recommends he enter a martial arts competition, under a pseudonym so as to not reveal the fact that Britt Reid's butler is a practioner of kung fu. "Ikano Kurosawa" catches the eye of chop-socky film producer Kazuya Fujikawa, who offers Kato the lead role in his next picture. He and the man's daughter, martial artist/actress Aiasha, have caught each other's eyes, as well. A trans-oceanic telephone call confirms that the younger Britt's arm needs more time to heal (it is now described as "broken"), so he agrees. There is one proviso, however, which is for Kato to keep his eyes open, as the script, about jade smuggling in the Far East, includes one such object called "The Burma Horse"! Furthermore, the production schedule calls for "three weeks principle filming in Thailand" to be followed by shooting a few final scenes in The City, making the shared term quite suspicious. During the Thai shoot, the new star is bothered by the use of mini-trampolines for "spectacular" but obviously faked stunts, as well as the many crates of equipment that are never opened. This, Aiasha explains, is the result of a desire to not run short of supplies while on location. As for Kato's other concern, his leading lady adds, "Not EVERYTHING in the movie is faked." Meanwhile, the real head of the drug ring, Mr. Lewis, learns that his front man was arrested due to the Hornet's intervention, and instructs his second-in-command, Pinter Marcus, that if the masked man should interfere in Lewis' operations again, he is to be killed! Concluded next issue....
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:
Miscellaneous
Pages:
24
Notes:
1. The art here depicts Green Hornet II wielding the sonic-wave device from the 1960s TV series known as the Hornet Sting, and dialogue describes it as such. However, the only function demonstrated is the emission of the green-colored, sleep-inducing Hornet Gas which was dispensed by a handgun there. 2. Either Dell Barras experimented in his choice of specific medium for his painted work, or NOW did so with its printing process, or the two simply did not jibe, as the resultant comic pages are frequently too murky and/or vertically streaked for the effect to have been intentional. This continues in the one remaining issue of this series, but was not subsequently repeated. 3. The Thailand location of the movie in this story is an homage to "The Big Boss/Fists of Fury," the first starring film for the 1960s Hornet TV show's Kato, Bruce Lee.
Detail
Now
0 
Notes:
Germany
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom
My Collection
My Favorite Pages
Ask for Support
Report Bug
Review Site
View Cover Detail
View Extra Large
