The 1st issue of The Green Hornet was a comic book published by NOW Comics. It was the first issue of their eponymous Green Hornet series. It was released in November 1989 and went through a second printing with an alternate cover. It contained a single story, "My Last Case."
"My Last Case"[]
Appearances[]
Synopsis[]
1955: As night falls over the sprawling Reid Estate, it's owner, Britt Reid, sits down at a typewriter in his study and begins to write his memoir. He starts with a brief history of the Reid family prior to his birth: the death of his grandfather (a Texas Ranger murdered in an ambush), and how his father attended a school for journalism, and eventually founded The Daily Sentinel newspaper. Britt then covers his birth in 1906, and how even from adolescence he wanted to be a newspaper man like his father.
In 1935, Britt joined his parents on a two-month trip to "the far East", and it was on this trip that Britt saved the life of a man named Ikano Kato, who believed himself to be indebted to Reid for his actions. Kato returned with the Reids to the United States. Upon their return, Britt was getting more infuriated by the rampant gangland wars taking place in his city. Inspired by his "illustrious ancestor," Britt decided that he was going to become a vigilante, one that posed as criminal but was in fact on the side of law and order. Dubbing himself the "Green Hornet," Britt and Kato took their fight against crime to the streets for almost a decade.
December, 1945: After dealing with the thugs of mafia boss Gatland Tobias, Britt tells Police Commissioner Higgins (who knows of Britt's dual-identity) that after Tobias is put away, he intends to retire The Green Hornet.
Several days later, Gatland Tobias calls a meeting in his penthouse office, and tells one of his most trusted men, Joey DeVane, that he has lung cancer. Knowing his days are numbered, Tobias plans one last attack before his passing that he needs DeVane to organize, and gives him a detailed list of instructions.
Meanwhile, Britt Reid and his fiancée Ruth Hopkins arrive at the Reid Estate, where a small party is being thrown for Jack Reid, who has returned home from the front lines of World War Two. After the party, Ikano tells Britt and Helen that since the war is over, he intends to return to his home country of Japan.
The following night, Gatland's attack on the city begins, starting with a drive-by shooting of police headquarters, followed by a bombing of city hall. As more police arrive on the scene, they're quickly gunned down by the thugs before they can return fire. Britt and Kato race to the Daily Sentinel office, where a massive hole has been blown into the building and several employees had been shot. Mike Axford tells Britt that Ruth had been taken by Tobias' thugs. As the city burns, Britt and Kato quickly race back to the apartment and take off the Black Beauty, now in their vigilante disguises.
Fighting their way through Tobias' penthouse, Kato is shot in the leg by one of the henchmen, but tells the Hornet not to worry about him and just save Ruth. Eventually coming face-to-face with Tobias on his high-rise balcony above the burning buildings around them, a fist fight breaks out between Gatland and the (accidentally) unmasked Britt. Britt manages to lift Gatland off from on top of him and tosses the older gangster off the roof and into the flames below.
Britt's memoir then briefly covers major events in his life in the 10 years since "Bloody Sunday": his marriage to Ruth in December of '45, the birth of his daughter Diana in 1947, and Ikano's life after returning to Japan. In the Fall of 1949, Britt's father, Dan Reid Jr., died of a heart attack. As per his request, Britt, his brother Jack, and Jack's two sons Britt II and Tom took Dan's ashes to Texas, where they were to be buried beside his father in a little canyon called Bryan's Gap. After burying the ashes, Britt told his brother and nephews about his former life as The Green Hornet.
Catching up to the current day of 1955, Britt finishes his memoir by saying Britt II had revealed to him that one day he wants to be the next Green Hornet, to which the elder Britt says "Why not?"
Cover Gallery[]
