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Hardware (comics)
Encyclopedia
Hardware is a fictional character
, a comic book
superhero
published by DC Comics
. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics
imprint, he first appeared in Hardware #1 (April 1993), and was created by Dwayne McDuffie
and Denys Cowan
.
, Icon
, and Static) was one of the company's flagship titles.
Curtis "Curt" Metcalf was a working class
child prodigy
who was discovered aged 12/13 by a big-time businessman, Edwin Alva Sr., who with the blessing of Curt's parents, enrolled Curt in "A Better Chance" - "a program intended to get minority
students into elite prep schools". Curt proved to be much smarter than all the other prep school
students, graduating aged 14, and earning his first college
degree aged 15. Edwin Alva Sr. paid for Curt's whole college tuition
up to six additional college degrees, in exchange for Curt coming to work for Alva Industries (in the "Inspiration Factory") after graduation, with his "own lab, entirely too big a salary, and mandate to indulge (his) curiosity by investigating whatever struck (his) fancy"; and Curt's inventions made Edwin Alva Sr. millions of dollars.
After a few years, Curt, wanting a share of profits earned by his inventions, asked Edwin Alva Sr. for a "royalty point or two". Edwin Alva Sr.'s answer was, "Curtis let us dispense with any misconceptions you may be labouring under. You are not 'family
'. You are an employee. Neither are you 'Heir apparent
'. You are a cog in the machine. My machine. You are not 'respected', Curtis. You are merely 'useful'. You may go now." Curt's first thought was to quit, but it was in his contract that he could not work for a competitor: "If (he wanted) to work in (his) field (of expertise), (he) had to do it for Alva."
Curt thought that maybe, with some advanced hacking
, he could find something on Alva Sr to use as leverage, but found that almost everything about Edwin Alva Sr. was "Stone Cold Crooked":
Curt: "It took me weeks to put it all together, but the evidence was clear and incontrovertible. Edwin Alva Sr. is at the center of an incredibly complex web of corruption. My benefactor and role model, the economic savior and humanitarian pillar of the city of Dakota has connections to organized crime. He launders tens of millions of dollars in drug money, he has most of the city and state government in is his pocket, he illegally manufactures weapons and sells them to foreign governments."
Curt decided to stop Alva first by anonymously sending "copies of evidence to the FBI
, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the state and local police, several newspapers and, just for fun, Hard Copy
and A Current Affair." Then he waited a while for the fireworks, but learned that Alva was too big, beyond the reach of the law, so Curtis Metcalf then decided that maybe Alva wasn't beyond his reach; so with Alva's own equipment and resources, Curt created "Hardware - the High Tech Creature of the Night, who's been checkmating Alva's illegal operations for the last ten months is, in a way Alva's own creation."
So just about every night Curt dons a selection of his many high tech gadgets - (which he hides away in an abandoned basement/bomb shelter, connected to Curt's private lab by an old, sealed-off elevator shaft hidden behind a huge bank of machinery that can be swung away from the wall like a door) to track down and destroy all of Alva's illegal business operations and Alva's factories where weapons of war are manufactured. "This used to be a bomb shelter. Now it's where I keep all the stuff I've scammed from Alva. He's turned the city upside down looking for Hardware. I live in his basement."
Hardware works with many other superheros over his career, such as Blood Syndicate
and Icon. He even teams up with a few that he considers fictional, such as Steel and Superman
. In one instance, he assists in the evacuation of Utopia Park, a newly built theme park, which is being destroyed by riots.
(as chronicled in Final Crisis
), the space-time continuum was torn asunder, threatening the existence of both the Dakotaverse and the mainstream DC universe. The being known as Dharma was able to use energies that he harnessed from Rift (upon that being's defeat in Worlds Collide
) to merge the two universes, creating an entirely new continuity. Only Dharma, Icon
and Superman
are aware that Dakota and its inhabitants ever existed in a parallel universe.
In the revised continuity, Hardware and the other Milestone characters have apparently always existed in the DC Universe
. The first non-Dakota heroes he encounters are the Justice League of America
, whom he meets while aiding the Shadow Cabinet
in kidnapping Kimiyo Hoshi
, and stealing the remains of Arthur Light
.
During the mission, he defeats Red Arrow
, and expresses an attraction to Vixen
. After attempting to flee the Justice League Satellite
with Light's shrunken corpse, Hardware is surprised and beaten into unconsciousness by Hawkman. It is later revealed that, during her brief period of captivity, Hardware gave Kimiyo a new costume which can collect and assimilate light energy. Due to this new function on her suit, Kimiyo is able to regain her powers and Dr. Light identity after Curtis gives her Arthur's remains.
Soon after, Hardware teamed up with Blue Beetle in order to stop SYSTEM smugglers from selling stolen Alva Industries technology to the notorious Intergang
. The pair of heroes were ambushed by one of the smugglers wearing advanced SYSTEMatic powered armor designed by the new Gizmo
, an ally of SYSTEM. Hardware begrudgingly realized he needed the Beetle's help to defeat the smugglers and capture the stolen weaponry. Despite his initial dislike of Blue Beetle, Hardware and the young hero part on friendly terms after successfully rounding up the smugglers.
Hardware later appears in the aftermath of the JLA's dissolution following Final Crisis
. After raiding the hideout of Dakota crime lord Holocaust
, he is forced into helping the remaining Justice League members track down Dr. Light
, who went missing while chasing Shadow Thief and Starbreaker. Using a tracer installed in her costume, Hardware is able to track Dr. Light and the others to the Shadow Cabinet's HQ, Shadowspire. There, Hardware and the League confront Starbreaker, who has transformed into a massive being made of energy after consuming Dharma's blood.
During the battle, Hardware is successfully able to persuade young hero Firestorm from killing Shadow Thief, a feat that impresses Vixen. Thanks to the energy collectors in Dr. Light's suit and some assistance from John Stewart
of the Green Lantern Corps
, the group is able to defeat Starbreaker once and for all.
, Hardware becomes a mentor of sorts to Static, who has now left Dakota and moved to New York City. He provides the youth with a new costume and modified flying disk which possesses a holographic interface that allows them to communicate over vast distances. He also gets Static a job as an intern at the New York branch of STAR Labs.
, Richie Foley develops super powers, and when he decides to come up with a superhero name, Hardware is one of the names he considers, but Static tells him the name is already taken.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
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...
. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics
Milestone Media
Milestone Media is a company best known for creating Milestone Comics and securing an unheard of publishing and distribution deal with DC Comics and the Static Shock cartoon series. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers Milestone Media is a company best known...
imprint, he first appeared in Hardware #1 (April 1993), and was created by Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone...
and Denys Cowan
Denys Cowan
Denys B. Cowan is an American comic book artist and television producer. He gained prominence as the primary artist on The Question, an acclaimed comic book series published by DC Comics for 36 issues from 1987 on, written by Dennis O'Neil.-Career:Denys Cowan is a 1979 graduate of the High School...
.
Publication history
Hardware was the first of Milestone's titles to be published, and (along with Blood SyndicateBlood Syndicate
The Blood Syndicate is a fictional multicultural gang of superhumans created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in Blood Syndicate #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr...
, Icon
Icon (comics)
Icon is a fictional superhero, a comic book character published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Icon #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
, and Static) was one of the company's flagship titles.
Fictional character biography
Curtis "Curt" Metcalf is a genius inventor who, in his Hardware identity, uses a variety of high-tech gadgets to fight organised crime. A central irony of the series (of which Metcalf is fully aware) is that Metcalf's employer, respected businessman Edwin Alva - who provides the resources Metcalf uses to create Hardware's hardware - is secretly the crime boss who Hardware is trying to bring down.Curtis "Curt" Metcalf was a working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
who was discovered aged 12/13 by a big-time businessman, Edwin Alva Sr., who with the blessing of Curt's parents, enrolled Curt in "A Better Chance" - "a program intended to get minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
students into elite prep schools". Curt proved to be much smarter than all the other prep school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
students, graduating aged 14, and earning his first college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
degree aged 15. Edwin Alva Sr. paid for Curt's whole college tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
up to six additional college degrees, in exchange for Curt coming to work for Alva Industries (in the "Inspiration Factory") after graduation, with his "own lab, entirely too big a salary, and mandate to indulge (his) curiosity by investigating whatever struck (his) fancy"; and Curt's inventions made Edwin Alva Sr. millions of dollars.
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
'. You are an employee. Neither are you 'Heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
'. You are a cog in the machine. My machine. You are not 'respected', Curtis. You are merely 'useful'. You may go now." Curt's first thought was to quit, but it was in his contract that he could not work for a competitor: "If (he wanted) to work in (his) field (of expertise), (he) had to do it for Alva."
Curt thought that maybe, with some advanced hacking
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
, he could find something on Alva Sr to use as leverage, but found that almost everything about Edwin Alva Sr. was "Stone Cold Crooked":
Curt: "It took me weeks to put it all together, but the evidence was clear and incontrovertible. Edwin Alva Sr. is at the center of an incredibly complex web of corruption. My benefactor and role model, the economic savior and humanitarian pillar of the city of Dakota has connections to organized crime. He launders tens of millions of dollars in drug money, he has most of the city and state government in is his pocket, he illegally manufactures weapons and sells them to foreign governments."
Curt decided to stop Alva first by anonymously sending "copies of evidence to the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the state and local police, several newspapers and, just for fun, Hard Copy
Hard Copy
Hard Copy is an American tabloid news television show that ran in syndication from 1989 to 1999. Hard Copy was aggressive in its use of questionable material on television, including gratuitous violence....
and A Current Affair." Then he waited a while for the fireworks, but learned that Alva was too big, beyond the reach of the law, so Curtis Metcalf then decided that maybe Alva wasn't beyond his reach; so with Alva's own equipment and resources, Curt created "Hardware - the High Tech Creature of the Night, who's been checkmating Alva's illegal operations for the last ten months is, in a way Alva's own creation."
So just about every night Curt dons a selection of his many high tech gadgets - (which he hides away in an abandoned basement/bomb shelter, connected to Curt's private lab by an old, sealed-off elevator shaft hidden behind a huge bank of machinery that can be swung away from the wall like a door) to track down and destroy all of Alva's illegal business operations and Alva's factories where weapons of war are manufactured. "This used to be a bomb shelter. Now it's where I keep all the stuff I've scammed from Alva. He's turned the city upside down looking for Hardware. I live in his basement."
Hardware works with many other superheros over his career, such as Blood Syndicate
Blood Syndicate
The Blood Syndicate is a fictional multicultural gang of superhumans created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in Blood Syndicate #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr...
and Icon. He even teams up with a few that he considers fictional, such as Steel and Superman
Superman
Superman 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...
. In one instance, he assists in the evacuation of Utopia Park, a newly built theme park, which is being destroyed by riots.
DC Universe
Following the death of DarkseidDarkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
(as chronicled in Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
), the space-time continuum was torn asunder, threatening the existence of both the Dakotaverse and the mainstream DC universe. The being known as Dharma was able to use energies that he harnessed from Rift (upon that being's defeat in Worlds Collide
Worlds Collide (comics)
"Worlds Collide" is an intercompany crossover event presented in July 1994 in the Milestone Comics titles and the Superman-related titles published by DC Comics. A one-shot comic title of the same name was written by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez Jr...
) to merge the two universes, creating an entirely new continuity. Only Dharma, Icon
Icon (comics)
Icon is a fictional superhero, a comic book character published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Icon #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
and Superman
Superman
Superman 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...
are aware that Dakota and its inhabitants ever existed in a parallel universe.
In the revised continuity, Hardware and the other Milestone characters have apparently always existed in the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. The first non-Dakota heroes he encounters are the Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, whom he meets while aiding the Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet (comics)
The Shadow Cabinet is a team of fictional superheroes created by Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Shadow Cabinet #0 , and were created by Dwayne McDuffie, Robert L. Washington III and John Paul Leon...
in kidnapping Kimiyo Hoshi
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
, and stealing the remains of Arthur Light
Doctor Light (Arthur Light)
Doctor Arthur Light is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the third individual to have adopted the persona of Doctor Light, after a Golden Age foe of Doctor Mid-Nite and Arthur's associate Jacob Finlay...
.
During the mission, he defeats Red Arrow
Roy Harper (comics)
Roy Harper is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He was known for over fifty years as Green Arrow's teenage sidekick Speedy. He first appeared alongside his mentor in More Fun Comics #73...
, and expresses an attraction to Vixen
Vixen (comics)
Vixen is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics universe. She debuted in Action Comics #521 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner.-Publication history:...
. After attempting to flee the Justice League Satellite
Justice League Satellite
The Justice League Satellite is the name of two fictional locations, both of which were used as bases of operations for the DC Comics superhero team the Justice League of America.-First satellite:...
with Light's shrunken corpse, Hardware is surprised and beaten into unconsciousness by Hawkman. It is later revealed that, during her brief period of captivity, Hardware gave Kimiyo a new costume which can collect and assimilate light energy. Due to this new function on her suit, Kimiyo is able to regain her powers and Dr. Light identity after Curtis gives her Arthur's remains.
Soon after, Hardware teamed up with Blue Beetle in order to stop SYSTEM smugglers from selling stolen Alva Industries technology to the notorious Intergang
Intergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...
. The pair of heroes were ambushed by one of the smugglers wearing advanced SYSTEMatic powered armor designed by the new Gizmo
Gizmo (comics)
Gizmo is a fictional character, a supervillain from DC Comics. He was created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman, and he first appeared in The New Teen Titans #3 as a founding member of the Fearsome Five, a supervillain team that frequently fought the Teen Titans and the Outsiders.-Mikron...
, an ally of SYSTEM. Hardware begrudgingly realized he needed the Beetle's help to defeat the smugglers and capture the stolen weaponry. Despite his initial dislike of Blue Beetle, Hardware and the young hero part on friendly terms after successfully rounding up the smugglers.
Hardware later appears in the aftermath of the JLA's dissolution following Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
. After raiding the hideout of Dakota crime lord Holocaust
Holocaust (DC Comics)
Holocaust is a fictional character in the Milestone Comics universe. Created as part of the Blood Syndicate for Milestone Media, the character has since gone on to become a gangster and supervillain.-Publication history:...
, he is forced into helping the remaining Justice League members track down Dr. Light
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
, who went missing while chasing Shadow Thief and Starbreaker. Using a tracer installed in her costume, Hardware is able to track Dr. Light and the others to the Shadow Cabinet's HQ, Shadowspire. There, Hardware and the League confront Starbreaker, who has transformed into a massive being made of energy after consuming Dharma's blood.
During the battle, Hardware is successfully able to persuade young hero Firestorm from killing Shadow Thief, a feat that impresses Vixen. Thanks to the energy collectors in Dr. Light's suit and some assistance from John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
of the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
, the group is able to defeat Starbreaker once and for all.
Another new beginning
Following the events of FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, Hardware becomes a mentor of sorts to Static, who has now left Dakota and moved to New York City. He provides the youth with a new costume and modified flying disk which possesses a holographic interface that allows them to communicate over vast distances. He also gets Static a job as an intern at the New York branch of STAR Labs.
Supporting characters
- Barraki Young - Curtis' girlfriend.
- Don "Jolly Jock" Cornelius - a mob leader, by faking the death of Hardware at the hands of Harm, Harm was left in control of Cornelius' mob sector in Dakota.
- Deacon "Phreaky Deak" Stuart - a hardcore computer hacker, a friend of Curtis Metcalf's; Deacon "Phreaky Deak" Stuart was first introduced in issue 5.
- Deathwish (Wilton Johnson) - a psychotic vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
obsessed with sex related crimes. He was the victim of a brutal family raping of which only he survived. Deathwish was first introduced in issue 5 going up against Hardware; Deathwish appeared in Hardware six times and got his own 4 issue spinoff mini-series in December, 1994. It was notable for its use of a pre-operative transsexual protagonist and the exclamation to close the third issue: "Fuck art! Let's dance!" (The comic was penned by Maddie BlausteinMaddie BlausteinMadeleine Joan Blaustein was an American voice actress...
). - Edwin Alva, Sr. - owner of Alva Industries and is the leader of the Indigo Cell in the S.Y.S.T.E.M. organization.
- Harm (Nick Pugliese) - a super-human mob enforcer who is actually an undercover cop, introduced in issue 10.
- Reprise - a super-human hitman with the power to make duplicates of himself.
- Technique (Tiffany Evans) - a phenom, introduced in issue 9, who under Alva's orders became Technique to stop Hardware; in the resulting battle Technique beats up on Hardware badly, teaching him a lesson in humility.
- Transit - a teleporting superhuman villain.
Powers and abilities
Curtis Metcalf possesses no superhuman powers but has genius level intelligence, and is considered one of the most brilliant scientific minds on the planet. He has created breakthroughs in metallurgy, computer science, nanotechnology, and plasma weapons. Metcalf is also a good hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained by his father in the martial arts.Equipment
Armor provides enhanced strength, flight, a host of internal weaponry, and pre-recorded katas allowing for it to respond instantly in a combat situation where his natural fighting skills are insufficient.- On-Board Computer: Hardware's computer, nicknamed "DOBIE (Digital On-Board Integrated Electronics)" is scattered about his person. The wafer-thin CPU is generally on his hip, and up to 6 separate hard drives are worn strapped or otherwise attached to his costume at various points. While DOBIE can output to practically any monitor, it traditionally displays its output to Hardware through a heads-up display in his helmet.
- Voice Synthesizer: Curt Metcalf uses a synthesizer to alter his speaking voice to Hardware's cold, intimidating tone. The device can also be used to allow Hardware to project a number of different voices, male and female. Linked to Obie's language modules, it can translate English vocal input into a number of foreign languages.
- Neural Net: An electrical field that painfully disrupts the nervous systemNervous systemThe nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
of anyone it touches, fired from a forearm-mounted cannon. It paralyzes its victim completely for at least 4 minutes, although the average human will require an extra 20 to recover. - Skylark: Hardware's primary transport vehicle is a "flying carFlying car (fiction)In fiction, a flying car is a car that can be flown in much the same way as a car may be driven. In some cases such flying cars can also be driven on roads....
" called Skylark. The Skylark has vertical take-off and landing capabilities and travels at up to 400 MPH. It has bulletproof windows and chassis. The Skylark is equipped with state-of-the-art, on-board crime-fighting gear and is often modified to interact with additional equipment. - Jet-Pack: Hardware's Jet PackJet packJet pack, rocket belt, rocket pack, and similar names are various types of devices, usually worn on the back, that are propelled by jets of escaping gases so as to allow a single user to fly....
is a collapsible, personal short-range propulsion rig with turbine thrusters that gather the surrounding air, then expel it in a continuous stream. At maximum thrust, the Jet-Pack has only about three minutes of fuel. Because of the heat and thrust generated, Hardware must replace most of the unit every two or three uses, allowing him to experiment with new designs regularly. - Plasma Whip: Hardware's expandable whipWhipA whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
is actually a telescoping metal chain, 10 inches long when collapsed, up to 15 feet long when fully extended. It can be charged at its tip with high-energy plasma. - Retractable Sword: Hardware carries an 18-inch wrist-mounted blade, and a 30-inch blade mounted to the outside of his forearm.
In other media
In "Gear," an episode of the animated series Static ShockStatic Shock
Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
, Richie Foley develops super powers, and when he decides to come up with a superhero name, Hardware is one of the names he considers, but Static tells him the name is already taken.
External links
- World of Black Heroes: Hardware Biography
- Hardware at the DC Database
- Hardware at International Hero