Hard Time = Good Time

I recently came across a series that DC Comics put forth in 2004.  It was called Hard Time and was sold under a new DC Comics imprint called DC Focus.  The idea of DC Focus was to feature super-powered characters who did not follow the traditional format of classic superhero adventures.  It was a precursor to NBC's Heroes TV show premise.

Hard Time focuses on 15-year-old Ethan Harrow.  For years,  the jocks bullied Ethan and his friend Brandon. Ethan and Brandon plan a "fake" school shooting as a way of getting back at the jocks. Unfortunately, things went wrong and Brandon goes a bit psychotic and winds up shooting several students and teachers.  As Ethan later tells his lawyer, "it was supposed to be a joke. Brandon told me the guns were loaded with blanks."  Ethan is initially in shock; but when Brandon points his gun at girl that Ethan likes, Ethan tries to stop him. Unsuccessful at first, Ethan's fiery superpower emerges, killing Brandon.  Although Ethan was not directly involved with the murders, he was tried as an adult and given fifty years to life in prison with eligibility for parole in the year 2053.  

This back story and school scene are told fairly quickly and the remainder of the series focuses on Ethan's time behind bars.  I have already read the first ten issues (quickly) and am already feeling a bit gloomy and nostalgic knowing that I only have nine issues left.  I want to savor each and every one.  The storytelling is magnificent.  These are real characters (albeit criminals) with defined personalities.  Steve Gerber (unfortunately now deceased and best known for creating Howard the Duck) was a remarkable writer.  Not only do we get to know Ethan and his family situation more, but we get to learn about the distinct personalities,  mannerisms, and personal philosophies of the criminals that surround him every day in his new "life."  One of my favorites is Cindy, the transgender boy who appears innocent at first, but can't be trusted.  He/she has been incarcerated for awhile now, has taken a protector boyfriend, has many allies, and knows the ropes.  You don't want to mess with shim. 

Ethan's power(s) are slowly revealed throughout the series as he learns to use them to make things happen throughout the prison.  I won't go into too much detail because I appreciate the way Steve Gerber revealed things about Ethan and his supporting characters throughout the series.  I feel that the story should be experienced the same way I experienced it:  by a full reading.  

The final issue is set in the future, when Ethan gets released from prison after fifty years' service.  To correspond with DC Comics' "One Year Later" storyline that ran across all their titles in 2006, Hard Time: Season Two #7 (the final issue) carries a similar logo that reads "49 Years Later."  I'm looking forward to reading that final issue to see how everyone's life turns out.  It's a shame, though, that this series was canceled.  It's truly been one of the best comic book series (or books, for that matter) that I've read in quite some time.  

Check out:  Hard Time: 50 to Life