I've managed to get my hands on digital copies of what I believe to be the entire late 80s/early 90s Green Hornet line from Now Comics. This works out to about 75 books, spanning multiple series.
This blog was built largely to help sort this kind of stuff out. It's normally quite easy to identify when the flagship series came out, but it's sometimes more challenging to determine when the various one-shots, mini-series, etc., all came about and where they fit in the big picture.
There was some confusion here from the get go because what appeared to be the first issue of the main Green Hornet series was referred to as volume two in the credits. This is indeed the first GH book published by Now, but it was the second printing of it, with a different cover, which may have led to the odd identification.
Whatever. Now that that's settled, let's dive in right from the starting point which, based on the title, appears to also be an ending.
Writer Ron Fortier devotes the first few pages to providing a breakdown of the Reid family history, including the most famous one in the Lone Ranger. It's stated quite plainly that The Ranger serves as an inspiration for the Green Hornet.
We're told the Hornet began his crime-fighting operations in 1936 and that this final case takes place in 1945. At the tail-end of that range, the Hornet and Kato rescue a bookkeeper from being whacked by hoods. The bookkeeper is the chief accountant for a crime boss named Tobias, and he's willing to go to the police with what he knows.
And now we've established why a supposed crime figure like the Green Hornet would work with the police. At least, we've worked out the public version. In a more private environment, the Hornet and police chief get on quite nicely, as it turns out.
This Tobias character has problems of his own, but he aims to leave this mortal coil leaving a mark.
While that simmers, we're told that the Green Hornet, as Britt Reid, is in a relationship with one Ruth Hopkins. As the two lovebirds attend a family event together, Kato announces to his employer that he plans on returning home.
"Home" is Japan, in this case. Depending on the social climate at the time that the duo's adventures were being broadcast/published, Kato's nationality has fluctuated. Earlier material identified him as Filipino. All that is adroitly looked after in just a few panels.
(It may be noteworthy that this is Ikano Kato, father of Hayashi Kato, that I believe to be the primary version of the character. I stand to be corrected, however)
But just as Reid and Kato are contemplating retirement, Tobias launches a bold attack on City Hall and...The Sentinel newspaper!
The Hornet will hardly retire while Ruth Hopkins is being threatened! So he and Kato set off to what they recognize as an obvious trap to draw out Britt Reid. They're just willing to spring it under ghe circumstances.
The Green Hornet and Kato fight their way through the building full of thugs. Kato is injured, leaving the Hornet for the final confrontation with Tobias.
Over the book's remaining pages, we are treated to the rest of Britt's memoirs. They, and a comprehensive timeline, serve to both let us know what happened the other characters in the preceding story and to set the stage for the modern day (1990 at the time version of the character).
Having read a little bit out of order while trying to figure out which book came first, I believe the 1960s was a particularly big deal for the Reid and Kato families.
The image at the top displays the second printing cover. the original was by Jim Steranko and is displayed below.
Now...This series carried on for an additional 13 issues, so perhaps referring to it as that Green Hornet's "last case" was premature. We'll find out soon if we're looking forward to flashbacks or new adventures of the old guard. Either way, this was a great introduction.
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