Green Hornet (2018) Ongoing Discussion - Modern Continuity Mulan Kato is GH!!!

[Captain Craig]

^^^
The idea of self-"demotion" down to Kato would be interesting. I say that in quotes because I understand most GH fans hold Kato as equal if not better a fighter than GH.

[MajorHoy]

I really enjoyed the issue. I wonder if Britt Jr. is planning on taking on the Kato role to Mulan's Green Hornet. He is wearing a very Kato type outfit at the end of the issue, like you pointed out, and the synopsis at the end of the issue indicates that he is refusing to reclaim the Green Hornet mantle. Could be an interesting turn of events if it happens.

Or, if Dynamite wanted to have fun, Britt Jr. could take a new identity: The Crimson Wasp!

For those who don't know,


NOW Comics had featured a female Kato back in the 1990's, named Mishi Kato, who was the daughter of the original Kato. However, when the Green Hornet, Inc. (who NOW was licensing the characters from) eventually wanted the comics to go back to the previous (male) Kato, NOW later made Mishi into "The Crimson Wasp".

[JasonTodd428]

Or, if Dynamite wanted to have fun, Britt Jr. could take a new identity: The Crimson Wasp!

For those who don't know,


NOW Comics had featured a female Kato back in the 1990's, named Mishi Kato, who was the daughter of the original Kato. However, when the Green Hornet, Inc. (who NOW was licensing the characters from) eventually wanted the comics to go back to the previous (male) Kato, NOW later made Mishi into "The Crimson Wasp".

That could be interesting.

[Captain Craig]

Looking at that Crimson Wasp now(no pun intended) for the first time in a long long time makes me think the look is inspired by DC's Katana somewhat.

I would love for those NOW issues to be collected in a nice format, OHC is my preference. It is a nice run of issues something like 50-60 including a mini-series or two.

[MajorHoy]

Or, if Dynamite wanted to have fun, Britt Jr. could take a new identity: The Crimson Wasp!

For those who don't know,


NOW Comics had featured a female Kato back in the 1990's, named Mishi Kato, who was the daughter of the original Kato. However, when the Green Hornet, Inc. (who NOW was licensing the characters from) eventually wanted the comics to go back to the previous (male) Kato, NOW later made Mishi into "The Crimson Wasp".

That could be interesting.

They'd probably have to come up with a new costume for him, though.

[JasonTodd428]

They'd probably have to come up with a new costume for him, though.

Obviously.

[MajorHoy]

Green Hornet #2 - Mulan's first actual action as the Green Hornet starts as you might expect. Some opposing mobs foot soldiers don't buy that she is the Green Hornet. Kato(her father) allows her to get a bit overworked while stating he had her back the whole time. Clutch, the mechanic(think Harold from 90s Batman run but hipper), gives Mulan grief for bringing Black Beauty 2.0 back so banged up.

In the comic book, it's referred to as "Black Beauty 3.0".
I'm assuming the original from 1930s/1940s or the 1960s would be the first one, then "2.0" would be which ever version Mulan was driving back when she was Kato?

Also, why are they bothering with masks and "secret identities"?
It was bad enough that Kato's code-name was . . . "Kato", but during the battle with the thugs he called "Green Hornet" by her real name of Mulan, and she later referred to Kato as "Dad" in front of a thug and the police.

The Sentinel is being backed into a Buyout by a rival publisher while they are seemingly being scooped about this new Green Hornet. Britt Reid Jr is still MIA and Mulan and Tai are tasked with using all available resources of the Sentinel to find out more. So off to Istanbul they go ...

What's up with that? I thought Mulan was suppose to be focusing on preserving a presence by the Green Hornet in Century City?

... to meet with the last person to see Britt alive. I'm drawing a blank on the name but he used to be a college roommate of Britts and both are/were in some secret 'Skulls/Crossbones' type outfit.

For some ungodly reason, they gave that character the name "Sebastian Cabot". REALLY???


16th Century explorer


20th Century actor; played Mr. French on Family Affair

Just as he's starting to explain that part to Mulan, queue up the dark dressed ninja operative. Fight ensues, the boat they are on....sunk. A mysterious boat pulls alongside Mulan, calls her by name and she and Tai jump in to see.....a darkly dressed and bearded Britt Reid Jr in a Kato type outfit.

My guess about the Kato-type outfit is that Britt had been in disguise as the chauffer that picked up Mulan and Tai at the airport in Istanbul. (We saw him from behind in that one panel, but we also caught a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror in that same panel.)

As for my overall opinion, I'm still not thrilled with the writing or the artwork. I'll give it another issue or three before I decide on staying with it long-term or dropping this.

[Captain Craig]

Black Beauty 3.0, my bad, could've been a typo on my part.

Sebastian Cabot- thanks for that name corollary that is interesting indeed. Almost makes you think there might be something there in some regards. Either future plot point or inside joke?

I agree that Mulan heading off to Istanbul is an early narrative issue since it was said keeping up the guise of Green Hornet in Century City, protecting their "turf", was of paramount importance.

[Captain Craig]

Green Hornet #3

Green Hornet v2 n3.jpg


The mysterious group known as Espada is hot on the trail of Mulan, Britt and Tai. They have sent their top operative Oko to handle the situation.
Early in the issue Britt makes a mild joke about how for once he is glad to drive. Tai is let in on the secret of Green Hornet and told it ties back to her Sentinel contract about non-disclosure yada, yada, yada.
Our "Hornets" managed to dodge Oko but he does not give up easy. Expect him to be chasing them again next issue. Britt/Mulan will be continuing to try and find out why Espada wanted Sebastian dead.


Wondering if next issue we'll get some scenes back home in Century City and how things are there.


Also as a sidebar I was able to pick up 24 assorted Green Hornet single issues from the NOW publishing era during Free Comic Book Day earlier this month. Sadly they are sprinkled between volumes 1 & 2 but a number in each volume are consecutive. My new hunt is to complete these runs.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Did Britt Jr. and Mulan have a fling offscreen?

[MajorHoy]

Did Britt Jr. and Mulan have a fling offscreen?

Don't they always?

(Actually, this wasn't a full romp in the hay, and it might have some other . . . implications.)

[Captain Craig]

GHv2 4.jpg

Green Hornet #4
With the team all reunited and Clutch now with them we pick up as they are headed to one of his remote "Hornet Nests" locations.
We also learn that Clutch knows some Cantonese but isn't fluent. That the Espada group is likely funding itself via large amounts of cryptocurrency being transferred into Shell Corps that Tai points out thanks to intel from back home via video feed with Sr.Kato. He's trying to stave off the buyout still ongoing there.
Meanwhile the foe of this story, OKO, is coming out publicly as a hero. Makes some sense as GH poses as a bad guy. They really do seem to be setting OKO up as a relevant foe meant to be the GH's Joker/Lex/Goblin in ways other new era foes have not.
OKO sets a trap for GH&Kato for which they unfortunately walk right into. OKO unveils to a camera audience that he has caught them and reaches to unmask Mulan through the cage......TO BE CONTINUED!!


The patience of this new status quo and groundwork for this arc really came together this issue. The concluding 2 issues I expect will be good and more firmly establish the direction of the series. Britt, like too many men, chooses the wrong time to try and address lingering issues the two have. I see a few posts up it poised did the "hook up" and I seem to recall that they did. Time to pull out my GH volume 1 issues and do some skimming.

Other than the Britt/Mulan relationship matter what else about the issue was of interest to Hornet fans?

[MajorHoy]

Finally bought and read issue #5 over the weekend. I had planned to drop this book after maybe issue #6, but reading #5 makes me think the series has now ended?
It had some interesting potential when I first heard about this run, but instead it just became a muddled mess with yet another(!) Green Hornet story featuring "mystery character posing as a hero who's really just a villain" trope.
Lame.

[Dylan Davison]

Finally bought and read issue #5 over the weekend. I had planned to drop this book after maybe issue #6, but reading #5 makes me think the series has now ended?
It had some interesting potential when I first heard about this run, but instead it just became a muddled mess with yet another(!) Green Hornet story featuring "mystery character posing as a hero who's really just a villain" trope.
Lame.

I really enjoyed this miniseries (I guess). Amy is quickly becoming a favorite writer. But yeah, sadly, I kinda figured it was done when it didn't show up in August, September or October's Solicitations.

[MajorHoy]

I really enjoyed this miniseries (I guess). Amy is quickly becoming a favorite writer. But yeah, sadly, I kinda figured it was done when it didn't show up in August, September or October's Solicitations.

As I mentioned previously, this whole thing was too muddled.
Mulan had taken on the Green Hornet mantle to take back his identity/presence in Century City, then is out of the country for a good chunk of the run?
Does nobody worry about preserving "secret identities" anymore? As far as I know, Britt hadn't gone public with being the Green Hornet, but Mulan is still calling him "Britt" in fights, even when he's in the role of "Kato" as late as issue #5! (Britt also did the same with Mulan in that issue.)
If they hadn't ended the series with that issue, I would have dropped the book after this issue's wrap-up.