The Clock: Where Comic-Book Heroics Meet Real-World Tech

June 13, 2025 by Kali Quix

Green Archer Comics’ The Clock began as a vibrant web series that blends old-school heroism with modern cybercrime battles. Created by Allan Liska, written by Weyodi Oldbear, and illustrated by Dale Deforest, it reimagines the 1940s Press Guardian as a Comanche vigilante confronting hackers and misinformation in today’s digital landscape. In its opening arc, The Clock targets criminals siphoning funds from a food bank, tackling issues like ransomware with a gritty, contemporary edge. What makes the series stand out is its clever use of the Network Time Protocol (NTP), seamlessly woven into the plot as a tool for the hero’s tech-savvy exploits.

In reality, NTP is the Internet’s silent timekeeper. Developed in 1985 by Dr. David L. Mills, it synchronizes device clocks to within milliseconds, ensuring precision for online banking transactions and cybersecurity logs. Without NTP, a timing error could disrupt a payment or obscure a hacker’s trail, causing digital systems to become unstable and disarray. It’s an unsung workhorse, quietly coordinating millions of devices to keep the internet running smoothly.

In The Clock, NTP gets a bold, comic-book twist. The hero wields it like a time-bending weapon, outsmarting hackers by exploiting the precision of their digital clocks. In one scene, Tani thwarts a ransomware attack by manipulating timing in the hackers’ code—a creative leap from NTP’s actual function, but a thrilling way to highlight its importance. The comic underscores how timing can be a game-changer, transforming a technical protocol into a narrative spark.

Compare that to the real world, where NTP’s strength lies in its reliability, not theatrics. It synchronizes global networks with unassuming efficiency, yet it’s not invulnerable—hackers can exploit NTP servers for disruptive attacks like DDoS, echoing the villains Tani fights in The Clock. The series’ playful take on NTP bridges fiction and reality, making the protocol’s role in our digital lives feel vivid and relevant.

The Clock is more than a superhero romp; it’s a clever gateway to understanding the tech that powers our world. For comic fans and tech enthusiasts alike, it offers a fresh blend of action and insight, showing how even obscure tools like NTP can inspire compelling stories. Dive into this indie gem—you’ll come away entertained and just a bit smarter about the digital age.

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