The Feminine Mystique 1

This is part of a series of posts about the characters, storylines and universe of Rob Hanes Adventures, under the label RHAUniverse… 

Here are a few of the women Rob has crossed paths with in the series (with more to come!)

First up is Tiffany Lance, reporter from Find Magazine whose pursuit of a story often takes priority over her personal safety, as well as, occasionally, her friendship with Rob. Though her reporting and his troubleshooting work often put them at odds, off the clock and on the road, they’re FWBs—and, as long as a story isn’t involved, the one person Rob can trust. 

First appearance: “The Assassin” (collected in The Rob Hanes Archives trade paperback), where Rob is hired to protect her from a hired killer but she mistakes him as the hitman. Most notably, she wrote a cover story about Rob for an issue of Find magazine (RHA #13). She’s slated to return in upcoming issue 26!

Caroline Cromwell (nee Wilde) is Rob’s unrequited crush—a spoiled heiress Rob met on one of his earliest assignments, who showed her true mettle when the chips were down. Though Rob eventually develops feelings for her, her family marries her off to crooked Anthony Cromwell, a narcissistic two-bit grifter from an otherwise prominent family, after they squandered her trust fund. Out of a misplaced sense of duty, she remains committed to the marriage and redeeming Cromwell. 

First appearance: Way back in Rob’s first published story, “Meet Rob Hanes,” collected in The Rob Hanes Archives. Usually appears whenever Cromwell pops up on Rob’s radar, involved in yet another criminal scheme. Fun fact—Caroline and her story arc were inspired by a similar love triangle involving the characters of Pat Ryan, Normandie Drake and Anthony Sandhurst in Milton Caniff’s Terry and the Pirates (in the RHA universe, Cromwell is Sandhurst’s grandson).

Lorelei Thornfield, niece to the two Lady Agathas, is yet another spoiled rich girl. Though her adventuresome aunts dote on Rob and often try to match her with Lorelei, she remains immune to Rob’s charms. 

Lorelei and her aunts first appeared in “The Two Lady Agathas,” also collected in The Rob Hanes Archives. They returned in “Death on the Moors” (RHA #7), a drawing room murder mystery. Most recently, she appeared solo in issue 23. Fun fact—Lorelei’s look was initially inspired by actress Mia Sara (Ferris Buehler’s Day Off). 

Still to come: Isabel Corbeil; Irina Taushina, Suzette French; Julianne Love, Katya Vilnius, and Madame Minx!