Comic Info
Comic Name: Hercules (Limited Series)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Luke Ross/Emilio Laiso/Goran Sudzuka/Dalibor Talajic
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2016
Hercules #4
Reprints Hercules #1-6 (January 2016-June 2016). For years, Hercules has been a joke. His carefree style of fighting has brought destruction and damage and his drunken revelry are just as legendary as his labors. Hercules is trying to change all of it, but his decision might have come too late. There is something hunting immortals and the Rising Storm seems to make the term “immortal” a thing of the past. Hercules, Gilgamesh, and others who once thought themselves unkillable are facing a new threat…and this danger might be too great for even Hercules to overcome!
Written by Dan Abnett, Hercules: Still Going Strong is a six-issue limited series. Falling under Marvel’s “All-New All-Different” line, the collection features art primarily by Luke Ross but with additional art by Emilio Laiso, Goran Sudzuka and Dalibor Talajic.
Hercules is one of my favorite Avengers. He was part of the team when I started reading, and I always liked his “likes to fight” nature. Here, Hercules is facing the consequences of this behavior. The story is an interesting tale of redemption…but it has a major problem.
Hercules has kind of been aimless most of his comic book career. The character is fun, but he often doesn’t have much of a goal. The Prince of Power limited series were an interesting trek through space with the immortal aspect of Hercules, and Greg Pak’s Incredible Herc (which took over the Incredible Hulk comic after World War Hulk) was a fun read with the convoluted Chaos War tied in. Abnett seeks to give Hercules a purpose…or a “labor” here.
Hercules #6
The comic comes at you fast. Hercules is almost like Angel in the Buffy the Vampire spinoff series as he casually deals with threats in the New York City area while interacting with other immortals. It is a worthwhile concept, but it is also set-up to build to the Uprising Storm which seeks to wipe out immortals…also a decent storyline. Unfortunately for Hercules, the series is truncated.
Though it is often now considered a “limited series”, I think Hercules was supposed to be a much longer idea that got slammed by average sales. The series ends just as it gets going. Rather continuing as Hercules, the series is finished up in the four issue Civil War II limited series Civil War II: Gods of War…but you wouldn’t know that here. The story just ends on a dark note.
Hercules always has my back when it comes to a comic book, but he also is a character that if written right is a better team player than a solo book holder. This collection demonstrates that Hercules can work as a lead character, but he also isn’t top tier enough to make it with characters like Spider-Man and even Captain America who can carry their own books. Hercules is immortal, and I hope he keeps coming back for more.
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