World Famous Comics: Incredible Hercules: Against The World Premiere HC (Incredible Hercules)
Incredible Hercules: Against The World Premiere HC (Incredible Hercules)
By: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente Publisher: Marvel Comics Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Marvel Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 136 Publication Date: July 09, 2008 Reading Level: Young Adult
Product Description: In the wake of World War Hulk, the Mighty Avengers are hot on the heels of unrepentant renegades Hercules and Amadeus Cho. Driven into a mindless berserker rage by Ares, Herc has become the critical piece of Cho's plan to utterly destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. What is Cho's master plan to wipe out the spy agency...and is he willing to get Herc killed to do it? Guest-starring the Champions of Los Angeles! Yes, seriously! Collecting Incredible Hercules #112-115 and Hulk Vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide.
By far the most delightful surprise from Marvel in years. Hercules is the original Western hero, and I've always referred to him as the original superhero; his mythic exploits have entertained generations of young people (usually in heavily-bowdlerized form, removing such issues as his pederasty, adultery, and overt bloodymindedness). Since he's been in the public domain for millenia, Both DC and Marvel Comics have versions of him; DC's is a minor villainous figure in the "Wonder Woman" mythos, while Marvel's Herc has been a dependable supporting cast member for "Thor" and "The Avengers"; he debuted in the mid-1960s as a foyle/ally for Marvel's chief mythic hero, Thor, and has since turned up frequently as a team-member or guest star, occasionally getting his own spotlight (most notably a pair of well-regarded miniseries by Bob Layton in the 1980s which followed his adventures in an alternate future). The last few years have been pretty good for Herc; he got a major supporting role in Marvel 2006 mega-event "Civil War" (including the final issue's Big Damn Hero moment), and then was drafted into "The Incredible Hulk" as a supporting castmember, before taking over the title, beginning with #112, which is where this collection picks up.
To set the stage, "World War Hulk" (the Hulk's misguided revenge spree that ended in his defeat) is over, and Hercules, together with boy genius Amadeus Cho, find themselves on the losing end, and must decide what to do next (their companions, Angel and Namora, depart quickly, but one suspects we'll be seeing more of the latter). Herc wants to make peace with SHIELD, trying not to make the same mistakes he tends to make (picking the wrong side, as his brother Ares puts it), while Cho, who blames SHIELD for the Hulk's fate, and generally as a part of the military-industrial complex, is more interested in destroying the world's premiere anti-terrorism agency. Herc changes his tune when he finds out that his brother Ares, God of War, now a member of Iron Man's Mighty Avengers, has authority over him, and he and Cho end up on the run together, making for Herc's sister Athena's house in Vermont, with Ares, Wonder Man, and Black Widow (one of Herc's ex-girlfriends) on his tail. Herc just wants to reach his sister, while Cho is out to cause havoc, and Ares is out to abuse his newfound authority to settle some very old grudges. Also included is the "Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide" special, which relates an old encounter between the two, and develops some interesting contrasts between the two.
Writers Greg Pak (formerly the solo writer of "The Incredible Hulk" and "World War Hulk") and Fred Van Lente ("Action Philosophers", "Marvel Adventures Iron Man") produce a wonderful story; in just four issues, this series rocketed to the #2 spot on my monthly comics list (#1 being "Captain America"). Their writing is a masterful blend of classical mythology of the Greeks and the modern mythology of superhero comics; Herc's ancient history and his Marvel history have never been so well-integrated as they are here. Each issue is anchored around some comparisons between old exploits and his modern character, and there's a sort of humourous, intelligent didacticism at work that is incredibly appealing. The writers expertly capture the character of Hercules, who is usually written as a goofy counterpart to Thor, but, as they acknowledge, also has more than a little tragedy in his life (look for a major, surprising revelation near the end about his past history). Ares is a magnificent villain; frequently hilarious, but also written with the dignity of a god, and when he starts explaining his reasons for hating Hercules, one can sort of see his point. Amadeus Cho, a character I found to be incredibly annoying in past stories, gets much, much better here, as Pak and Van Lente finally give him something of a humbling. The art is principally by Khoi Pham, with Reilly Brown, Bob Layton, and a few others contributing to the "Hulk vs. Hercules" special; it is all very well-done.
This comic has it all: great action, utterly hilarious humour, and a lot of intelligence. I can't recommend it highly enough.
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