It seems to me that over the years, Hercules continually screws up by either trusting a pretty woman, or by failing to consider that "a pretty face might hide an evil mind." (to paraphrase Johnny Rivers in "Secret Agent Man".)
While this may be consistant characterization, it also shows that he just don't learn.
How many examples of Herc being duped by a woman can we come up with?
I'll start with Herc'ules being conned into signing an Olympian contract to rule the Underworld by Pluto and his beautiful assistant in Thor #128.
Then, advancing to Avengers #38, it's the enchantress who brings Hercules to fight against the Avengers by convincing him that they are his enemies.
Now, there's a cute Thor issue someplace after Walt Simonson where Herc pushs Thor off the cover to impress a cutie. (What issue is that?) who exclaims, "Oh Herc, You're just so Godly!" ... and I suspect this has been done a bit before in reverse.
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Pluto's beautiful assistant was actually Marvel's version of Hippolyta. Was that a response to Hercules being the bad guy/buffoon in several Wonder Woman stories?
I don't have it in front of me but Herc was also duped by an "innocent" girl from his first "in-the-future" miniseries where it was later revealed that she had a son by him whom she taught to hate him!
Oh, you mean the push Thor off the cover stunt! Might be. That's a good thought.
Mark S. Ogilgvie said:
Yes, Philip, that's the name I wasn't sure of. I don't think I've ever seen Hippolyta show up again... or at least I didn't recognise her as being the charmer that Jack Kirby drew.
I'm thinking that Herc's appearances in those classic Jack Kirby issues of 1965-66 were in response to seeing the Steve Reeves italian Hercules movies on late night or early sunday matineer TV repeats. I don't know what was going on over in DC at the time. GoGo checks? The appearance of the yellow circle on Batman's chest?
Edit: Courtesy of Mike's Kang Time Platform (what a handy tool!) I've just looked at what was occurring in marvel and DC at this time period, and I can tell you judging from the covers, yes, I was dead on regarding the go-go checks. I'm seeing villians like Egg-Fu, the Cheeata, the Paper man, and nothing that suggests Hercules. However, there was one cover that suggested that Wonder Woman was about to spill the beans about her past, the Amazons and all her secrets... at least until a male hand was clamped over her mouth on the cover.
I assume you must be speaking of another period in Wonder Woman's history. I'm unfamiar with it.
Calling Mr. S.A., Paging Mr. Silver Age... "When did Hercules appear as a continuing dufas in Wonder Woman....and did it influence Marvel's portrayal of the half-bred godling?
Philip Portelli said:
Marvel's Hippolyta was killed off in The Incredible Hercules a few years ago.
Well, that would certainly explain why I haven't seen her around!! LOL!
Cause we all know that death in comics is permanent! LOL!
Rich Lane said:
I know that I'm going to regret asking this... but how did Hippolyta die?
I don't recall how Marvel's Hippolyta died but I do remember that she appeared in Champions #1-3.
I was thinking of several stories where DC's Hippolyta embarassed that Hercules here but Marston's Hercules as well as Perez's was the villain of those tales!
Did anyone else feel that Hipolyta and Moonstone looked an awful lot alike?
Did Hercules friend Hylas ever turn up in any of the comics?
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