The Baron's Initial Reaction Upon Reading Herc 6.1

[The Baron]

Well, it's a "filler" issue, but it's a good "filler" issue.  It's a sort of flashback in which Hermes informs Zeus that Herc raided some kind of an Olympian weapons locker, and Zeus - subject to nagging from Hera - orders Hermes to find Herc and punish him. Hermes sets off in search of Herc and learns a bit about the changes in Herc's life.

 

Herc is a fun book. It's like my monthly reminder that there are fun comics in the world.  It ties itself in to whatever aberrant nonsense is currently going on in the greater Marvel Universe, but manages it in such a way that it doesn't feel intrusive.  I really like this book.  It's the only Marvel book that I'm reading currently. As such, it's sort-of like there was this big family where you used to be friends with alot of the members, but you lost touch with all but one of them, so now you hear of their exploits solely through the one family member you've kept in touch with.

[Dagwan]

That's a nice analogy, Baron!

 

Herc is consistently well-written and drawn, and has been one of Marvel's best comics since he stole the title from the Incredible Hulk back during World War Hulk.

 

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -Groucho Marx

Check out the Secret Headquarters (my store) website! Comics and Games for Everyone!

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[Philip Portelli]

I'm a Greek mythology buff since I saw Star Trek's "Who Mourns For Adonis?" episode but it's great that Hercules has finally become such a  major character in the comics that equals his legendary status.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I bought the collected editions of the previous Herc series on you guys' say-so, so if the new series continues to get good word-of-mouth here, I may buy collected editions of the new series in the future.

[Alan M.]

I was just listening to the latest iFanboy podcast, and they were just saying that Herc is being cancelled with issue 10. :(

 

I haven't seen confirmation of this elsewhere yet, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Philip Portelli]

If it is, why have a .1 issue in the first place?

[Dagwan]

Marvel had a great idea with the .1 initiative. It's too bad they didn't use it.

 

For the record, the idea was, "Special introductory issues that are a terrific jumping on point for new readers." So far, I think exactly one comic, Invincible Iron Man, really lived up to that idea. The rest have all interrupted stories in progress, and went right back to them the next issue.

 

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -Groucho Marx

Check out the Secret Headquarters (my store) website! Comics and Games for Everyone!

I used to listen to WOXY.com; It was the future of rock-n-roll! RIP WOXY

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[The Baron]

Is it "cancelled for good" cancelled, or just "cancelled so we can bring it back in a month or two with a slightly different name" cancelled, which has happened to this book twice before?

[Rich Lane]

The sad part is that when he reappears, he may likely go back to Elizabethan English and be presented as a total dolt rather than a cagey fighter who simply isn't that bright.

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

I thought this book made the perfect use of the .1 idea. It was done-in-one, and laid out the premise of the title while providing a complete story. I really liked it, despite the art. (Sorry, even in his prime, I've never been a fan of Mike Grell.)

[Philip Portelli]

A possible theory: with Thor once more rising in prominence with his movie, action figures, toy hammers and The Avengers movie next year, could Marvel be de-emphasizing Hercules? He's not in any of the Avengers' books and has not even guest-starred in The Mighty Thor. He was pushed when Thor was gone and now that he's back, he's second string again?

And if Marvel is spotlighting the movie Avengers, why did they stop the Hawkeye and Black Widow ongoings?