Best Hercules Artist?

[JulianPerez]

Many characters vary when drawn by different artists, but none quite as much as Hercules. It says something about how visual comics are, that when you change one thing about a character's appearance, its assumed things about their personality differ, too (many others have debated the significance of Peter Parker losing his glasses, for instance).

For me, the best Hercules artist is Don Heck, who drew Hercules in the god's initial stories in the Avengers along with Roy Thomas. The reason is, Don Heck drew Hercules as being sort of like a bearded version of Tony Stark, only with big shoulders - in other words, Don Heck drew Hercules as a dead-ringer for Hollywood legend Steve Reeves (a fact that causes Hawkeye to crack, "Awww, I'll bet this fella turns into Steeve Reeves at midnight!"). Hercules under Heck was plausibly a divine immortal. Nobody else except Heck got Hercules's hair quite right - Heck drew it as being black, big and thick and not really combed; it reminds me of how Jim Aparo drew Batman's hair as Bruce Wayne.

Heck, a detail-centered artist, also did Hercules's skirt and sash with each individual scale delinated.

And it should also be noted that Don Heck was the first to replace Hercules's superhero-style "H" belt buckle that Kirby gave him, with a much more detailed and "mythological" Lion-headed belt buckle.

I wouldn't call him the "worst" Hercules artist, but John Buscema (who did Hercules in the Avengers in the sixties) is typical of a problem with Hercules's depictions: he drew Hercules as overly muscular and enormously bearded. Whereas Heck made Hercules dashing, John Buscema made Hercules an overly rangy cross between a crazy hobo and a lumberjack.

Buscema was the first to show Hercules in this way, and it's often unfortunate to see that Buscema's "Grizzly Adams" depiction was more influential than Heck's "Commander Riker" - George Perez, for instance, when he drew Hercules in Morgan's world, drew him in the Buscema style with a huge Babylonian beard and foam-flecked lips and gnashed teeth. John Buscema drew Hercules even more crazier and scarier when he worked with Roger Stern and had the art finished by Tom Palmer. Palmer/Buscema made Hercules look like a particularly irate pirate.

Other Hercules artists:

Jack Kirby - The King did Hercules back in the original JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY ANNUAL #1 that brought Hercules into the Marvel Universe, and Kirby's rendition of the character is off in one key way: the goofy "High School Wrestler" earmuff/headband combo. You can see it explicitly in the cover to that annual as a wrestler's headband - thankfully, someone with their head screwed on right put the kibosh on that idea. Kirby's best Hercules moment was in MIGHTY THOR #129, the second to last page, in the panel where Hercules discovers he's about to be sucked into the netherworld, possibly forever. His eyes are wide and pitiable.

Bob Hall. The artist during the second half of the Bill Mantlo CHAMPIONS run, of which Hercules was a member, Bob Hall's depiction of Hercules was less detailed - his sash, for instance, looked like leather instead of chain. But Hercules's musculature by Hall was delinated and shapely (dang, I wish *I* had a body like Bob Hall gave Hercules). If I have any criticism of Hall, it is that the extended leather of Hercules's leg pieces under him look painted on, like superhero spandex.

Bob Layton. My second-favorite Hercules artist, after Heck (and my favorite Hercules writer ever). He did the HERCULES: PRINCE OF POWER miniseries. Under Layton, boy, did Hercules have personality! Layton let Hercules grin, and even showed the gleam in Hercules's eye when he wanted to beat a person up! There was also the look of absolute terror in issue #2 when Hercules noticed that his bedmate Layana was getting a little too clingy. Hercules was emotional under Layton - his expression varied from moment to moment. Hercules was depicted as always runnning, always with his fists balled up. Layton also drew Hercules's most incredible superfeats since the dumptruck-chucking Thor/Hercules battles in the Kirby MIGHTY THOR, notably the rescue of a freighter he hurled into space in issue #2.

[Tony Starkz]

John Buscema's rendition of Herc is the best.I don't see how you call his depiction the worst.

[marshal99]

I like Ron Frenz's Hercules when he make guest appearances on Thor.

[Clint Barton]

Seconded for John Buscema!

[JulianPerez]

As much as I do like John Buscema as an artist, the problem with his Hercules at least to me is that because of the way Buscema drew him, Hercules's personality characteristics changed - or that is to say, the emphasis of his characterization changed. This is what I meant by the whole business about how "art affects personality." Buscema drew him as being a big, hobo-bearded and an overmuscled gorilla, whereas Heck and Kirby drew him as a more dashing figure.

In Heck and Kirby's stories, Hercules's dominant personality characteristics was his gregariousness (he used to go into places and play the guitar; everyone thought he was doing "folk rock!") and his combat-readiness and love for battle. In other words, his "swashbuckling" personality characteristics. He still had them, under other artists, to be sure - he liked to be boastful during fights, for instance, but I'm talking about which characteristics are the most EMPHASIZED.

On the other hand, come Buscema, the emphasis was on Hercules's RAGE. Certainly Hercules always had a hair-trigger temper, but it was not more apparent because Buscema drew him with clenched teeth, furrowed brow, and wild, angry eyes a great deal - made him a scarier figure. Buscema also drew him as a more sullen figure that was prone to brooking no insult and being by himself. True, Hercules was always unhappy in his exile, however, under Buscema, he sulked a lot and looked pensive: the best example I can think of is Hercules's "thinker" poses in Avengers Mansion in the Diablo/Dragon Man story arc in AVENGERS #41-42.

I will admit that Buscema's Hercules did have a much more solid body type - he certainly felt a lot bigger, especially with the low-angle panel construction where the reader looked UP at him a lot of the time. .

[Babylon23]

I have to go with Buscema a well. His 80's Hercules is the one that comes to mind when I think of the character. His Hercules certainly came across as a powerful heroic figure.

Layton, Heck, Perez and Kirby all produced excellent versions of Herc as well.

Worst would go to any artist drawing Hercules during the 90's bomber jacket period of Avengers.

[Leebenhouse]

I have to go with Buscema a well. His 80's Hercules is the one that comes to mind when I think of the character. His Hercules certainly came across as a powerful heroic figure.

Layton, Heck, Perez and Kirby all produced excellent versions of Herc as well.

Worst would go to any artist drawing Hercules during the 90's bomber jacket period of Avengers.
Agreed!! Herc looks like some lame soap star without the trademark Beard!!! Layton was pretty good too.

[marshal99]

The Hulk vs Herc one shot had awsome artwork in it. I believe Dale Keown was the artist and it was done in the 90's. Anyone remeber this?

Not Dale Keown , Mike Deodato was the artist.

[nuclearman]

http://www.marveldirectory.com/pics/picsh/hercules.gif

[Leebenhouse]

And yknow what, Herc should be hairy as all hell, since after all he is greek...

[JulianPerez]

And yknow what, Herc should be hairy as all hell, since after all he is greek...

TRUE - but there's good hairy, I think, and "bad" hairy. Bob Layton, for instance, was great at "good" hairy. He gave Hercules chest hair and arm hair and what-have-you that made him look macho, manly and rangy. Other artists went overboard on this and made Hercules look like a gorilla.

It shouldn't surprise anybody because I'm such an unabashed fan of the Heck look, but I always liked the Heck "lion-head" used in the early AVENGERS and CHAMPIONS years over the many itinerations of the "H" belt buckle. For one thing, it was "busier," for another, the "H" buckle was a bit too superheroic and didn't suggest a character of great antiquity.

Bob Layton did a great "H" buckle "compromise" design, that looked both superheroic and "ancient world" at the same time.

The 90s Hercules look didn't do it for me, because...well, it didn't really look like Hercules! It was a breath of fresh air to see that Perez put Herk back in his old school togs at least temporarily in Morgan's World during that Avengers arc.

[Mitchel]

John Buscema is the definite Hercules artist for me.

[Tony Starkz]

The Hulk vs Herc one shot had awsome artwork in it. I believe Dale Keown was the artist and it was done in the 90's. Anyone remeber this?

Issue name?Gotta track this down.

[riotgear]

I like Ron Frenz's Hercules when he make guest appearances on Thor.

That's what I was going to say. I loved the Herc: Heart of Chaos mini he did back in, what was it, '97?

[riotgear]

Issue name?Gotta track this down.

Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=42271364524%201

[Kirk G]

Gotta put my two cents in:
Don Heck was NOT the best Hercules artist.
My vote goes to Jack Kirby, if only because he drew him initially like Steve Reeves... and it was Heck who couldn't draw him suffiencently different from Tony Stark. Despite the ear muffs, I still say Jack Kirby. After all, it is known that Kirby not only was a wrestler/scrapper when he was young, but he also loved the fights... hense, the continually re-occurring wrestler theme in Fantastic Four, The Thing, and in the basic long-john superhero costume that garbed the FF originally, Ant-Man, and Unis the Untouchable... just look for it and you'll see it through early issues of Captain America, the Avengers under Cap's Kookie Quartett and in Spider-Man. The wrestling motiff comes through clearly in everything Kirby drew....

The Bob Layton Hercules is my second favorite, after that initial Hercules cover from Avengers #38, volume 1... so I have to tip my hat to (was it Don Heck?) whoever drew it. It DOES look just like Steve Reeves. (Did Marvel ever get sued over this, or get a cease and decist order?)

[JulianPerez]

Gotta put my two cents in:
Don Heck was NOT the best Hercules artist.
My vote goes to Jack Kirby, if only because he drew him initially like Steve Reeves...

As much as I admire Kirby, it took other artists to really inject Hercules with a lot of personality, because Kirby essentially drew Herk as another "Kirby Muscleman," with the Kirby body and fingers and so forth...Kirby had many strengths, but faces were not among them; Kirby drew his faces the same, generally, so how could it be said he made Hercules look like anybody?

After all, it is known that Kirby not only was a wrestler/scrapper when he was young, but he also loved the fights...

Oh, now you're talking!

That's Kirby's really big contribution to Hercules, was this sense of power, and these incredible feats and fights (though Bob Layton, with some of his Hercules stunts certainly equalled). MIGHTY THOR #126 by Kirby, for instance, had Hercules:

Smash an entire convoy truck like an accordion between Thor

Throw a construction machine wheel like a discus

Kick aside a hurled dump truck

Knock an ENTIRE TENAMENT BUILDING, stone and all onto Thor (and the thing fell apart bricks and all - it always bugged me about the Byrne FANTASTIC FOUR that Gladiator picked up the Baxter Building...but it held together and didn't crumble)

The Bob Layton Hercules is my second favorite, after that initial Hercules cover from Avengers #38, volume 1... so I have to tip my hat to (was it Don Heck?) whoever drew it. It DOES look just like Steve Reeves. (Did Marvel ever get sued over this, or get a cease and decist order?)

That was a great cover - and it was Don Heck pencils over George Bell inks.

Incidentally, that was the first appearance of Hercules's headband. As much as I like Bob Layton, I was never a fan of the "Ferengi" French Foreign Legion style scaled hugger that cave over the back of his head.

[Hombre]

Hercules was a regular supporting character when Gerry Conway wrote Thor in the early 70s, comics I have an inordinate fondness for.

So, as far as I'm concerned, the best Hercules was drawn by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, who damn near drew the best Thor, too.

[Mitchel]

Hercules was a regular supporting character when Gerry Conway wrote Thor in the early 70s, comics I have an inordinate fondness for.

So, as far as I'm concerned, the best Hercules was drawn by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, who damn near drew the best Thor, too.


I agree 100%, the Buscema/Sinnot fight between Thor & Hercules is one of the best stuff by Buscema I have ever seen. Not to mention this is the best Thor run I have ever read.

[Tony Starkz]

Wait until we see McNiven draw Hercules in CW.

[marshal99]

Knock an ENTIRE TENAMENT BUILDING, stone and all onto Thor (and the thing fell apart bricks and all - it always bugged me about the Byrne FANTASTIC FOUR that Gladiator picked up the Baxter Building...but it held together and didn't crumble)


And i suppose towing the entire island of Manhatten by chains is more believable. :p
http://www.captaincomics.us/archives/sillymoments/images/sillyherc.jpg

[Kirk G]

I agree 100%, the Buscema/Sinnot fight between Thor & Hercules is one of the best stuff by Buscema I have ever seen. Not to mention this is the best Thor run I have ever read.
Issue number or cover scan please!

[Kirk G]

Knock an ENTIRE TENAMENT BUILDING, stone and all onto Thor (and the thing fell apart bricks and all - it always bugged me about the Byrne FANTASTIC FOUR that Gladiator picked up the Baxter Building...but it held together and didn't crumble)
.

This has been a most common complain across time.
Remember when Doctor Doom stole the Baxter Bldg by having Subby hide a "grabber" inside it back in FF #6? It didn't crumble then... even when flying in space.

Ditto, when young Christopher tried the same trick in Byrne's run, the Baxter Bldg didn't crumble... but it did explode...

The first time I heard this complaint was in relation to Hulk Annual #1 (with the great Steranko cover) when he lifts the entire fortress by a stone/masonary corner and it doesn't crumble.

You know, sometime you just have to go for willing suspension of disbelief....
After all... it IS a comic book... :)

[bloodyarts]

...it always bugged me about the Byrne FANTASTIC FOUR that Gladiator picked up the Baxter Building...but it held together and didn't crumble)


Well, Reed himself was puzzled as to why the Baxter Building didn't collapse, and when he deduced the secret of Gladiator's power, he also explained what Gladiator did to keep the building from crumbling under it's own weight.

[Stephane Garrelie]

Bob Layton.
And John Buscema.

[Babylon23]

Hercules was a regular supporting character when Gerry Conway wrote Thor in the early 70s, comics I have an inordinate fondness for.

So, as far as I'm concerned, the best Hercules was drawn by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, who damn near drew the best Thor, too.

Buscema was really in his element drawing fantasy stuff. From his Conan work to Thor, this was Buscame's forte.

As much as I love the Buscema/Sinnott team, my favourite Buscema inker is Tom Palmer. I consider their Avengers work, both in the 60's and the 80's, to be the best Avengers artwork ever. I don't think Olympus and the Greek Gods ever looked better than they did in the Stern/Buscema/Palmer Avengers.

[Kirk G]

Exception: Hercules and the Olympians under Kirby, circa Thor 124-130 is primo!

[Zero Hunter]

I am going to go with Layton. The "Prince of Power" trilogy are still some of my all time favorites.

[Babylon23]

Exception: Hercules and the Olympians under Kirby, circa Thor 124-130 is primo!

Good point. I'd forgotten about that one.

[Sam T.]

I am going to go with Layton. The "Prince of Power" trilogy are still some of my all time favorites.


One of my favorites too!!