Hercules Appreciation

**Vic's Aegis** · 07-03-2012, 09:42 PM

I think this would have been a great cover to the Hercules/Wolverine mini series! They should have gone with this as a variant or on the trade paperback! Would love to see this finished by Jusko!

**Beacon** · 07-03-2012, 10:10 PM

Amadeus Cho is an American. Why would he be representing Korea? Why not have the Falcon represent Africa too?

**Habis** · 07-03-2012, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Beacon

Amadeus Cho is an American. Why would he be representing Korea? Why not have the Falcon represent Africa too?

Good point. I forgot Amadeus was born in America, and not in Korea. I will remove him.

**Nomads1** · 07-04-2012, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by Habis

Give back Hercules his powers, bring back the Champions as an international group (instead of an american government-controlled group, like the Avengers):

Greece: Hercules.
Great Britain: Spitfire.
Ireland: Banshee.
Russia: Darkstar.
Germany: Blitzkrieg.
France: Docteur Q.
Italy: Blue Belt.
China: Radioactive Man.
Japan: Sunpyre.
Vietnam: Mantis.
South Africa: Vibrania.
Somalia: Lightbringht.
Mexico: Bonita Juarez.
Canada: Talisman (what? did you think I was going to say Wolverine?).
USA: Moondragon (what? did you think I was going to say Captain America? this is supposed to be an international group, and Steve is the director of the MU counterpart to CIA).

There are too many of them, but I guess they could take turns (half in watch service and half in reserve).

I like the idea of an international team. I've been advocating a more international line-up of the Avengers in many threads of this forum, however, the first snag you'll hit on your idea is the name. Marvel lost the rights to it many years ago, and never seemed to be able to get it back. So, I'd go with the substitute they used the last time they wanted to make a Champions team: The Order. After all, isn't that what they are going to do? Give order to the world?

As for the line-up, fully powered up Hercules is a must. But who would lead such a team? I doubt the UN would back Herc on this (as much as I love him) and many heroes probably wouldn't be likely to follow him. It'd have to be a big name like the Black Panther or a National hero such as Guardian (Red or otherwise) or one of the Captains. I'd go with Vindicator. Never was much of a fan of Heather, but Mac is leading AF, and she has leadership experience. I'd also go with more famous faces in your line-up. Love Spitfire, but Lionheart would scream more England. Le Peregrine is a more known French hero. Loved the Radioactive Man idea. Sunpyre instead of Sunfire, could be. Bonita Juarez (Firebird) is a US citzen. She is from NEW Mexico, not Mexico. What about guys like Namor, or aliens such as Century or Starfox to boost the ranks? I love the idea of Marvel's JLI.

Peace

**Habis** · 07-04-2012, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Nomads1

I like the idea of an international team. I've been advocating a more international line-up of the adventures in many threads of this forum, however, the first snag you'll hit on your idea is the name. Marvel lost the rights to it many years ago, and never seemed to be able to get it back. So, I'd go with the substitute they used the last time they wanted to make a Champions team: The Order. After all, isn't that what they are going to do? Give order to the world?

As for the line-up, fully powered up Hercules is a must. But who would lead such a team? I doubt the UN would back Herc on this (as much as I love him) and many heroes probably wouldn't be likely to follow him. It'd have to be a big name like the Black Panther or a National hero such as Guardian (Red or otherwise) or one of the Captains. I'd go with Vindicator. Never was much of a fan of Heather, but Mac is leading AF, and she has leadership experience. I'd also go with more famous faces in your line-up. Love Spitfire, but Lionheart would scream more England. Le Peregrine is a more known French hero. Loved the Radioactive Man idea. Sunpyre instead of Sunfire, could be. Bonita Juarez (Firebird) is a US citzen. She is from NEW Mexico, not Mexico. What about guys like Namor, or aliens such as Century or Starfox to boost the ranks? I love the idea of Marvel's JLI.

Peace

The Order would be fine. It gives an "Authority" vibe that pleases me, and would send a clear message: "We are the new protectors of the world; if you disturbe its peace, we´ll go after you and make you pay".

I will leave Firebird/Bonita Juarez were she is; she can easily be retconned into having been born in Mexico, or even as having lived all her life in Mexico, and what the heck, the mexicans deserve some cool heroes.

Of all that group, I think only Banshee could be leader; only he has the experience and brains (Hercules has more experience, but not a estrategic mind, Docteur Q is smart, but has not experience playing in the big leages).

If we include Black Panther, he should be leader (he would be the best leader material, on par with Steve Rogers). I don´t like that the only cool and popular african character comes from a fictional and utterly unrealistic country (let admit it, Vibrania and Lightbright are there only for quote purposes; Marvel Comics just can´t create cool african characters, mostly because they don´t know a thing about Africa and wouldn´t know where to start), but I guess he could represent the continent as a whole (but I would try to make Wakanda look a bit more real-life ancient african kingdoms, like Timbuktu or Ife).

If we include an Atlantean representative, I think it should be Namorita rather than Namor, since she´s a better team player. Namor would do as he pleased, and would make a mess; Namor only works well in a group when all the others are as powerful and has personalities as strong as him, being able to keep him in line (Defenders), or when everyone else in the group are already good friends or at least good teammates, and don´t allow his diva complex to ruin the group´s dinamic (Avengers, X-men).

I´m not sure if the Inhumans are still in deep space, or back on Earth (they weren´t in the Blue Area during AvX, but they are no longer heads of the Kree Empire either), so I won´t include an inhuman representative for now. If I were to include one, I think it should be Crystal.

So, the lineup would be something like:

Wakanda: Black Panther (Team Leader)
Atlantis: Namorita.
Greece: Hercules.
Great Britain: Spitfire.
Ireland: Banshee.
Russia: Darkstar.
Germany: Blitzkrieg.
France: Docteur Q.
Italy: Blue Belt.
China: Radioactive Man.
Japan: Sunpyre.
Vietnam: Mantis.
South Africa: Vibrania.
Somalia: Lightbringht.
Mexico: Bonita Juarez (Firebird).
Canada: Talisman (what? did you think I was going to say Wolverine?).
USA: Moondragon (what? did you think I was going to say Captain America? this is supposed to be an international group, and Steve is the director of the MU counterpart to CIA).

**Walter West** · 07-04-2012, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Vic's Aegis

Went to Wondercon this past weekend and scored a couple of Herc related comics. I picked up Marvel Premier 26 and Marvel Two in One 44. I have never read either of these and just wanted to check them out. I am by no means expecting these to be great comics, but hopefully just fun entertainment. I also picked up a few Avengers (1st series) issues around the 355-380's featuring Herc - no not the entire run of those issues, just about 8 of them.

Didn't hear any news on Herc from Marvel...I'm waiting till Comic-Con (which I'm not attending) for news and for after AvX to see what transpires. It seems that a lot of new ideas and writers will be coming on to the Avengers books and hopefully one of them will pull Herc on to a team.

Wow, I had that Marvel Two in One comic way back when it came out. They have to try and free the Olympian gods, I think. Something about them being frozen in ice. The Thing makes some cheesy joke about Monty Python when they are attacked by giant snakes. That brings me way back.

**Vic's Aegis** · 08-03-2012, 11:20 PM

Well according Axel from this weeks "Axel-In-Charge" there is no love for our man Herc!

However, we will be seeing Amadeus Cho in a series in the Marvel NOW! Universe.

Vic's Aegis asked, "As a big Hercules fan, I would like to know are there any plans for Hercules in Marvel NOW? With all the new development stemming from AvX, this would be a great time to reposition Hercules to a new level of prominence in the new Marvel Universe. Will he be a part of one of the Avengers teams, are there plans for a him in any new series being developed?"

Alonso: There are no current plans for Hercules right now, Vic Aegis, but keep an eye out for his smart-pants sidekick. Amadeus Cho will be teaming up with one of Marvel’s biggest stars in the near future.

I am disappointed with the lack of any development or creativity for Hercules in the Marvel universe. It amazes that there is no other writer(s) besides Pak & Van Lente or desire from anyone at Marvel to really showcase Hercules as a powerful and textured hero. Especially considering the number of characters Marvel is showcasing that I feel are just copies of other characters (Hulks) or weak / minor characters that I don't see longevity in. Oh, well, here's hoping that sometime next year Herc makes his return as a major player in the Marvel U.

**Moriarty** · 08-03-2012, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by Vic's Aegis

Well according Axel from this weeks "Axel-In-Charge" there is no love for our man Herc!

However, we will be seeing Amadeus Cho in a series in the Marvel NOW! Universe.

Vic's Aegis asked, "As a big Hercules fan, I would like to know are there any plans for Hercules in Marvel NOW? With all the new development stemming from AvX, this would be a great time to reposition Hercules to a new level of prominence in the new Marvel Universe. Will he be a part of one of the Avengers teams, are there plans for a him in any new series being developed?"

Alonso: There are no current plans for Hercules right now, Vic Aegis, but keep an eye out for his smart-pants sidekick. Amadeus Cho will be teaming up with one of Marvel’s biggest stars in the near future.

I am disappointed with the lack of any development or creativity for Hercules in the Marvel universe. It amazes that there is no other writer(s) besides Pak & Van Lente or desire from anyone at Marvel to really showcase Hercules as a powerful and textured hero. Especially considering the number of characters Marvel is showcasing that I feel are just copies of other characters (Hulks) or weak / minor characters that I don't see longevity in. Oh, well, here's hoping that sometime next year Herc makes his return as a major player in the Marvel U.

that is very disappointing. you'd think an Avengers roster with 18 members would have a place for Herc.

**Will.S** · 08-04-2012, 04:59 AM

I suppose he'll be staying in Academy although it's hard to imagine him getting any important developments there but here's hoping.

**Genisstorm** · 08-04-2012, 03:58 PM

Pak wrote a great hercules series and then ran it into the ground with chaos war.

**seekquaze** · 08-04-2012, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Genisstorm

Pak wrote a great hercules series and then ran it into the ground with chaos war.

My main grip with Pak and Lente's Hercules series is it started out great and seemed it was going to show why Hercules should be taken more seriously as a hero instead of a second-string Thor. It started out like that, but after Sacred Invasion the comedy started to dominate the series. Herc has to be saved by Thor in the Thorcules arc despite Herc wanting to upstage him and as you said Chaos War was run into the ground by Herc being a idiot throughout.

Another grip I had was Pak and Lente did not seem to know what to do with the major Olympian gods who perhaps more than any other god have a record of using their diverse powers. The two know how to write characters whose only powers are strength and durability, but too many times in a short span of time chumped the other gods. Neptune for some reason was powerless on Earth contrary to the other gods. Hera's "Power of Zeus" was not impressive and only turned her energy bolts into thunderbolts. Hebe being seriously threatened by a "mistletoe gun." Delphne pointing guns at Her and Hephaestus thinking they were supposed to be actual threats to them. It goes on, but you get the gist of it.

**Genisstorm** · 08-04-2012, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by seekquaze

My main grip with Pak and Lente's Hercules series is it started out great and seemed it was going to show why Hercules should be taken more seriously as a hero instead of a second-string Thor. It started out like that, but after Sacred Invasion the comedy started to dominate the series. Herc has to be saved by Thor in the Thorcules arc despite Herc wanting to upstage him and as you said Chaos War was run into the ground by Herc being a idiot throughout.

Another grip I had was Pak and Lente did not seem to know what to do with the major Olympian gods who perhaps more than any other god have a record of using their diverse powers. The two know how to write characters whose only powers are strength and durability, but too many times in a short span of time chumped the other gods. Neptune for some reason was powerless on Earth contrary to the other gods. Hera's "Power of Zeus" was not impressive and only turned her energy bolts into thunderbolts. Hebe being seriously threatened by a "mistletoe gun." Delphne pointing guns at Her and Hephaestus thinking they were supposed to be actual threats to them. It goes on, but you get the gist of it.

Marvel cant seem to write deitites in general not named Odin. Ares is the perfect example of a badly written GOD. He was cannon fodder until they needed sentry to kill him just to look dangerous in siege. Thor is currently getting his fair share of bumps. Pantheons seems to have little value in marvel. One of the few Gods I thought they were writing to be a great character was Mikaboshi and then chaos war happened.

**Vic's Aegis** · 08-05-2012, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Genisstorm

Marvel cant seem to write deitites in general not named Odin. Ares is the perfect example of a badly written GOD. He was cannon fodder until they needed sentry to kill him just to look dangerous in siege.

Ugh, I hated what was done with Ares in Siege. I thought it was not only a waste for a great character, but completely weak on how Ares was killed. I understand the point in the story to show the power and strength of Sentry, but it could have been done in a differently and to ends up showing gig not god-like was Ares...which should not have been!

Here's, hoping some new writer will bring some fresh creativity to Herc and the Olympian Gods and really show them in their glory throughout the Marvel U.