The Incredible Hercules: Smash of the Titans

The Incredible Hercules: Smash of the Titans

Although he lacks the brilliance of Theseus, or the charisma of Jason, or the cunning of Odysseus, Herakles has always been the classical hero for me. His story is one of a bittersweet tragedy. He’s a child of prophecy, brought to earth for one sole reason of defeating the giants of Hera’s vision, yet he must atone for his existence as her will demands. He is forever putting something right. Either a wrong done unto him and the world, or a wrong he had himself committed in his rage. He is fallible, but always remorseful, and that makes him a real hero to me.

My favourite story is that of when Herc visited his old friend Admetus. Admetus himself has an interesting story: Apollo was punished by Zeus (after killing the cyclopes in anger at his own son’s death) to spend a year on earth as a herdsman, to a then young King Admetus. It’s safe to say that this was a gentle slap on the wrist for Apollo, as the god and man became lovers. After returning to Olympus, Apollo was struck with grief that his mortal love would eventually die. The sun god made a deal with the Moirai that Admetus would be spared from death forever, only if Admetus could convince another to die in his place. Unfortunately, the only volunteer was Admetus’ wife, Alcestis.

On the evening of Alcestis’ funeral, Herakles knocks on the door. He is welcomed in by Admetus and is told to enjoy the hospitality. Herc thanks him then proceeds to eat and drink the entire funeral feast. A servant chastises Herakles for his thoughtlessness and informs him of the death of their mistress. The servant screams that at that very moment Admetus is weeping in the garden, sobbing for his lost love. Herakles is dumbfounded! He knew nothing of Alcestis’ death, nor that it was a funeral he was gate crashing. He goes to pay his respect to the fallen lady in the crypt at the very moment Thanatos arrives to guide her soul into the underworld. Herakles leaps at the god, wrestling him to the ground.

Admetus’ crying is interrupted by an out of breath Herakles, carrying the unconscious body of Thanatos on his shoulder, followed by a very much alive Alcestis. This sums up Herc for me. His direct singlemindedness may offend and often endanger him, but there is no power that will stop him from making it right. My personal theory is that as Apollo is the prophet of all prophets, he probably saw Admetus / Thanatos / Herakles and Zeus coming long before it all began. All’s well that ends well.

What am I reading? The Incredible Hercules: Smash of the Titans, collecting Incredible Hercules #106-115 and Hulk vs Hercules: When Titans Collide. Written by Greg Pak and Jeff Parker, illustrated by Gary Frank, Leonard Kirk, Carlo Pagulayan and Khoi Pham.

What’s it about? Earth’s mightiest heroes are still divided in the fallout of Civil War, and they are not ready for the war that is to come. Hulk and his warbound are coming. Seeking vengeance against the men who first outcast him from earth, then killed his wife and child with the rocket rigged to explode. Can another outcast, Amadeus Cho, and his band of renegades make the difference?

What’s good about it? To me, this is one of the more interesting periods in Marvel’s recent history. This book is framed by the big events of the time (Millar’s Civil War and Pak’s Planet Hulk and World War Hulk), and it has the tendrils of the then upcoming multi title spanning story of Dark Reign.

Pak has a talent for making beefy boys bashing each other interesting. Hercules and the Hulk may be one trick ponies at this time, but its always good to see feats of impossible strength through various models: Hercules pulling the floor out from under his enemies, strolling through waves of goons, knitting broken bridges back together. But he also manages to capture the masculine charm of the Prince of Power. He’s stoic, and remorseful, and cheeky. There is a fantastic yet short interaction between Hercules and Black Widow, and it spoke to past adventures that I’d love to read.

What did I struggle with? So, I’ve read Civil War and Planet Hulk, but I haven’t read World War Hulk… and after this I feel like I won’t need to. That whole event is sort of dealt with between #112 and #113 in two lines of exposition. I’m always disappointed when that happens. Marvel has always been a spaghetti nest of self-references, as they know you can’t possibly read everything, but they also kind of expect you to.

The action is good, but the art is a bit humdrum. It’s just classic Marvel style. It’s like ordering a house wine, gets the job done and goes with the meal, but there are better things on the menu.

Would I recommend?  No. I love Hercules, I really do, and I much prefer Marvel’s adaptation of Hercules over their version of Thor (don’t @ me, you know I’m right), but I can’t recommend this to anyone not well versed in Marvel. Without doing the homework I think this would be largely unsatisfying.