In these 4 volumes of the comic book series, Hercules has been the champion of the Andromeda galaxy for over 75 years, together with his son and grandchildren. It is a part of the larger Marvel universe. The mythical hero is again placed in a sci-fi environment. It continues his adventures from the Prince of Power series and there are recurring characters. It seems that his comic book version is a kind of stereotypical cliché of the strong man without too many brains. In this retelling he is also forbidden to drink because of his medical conditions. Yet here he gets the love and support of a close family, especially his granddaughter. Hercules might be a grandfather now, seemingly passed his prime, yet his potency is still as strong as ever, as his dedication to his family. In a fitting end Hercules disappears in space, as if becoming a constellation again. The fourth volume ends with his son looking at a statue of his father, wearing a short skirt, like a Greek hero. So the past is commemorated in stone even in a faraway galaxy.

From a stylistic point of view, it is interesting that even in the celestial-space setting, Hercules has a resemblance to ancient Greece. Although he does not wear a chiton but tights and a vest, his appearance resembles the ancient Greek character. In a retrospective before his death, Hercules remembers his previous adventures, where we see him wearing the one-shouldered chiton and fighting the hydra, yet at the same time joining a group of other super heroes like Captain America. In the marvel universe the super heroes’ culture is just as mythological as the ancient Greek mythology. Thus we have a nice reception of the mythological tale into a very different setting yet with the same hero. 

The author intended to make his hero goofy and a little slow-witted, yet Hercules does use his wits to defend his family and his home. It is a nice touch that by the end of the volume, after his heroic self-sacrifice, he is honored by a Greek-style statue which celebrates the mythological as well as the super-hero character. Hercules is given a warm family here and a long life, of which he was deprived in the original myth. His true accomplishments are not the 12 labours, but his family and the city he helped established and protect against many threats. He is a hero because he defended his loved ones (in a true super-hero fashion) and not just because he defeated all kinds of monsters. The only connection with the mythological tale is in Hercules’ muscle man appearance, his name, and a few glimpses to his past adventures. Other than that this graphic novels give Hercules new adventures in another dimension.

Kovacs, George and C. W. Marshall, Classics and Comics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Kovacs, George and C. W. Marshall, Son of Classics and Comics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.