Incredible Hercules #129 – Review

By Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (Writers), Ryan Stegman (Pencils), Terry Pallot (Inks), and Raul Trevino (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I love how Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente blend the Greek myth with the Marvel universe in Incredible Hercules. It helps to give the series a very unique feel.

The Story: Herc and Amadeus head to Erebus, which just happens to be a glitzy casino where those that have died and believe they shouldn’t have gamble for a chance to live once more. There they search for Athena’s “secret weapon.” What weapon? His name is Zeus…Herc’s father!

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The creative team’s spin on Erebus makes the latest issue of Incredible Hercules one of the most entertaining in quite some time. From the casino atmosphere to the clever cameos and hilarious dialogue, everything just flat out works. However, it’s not perfect.

The flaw is that throughout the course of the book, not a lot actually happens to drive the story forward. Outside of the last couple of pages, Herc #129 seems more concerned with fun, quips, Greek mythology, and commenting on the nature of comic book death than moving the plot along. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing because the book is so enjoyable, it is quite noticeable.

Writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente do an impressive job of keeping the humor flowing and the atmosphere lively. As always, the interactions between Hercules and Amadeus are a highlight, though nearly every character gets a chance to shine. I especially dug: Aegis’s nerdy conversation with Amadeus since it is sure to get a laugh out of those that get it, and Charon the river Styx boatman’s small, yet memorable appearance.

The artwork by Ryan Stegman, Terry Pallot, and Raul Trevino effortlessly brings the vision of the writers to the page. It’s bright, full of personality, and very much up to the challenge of bringing the Erebus casino and it’s inhabitants to life. It’s great fun to try and figure out which deceased Marvel characters are playing the games or enjoying the atmosphere.

Conclusion: Clever and hilarious, Incredible Hercules #129 is a creative success all around. While light on story, it more than makes up for it by being a whole lot of fun.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny