The Incredible Hercules
Encyclopedia
The Incredible Hercules is an ongoing comic book series
written by Greg Pak
and Fred Van Lente
and published by Marvel Comics
. The series stars the mythological superhero
Hercules
, his sidekick Amadeus Cho
, the seventh-smartest person in the world, and half-sister Athena
, Goddess of Wisdom, Strategy, and Heroic Endeavour.
The series began in the aftermath of World War Hulk
with The Incredible Hulk receiving a title and focus change to Hercules. Though the title does not change until issue #113 the first issue of the first story arc of The Incredible Hercules appears in issue #112. The ongoing series concluded with issue #141 in February 2010, with two succeeding miniseries announced. This was followed by Chaos War
.
, Hercules and Amadeus Cho are now on the wrong side of the law. Hercules intends to make peace with S.H.I.E.L.D.
, while Cho only wants to continue his campaign to bring it down. However, on being confronted with his half-brother and longtime nemesis Ares, God of War
, now a Mighty Avenger and in charge of Hercules' case, Hercules changes his mind and, together with Cho, runs. Hercules aims to seek shelter with his sister Athena in Vermont, while Cho, using a stolen SHIELD laptop, wants to destroy the entire agency. Ares, Wonder Man
, and Black Widow pursue the two. Ultimately, Hercules defeats Ares and talks Cho down from his desire to destroy SHIELD. The two then join Athena, only to be informed of a coming planetary invasion
.
. Gathering the Council Elite of Pantheons in San Francisco, she proposes to confront and slay the Skrull Gods, Kly'bn the Eternal Skrull and Sl'gr't of the Infinite Names, before the invasion can succeed. The force consists of Hercules (representing Europe) and Cho, Snowbird
(representing the Gods of North America), Atum (representing Africa), Ajak
(representing South America), and Amatsu-Mikaboshi
(representing Asia). The Australian Skyfather contributes the ship on which the God Squad
will travel. After a sidetrip into the realm of Nightmare
, Hercules and Snowbird have sex, before she seemingly sacrifices herself to allow the rest of the group to make it through to the Skrull gods, after a Skrull sleeper agent posing as Cho's coyote companion Kirby sabotages their ship. In the final battle, Kly'bn blows up Ajak (who, as an Eternal, will regenerate), and Sl'gr't destroys Atum, before Hercules, Cho, and a returning Snowbird slay Kly'bn. Sl'gr't then seemingly kills Mikaboshi, only for it to be revealed that in fact it was Mikaboshi who survived, now in command of the Skrull gods' army of thralls - a watching Athena is pleased with this development.
, where Hercules and Namora
frolic. They are interrupted by the arrival of the Amazons
led by Princess Artume and Delphyne Gorgon
, who abduct Cho (who they mistake for Hercules' eromenos), needing him to decipher an Atlantean tablet. Cho is infatuated with Artume, and ignores the warnings of Delphyne. Artume is revealed to be leading a rogue sect of Amazons, and slays her mother Queen Hippolyta
to become the new ruler. Hercules, Namora, and Namor raid the Amazons' base to rescue the captive Poseidon
, but Artume's group escapes with Cho, their goal revealed to be the location of the omphalos
, which will allow them to remake the world. Cho and Delphyne become attracted to each other, and she agrees to help him escape, with Artume notices; however, her attempt to execute Delphyne fails due to inadequate knowledge of Gorgon anatomy. Artume succeeds in using the omphalos to remake reality, but her scheme is ultimately undone within the reality itself, and Delphyne slays her, becoming the new queen. Now bound to have nothing to do with men, she bids Cho adieu; meanwhile, Namora and Hercules break up angrily over her attraction to Namor. The two dispirited friends agree to go out for pizza. Meanwhile, Hera
and Pluto stage a takeover of the Olympus Group, the Greek Gods' seat of power on Earth, and plot against Athena and Hercules.
, and the roles of both Athena and Hera in his creation. Hercules' actions encourage his fellow citizens to use weapons consecrated in temples (and thus, meant to be off-limits) against the enemy, which pleases Athena but offends Hera, who vows that both Hercules and Athena will suffer in the future. The backup story concerns Cho's attempt to locate his missing coyote Kirby, who is revealed to now be fully grown with a mate, and no longer wants to travel with him.
, one of Hera's minions, ambushes and kills Aegis
, a mortal given superpowers by Athena to fight crime. At the same time, Hera meets with Norman Osborn to share details of her plan, which Osborn (who does not believe she is a real god) is appalled by. Hercules, Athena, and Cho are confronted in New York City by Hera, who is accompanied by a now-freed Typhon
. Hera demands that Athena apologize for going to the Council Elite (in "Sacred Invasion) and disregarding her position as head of the Pantheon, which Athena refuses to do - Hera then hints at Aegis' death. The group track Aegis' breastplate to a remote warehouse, where Hera and her forces are waiting, including Delphyne Gorgon, who was unaware that Cho would be there. The skirmish is interrupted by the arrival of Osborn's Dark Avengers
, tipped off by Hercules' estranged wife Hebe
(who is working as Hera's assistant). The battle allows the heroes to escape, before an alliance between the two groups of villains is concluded. Athena sends Hercules and Cho to Hades to attempt to rescue Zeus in order to counter Hera. Pluto is waiting for them, where he is putting Zeus on trial for crimes against creation. Cho visits with his dead parents, and discovers that his sister Maddy is not, as he believed, dead. Hercules attempts to defend Zeus, despite the latter's contempt, and his heroics ultimately convinces Zeus to drink the waters of the River Lethe
. He is reborn on the surface as a child, and Athena and Hercules agree he must be protected from Hera. Cho, who believes Athena knew of his sister's survival and withheld this information (as well as an earlier warning from Delphyne), abruptly leaves the group, to Hercules' befuddlement.
, and poses as Hercules in order to stop the invasion. The two fight, with Thor winning. It is then revealed that Malekith the Accursed
was posing as Balder to bring about these events, but his scheme humorously unravels and Zeus easily defeats him. Hercules reveals his true identity to Alflyse, who considers his sexual prowess sufficient compensation for the deception.
, the home of the company that ran the contest that uncovered his intellect. He encounters a familiar face from his past in Agent Sexton, who attempted to warn him about something shortly after his house exploded, but becomes enmeshed in a web of realities set up by Pythagoras Dupree, who claims to be the sixth-smartest man in the world. Cho eventually realizes that Dupree is attempting to prevent him from realizing the true power of his mind, the "hypermind", which is uses to break the illusion. It is also revealed that Sexton is in fact Athena in disguise; Cho demands why she did not prevent his parents' deaths, which Athena says is not how gods work. Cho angrily goes to confront Dupree, who reveals he was Athena's original choice for champion, but rejected the position, and began killing anyone who might possibly lead Athena to him; however, he does not know where Maddy is. Cho declines to fight him, saying he is not worth it, a declaration which leads to Dupree committing suicide. Cho uncovers evidence of a superweapon called "Continuum" that Dupree developed for Hera, and shares this information with Athena: both conclude they must immediately find Hercules.
and Bruce Banner. Thor contributes a story of his past adventures with Hercules, followed by Namor, the various women from his past (Black Widow, Snowbird
, Namora
, Queen Alflyse) speaking to his sexual prowess, and Bruce Banner. Afterward, Athena arrives, accompanied by Pluto, Poseidon, Apollo
, and Hebe, and announces that she intends for Cho to take over the Olympus Group. Apollo
challenges Athena for leadership of the Olympians, leading a brawl between various champions, with Athena and her allies triumphing. Cho then travels to Hades to find Hercules, but is told by Persephone
that Hercules is not there. Realizing that Hercules must be alive somewhere, he accepts Athena's offer to lead the Olympus Group, and vows to use the Olympus Group's resources to find Hercules.
, Cho is visited by Vali Halfling
, the leader of the Pantheon
, who proposes an alliance in order to gather the necessary ingredients to become as powerful as the Skyfathers: Hebe's ambrosia
, the golden apples of Idunn, the spells of the Book of Thoth
, and the amrita
cup of Dhanavantari. Cho steals the list from Vali and goes to Asgard himself, only to find that Vali had already stolen the apples, framing him for the theft. Cho battles Thor, but convinces him of his innocence, and recruits him to stop Halfling and use the power to instead locate and rescue Hercules. They play into Halfling's hands by allowing him to retrieve the Book of Thoth from the Egyptian realm, but succeed in stopping him from using the full formula. Meanwhile, Delphyne escapes from her cell and, somewhat reluctantly, allies with Athena to return control of the Olympus Group to the gods, who Halfling had incapacitated by extinguishing the Promethean Flame. Cho gains true godhood, but, realizing that he is not worthy to wield it permanently, instead transfers it to the returned Hercules. Hercules senses the impending return of Amatsu-Mikaboshi, and hurriedly departs to gather heroes to face him.
run on Thor for "complex, interweaving plotlines that built organically over months, and paid off beautifully" and "big action, emotional moments balanced out with lighthearted humor, and a blending of mythology with the Marvel Universe."
Incredible Hercules is the character seen in the "Cool Story Bro" internet meme.
:
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
written by Greg Pak
Greg Pak
Greg Pak is an American New York-based film director/comic book writer, known for his work on such books featuring the Hulk.-Early life:Pak is a graduate of Yale University, where he was a member of the Purple Crayon improv group, and studied history at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and film at...
and Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.-Career:Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.Recent...
and published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The series stars the mythological superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
, his sidekick Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
, the seventh-smartest person in the world, and half-sister Athena
Athena (Marvel Comics)
Athena is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Athena first appeared in the pages of Thor #164, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
, Goddess of Wisdom, Strategy, and Heroic Endeavour.
The series began in the aftermath of World War Hulk
World War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and various other titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk....
with The Incredible Hulk receiving a title and focus change to Hercules. Though the title does not change until issue #113 the first issue of the first story arc of The Incredible Hercules appears in issue #112. The ongoing series concluded with issue #141 in February 2010, with two succeeding miniseries announced. This was followed by Chaos War
Chaos War (comics)
"Chaos War" is a Marvel Comics storyline that began publication in October 2010 across nine comic book series: the five-issue miniseries Chaos War, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, supplemented by seven branded miniseries or one-shot publications, and by three issues of Incredible Hulks, a...
.
"The Incredible Hercules" (#112-115); also known as "Against the World"
Picking up from the end of World War HulkWorld War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and various other titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk....
, Hercules and Amadeus Cho are now on the wrong side of the law. Hercules intends to make peace with S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
, while Cho only wants to continue his campaign to bring it down. However, on being confronted with his half-brother and longtime nemesis Ares, God of War
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, now a Mighty Avenger and in charge of Hercules' case, Hercules changes his mind and, together with Cho, runs. Hercules aims to seek shelter with his sister Athena in Vermont, while Cho, using a stolen SHIELD laptop, wants to destroy the entire agency. Ares, Wonder Man
Wonder Man
Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder...
, and Black Widow pursue the two. Ultimately, Hercules defeats Ares and talks Cho down from his desire to destroy SHIELD. The two then join Athena, only to be informed of a coming planetary invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
.
"Sacred Invasion" (#116-120)
Informed of the Skrull invasion, Athena perceives this holy war as a threat to the Earth's deities, who will be replaced and consumed if it succeeds. The group travels to San Francisco, where they are briefly waylaid for a battle with the EternalsEternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
. Gathering the Council Elite of Pantheons in San Francisco, she proposes to confront and slay the Skrull Gods, Kly'bn the Eternal Skrull and Sl'gr't of the Infinite Names, before the invasion can succeed. The force consists of Hercules (representing Europe) and Cho, Snowbird
Snowbird (comics)
Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
(representing the Gods of North America), Atum (representing Africa), Ajak
Ajak
Ajak is a fictional character, a member of the Eternals, a race in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Ajak first appeared in Eternals vol. 1 #2 , and was created by Jack Kirby...
(representing South America), and Amatsu-Mikaboshi
Amatsu-Mikaboshi (comics)
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a supervillain and demonic god of evil who is best known as an enemy of Hercules...
(representing Asia). The Australian Skyfather contributes the ship on which the God Squad
God Squad (comics)
God Squad is the name fictional comic book character Amadeus Cho gave to a team of gods brought together in the Marvel Universe to face the oncoming Secret Invasion...
will travel. After a sidetrip into the realm of Nightmare
Nightmare (comics)
Nightmare, in comics, may refer to:*Nightmare , a Marvel Comics character*Nightmare, a horror comic from Skywald Publications*A Nightmare on Elm Street...
, Hercules and Snowbird have sex, before she seemingly sacrifices herself to allow the rest of the group to make it through to the Skrull gods, after a Skrull sleeper agent posing as Cho's coyote companion Kirby sabotages their ship. In the final battle, Kly'bn blows up Ajak (who, as an Eternal, will regenerate), and Sl'gr't destroys Atum, before Hercules, Cho, and a returning Snowbird slay Kly'bn. Sl'gr't then seemingly kills Mikaboshi, only for it to be revealed that in fact it was Mikaboshi who survived, now in command of the Skrull gods' army of thralls - a watching Athena is pleased with this development.
"Love and War" (#121-125)
Following their victory, Hercules and Cho go on vacation to the tropics adjoining AtlantisAtlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
, where Hercules and Namora
Namora
Namora is a fictional character, a superhero in the . She is from Atlantis and is the daughter of an Atlantean father and a human mother. She is the cousin of Namor the Sub-Mariner.-Publication history:...
frolic. They are interrupted by the arrival of the Amazons
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
led by Princess Artume and Delphyne Gorgon
Delphyne Gorgon
Delphyne Gorgon is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. A Gorgon member of the Amazon nation, she is a love interest of Amadeus Cho...
, who abduct Cho (who they mistake for Hercules' eromenos), needing him to decipher an Atlantean tablet. Cho is infatuated with Artume, and ignores the warnings of Delphyne. Artume is revealed to be leading a rogue sect of Amazons, and slays her mother Queen Hippolyta
Hippolyta (Marvel Comics)
Based on the Hippolyta of Greek mythology, Hippolyta is a fictional Amazon character within the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:...
to become the new ruler. Hercules, Namora, and Namor raid the Amazons' base to rescue the captive Poseidon
Neptune (Marvel Comics)
Neptune, also called Poseidon, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Neptune is the god of the sea in the Olympian pantheon, and the patron god of Atlantis.-Fictional character biography:...
, but Artume's group escapes with Cho, their goal revealed to be the location of the omphalos
Omphalos
An omphalos is an ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel" . According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world...
, which will allow them to remake the world. Cho and Delphyne become attracted to each other, and she agrees to help him escape, with Artume notices; however, her attempt to execute Delphyne fails due to inadequate knowledge of Gorgon anatomy. Artume succeeds in using the omphalos to remake reality, but her scheme is ultimately undone within the reality itself, and Delphyne slays her, becoming the new queen. Now bound to have nothing to do with men, she bids Cho adieu; meanwhile, Namora and Hercules break up angrily over her attraction to Namor. The two dispirited friends agree to go out for pizza. Meanwhile, Hera
Hera (Marvel Comics)
Hera is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Hera first appeared in the pages of Thor #129, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
and Pluto stage a takeover of the Olympus Group, the Greek Gods' seat of power on Earth, and plot against Athena and Hercules.
"The Origin of Hercules" (#126)
A flashback issue reveals Hercules' early years in ThebesAncient Thebes (Boeotia)
See Thebes, Greece for the modern city built on the ancient ruins.Ancient Thebes was a Boeotian city-state , situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain...
, and the roles of both Athena and Hera in his creation. Hercules' actions encourage his fellow citizens to use weapons consecrated in temples (and thus, meant to be off-limits) against the enemy, which pleases Athena but offends Hera, who vows that both Hercules and Athena will suffer in the future. The backup story concerns Cho's attempt to locate his missing coyote Kirby, who is revealed to now be fully grown with a mate, and no longer wants to travel with him.
"Dark Reign" (#127-128) and #129-131
HuntsmanHuntsman (comics)
Huntsman, also known as Weapon XII, is a supervillain in the Marvel Universe and enemy of the X-Men. Huntsman first appeared in New X-Men #128 and was created by Grant Morrison and Igor Kordey.-Fictional character biography:...
, one of Hera's minions, ambushes and kills Aegis
Aegis (comics)
For the cosmic entity who also went by the same name, see Aegis Aegis is a fictional African American superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created in 1999, first appearing in New Warriors vol. 2, #0...
, a mortal given superpowers by Athena to fight crime. At the same time, Hera meets with Norman Osborn to share details of her plan, which Osborn (who does not believe she is a real god) is appalled by. Hercules, Athena, and Cho are confronted in New York City by Hera, who is accompanied by a now-freed Typhon
Typhon (comics)
Typhon is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Universe, most commonly associated with the hero Hercules.-Fictional character biography:...
. Hera demands that Athena apologize for going to the Council Elite (in "Sacred Invasion) and disregarding her position as head of the Pantheon, which Athena refuses to do - Hera then hints at Aegis' death. The group track Aegis' breastplate to a remote warehouse, where Hera and her forces are waiting, including Delphyne Gorgon, who was unaware that Cho would be there. The skirmish is interrupted by the arrival of Osborn's Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
, tipped off by Hercules' estranged wife Hebe
Hebe (Marvel Comics)
Hebe is a Marvel Comics deity. One of the children of Zeus and Hera, she is the wife of Hercules and the cup-bearer of the Olympians. Hebe first appeared in Ka-Zar #1 , written by Allyn Brodsky and Frank Springer...
(who is working as Hera's assistant). The battle allows the heroes to escape, before an alliance between the two groups of villains is concluded. Athena sends Hercules and Cho to Hades to attempt to rescue Zeus in order to counter Hera. Pluto is waiting for them, where he is putting Zeus on trial for crimes against creation. Cho visits with his dead parents, and discovers that his sister Maddy is not, as he believed, dead. Hercules attempts to defend Zeus, despite the latter's contempt, and his heroics ultimately convinces Zeus to drink the waters of the River Lethe
River Lethe
River Lethe is located 18 km west of Mount Katmai, Alaska Peninsula, and is the middle branch of the Ukak River. It flows through the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and meets the Ukak at ....
. He is reborn on the surface as a child, and Athena and Hercules agree he must be protected from Hera. Cho, who believes Athena knew of his sister's survival and withheld this information (as well as an earlier warning from Delphyne), abruptly leaves the group, to Hercules' befuddlement.
"The Replacement Thor" (#132, 134, 136)
Traveling to hide the young Zeus with the Mighty Avengers, Hercules and Zeus are separated from Athena by attacking Harpies, and then recruited by Balder the Brave to pose as Thor in order to avert a war between Asgard and the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim. Hercules is delighted by the opportunity, and upon arriving in the kingdom quickly seduces Queen Alflyse, only to accidentally marry her. Alflyse then prepares to invade Asgard in order to install her "husband" on his throne again. Zeus is disgusted with Hercules' behaviour, and becomes a fan of Thor through reading of his heroic exploits. Thor then appears, accompanied by the Warriors ThreeWarriors Three
The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters who served as supporting cast members in Thor, published by Marvel Comics. The Warriors Three is made up of the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg...
, and poses as Hercules in order to stop the invasion. The two fight, with Thor winning. It is then revealed that Malekith the Accursed
Malekith the Accursed
Malekith the Accursed is a supervillain in the Marvel Universe. He is ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, and has come into conflict with Thor. He once wielded the Casket of Ancient Winters.-Fictional character biography:...
was posing as Balder to bring about these events, but his scheme humorously unravels and Zeus easily defeats him. Hercules reveals his true identity to Alflyse, who considers his sexual prowess sufficient compensation for the deception.
"The Secret Origin of Amadeus Cho" (#133, 135, 137)
Determined to uncover the truth behind the death of his family and the disappearance of his sister, Cho travels to Excello, UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, the home of the company that ran the contest that uncovered his intellect. He encounters a familiar face from his past in Agent Sexton, who attempted to warn him about something shortly after his house exploded, but becomes enmeshed in a web of realities set up by Pythagoras Dupree, who claims to be the sixth-smartest man in the world. Cho eventually realizes that Dupree is attempting to prevent him from realizing the true power of his mind, the "hypermind", which is uses to break the illusion. It is also revealed that Sexton is in fact Athena in disguise; Cho demands why she did not prevent his parents' deaths, which Athena says is not how gods work. Cho angrily goes to confront Dupree, who reveals he was Athena's original choice for champion, but rejected the position, and began killing anyone who might possibly lead Athena to him; however, he does not know where Maddy is. Cho declines to fight him, saying he is not worth it, a declaration which leads to Dupree committing suicide. Cho uncovers evidence of a superweapon called "Continuum" that Dupree developed for Hera, and shares this information with Athena: both conclude they must immediately find Hercules.
"Assault on New Olympus" (Assault on New Olympus Prologue, #138-141)
Athena and Cho attempt to gather the other Olympians to confront Hera, but are rejected; meanwhile, Hercules travels to retrieve Hebe, who, after being exiled from the Olympus Group by Hera for her betrayal, ended up working with May Parker in a homeless shelter. May set her up with Peter Parker on a date, something that enrages Hercules. After an extended fight, Hebe breaks it up, and she and Hercules are reconciled. Spider-Man and some of his fellow New Avengers join Hercules and his teammates U.S. Agent, Hank Pym and Quicksilver from the Mighty Avengers to battle Hera. Hera, reveals her plan meanwhile: to erase all existence and replace it with a new universe devoid of human life. She is able to do this by using an invention called "Continuum" which was created by the mortal Pythagoras Dupree. The Avengers trick their way into the Olympus building, but are quickly confronted by Hera's forces who have the upper hand in battle. In alliance with Hephaestus, Delphyne Gorgon uses a special weapon to turn Athena to stone, an act which undoes the Gorgon curse on her. The reborn Zeus convinces Hera to stop her plan only for Typhon to reveal that he is no longer under Hera's control. He slays both Hera and Zeus before Hercules successfully defeats him. Athena then reveals that he must die so that Cho can become the new "Prince of Power". She destroys the Continuum machine with Hercules in the other world, seemingly killing him.Hercules: Fall of an Avenger
Following Hercules' apparent death at the conclusion of the series proper, crowds flock to the Parthenon to honour his legacy. Cho is met there by a large body of heroes from Hercules' past, led by the Mighty ThorThor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
and Bruce Banner. Thor contributes a story of his past adventures with Hercules, followed by Namor, the various women from his past (Black Widow, Snowbird
Snowbird (comics)
Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
, Namora
Namora
Namora is a fictional character, a superhero in the . She is from Atlantis and is the daughter of an Atlantean father and a human mother. She is the cousin of Namor the Sub-Mariner.-Publication history:...
, Queen Alflyse) speaking to his sexual prowess, and Bruce Banner. Afterward, Athena arrives, accompanied by Pluto, Poseidon, Apollo
Apollo (Marvel Comics)
Apollo is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Apollo is the God of Light in the Olympian pantheon, and also the god of music, poetry, medicine, and the sciences.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Hebe, and announces that she intends for Cho to take over the Olympus Group. Apollo
Apollo (comics)
Apollo is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who first appeared in the Stormwatch series, but is best known for his role in The Authority. While visually distinct, Apollo is cast in the mold of the Superman archetype....
challenges Athena for leadership of the Olympians, leading a brawl between various champions, with Athena and her allies triumphing. Cho then travels to Hades to find Hercules, but is told by Persephone
Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....
that Hercules is not there. Realizing that Hercules must be alive somewhere, he accepts Athena's offer to lead the Olympus Group, and vows to use the Olympus Group's resources to find Hercules.
Heroic Age: Prince of Power
Cho, now in charge of the Olympus Group, with Hebe working as his assistant, spends half a trillion dollars in order to have Bruce Banner build a device capable of scanning the multiverse to find Hercules. However, it is determined that this will take over a billion years to work. After a battle with the GriffinGriffin (comics)
Griffin, in comics, may refer to:*Griffin , an AWOL space mercenary originally published by DC Comics*Griffin , a DC Comics character who is a novice superhero and roommate to Bart Allen...
, Cho is visited by Vali Halfling
Agamemnon (comics)
Agamemnon is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Agamemnon is a half-human and half-Asgardian god...
, the leader of the Pantheon
Pantheon (Marvel Comics)
The Pantheon is a fictional organization appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Peter David, the Pantheon first appeared in The Incredible Hulk The Pantheon is a fictional organization appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer...
, who proposes an alliance in order to gather the necessary ingredients to become as powerful as the Skyfathers: Hebe's ambrosia
Ambrosia
In ancient Greek mythology, ambrosia is sometimes the food or drink of the Greek gods , often depicted as conferring ageless immortality upon whoever consumes it...
, the golden apples of Idunn, the spells of the Book of Thoth
The Book of Thoth
The Book of Thoth is a book containing magical spells that appears in an ancient Egyptian story from the Ptolemaic period. The book is said to have been written by Thoth, the god of writing and knowledge...
, and the amrita
Amrita
Amrit is a Sanskrit word that literally means "immortality", and is often referred to in texts as nectar. The word's earliest occurrence is in the Rigveda where it is one of several synonyms of soma, the drink which confers immortality upon the gods. It is related etymologically to the Greek...
cup of Dhanavantari. Cho steals the list from Vali and goes to Asgard himself, only to find that Vali had already stolen the apples, framing him for the theft. Cho battles Thor, but convinces him of his innocence, and recruits him to stop Halfling and use the power to instead locate and rescue Hercules. They play into Halfling's hands by allowing him to retrieve the Book of Thoth from the Egyptian realm, but succeed in stopping him from using the full formula. Meanwhile, Delphyne escapes from her cell and, somewhat reluctantly, allies with Athena to return control of the Olympus Group to the gods, who Halfling had incapacitated by extinguishing the Promethean Flame. Cho gains true godhood, but, realizing that he is not worthy to wield it permanently, instead transfers it to the returned Hercules. Hercules senses the impending return of Amatsu-Mikaboshi, and hurriedly departs to gather heroes to face him.
Reception
The series has garnered high praise since its debut in 2008. In its coverage of the initial arc, IGN labelled the first issue a surprising success, and, in its review of #115, singled out the series' distinctive humour: "Incredible Hercules #114 is hilarious." Comics blogger Chris Sims has repeatedly compared it to the famous Walt SimonsonWalt Simonson
Walter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
run on Thor for "complex, interweaving plotlines that built organically over months, and paid off beautifully" and "big action, emotional moments balanced out with lighthearted humor, and a blending of mythology with the Marvel Universe."
Incredible Hercules is the character seen in the "Cool Story Bro" internet meme.
Collected editions
The series has been collected into a number of hardcover and trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Smash of the Titans (collects Incredible Hulk #106-112, Incredible Hercules #113-115, and "Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide", 296 pages, hardcover, July 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3968-0) previously collected in:
- Hulk: WWH - Incredible Hercules (collects Incredible Hulk #106-111, 152 pages, June 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2991-X)
- Against The World (collects Incredible Hulk #112 and Incredible Hercules #113-115 and "Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide", 136 pages, premiere hardcover, July 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3312-7, softcover, October 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2533-7)
- Sacred Invasion (collects Incredible Hercules #116-125, 264 pages, hardcover, March 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4256-8) previously collected in:
- Secret Invasion (collects Incredible Hercules #116-120, 128 pages, premiere hardcover, November 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3333-X, softcover, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2829-8)
- Love and War (collects Incredible Hercules #121-125, 128 pages, premiere hardcover, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3334-8, softcover, June 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3246-5)
- Dark Reign (collects Incredible Hercules #126-131, 160 pages, premiere hardcover, October 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3830-7, softcover, January 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3537-5)
- The Mighty Thorcules (collects Incredible Hercules #132-137, 144 pages, premiere hardcover, January 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3831-5, softcover, May 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3677-0)
- Assault on New Olympus (collects Incredible Hercules #138-141, and "Assault on New Olympus Prologue", 152 pages, premiere hardcover, June 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4545-1)
- Incredible Hercules: The New Prince of Power (collects Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1-4, Hercules: Fall of an Avenger #1-2, 168 pages, softcover, December 15, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4370-X)