Comics Review: "HERCULES Volume 1 #1" Goes the Distance

DISNEY HERCULES VOL. 1 #1

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Elliot Kalan

ART: George Kambadais

COLORS: Giulia Giacomino and Simona Guida

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Nate Cosby

COVER: George Kambadais

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Matteo Lolli; Francesco Tomaselli; Alessandro Ranaldi; George Kambadais

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2024)

Rated “Teen”

“A Beauty of a Beast”

Hercules is a 1997 animated, musical-fantasy, and comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation.  It is loosely based on the legendary hero, Heracles.  In the film, he is known by his Roman name, Hercules, and he is the son of Zeus, the king of the gods of Mount Olympus.  Hercules is a demigod with super-strength, and he was raised among mortals.

In Disney's Hercules, the young hero must learn to become a true hero in order to earn back his godhood and a place in Mount Olympus.  His evil uncle, Hades, plots his downfall, and while Hercules defeats Hades, he ultimately decides to deactivate his god powers.  He remains in Greece with his girlfriend, Megara also known as Meg.

Dynamite Entertainment has been producing licensed comic books based on Disney characters and IP since 2022.  The latest is Hercules Volume 1.  It is written by Elliot Kalan; drawn by George Kambadais; colored by Giulia Giacomino and Simona Guida; and lettered Jeff Eckleberry.  The series continues the adventures of Hercules and is set after the events of the original film.

Hercules Volume 1 #1 (“A Beauty of a Beast”) finds Hercules living his best mortal life as a monster hunter in Greece, currently capturing “the Man-Eating Lion of Nemea.”  Meg and Phil, Hercules' satyr (half-man, half-goat) friend, cheer him on.  But not everyone is happy...

Zeus wants his son to give up his life as mortal.  He believes that people shouldn't be cheering Hercules for being the hero who clears the Earth of the monsters that he (Zeus) inexplicably put there.  He believes those people should be worshiping his son as a god of Olympus.  Hercules wants to stay on Earth, and now, he is facing yet another monster threat.  But this time, is god-worshiping the real problem in this case of another monster run amuck?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  Hercules Volume 1, Issue #1 is the latest.

I have seen Disney's Hercules only once, some months after its original release... via VHS.  The only thing I remember about the film is one of its song, “Go the Distance.”  Written by composer and “Disney Legend” (2002), Alan Menken, and lyricist David Zippel, the song is performed in the film by voice actor, Roger Bart, who provides the singing voice for “young Hercules.”  “Go the Distance” is one of my all-time favorite songs from a Disney animated feature.

Now, I enjoyed reading Hercules #1 so much that I want to see the film again.  This comic book's writer is Elliot Kalan, a comedian who has won four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on Comedy Central's “The Daily Show.”  Kalan also wrote the 2015 Marvel Comics' miniseries, Spider-Man & The X-Men.  Kalan's previous comic book writing experience shows in his breezy script for this first issue.  It is filled with sparkling dialogue, but the best thing about Kalan's storytelling is the imaginative way that he weaves together several subplots and competing character motivations.  For instance, the clash between Hercules and Zeus and the true nature of the latest monster-to-be-fought reflect this first issue's dominant theme of self-determination.

Kalan is also blessed to have as the graphical storyteller of this series artist George Kambadais.  It is no exaggeration to say the Kambadais is a master of storytelling, pacing, intensity, and drama, as seen in Dynamite's 2022 miniseries, John Carter of Mars, which Kambadais drew as a pulpy, sci-fi thriller that rides on the razor's edge.  Here, Kambadais is smoother is his depiction of action, suspense, and mystery, but the story is explosive in its own way.

Thus far, Hercules Volume 1 #1 is the best Dynamite/Disney first issue that I've read.  I'll recommend it to you, dear readers, without reservations.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite Entertainment's Disney comic book series will want to read Hercules Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

------------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).