Hercules The Thracian Wars Review
Today I will review an issue from Hercules: The Thracian Wars by Radical Publishing. It was their first Hercules story arc and has been out for 2-3 years. The collected editions of 5 issues are available. I just got this issue at discount price. Warning: The review will contain spoilers as I breakdown the story’s important element and review the whole book.
Hercules
The Thracian Wars
Radical comics
Issue 5 of 5
Writer STEVE MOORE
Artist ADMIRA WIJAYA of IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS
Colorists IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS & SIXTH CREATION
Letterer TODD KLEIN
COVER A Clint Langley
COVER B Arthur Suydam
COVER C Stanley ‘Artgerm” Lau & Kunnka of IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS
Hercules logo and character designed by JIM STERANKO
Design by IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS
RADICAL PUBLISHING
Publisher/President BARRY LEVINE
Co-Publisher/Editor in Chief DAVID ELLIOT
CEO & Executive Vice President JESSE BERGER
VP Operations and Marketing GIANLUCA GLAZER
General Counsel MATTHEW BERGER
Director of Development JOHN ZOPFI
Director of Production TEDDY CABUGOS
Associate Art Director JEREMY BERGER
Associate Brand Manager NICK CABUGOS
Breakdown
Hercules, Tydeus, Autolycus, Amphiaraus, Iolaus, Atalanta and the others raid to the palace of Lord Cotys for vengeance. Atalanta battled Ergenia, daughter of Lord Cotys before Ergenia was killed by Hercules’s spear. Cotys fled through an underground tunnel full of traps. Hercules ‘s party best the traps and Tydeus behead Lord Cotys. They found Cotys’s treasure and were about to escape with it when they were surrounded by the army of Rhesus, thought to be dead. Rhesus let them go out of a life debt but the treasure must remain in the palace, which now belong to Rhesus. Hercules and the others were exiled from the country, and they make plan to go to Egypt.
Rating
What I like:
- Hercules character design.
That Nemean Lion head as hood is badass. Hercules stands out and easily recognizable among the other characters
- Dark, brutal and bloody
I knew Hercules from the myth was supposed to be brutal and bloodthirsty, not unlike Conan The Barbarian. He is often portrayed in popular media as a good hero. It’s nice to finally see a proper treatment.
- Character fanservice
Lots of character from mythology joined Hercules. Atalanta, the female champion who was only defeated by a trick, Iolaus, Hercules’s nephew. Autolycus, son of Hermes and master thief.
- Gorgeous artwork
Digitally painted, but with lively painterly look great detail. Great sense of motion and action. The colors are dark and subdued which fit the story’s dark and adult theme.
What I don’t like
- A bit too much on the realistic side
There’s no glamour or fantastic design in this Hercules book, at least in this final volume. It’s not God of War where everything is big and flashy. This Hercules seems like it’s rooted more on reality. The buildings are simple and realistically designed. The characters don’t really stand out except Hercules. They pretty much wear realistic historical clothing. It somewhat diminished a comic book feel where usually many things are exagerrated. However I feel it will make a good movie or TV series because of the realism and simplicity.
Trade Paperback: Buy or Not
This is my first Radical Hercules book and I really like it. The digitally painted artworks are gorgeous. It was the end of a story arc so I can’t say much about the story since I don’t understand anything. But if you like Hercules, want to see a dark and mature version instead of Disney and Kevin Sorbo, and don’t mind painterly artwork, especially if you’re a fan of Imaginary Friends Studios, you should definitely pick it up.
