When the most beloved Olympian of all time falls, who will mourn him? Acclaimed INCREDIBLE HULK artist Ariel Olivetti joins writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente for a two-part mini-epic that marks the end of an era and the beginning of something utterly unexpected for Hercules, the Lion of Olympus. Bring your hankies -- and your golden adamantine maces -- as an all-star cast including Thor, Namor, Namora, Snowbird, Alflyse, Bruce Banner, and of course, Amadeus Cho send off the Son of Zeus with shocking tales, smash-tastic action, bawdy tomfoolery, and heart-rending drama that will change the course of Marvel's marvelous mythological milieu.. more
While it IS one of those requiem issues we usually associate with a quick cash grab on the heels of a death, it's actually quite entertaining and one of the better Hercules issues in recent months, despite the main characters' absence. Read Full Review
All in all, this is another mixed bag. I really want to like Pak and Van Lente's story as much as I used to (and as much as I like their other work), but it all just feels so inconsequential that it's hard to justify continuing to spend money on it. On the other hand, the Agents of Atlas back-up provides a little more depth of emotion and characterization, pulling the overall rating up. Thanks to Venus and Namora, I'm giving this one four bullets. Read Full Review
I wish that we didn't need the "Hercules: Fall of an Avenger" mini-series, but now that we're at this point it's a classy way to wrap up the series. Hopefully we'll get at least some more Amadeus Cho down the line; until then, this will serve as a good reminder of how Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente made a strange concept work far better than it should have. Read Full Review
There's been more than a few funerals in comics in the last couple dozen years, and this one treads on some familiar territory, albeit in a funny and entertaining way. The stories of what happens behind the scenes in comics are truly fascinating (Don't ask, don't tell, eh Northstar?) and I found the admissions of Snowbird, the Black Widow and Namora to be appropriate tributes to Hercules, even if they may have been in questionable taste at a different funeral... Not much happens in this issue, save for character interactions, and questions of mortality from characters who usually find death to be not much more than a year or two of vacation out of the public eye. I fully expect a return of Hercules soon enough (after all, if we didn't see a body, there's little chance that he's actually dead) but the setup of Amadeus Cho as his replacement has been well-handled throughout this series. More often than not, death in comics is treated as nothing more than a "Good lord! CHOKE!" moment, Read Full Review
Hercules: Fall of an Avenger has its entertainment value, but aside from the backup it lacks the true emotional punch of the better heroic tribute issues. Judging by the ending it appears the real meat of the story is being reserved for issue #2 anyway. Let's hope Pak and Van Lente have a stronger dose of drama planned for the second half. Read Full Review
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