Customer Reviews

Hercules: Full Circle

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the second Marvel Premiere Edition hardcover to feature Hercules. This book, like the first, "Hercules: Prince of Power", features story and art by Bob Layton. Although this book can be read by itself I strongly encourage reading "Prince of Power" first. Most of the things that made the first book so great are here also - great fun, great humor, great characterization, and great artwork.

However, the current book doesn't work nearly as well. It is intended to put the shoe on the other foot. Where the first book featured Zeus's attempts to mature the headstrong and impulsive Hercules, this book is supposed to have Hercules performing the same task with his son, Arimathes. But Arimathes is not "precariously balanced on the precipice of Good and Evil", he is depicted as truly evil - executions on a whim, genocide, tyranny, oppression, war for his own personal glory, etc. Hercules had his problems but he was always compassionate deep down and had a sound grasp of right and wrong. Having Arimathes reform after a Herculean beat down ultimately just doesn't work.

Further, this book is about half the length of the first but retails at 2/3 of the price of the first so the overall value is reduced.

Still, the book with its flaws is a solid four star value and I can recommend it.