Herakles is back and still completing his tasks. The Gods are still toying with him. The story jumps around a lot and the artwork can be too dark. I read 1 which I enjoyed more. It is a quick read and a different take on the Greek Myth.

The essence of the trajectory of a brute finds its Cromagnon perception in this iteration of Hercules. Bathed in angular viciousness, this Hercules in “Herakles – Book 2” [Eduoard Ward/Lion Forge/160pgs] is one bathed in the trajectory of treasure but without say the valiant texture of Odysseus or even Jason & The Argonauts who play into the structure later in this story. Hercules here is a blunt instrument. While his idea of retribution is a hard hit in the face, the more interesting trajectories happen when he needs to think a little but or has a sliver of emotion. Most of the times you can feel the impact of one of his hits but nevertheless most of the time there is no meaning. when he comes upon Atlas who is holding the sky up, Hercules is simply searching for the Golden Apples but his simple reasoning is because they are there. However when he agrees to hold up the sky, it is a simple slight of hand that gives him the upper advantage. Similarly when he heads into Hades and has to pass over the river Styx per se, he is searching for one of his friends to bust him out to say nothing of a female allure that draws him. One of the better bits of humor happens when the sirens come out of the water and he refuses them saying that he has other things to deal with but maybe later. The only joy it seems comes when he sees his brother but even that is short lived as the draw of conflicts draws him. However like “Godzilla” in many ways, he is smash and grab despite some of his actions do good. The journey although raucous and fun in this book is sometimes devoid of purpose.

C

By Tim Wassberg

Herakles if he was the Hulk. He basically jumps from task to task finishing up the last of his 12 labours here with close to the same intelligence and vocabulary. The art is very simple, think Sam Keith if he just discovered black ink. Some of the panels continue to be so dark you have no idea what's in them. That bit is super freaking annoying. Overall it's not too shabby even if the 12 labours could have been more than just glossed over cliff notes versions of the stories.

'Herakles Book 2' by Edouard Cour brings the cranky Greek hero back in a second volume to complete his labors.

Herakles is still questing, still plowing his way through problems, and still leaving a trail of enemies and allies in his wake. This time around he had to get the belt of Hippolyta, the Cattle of Geryon, some Apples of the Hesperides, and the three-headed dog Cerberus. He does it in the same gruff way that made me love the first volume. In the afterword, the various people and gods that Herakles encounters get short bios.

What works is the simplicity of the whole thing. The art is simple as is the story, which makes this perfect and perfectly accessible. I think I liked the first volume a little bit better, but that may be because the earlier labors are a bit more known to me. I like this version of the character a lot who is blunt of wit and violence.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I think this volume would be easier to get through if it was read back to back with volume one. Herakles is still working on his impossible tasks to be made a god, but he is still under others control. Including Hera. I didn’t like volume 2 as well as I did one. The story skips around a lot and many of the illustrations are so dark they just look like black blobs. This could possibly be unfinished artwork since the copy I am reading is a galley, but it does not feel that way. To me the story was too choppy and unfinished to really like the book. But I enjoy the sass of Herakles, and the illustrations so I imagine I will be sticking around for book 3.
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For some reason I didn't take to this volume quite as well as I did the first. In rounding up the last few labours of Hercules, and hinting at adventuring to come, it carries on the dynamically designed, flippant telling of his legend. Without his willy making an appearance, for a change. But I felt something was lacking. The comedic sense was much less here, the devil's advocate/spirit conscience plaguing him was annoying, and the stuff after the labours showed me why most stories end there. Plus some of the artwork is a little too out there – even if some of the adventures with scale are good, some don't work, and other scenes are quite impenetrable without research elsewhere. The giant flicking him across the countryside like a Subbuteo footballer is a good touch, but more like that was needed.

I picked this up without realizing that it was Book 2 of the series, so I'm likely missing some context. It's based in Greek mythology, though, so it was easy enough to pick up some of the plot points around his quest - and the art was really unique and interesting. It was a pretty good read, but not really my kind of thing.

This is a continuation of Herakles adventures from the first book. It is filled with action and some comedy, lots of gore and violence. But I also see continual patterns of repeated events, often not explained or put into a proper context. I think slowing down and giving a three-dimensional development would work better for the storyline.

I really liked this story. It keeps getting better. Artstyle was amazing and unique. There was a lot of humor in it. It was perfect for me. I can't wait to read more of this story.

A Stone Cold Hoot

As far as I'm concerned Herakles/Heracles/Hercules is the original superhero. Almost four thousand years ago he was already the tormented, half-human, half-god, hero of dozens of bizarre and exciting stories. Clever, brutish, strong, sweet-tempered, just, unpredictable, frenzied, vengeful, and careless as only a Greek God could be careless, Hercules had everything but the cape and mask.

This Book 2 covers his final four labors. (Retrieve the Belt of Hippolyta, Capture the Cattle of Geryon, Collect the Golden Apples, and Capture Cerberus). Most of them start off with some variation on the line - "Finally! Something interesting to fight!". Most end with lots of wine. I just like a hero who comes across a maiden who's been staked out as a monster sacrifice, and says - "Don't worry, little lady! You won't be dying today! I mean, unless that's what you want, of course."

Is this a little flippant and casual for Greek myths? Sure. But while the Greek gods were taken seriously, they were also, and over time, sources of amusement, entertainment, and illumination. Taking a slightly cavalier approach, and introducing some banter and dry good humor, is a fine way to approach a character like Hercules. (I don't know if the casual colloquialisms are the author's or the translator's, but either way I approve.) And this has all of the angst, drama, and torment you could want. It's just scaled down perfectly to comic book superhero size. That's not an easy task, and I was constantly impressed by Cour's choices and approach. This telling has style and energy and attitude to spare, as well as a very sly and deadpan understanding of the Hercules cycle.

This is all complemented by the artwork. It feels like ancient Greek art, but it has been made edgy and zaggier, with a sort of jazzy angular feel, (and a touch of Jules Feiffer, if you can believe it). That and the muted colors, (lots of different greens and yellows and browns), make much of the art look like it just jumped off some Greek vases. But it can sometimes trend toward the surreal, (as in Hades), though when it does so it does so with a purpose and it works.

Should you be at least passingly familiar with the Hercules story in order to follow everything? Well, it wouldn't hurt; but it seems that if you're willing to miss a throwaway line here or there it isn't essential. (Anyway, ten minutes on Wikipedia will bring you up to speed nicely.) And in any event this is both an amusing and often gripping telling of the tale, and certainly left me with a renewed appreciation of Hercules, and of the fact that every superhero trope I can think of started here.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Unfortunately, not all of the images came through in this download. What did come through was exciting and jarring. This book has a unique artistic style that makes it quite appealing. It has the makings of a fantastic and well done adventure.

The second book of Edouard Cour's Herakles series has everything that made the first so great - a title hero who despite his divinity, is so very, very human with his myriad of flaws, ranging from his being stubbornness incarnate and literal demons from his past that give him no rest. And the story continues to be a great blend of tragedy, dark humor, and harsh adventure, all done in an art style that matches everything perfectly. For those who enjoyed book one, the only thing you'll find disappointing is the fact that book three isn't ready yet.