REVIEW: Herc #2

Can a powered down Hercules deal with a powered up Hobgoblin? Also, what is the Kingpin’s goblin doing covering for the Warhawks in Brooklyn? Find out after the jump.

HERC #2
Writer: Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente
Breakdowns: Neil Edwards
Finishes: Scott Hanna
Colorist: Jesus Aburtov
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Cover Artist: Carlo Pagulayan
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99

Previously in Herc: A freshly mortal Hercules has moved to Brooklyn looking for a job. After saving a restaraunteur from some local thugs he’s given a job, a place to stay, and a friendly lady. Unfortunately said lady was a Warhawk who was able to lead him to the Warhawk’s next worship sight, where he was promptly ambushed by the Hobgoblin dropping a stadium on him.

REAL HERO, WANNABE MONSTER

We open with Herc still trapped under the stadium lamenting his mortality. Most of the rest is a fantastic Herc/Hobgoblin fight which actually does go back and forth between the two. As Hobgoblin tries to kill Rhea, Herc’s new lady friend, pulls the nick-of-time hero schtick, but as Herc is ready to kill, Hobgoblin points out his cameras warning Herc about killing someone live. And it continues to do this back and forth until Herc is able to neutralize all of the Hobgoblins advantages, except the sonic laugh which is even addressed at least twice in the issue but never used. Either way the combat quipping is mostly hilarious and once subdued the Goblin still doesn’t stop joking.
Once victory is his, Herc declares to the people of Brooklyn that it is now under his protection, complete with the all of the classic titles like “Son of Zeus” and “Lion of Olympus.” When he confronts Hobgoblin to find out what happened to the Warhawks he gets some bad news, Hobby has no clue about an “Hawkwars” he was sent to deal with Rhea. Even worse, he had been tipped by the bar-owner’s daughter. While confronting her about it at the bar, none other than Wilson Fisk himself shows up offering info on the Warhawks main temple. This little bit is actually my favorite part of the issue as Herc questions the generosity even after Kingpin’s usual line of being a “concerned citizen” which prompts the Kingpin into admitting “You’re smarter than you used to be, aren’t you?”
Well, Herc’s popularity sparks some much needed attention and business to the bar, but the daughter still isn’t happy and does something bad, approaches the Warhawks for help.

CREEPY FREAKING GOBLINS

I do like the artwork here. Herc is suitably buff and Rhea is attractive without being over the top. The background details are great for nighttime construction sight and consistent from panel to panel, which is cool. There was one panel during Herc’s speech that was weird because it was in daylight while the entire scene takes place at night. Also, Hobgoblin’s face really bothers me because it acts exactly as a face instead of being a mask. I realize this is just something that happens with comics, but for whatever reason it stood out more here than in any issue I’ve read previously.

BOTTOM LINE: KEEP IT UP

The writing is still great. I like Herc’s next step as a character both the power down and the extra intelligence from dealing with nothing but geniuses for awhile now. I’m definitely with Herc for the next while and though this issue did have a few things that really bothered me, the issue still earns a solid 3 out of 5 stars.