The Hercules Reports #2

I continue today with Hercules #2 from Charlton.

This issue is dated December 1967. The lead story starring Hercules is drawn by Sam Glanzman and written by Sergius O'Shaughnessy (Denny O'Neil) or at least that's what the letters page suggests about the writer. The comic is edited by Dick Giordano. The title of the lead story is "When Man Meets Monster!" and it pits Hercules against the multiple-bodied giant Gerion.

In this issue we see Zeus for the first time and we meet several other gods especially Hera the jealous stepmother of Hercules who begins immediately in this story to make his life and quest to become fully immortal very difficult indeed. Hercules begins the tale by asking Zeus what the second of his twelve labors will be (yes it was nine in the debut issue, a mistake mentioned and corrected again in the letters page) and discovers he must sail to the giant Gerion's palace to confront him. While on the sea Hera raises a strange wave that swamps the ship but Zeus employs Aeolus the wind god to counteract this plot. Hercules ends up swimming 335 miles to his destination. There he confronts Gerion for the first time and defeats the club-wielding giant and defeats him. Then the second Gerion tells his third incarnation to hide and he tries to trick Hercules and drops him into a pit of snakes. Hercules defeats them and uses the snakes as ropes to get out of the pit. All the while Zeus and Hera watch and comment on his efforts. Hercules defeats the second Gerion when the third Gerion arrives on a winged lizard and Hercules and he fight atop the monster. Eventually Hercules defeats this third Gerion, completing his labor and he swims home. There he meets his dad Zeus and the two share a friendly moment as the story closes.

"Letters to the Editor -- Hercules" offers up three letters from fans on the debut issue. Of special note are letters from Klaus Janson and Bill Mantlo. In a response to Janson the editors reveal that Hercules is intended as a sword and sorcery book, but do indicate that Herc will get a beard and begin wearing the Nemean Lion skin as something akin to a costume beginning with the very next issue.

"The Molecules and the Cook Book" is a text story that reveals a scientist who is ingenious enough to develop a recipe that will allow him to travel through solid objects, making him ostensibly the most powerful man in the world. Others seem to take this claim to heart and he is given great authority over world affairs and as master he plans to give his power to all people in the free world.

"Thane of Bagarth" returns with a story entitled "Chapter Two: The Plot". Written by Steve Skeates and drawn by Jim Aparo this installment continues the saga of Hrothelac, the Thane of Bagarth who has gone to his younger brother Eowanda to find affirmative proof that he did not lie to King Beowulf about being a collaborator with the hated Swedes. Eowanda goes to a witch who concocts a potion that puts Hrothelac to sleep, giving the treacherous Eowanda a chance to use Horthelac's signet ring to forge papers. Eowando then goes to Garmscio the Thane of Rothfor who is also enemy of the current Thane of Bagarth and after a swordfight they realize they must work together to bring down Hrothelac. Garmscio agrees to take the forged documents to King Beowulf. The groggy Hrothelac is found by the beautiful Freahulf while at that moment Beowulf gets the forged evidence and calls for a scholar to read them.

The comic book ends with a great Charlton house ad with the funny blurb "Buy Charlton Comics! (We need the money!)".

This issue's Hercules story was reprinted in 1980 in Charlton Classics #2. The Thane of Bagarth story was reprinted in Thane of Bagarth #1 in 1985. More detailed reprint information can be found here.

More next time.

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