Jim Calafiore


HERCULES written with Darren Sanchez The idea was pitched at a time when Herc was estranged from his father and doomed to a mortal life. He's grown bored and apathetic, making him an easy target for ARES. In true Greek mythological fashion, Ares tricks Hera into tricking (disguised as a beautiful woman) Hercules into releasing the original Titans from their prison in Hades. Hercules believes he's taking a challenge for a beautiful babe and simply retrieving an item; Hera thinks she's just wagering with Ares whether she can get Herc to get that item; only Ares knows his true intentions, to release the Titans and their leader, Cronos, and establish a new Kingdom on Earth. When the Titans are free, Herc realizes his mistake, and reluctantly asks dad, Zues, for help. He is rebuffed. The Titans threaten only Earth, not Mt. Olympus, reasons Zues, who was always more pig-headedly emotional than rational. Herc returns to earth and tries to stop the Titans and Ares from freeing Cronos (who is imprisoned separately from the rest); guest stars galore (Asgard, Thor, Hulk, the Avengers, former Champions, the Defenders; basically whoever we might've been allowed to use), but they're too late and Cronos is released. All hell breaks loose. Ares finds out that he himself has been used, and is brushed aside by Cronos. Our heroes fight valiantly, but are losing. Zues finally enters the fray and takes on his father, Cronos. (Hera, feeling stupid for being deceived in the first place, finally convinces him to intercede.) Zues is downed by Cronos, but before being "out", he returns to Herc not only his immortality, but a full godhood status. So empowered, and with the help of his superhero friends, Herc defeats Cronos and the Titans are re-interred in Hades. In the epilogue, Herc and Zues' relationship is mended, and he is left with a decision to remain a god, or give up his immortality again and become mortal again (something he's grown to cherish through the course of the story). What will Herc do?