Hercules: The Thracian Wars #1 is another brand-new comic from publishing newcomer Radical Comics. Thus far their catalogue suggests that they'll be producing genre titles with an emphasis on great artwork and character-driven stories.
The Story
Hercules: The Thracian Wars is, as you'd expect, a story of Hercules set in Ancient Greece. It's by Steve Moore, an old-time British comic writer who used to do work for 2000 AD and the Doctor Who comic.
The Thracian Wars tells the story of Hercules and his motley crew of merceneries when they come to Thrace to serve the King ... but quickly find that things aren't going to go quite as they expect.
Much of this first issue is a setup, with Hercules himself not appearing on screen until page 10, by which time we've already heard a few stories about who (or what) he is. But, this first issue also features quite a bit of epic (and unfettered) violence, offering a look at the balance that The Thracian War promises to show off between characterization and warfare.
The Storytelling
The thing that I enjoy most about Hercules: The Thracian Wars thus far is the ensemble cast. It's a who's who of Grecian myth, including not just Hercules, but also Iolus, Meneus, Meleager, Atalanta, and others. Having these huge groups of heroes--often overlapping from one story to another--is something I've always enjoyed in Greek myths like The Iliad and the stories of The Argonauts. It's great to see Moore take advantage of this; it feels like he's really done his mythological homework. I don't really know the characters that well yet, but I am starting to get a feel for them and am confident that's going to grow in later issues.
I also enjoyed the setup that I mentioned earlier, which gave us a few different views of Hercules. I hope to see more of this style of storytelling as the book continues, since exploring different views of the same events really feels like a crucial element in myth to me.
The conflict in the story was brutal and ugly, as battle actually is. It felt visceral, which is what I'd ask.
Overall, this first issue felt like a strong lead-in to this new series about Hercules, a series that's clearly going to be immersed in character, history, and myth. I feel like I have a strong sense of how the rest of the series will read, and based on what I see here, I like it.
I've given Hercules: The Thracian Wars a "4" out of "5" for Substance.
The Artwork
The artwork of Hercules is by Admira Wijaya. It all looks painted and is generally of good quality. I found it a little murky in some places and a bit cartoony in others, but those are easily offset by the majority of the work which has nice depth and nice historical details.
I've given the artwork of Hercules a "4" out of "5" for Style: it's very nice.
Conclusion
Like Radical's other early releases, Hercules: The Thracian Wars retails for just $1, so there's really no reason not to pick it up. If you're a fan of mythology or if you like some old-style 2000AD violence, Hercules: The Thracian Wars will probably appeal. Though an introductory issue, I feel like issue #1 gives a good glimpse of what the story will be like as it progresses.
