Of Frisbees and Gladiators the tale of WHAM-O!

A special thanks goes out to " Diversions of the groovy kind " the blog for posting the interior pages from WHAM-O's giant sized comic book from 1967...contained within it's enormous pages was this fantastic Gladiator tale...Read on and let your mind wander back to ...someplace else in 1967. I am not entirely sure who drew this story,,,it might be Lou Fine of "THE FLAME" fame from WONDER WORLD comics during the Golden age of comics. Enjoy the great story and wonderful art.

IF NOT FOR THIS GUY....

Steve Reeves - A portrait drawn by Legendary comic artist Steve THE DUDE Rude

Mark Singer as DAR the BEASTMASTER...in 3 films that inspired a TV series spin off

Arnold...as CONAN the DESTROYER .... we all know him right?

Kevin Sorbo ( A former HERCULES from the famed tv series ) as KULL the CONQUEROR!

Dwayne THE ROCK Johnson as the SCORPION KING!

Peter and David Paul...the BARBARIAN BROTHERS

Lee Horsely of MATT HOUSTON fame as TALON from the SWORD and the SORCEROR

Ralph Moeller portrayed CONAN in the 1990's TV series....

JASON MOMOA in a still from the set of the upcoming CONAN the BARBARIAN 3D.

...Steve Reeves the legendary Muscle man who portrayed HERCULES and virtually was the FACE who created a GENRE....dozens and dozens of peplums were made ( Sword and Sandal films )

With the likes of Gordon Scott , Reg Park and Mickey Hargitay taking turns playing the Man God HERCULES...but that GENRE never really died....it only evolved. Here are a few films that have come and gone starring Steve Reeves' successors...Arnold Shwarzenegger , Ralph Moeller , Mark Singer and so on as larger than life Heroic warriors who truly deserve the mantle of THE SONS OF HERCULES!!!! ( Even if Lee Horsely is a bit scrawny next to the rest of them )

Jayne and Mickey

I searched high and mighty for an image of Jayne and Mickey doing this pose. Usually they did little photo opps and were wearing their Tarzan and Jane leopard print bathing suits...but this pic is so beautiful...I think I am satisfied. But somewhere out there in WEBLAND or in a photo album some place. The picture I am thinking of rests..in peace.

Everyone knows who ATLAS is right?

I love this damned cover...check out Zeus and an obvious and blatant copycat pseudo Superman in the form of ATLAS...in an attempt to compete with SUPES in the 50's. Lovely Andru and Esposito artwork that totally kicks freaking ass!!

A one issue EPIC by Jack Kirby...would have made a great series in my opinion. Punching out Supes seems like the thing to do.

I love this Alex Ross Homage to the classic KIRBY - THOR -HERC cover....spectacular

Yep...he's the guy who supports the firmament of the earth upon his shoulders. He's got a Famous statue in NY...he also had a few different incarnations as failed attempts to compete with Superman back in the 1950's.

But DC comics came up with their own version back in the 1970's...a new concept by Jack King Kirby brought ATLAS to comic book fans old and new. See here in the copy below.

"Atlas is a mighty warrior and conqueror of magical origins from several centuries into the past. At a young age when his family was slain by Hyssa the Lizard King, a wise mentor raised him and he became a protector of the innocent. After defeating his nemesis though he gave into a darker and more destructive nature, consumed by his desire to become the world's greatest champion. He was brought into the present through time travel by General Sam Lane during Coming of Atlas to work for a branch of the military known as Project 7734, dedicated to fighting against Kryptonians. In this position he is an enforcer whenever Lane needs someone roughed up, although it is common knowledge that his ambition is to succeed his new masters and take the power he deserves. His name is inspired by Atlas of the Greek Titans, a mythological being with unimaginable strength, one of the entities who grants Captain Marvel his powers. Atlas was created by Jack Kirby, first appearing in 1st Issue Special #1. (1975)"

I got my copy....about 12 of them...buy them everytime I see one...lol

the COVER to HERC # 3

HERCULES - the ladies man. pt 2

I touched on it in a post once before...we have Frankie Raye ( Nova ) and the SHE HULK and this group of ladies and then there is NORTHSTAR? The ancient myth's have mentioned that HERKIE is a switch hitter....but you know what?

If you're gay...or you like men etc' etc'....that's your business..I am not going to judge you. SO that does not change my perception of the Legend of HERCULES. But never in a million years did I expect MARVEL comics...to take the Legendary mythical Hero and do that! That's like perpetuating the myth that Bat Man and Robin or The Lone Ranger and Tonto or CAP and Bucky...were gay. Just because there is a myth...there is no need to go spreading rumors.

BUT...I still maintain HERC is my all time favorite HERO of legend!

the COVER to HERC # 1

Earlier I posted some art and a few sneak peaks at the covers to the new series from MARVEL ...HERC! Here is the cover as it will appear in shops...rightly soon!

More HOLY CRAP that's cool HERC art!!!

I got nothing to say...just look at the cool stuff and enjoy!!

I just love original art pages...wish I could get hold of this one. It's fantastic And CAP makes an appearance! Art by John Buscema

The " MIGHTY " JOE JUSKO !

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at this painting about a week before JOE JUSKO decided to let everyone see it. He sent me an attachment that said.. "DO NOT SHARE"

Let me tell ya...when JOE says..."DO NOT SHARE"...you don't even dare try to think twice about it. I was all like...Yessir......

THEN>>>>he sent me an advance scan of his painting from the cover of WOLVERINE and HERCULES # 3....WOW!!!

Now I want to talk about this painting. POWER!!! Every brush stroke and every ripple and hair on HERC and those ZOMBIES!!! Look ...I love my super heroes , I love my HERCULES , I love my CONAN , I LOVE ME SOME SHANNA....every bit as much as I love the genre of ZOMBIES. I see a Zombie that kind of looks like TOR JOHNSON and one that looks a little like BARNABAS COLLINS.

HERC crushing that ones neck awesome. I can't wait for this series to come out. There is a lot going on at MARVEL with HERC these days. I am absolutely ecstatic that he is an important figure in the M/U. They should keep it up and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Thank you very much Mr. Jusko for sharing that with me. I speak for everyone ( I think )

when I say...."JUSKO RULES!!!" We are so lucky that there is a guy like you pumping out the great work at the pace you do with quality and unmatched skill. ( There goes my Fan boy sensibility again ) But really, we appreciate your work. I know I can't wait to see what's next.

HERCULES vs the Bull of Minos

This is panel from the Dell four color movie adaptation of HERCULES drawn by John Buscema.

My friend Michael Maikowsky shared it with me on Facebook and now I'm sharing it with the 20,000 plus fans of HERCULES....there were contemporaries and peers to the Late great Mr. Buscema but he was the best of the best.

The Mighty Hercules: Medusa's Sceptre

5 minutes and 37 seconds of MIGHTY FUN!

The Mighty HERCULES and the Springfield Punx....

I was tooling around looking at some other cool blogs and came across an image of the THING on Ross' BRAVE and the BOLD blog...I asked him where he got that image of the THING and he directed me to this cool blog called..."Springfield Punx" it's run by a fella named DEAN and he does "Simpson's" style renditions of everyone under the sun. Here are just a few...topped off with the 1960's cartoon version of the "MIGHTY HERCULES , Hero of ancient glory"

" the CHAMPIONS "

This is an alternate cover used for one of the Incredible HERCULES issues...I love retro and I love the 70's and I loved the CHAMPIONS what a really cool looking pic. I'll find out who drew it and post that pro's name so he gets the credit he deserves. Unless someone would like to volunteer this onfo? :)

OLD SCHOOL

I found these in my old portfolio from when I was a student at Joe Kuberts school for cartoon graphics and cinemtic animation...it's an old Comic shop news...a little clip featuring the splash page from the back up in THOR 400...great stuff. I love DON HECK...and a little piece of artwork I found. I was teaching myself to use Dr. P.H. Martin's dyes on a little HERCULES photo copy of mine I did for art that had gotten ruined in a flood when I lived in a basement apartment. Lucky for me..I found this little thing..eh?

THE POWER OF HERCULES has been stripped.

I copied this entire article from Marvel.com and don’t have the rights or permission to reproduce it in any form…so I may be asked to remove it and maybe not. Perhaps they might feel I’m too insignificant to worry about. Perhaps not. But before I move on to the article…here is my review. Having read the article and perusing the very neat artwork. I am excited for this new series. After all HERC has been stripped of his powers in the past…long, long ago But at that time he had amnesia as well and roamed the earth helping the needy and so on. But this new series gives us Hercules as a mortal Super hero..ala Cap and Batman. He must use his wits and thousands of years of fighting skills combined with a powered down version of his own mighty body. I am sure physically he’s as powerful as Cap or Batman and with as much skill and ability on the field of battle. I would like to see Herc and Cap in a training session and Herc showing Cap a thing or two about hand to hand. He may have been one of the most powerful beings in creation…but he knew how to fight. So….I’m sure he’s just as formidable as say..CONAN!!! This is a good direction. I am happy to see HERC back in business. Until the day he once again reigns as the Prince of Power…I look forward to this new approach. I am sure I am going to like it.

" WARNING: SPOILERS FOR CHAOS WAR #5 AHEAD " By Ben Morse The Chaos King’s bid to destroy all reality has failed. For the full story, read CHAOS WAR #5—on sale now—but know this: victory did not come without a price. Hercules sacrificed not only his new All-Father abilities, but also his traditional powers, to set the universe right and heal the upheaval. So having saved all existence and ceded his Prince of Power title as well as his fabled mace to protégé Amadeus Cho, will the Olympian Avenger be retiring to a life of even more leisure? If you answer in the affirmative, you obviously don’t know Hercules; but beginning this April, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know HERC, a brand new ongoing series from writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, along with artist Neil Edwards. As one chapter closes, a new epic begins with our hero settling not among the gods on Olympus, but in Brooklyn, where he will continue battling the forces of evil on a whole new level. “The new book is a genuine clean start, a great chance for new readers who like the idea of a seven foot tall god-turned-man raising Hades in Brooklyn to jump right on board without knowing Chaos War from cannoli,” says Pak. “Got friends who haven’t read comics in ages? Start them right here!” For over two years now, beginning with INCREDIBLE HERCULES in 2008, Pak and Van Lente have chronicled the adventures of Herc and Amadeus, with CHAOS WAR representing a major culmination of the journey. HERC sketches by Neil Edwards “I’ve got a novelist’s brain, so I like it when things end,” notes Van Lente. “I want to see big explosions, bodies heaped up on the stage, and the characters moving on with their lives. That’s definitely something that [happened] in CHAOS WAR.” “It’s a near miracle that we were able to run so long and so far with a crazy book like this, so I’m thrilled we were able to finish out the story as we hoped,” reflects Pak. “Many thanks, as always, to the readers and retailers who gave the book so much love.” Herc will make his first post-CHAOS WAR appearances in issues #621 and #622 of INCREDIBLE HULKS before hitting the streets in his own book. “HERC opens with our hero depowered but wielding the most powerful weapons of Olympus and arriving to Brooklyn for a gritty battle with the worshippers of Ares, the Warhawks,” Van Lente says. “I know comics creators say some variation of this six times before breakfast, but, seriously, this is Hercules as you’ve never seen him before.” Ares, the recently-deceased God of War and Hercules’ own half-brother, returned to the land of the dead at the conclusion of CHAOS WAR, but will nonetheless remain a presence in HERC through the Warhawks—and perhaps more directly, if his disciples get their wish. “The last time Ares and Herc had it out, they were hitting each other with exploding missiles atop a burning Helicarrier; it will be interesting to see how the fact that Herc’s gone mortal affects their relationship and the nature of their roughhousing,” Pak teases. HERC sketches by Neil Edwards “The Warhawks are a mysterious band who promotes ‘War of All Versus War,’ a kind of perpetual anarchy that appeals to a surprising number of people across all walks of life during our rather troubled and uncertain current moment,” divulges Van Lente. “Herc is after them because they seem to be fostering a lot of fear in the community that he needs to stop. You know. A lot of fear. Itself.” While the Warhawks will present a persistent threat, they won’t be Herc’s only adversaries, as the new Hobgoblin from the pages of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN makes a trip to Brooklyn, and not as the welcome wagon. “In essence, Herc spends six hours in Brooklyn and manages to piss off The Kingpin, Hobby’s boss,” Van Lente reveals. “[He] will also be facing one of his greatest enemies from his mythological past—and that guy is still godly.” “There’s a tease about just who that enemy might be in a book from Fred or me in the upcoming months,” adds Pak. “We’re not saying which book—guess you just have to buy ‘em all!” Along with fresh enemies, thankfully for Hercules, there will also be friends and allies aiding him in his endeavors. “Let’s just say we’re treating the Olympians much different in this series than in the past,” hints Van Lente. “Herc [also] has new worshippers, and their prayers are what bring him to Brooklyn. He also has a new boss and new love interest—er, interests. He’s the same brash, boozing skirt-chasing warrior we’ve come to know and love, but without the god stuff backing him up. He has to make his own way in the world now. He’s got to rely a lot more on his cunning. He can’t just punch his way through problems—though he still tries.” HERC #2 cover by Carlo Pagulayan But while Herc will greet these new faces, he bids farewell at least temporarily to his best buddy. “Amadeus Cho fans should add INCREDIBLE HULKS to their pull lists starting with issue #626 in April,” says Pak of where the freshly minted Prince of Power will land next. “To me, there’s something unsatisfying and a little dishonest about having a series about a mentor/student where the student never graduates and moves on with his life,” expresses Van Lente. “It’s an amicable parting, but Amadeus is off doing his own thing and we’re concentrating solely on Herc now.” Joining the creative team will be Neil Edwards, no stranger to depicting deities in action with his work on WARRIORS THREE. Van Lente feels the artist brings an important piece of the puzzle to HERC: “He’s a great choice to bring the, for lack of a better word, realistic world of HERC to life. People who dug his [recent work] are gonna see him kicking it up to a whole new level.” For those who have thrilled to Hercules’ journey over the past several years, HERC promises to be a dynamic continuation of the immensely enjoyable ride, while those new to the game will be able to jump in and join the fun you’ve heard so much about. “This is a sequel to INCREDIBLE HERCULES, using many of the same characters and taking them in a whole new direction,” says Van Lente. “We’ll start layering old characters in—including, yes, one Mr. Cho—but we’re going to let this storyline stand on its own two feet first, so new readers can be inoculated with the awesomeness that is HERC.”