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.”

ARTICLE from ALTER EGO # 92

THE 13 issues of HERCULES - I can't really say which influence on my childhood was more influential...it could have been John Buscema....it could have been Sam Glanzman. I was always a big fan of HERCULES from the time I can remember...the Steve Reeves films...the cartoon series...the Charlton comic book series....his appearances in the Avengers comic book or THOR for that matter. I can't really tell. But Sam Glanzman was maybe as influential on me as Big John B. Sam's sure handed and confident linework in his art always amazed me and his attention to detail in just a few strokes of blobby ink made things seem so detailed and intricate. But his powerful layouts and ingenious compositions were more likely what I probably tried to emulate in my early days as a wannabe comic book artist. If you look close...if your eye is keen you'll see hints of Buscema, Kirby and Glanzman in my stuff. While I am no veteran or comic art pro I have been around. I have shopped my work to all the major companies.

Probably the most and best piece of HOPE I came away with was many years ago when Michael Richardson looked at my work and said.

"You are good...very good. But there is a problem. Your style is old fashioned. You're dated.

Why have a guy on your staff who draws somewhat like Kirby or Buscema.....when there are hundreds of guys out there who can do the same."

He then gave me his card and his number and told me to work up some new samples and call him. Many reasons for this never happening came to pass. A story for another time.

I gleaned more from this article about the Charlton series and interview with Sam Glanzman than I have ever before from any other article about HERCULES in the comics from anyplace else. The Alter Ego writers are really very professional and Roy Thomas runs a good firm.

Enjoy the article.

HERCULES - the ladies man.

The first time I was introduced to Herc's lotharioistic ways was from a Graphic novel where he was rolling around in bed with Frankie Raye....who became NOVA a herald of GALACTUS.

Then you know...they don't say it but he was also with the BLACK WIDOW....and quite a few other Marvel HOTTIES who rolled around in the HAY with the HERCSTER. You don't believe me you can go buy The whole HERC series where they all stepped forward and said a word or two regarding their past escapades with big H. ( because he died ) Heck HERCULES is the Ron Jeremy of the Marvel universe. But if he hooked up with any of them now he'd kill'em accidentally. ( Because he's a super god. ) BUT....you know the whole old question " If you could be a Super hero? "....My answer is HERCULES. NOW YOU KNOW WHY...lol

The art of Michael Maikowsky

Today I would like to speak a little about an artist whose inspirations and tastes reflect my own.
While I am not on the skill level this fella is we both share a love for the same HERO...a man who really existed. A man whose face should be on the COMIC BOOK ART Equivalent of MOUNT RUSHMORE. Just exactly who should be on this monument with him would be tough to determine , Other than KIRBY. But JOHN BUSCEMA is in my estimation the GREATEST comic book artist/illustrator who ever lived. While I do love the art of COMICS and many artists are masters...I and Mr. Michael Maikowsky share the same feelings toward Mr. Buscema.
Here in this post you will find some highly skilled and very true renderings of famous illustrations created by John Buscema. Michael Maikowsky's perfect execution of Big John's CONAN , Ka-Zar and THOR kind of inspired me to post this today.
I have seen his work over the last couple of years and not only was I impressed but I was inspired as well. Mike inspired me to pick up the pencil once again and draw. I did not draw for years. Sure I doodled and made little scribble cartoons here and there but...I never really REALLY drew anything. Not for a long time.
After contacting Michael he allowed me to post some of his works here on my COVERS blog.
I would like to share with you...just in a case you may want an expertly crafted recreation OR original in the style of Big John Buscema. You can contact Michael Maikowsky through the info provided. In the copy below...taken from Comic art fans.com you'll find the links to contact Mr. Maikowsky yourself.
See below.....
" Michael is bringing us comic art fans a gift. Everything he does is inspired by John Buscema, a truly loved man and artist. Although Big John can no longer create new images or recreate old ones, through Michael, Mr. Buscema's magic can still grace the page. Please check out his whole gallery here on CAF or go to: http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=7456 If you would like to commission Michael his rates are as follows: 11 by 17 single figure with no background: $150. 11 by 17 recreation or reinterpretation: $300. All prices include shipping. A note from Michael: Fellow CAF member Michel Maillot triggered my interest for those John Buscema recreations. Michel saw my tribute portrait of Big John in issue # 21 of TwoMorrows ´Comic Book Artist Magazine´ and asked me for a copy of my drawing which I sent him along with a cover recreation I had finished just for fun. As a result of that, Michel ordered some more recreations in exchange for photocopies of his huge J.B. original art collection (the ´French Collection´, as I use to call it). Inspired by Michel's compliments, I got hooked and developed the nutty idea to recreate every one of Johnny B.´s penciled and inked covers, which I guess was my desperate expression of how much I miss the Big Man and his exceptional artistry. A big thank you goes out to artist supreme Joe Jusko who encouraged, promoted and honored me by presenting some of my artwork in his breathtaking gallery. As you can see, I definitely enjoy reproducing those magic images of John Buscema. It's something I find very inspirational and a valuable learning experience! It taught me more about anatomy, composition, dynamics, lighting, spotting of blacks, etc. than any how-to art book out there. (Btw, my recreations are 11x17 and done on quality two ply bristol board, solely inked with a brush. The title logos are hand lettered. No stats, no whiteout. To prevent confusion and misunderstandings, the artwork is signed with the usual "...after J. Buscema" remark.) Hope I can share some of the love I feel for Big John. I miss him terribly. Nuff said! Best, Michael "
" And here is the cut and paste of my correspondance with Mike. "
Michael MaikowskyNovember 30, 2010 at 3:42amRe: infoHey Michael, wow, I feel flattered and honored getting featured on your "Favorite Cover Blog", thanks, mate! Basically, some infos about me and my hobby can be found on the Comicartfans Gallery Room of my art rep Kirk Dilbeck: http://www.facebook.com/l/405ccVJOyVTuMXrDrS6H7YMeiQw;www.comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?GSub=76312Also, our mutual friend Joe Jusko was instrumental in getting some attention for me and my stuff. Here´s Joe´s gallery featuring some of my recreations: http://www.facebook.com/l/405ccsWZa98stIBz14-eDEyHfLg;www.comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?Order=Date&Page=1&GSub=54837If you still need additional info, don´t hesitate to ask.Best,Michael

20,000 visitors of HERCULES

The Mighty blog of HERCULES gets a lot of traffic...I was going to delete the blog because I was given the opportunity to do Blog posts on CROM the ultimate CONAN fan blog...and I can only divey my time so much. BUT...because of the traffic and the fun I have while posting on HERC I am going to keep it up and running.

HOWEVER....it's going to be a long time in between postings. So if you are waiting for the next HERC post? My apologies...it's going to be a few weeks or perhaps a month. Maybe in JANUARY sometime. I have something I am working on and want to complete it. ( an E-comic )....but in the meantime. HERCULES' LEGEND will prevail...for he is timeless.