Behold, the Bronze Age!

“War Among the Ruins!”

Cover: José Luis García-López, Editor: Joe Orlando

Writer: Gerry Conway; Penciler: José Luis García-López; Inker: Wally Wood

Despite his ability to disintegrate animate objects, Hunter Blood merely dissolves the ground beneath Hercules’ feet – dropping him into a London Underground tunnel and knocking him out. Kevin shows more mysterious skill – leaping over the Herculean hole to battle Blood only to also be knocked out while Hunter escapes with Jennifer Monroe in tow.

Interlude: David Rigg and Simon St. Charles are tied up in Ares’ ship which is just now entering London via the Thames. Ares admits they are being used as bait for Hercules!

The Man-God, meanwhile, comes to and confronts a group of animal men, led by a gorilla named Durak Malloy. They discover they are allies against Hunter Blood. Surfacing, Hercules meets up with Kevin and Basil.  We learn how the animals in London got their intelligence:

London was blasted to rubble during the initial bombing of World War III. Humans were disintegrated in the blast (leaving their clothing) and a neuro-toxin from a medical lab was released. A gorilla in the lab was exposed and gained human-level intelligence.

Presently, Hunter Blood’s pack of intelligent animals attack Kevin and Basil – Hercules comes to the rescue in some beautiful fight scenes. He is challenged to combat by Hunter Blood!

Blood disintegrates Big Ben. Before it can topple, Hercules flings Blood to the ground.

Some of the rubble of Big Ben fall on Basil, killing him!

Realizing that Blood’s actions would have killed them – that they are merely slaves to Blood and he feels no loyalty to them – Blood’s animal army pummel Blood to death!

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The letters in Myth Mail mostly praise issue #3 – only one writer says the storyline is going in the “wrong direction” and there is one letter directed to Basil. But everyone agrees that the artwork by Lopez and Wood is spectacular. They are right!

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Hercules Unbound was probably not the best-selling comic in DC’s stable. Would it not have benefitted a little by being one of the “DC Salutes the Bicentennial” comics – in which one stripped off the special cigar-band logo to win a precious Superman belt buckle?  Well, it couldn’t have hurt anyway …

“I am an honorable man!” Hercules says. This issue we get a look at the man inside the god. Hercules admires loyalty and honor. He is a hero as well as a god! Although the comic book reader has always been on his side – we are starting to like and enjoy his personality too!

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About the author: Michael Curry is the author of the Brave & Bold: From Silent Knight to Dark Knight, The Day John F Kennedy Met the Beatles and the award-winning Abby’s Road, the Long and Winding Road to Adoption and How Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt Helped.  Check his website for more releases! Thanks for reading!