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Hercules

Hercules

697 appearances Β· Silver Age Β· 1965–2026 Β· 38 key issues
Who is Hercules?

The immortal son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena, Heracles earned his place among Olympus's greatest heroes by completing his legendary Twelve Labors. Marvel's Prince of Power eventually left Olympus to adventure among Earth's modern heroes, bringing his godlike strength and boisterous spirit to teams like the Avengers.

Few characters in the Marvel cosmos carry the weight of myth quite like Hercules, the Lion of Olympus who crashed into the Silver Age in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 (1965), conjured by the legendary duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Over an extraordinary six-decade span β€” from 1965 all the way to 2026 β€” he has become one of Marvel's most enduring presences, racking up 676 catalog appearances and 38 key issues that collectors prize across generations. His stomping grounds read like a who's-who of Marvel's mightiest: the pages of Thor, The Avengers, and Incredible Hercules have all served as his arena, where he shares adventures with titans like Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man. Boisterous, larger-than-life, and genuinely irreplaceable in the Marvel tapestry, Hercules is the rare character whose appeal has only deepened with time β€” an immortal in every sense of the word.

Identity

Real name. Heracles / Hercules Panhellenios

Powers. Olympian god ("Prince of Power"): vast superhuman strength rivaling Thor/Hulk, stamina, durability, near-invulnerability, immortality, regenerative healing; skilled combatant, often wields a golden mace/adamantine club.

Teams & affiliations
AvengersAsgardian Gods
Journey into Mystery Annual
#1
β˜… First appearance
Journey into Mystery Annual #1
Aug 1965

Trivia

  • Collectors take note: Hercules' Marvel debut is a classic bait-and-switch β€” the so-called Hercules who showed up in Avengers #10 was later exposed as an impostor, meaning the genuine article didn't make his proper entrance until Journey into Mystery Annual #1.marvel.fandom.com
  • Bill Mantlo has written more of Hercules's comics than any other writer in our catalog β€” 33 issues.

Top series

Covers through the years β€” 1966–2024

Thor #129 β˜… 1966
Thor #129
Sub-Mariner #29 1970
Sub-Mariner #29
Thor #225 β˜… 1974
Thor #225
The Avengers #181 β˜… 1979
The Avengers #181
G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #15 β˜… 1983
G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #15
The Avengers #300 β˜… 1989
The Avengers #300
Best of Marvel #1995 β˜… 1995
Best of Marvel #1995
Avengers #1 β˜… 1998
Avengers #1
Avengers Forever #12 2000
Avengers Forever #12
Black Panther: The Bride #[nn] β˜… 2006
Black Panther: The Bride #[nn]
Captain America: Road to Reborn #[nn] β˜… 2009
Captain America: Road to Reborn #[nn]
X-Treme X-Men #8 2013
X-Treme X-Men #8
All-New Wolverine #28 2018
All-New Wolverine #28
Ultimate X-Men #5 β˜… 2024
Ultimate X-Men #5

Appearances (601–697 of 697, oldest first)

Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus (2019)
#2
Maestro (2020)
New Mutants Omnibus (2020)
#2
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (2003)
#10
Avengers Epic Collection (2013)
Women of Marvel (2021)
She-Hulk by Peter David Omnibus (2021)
Captain Britain Omnibus (2021)
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection (2020)
#4
Avengers: The Gathering Omnibus (2021)
Maestro: Symphony in a Gamma Key (2021)
Champions: Worlds Collide (2021)
Marvel Masterworks: Brother Voodoo (2021)
#1
Marvel-Verse: Loki (2021)
X-Force (2020)
#20
Doctor Strange Epic Collection (2016)
#9
Guardians of the Galaxy (2020)
The Death of Captain Marvel Gallery Edition (2021)
The Last Annihilation: Wiccan & Hulkling (2021)
Deadpool Epic Collection (2021)
#1
Marvel Legendary Collection (2022)
#35
Marvel's Voices: Identity (2022)
Incredible Hulk Epic Collection (2015)
#13
Jane Foster: The Saga of the Mighty Thor (2022)
Jane Foster: The Saga of Valkyrie (2022)
Marvel's Voices: Pride (2022)
Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood (2022)
#3
Maestro: World War M (2022)
#5
The Marvels (2021)
#2
The Mighty Thor Omnibus (2010)
#4
Fantastic Four (2023)
Fallen Friend (2023)
#1
Captain Marvel: The Saga of Monica Rambeau (2023)
Amazing Spider-Man by Zeb Wells (2023)
#6
Hulk: Maestro by Peter David Omnibus (2023)
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man (2003)
#25
Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil (2003)
#18
Silver Surfer: Return to the Spaceways Omnibus (2024)
Marvel: The End Omnibus (2024)
Captain America Epic Collection (2014)
#21
Spider-Boy (2024)
#3
X-Men: Forever (2024)
#3
Doctor Strange (2023)
Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers (2003)
Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Thor (2021)
#4
Ultimate X-Men (2024)
Immortal Thor (2023)
Giant-Size Thor (2024)
#1
Captain America Modern Era Epic Collection (2024)
#2
Dazzler Omnibus (2024)
Godzilla: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus (2024)
Avengers by Jed MacKay (2024)
#3
X-Men (2024)
Avengers Assemble (2024)
#3
Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection (2013)
#12
Marvel Origins (2023)
Power Man: Timeless (2025)
#1
Deadpool Team-Up by Rob Liefeld: Blood of the Dragon (2025)
Avengers Assemble: The Serpent Scenario (2025)
Miles Morales: Spider-Man / Deadpool - Pools of Blood (2025)
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Cody Ziglar (2023)
#7
Spider-Man: Holiday Spectacular (2026)
#1
Expatriate X-Men (2025)
#2
Laura Kinney: Sabretooth (2025)
#3
Amazing X-Men (2025)
#3
Spider-Man: Meals to Astonish (2026)
#1
Marvel Superhelden (1981)
#59
Secret Wars II (1986)
#60