Hercules #2

The second chapter of Marvel's Hercules: Prince of Power limited series plants the mythic strongman squarely in a gritty, science-fiction cityscape — the cover, penciled and inked by Bob Layton, shows a fierce Hercules shielding a blonde woman in a white outfit as laser blasts explode all around them, while a green-haired figure wearing goggles looks on from behind a wanted poster offering 100,000 credits for one "Layana Sweetwater." That reward notice tells you everything about the kind of trouble awaiting the Prince of Power in this 1982 adventure, blending Greek myth with a pulpy, star-faring sensibility that feels genuinely inventive. With Bob Layton also handling the writing and inks alongside artist Luke McDonnell and a full creative team including Josef Rubinstein, Christie Scheele, and Rick Parker, this issue carries the confident, fun energy that made this limited series a standout corner of Marvel's early-'80s lineup.