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Civil War II: Gods of War #1-4
Civil War II: Gods of War
With the World-ending threat of the The Storm hanging over him, Hercules is pushed to the limits. The temptation to give up on his new, reformed way of life is huge. Can the advice and support of an old friend keep him on the level? It depends... when that friend is Amadeus Cho, aka the totally AWESOME Hulk! Beginning Hercules: Gods of War, an all-new epic that takes Hercules right to the front line of Civil War 2!
COLLECTING: Civil War II: Gods of War 1-4, Journey Into Mystery Annual (1965) 1
COLLECTING: Civil War II: Gods of War 1-4, Journey Into Mystery Annual (1965) 1
112 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 23, 2017
Don't be fooled by the title; this really has next to nothing to do with Civil War II. This is just volume two of Dan Abnett's great Hercules series, repackaged to attract more readers.
I really enjoyed this volume; it wraps up all the loose ends from volume one and really finishes things with a bang. I'm not giving it five stars as there were a few little things that irked me but nothing really worth going into. I loved this modern take on Hercules; it was great to see him grow as a character and it was great to see him call on his buddies Gilgamesh, Theseus, Beowulf, Sigurd and co. for help. That's a hero team I'd like to see more of, quite frankly.
The artwork on this was really nice too. Great visual storytelling.
I really enjoyed this volume; it wraps up all the loose ends from volume one and really finishes things with a bang. I'm not giving it five stars as there were a few little things that irked me but nothing really worth going into. I loved this modern take on Hercules; it was great to see him grow as a character and it was great to see him call on his buddies Gilgamesh, Theseus, Beowulf, Sigurd and co. for help. That's a hero team I'd like to see more of, quite frankly.
The artwork on this was really nice too. Great visual storytelling.
September 20, 2016
I wish I had enjoyed this more. It was good, but it just didn't quite make it all the way for me. I've always thought Hercules was getting the raw end when compared to Thor at Marvel, so it was nice to see someone trying to redeem him. And I'll pretty much pick up anything with Gilgamesh in it (except now he's being treated like Hercules used to be treated, like a joke). Oh well.
March 11, 2018
Artist Emilio Laiso and writer Dan Abnett give us an a cross-pollination of heroes from different pantheons overwhelming Hercules, but to good effect. In this collected edition, you also get the Stan Lee & Jack Kirby tale from Journey into Mystery/Thor Annual #1 (1965) introducing their Hercules.
Recommended.
Recommended.
November 5, 2016
[Read as single issues]
Civil War II isn't very good, but that's a whole other discussion to have. Dan Abnett's Hercules title however was great for the six issues it lasted. This four issue mini-series ties up all the loose ends from that series under the Civil War II banner (probably so it sells better).
Civil War II is probably a good thing in this book - it gives a good reason for why Herc can't just call the Avengers for help; they're too busy dealing with the other war going on, so they don't have time to fight against the Oncoming Storm as well.
This has a similar plot to Neil Gaiman's American Gods; the embodiment of the modern world has decided to kill off all the other gods from before. So Herc assembles a team of warriors, including Beowulf, Theseus, Gilgamesh, Ire, Sigurd, and Lorelei to battle against them. It's a bit of a rushed conclusion to the story that Abnett was telling, and it does feel like there was more to what he had in store, but it works for the most part.
The artwork by Emilio Laiso is gorgeous. It's very bright and expressive, and he draws the hell out of the Gods of War and their villains. It's all very detailed without being over the top, and I hope to see him back on another book soon. Jay Ancelato's covers are also beautiful. This is a great looking book.
If you're reading this for Civil War, you'll probably find a decent story but not much to tie it in with the main book. If you're reading it for more Hercules, then you're in the right place.
Civil War II isn't very good, but that's a whole other discussion to have. Dan Abnett's Hercules title however was great for the six issues it lasted. This four issue mini-series ties up all the loose ends from that series under the Civil War II banner (probably so it sells better).
Civil War II is probably a good thing in this book - it gives a good reason for why Herc can't just call the Avengers for help; they're too busy dealing with the other war going on, so they don't have time to fight against the Oncoming Storm as well.
This has a similar plot to Neil Gaiman's American Gods; the embodiment of the modern world has decided to kill off all the other gods from before. So Herc assembles a team of warriors, including Beowulf, Theseus, Gilgamesh, Ire, Sigurd, and Lorelei to battle against them. It's a bit of a rushed conclusion to the story that Abnett was telling, and it does feel like there was more to what he had in store, but it works for the most part.
The artwork by Emilio Laiso is gorgeous. It's very bright and expressive, and he draws the hell out of the Gods of War and their villains. It's all very detailed without being over the top, and I hope to see him back on another book soon. Jay Ancelato's covers are also beautiful. This is a great looking book.
If you're reading this for Civil War, you'll probably find a decent story but not much to tie it in with the main book. If you're reading it for more Hercules, then you're in the right place.
December 19, 2016
Really just a continuation of the Hercules series that has basically nothing to do with Civil War 2. If you've been reading and enjoying the Hercules series, here you go. Otherwise, there's nothing to see here.
December 9, 2017
This ended up being the continuation of the earlier Hercules series I really enjoyed. This picks up right where that left off, with Herc in a bar looking at a whiskey and trying not to drink it. However, because Herc's series was prematurely canceled and this is ostensibly a Civil War II tie-in, it was resolved far too quickly and easily. I liked the inclusion of other mythical heroes, like Beowulf and Theseus, but yeah, American Gods this was not.
September 26, 2018
Yeah...
started out good enough and I have to say, I'm a big fan of Abnett stuff.. I'm a true re-reader of his work.
But then, it got boring, and it's that team of chaos whatever they're called.. they weren't interesting for me. Stupid boring-ass characters that just wasn't what I wanted to read.
So yeah... sorry but not my thing.
started out good enough and I have to say, I'm a big fan of Abnett stuff.. I'm a true re-reader of his work.
But then, it got boring, and it's that team of chaos whatever they're called.. they weren't interesting for me. Stupid boring-ass characters that just wasn't what I wanted to read.
So yeah... sorry but not my thing.
September 13, 2020
1.5 stars.
March 5, 2017
Methinks NOT!
Ughhh not only did this waste my time with it's ... ugh, don't make me say it...
But I actually kinda found this offensive.
No, I don't wanna be one of THOSE people,
it's just that, the depiction of Gilgamesh seemed ludicrous
and (therefore) disrespectful.
Is it too much to ask for some cultural literacy from a major publication
(that I cringe to think how many times this was printed all over the world) ???
Ughhh not only did this waste my time with it's ... ugh, don't make me say it...
But I actually kinda found this offensive.
No, I don't wanna be one of THOSE people,
it's just that, the depiction of Gilgamesh seemed ludicrous
and (therefore) disrespectful.
Is it too much to ask for some cultural literacy from a major publication
(that I cringe to think how many times this was printed all over the world) ???
September 1, 2017
Poor Theseus got a really raw deal in this--especially compared to the treatment of Hercules.
This felt a little bit hurried/rushed and not as well-grounded as the first volume of Hercules. Definitely after reading Hercules my expectations were high, and unfortunately, I was left a little disappointed here with this continuation of his story into Civil War II.
I feel like this is just the inevitable end result of Marvel being an Event-driven hot mess these days. If Abnett had been given the time to tell the story without the pressure of the next event and without the shift to a miniseries instead of an ongoing, I imagine we'd have had a more compelling and fleshed out conclusion.
What a shame.
This felt a little bit hurried/rushed and not as well-grounded as the first volume of Hercules. Definitely after reading Hercules my expectations were high, and unfortunately, I was left a little disappointed here with this continuation of his story into Civil War II.
I feel like this is just the inevitable end result of Marvel being an Event-driven hot mess these days. If Abnett had been given the time to tell the story without the pressure of the next event and without the shift to a miniseries instead of an ongoing, I imagine we'd have had a more compelling and fleshed out conclusion.
What a shame.
November 7, 2016
I hint at spoilers in this review! Please be warned. :) also, I originally rated this 4 stars, but then felt bad because I feel like there's so much potential here. It may not have always been executed fluidly, but I like this story more than I'm enjoying most Marvel-y things about now. I'm gonna miss it. So I guess..... 4.5 stars, or something?
I really enjoyed this, what with the folklore and the occasional witty lines. It was pretty fun to see the various ancient heroes interacting, with hints of their flaws and virtues all filtered through a modern lens~ Makes the past feel so tangible, I think. If you like stories about myths, you may love this! It isn't perfect, but it's playful and friendly for what it is.
Still, while I know it probably couldn't be helped, I think this whole battle/conclusion could have used more development. The Storm gods are interesting - rather like Internet-y versions of Neil Gaiman's modern deities in "American Gods," TBH - but their whole arc would have been more fun if we kinda got to know them as characters more. It'd have been cool to see the roots of their personal nihilism, or even just see them interact poisonously with humanity.... Idk, I just thought it felt kind of rushed, and would have liked more detail and concrete character building. It could've helped contrast this Storm to the modern deities in "American Gods," too, not to mention how it could have interestingly fleshed out Marvel's mythos... I just feel there's a bit of lost potential, here. Not that it's the author's fault, necessarily, but even so.
Despite this series's flaws, please understand I'm sort of biased. I love this kind of story, blending new interpretations of old folklores with the modern world. I'm so glad this arc got to reach a conclusion. I was super sad when I learned the previous Hercules series had been canceled, so while it's disappointing how easily things got wrapped up here I'm still really glad they got wrapped up at all. I guess not much more development could be expected from a four-issue arc.... Mmmm.
I'm not really invested in this Civil War II arc at all, but I like the ideas being thrown around in this modern gods vs. ancient gods war. Some fun stuff, both similar and very different from "American Gods". If you read it knowing it's short and rushed, you still might find something interesting to compare with Neil Gaiman's work, or "The Wicked and the Divine", or the Greek gods in Brian Azzarello's recent Wonder Woman run. I know I've been having fun analyzing how differently mythology and godly symbolism are handled between modern sources........ So I guess I can't speak from the perspective of someone who DOESN'T actively seek stories like this. Hah. If you read it, I hope you like it! It may not be what you expect given the "Civil War II" banner, but for what it is it does some things right.
I really enjoyed this, what with the folklore and the occasional witty lines. It was pretty fun to see the various ancient heroes interacting, with hints of their flaws and virtues all filtered through a modern lens~ Makes the past feel so tangible, I think. If you like stories about myths, you may love this! It isn't perfect, but it's playful and friendly for what it is.
Still, while I know it probably couldn't be helped, I think this whole battle/conclusion could have used more development. The Storm gods are interesting - rather like Internet-y versions of Neil Gaiman's modern deities in "American Gods," TBH - but their whole arc would have been more fun if we kinda got to know them as characters more. It'd have been cool to see the roots of their personal nihilism, or even just see them interact poisonously with humanity.... Idk, I just thought it felt kind of rushed, and would have liked more detail and concrete character building. It could've helped contrast this Storm to the modern deities in "American Gods," too, not to mention how it could have interestingly fleshed out Marvel's mythos... I just feel there's a bit of lost potential, here. Not that it's the author's fault, necessarily, but even so.
Despite this series's flaws, please understand I'm sort of biased. I love this kind of story, blending new interpretations of old folklores with the modern world. I'm so glad this arc got to reach a conclusion. I was super sad when I learned the previous Hercules series had been canceled, so while it's disappointing how easily things got wrapped up here I'm still really glad they got wrapped up at all. I guess not much more development could be expected from a four-issue arc.... Mmmm.
I'm not really invested in this Civil War II arc at all, but I like the ideas being thrown around in this modern gods vs. ancient gods war. Some fun stuff, both similar and very different from "American Gods". If you read it knowing it's short and rushed, you still might find something interesting to compare with Neil Gaiman's work, or "The Wicked and the Divine", or the Greek gods in Brian Azzarello's recent Wonder Woman run. I know I've been having fun analyzing how differently mythology and godly symbolism are handled between modern sources........ So I guess I can't speak from the perspective of someone who DOESN'T actively seek stories like this. Hah. If you read it, I hope you like it! It may not be what you expect given the "Civil War II" banner, but for what it is it does some things right.
December 2, 2020
Hercules is fighting some new gods, and he is destined to become their new god of war. He fights against that destiny and prophecy, only mildly tying into the Civil War II event as that centres around a character who can predict the future and make prophecies. In fact the biggest connection to Civil War II is Hercules' insecurity about not being a part of the event, seeing as pretty much every other Marvel character got roped into the main event in one way or the other.
The actual story of this series itself is something that I have no clue about since I didn't read Hercules' main series. There are some new gods, Hercules gets some other gods to go fight them, they fight while the other superheroes stand around being confused. That's it. I like Hercules' overall arc but the supporting characters are barely fleshed out and the evil gods don't really do anything but laugh menacingly and try to be 'hip' and 'new'. It's kind of boring but at least Hercules does come out of it looking good.
This also includes the first Journey Into Mystery Annual, which is Hercules' first appearance in Marvel continuity (not counting old Golden Age stuff with a Hercules character). It's a fun one-shot story about Thor and Hercules meeting, fighting, and becoming friends, in the most generic way you've seen every superhero do it. But it's got that cool Stan Lee/Jack Kirby charm to it!
The actual story of this series itself is something that I have no clue about since I didn't read Hercules' main series. There are some new gods, Hercules gets some other gods to go fight them, they fight while the other superheroes stand around being confused. That's it. I like Hercules' overall arc but the supporting characters are barely fleshed out and the evil gods don't really do anything but laugh menacingly and try to be 'hip' and 'new'. It's kind of boring but at least Hercules does come out of it looking good.
This also includes the first Journey Into Mystery Annual, which is Hercules' first appearance in Marvel continuity (not counting old Golden Age stuff with a Hercules character). It's a fun one-shot story about Thor and Hercules meeting, fighting, and becoming friends, in the most generic way you've seen every superhero do it. But it's got that cool Stan Lee/Jack Kirby charm to it!
June 1, 2021
New, modern age Gods threaten to replace the Gods of old. Think "American Gods" but with that Marvel flair.
So first off, this has almost nothing to do with Civil War II. In fact, I say almost nothing, but besides mentioning the fact that the other heroes are fighting each other - it has nothing to do with the event at all.
Instead, its a story that goes very much in line with what has been happening in the Hercules books. And the story itself is not bad. If anything, sometimes its a bit too "on the nose" on the whole "old vs new" type of mentality. But luckily Abnett doesn't dwell too much on the more philosophical aspects of how modern life has changed and instead, focuses more on the action. But even then, the story is pretty much a straightforward tale of underestimating the old timers and the good guys winning in the end.
I would say this is enjoyable, but its disingenuous of Marvel to say its in any way a "tie-in". Other than that, I would say this is mostly for Hercules fans. If you're into Civil War II, definitely skip this one.
So first off, this has almost nothing to do with Civil War II. In fact, I say almost nothing, but besides mentioning the fact that the other heroes are fighting each other - it has nothing to do with the event at all.
Instead, its a story that goes very much in line with what has been happening in the Hercules books. And the story itself is not bad. If anything, sometimes its a bit too "on the nose" on the whole "old vs new" type of mentality. But luckily Abnett doesn't dwell too much on the more philosophical aspects of how modern life has changed and instead, focuses more on the action. But even then, the story is pretty much a straightforward tale of underestimating the old timers and the good guys winning in the end.
I would say this is enjoyable, but its disingenuous of Marvel to say its in any way a "tie-in". Other than that, I would say this is mostly for Hercules fans. If you're into Civil War II, definitely skip this one.
May 23, 2017
Gods of War had very little to do with the Civil War II and a whole lot to do with ripped shirtless men yelling at each other.
So not exactly my style.
That said, there were some parts of it I actually enjoyed. Hercules has some actual interesting character motivations - he's the original hero, but has been largely forgotten by pretty much everyone (including modern heroes). He's been a destructive drunk in the past so has a horrible reputation, which he's trying desperately to overcome.
The villains are also more interesting than the usual Marvel baddies. Okay, their motivations are completely lame ("sow chaos", blech), but the costume and power designs are very neat.
So this one was just okay, but much better than I expected!
So not exactly my style.
That said, there were some parts of it I actually enjoyed. Hercules has some actual interesting character motivations - he's the original hero, but has been largely forgotten by pretty much everyone (including modern heroes). He's been a destructive drunk in the past so has a horrible reputation, which he's trying desperately to overcome.
The villains are also more interesting than the usual Marvel baddies. Okay, their motivations are completely lame ("sow chaos", blech), but the costume and power designs are very neat.
So this one was just okay, but much better than I expected!
February 20, 2021
A continuation from the Still Going Strong miniseries, this one picks up right where it last left off. Hercules recruits old allies to handle the villains who are still out to get rid of him and his kind. It is nice to see some other famous figures of mythology show up here, plus a small cameo of the Avengers squad. Gods of War kept the same tone as its predecessor, yet if the former's pacing was slow, this one felt rushed from the beginning to end. Probably being only 4 issues in here, doesn't help with the plot being condensed either. But I enjoyed it nonetheless, as a decent ending to Hercules. Hopefully, the character can still have new series in the future.
January 9, 2017
Bleh, I knew I wouldn't like this but I'm a stupid man who felt he needed to finish this run of Hercules. Don't read this, it's just so boring, how can Hercules be boring? The villain is just forgettable, some piece of crap hack of a villain who embodies modern technology and... old gods are useless... bleh... I want to like this, I do, I WANT a good Hercules story and I don't care if it's a 5 issue mini-series or a one-off. Just... just so disappointed in this book and in myself for reading it.
June 18, 2017
Much better than Dan Abnett's first run at Hercules as Rodney Dangerfield. Still don't care much for Abnett's angle on the character but I sort of did enjoy the book. At least I did last night. Now that I'm thinking about it I'm wondering if I should take more stars off? No where near as good as the Greg Pak Hercules series when he took over the Hulk's book. Now that was all kinds of great fun. This is on the dour side. What's with this weird thing that all the Marvel heroes don't respect/like Herc? Hate that. A lot. It really bothers me.
January 27, 2025
Hercules, the first super hero! Hercules and friends have to adapt to the modern world without giving up the old lessons they learned as mythological heroes. Despite the title it has little to do with Civil War II.
Story is good, layouts and art are excellent and the covers are epic. Fans of urban fantasy should like this series.
Note that this story is the conclusion to Hercules: Still Going Strong.
Story is good, layouts and art are excellent and the covers are epic. Fans of urban fantasy should like this series.
Note that this story is the conclusion to Hercules: Still Going Strong.
July 14, 2017
Not bad. I expected much worse. Actually the God squad kind of worked and were actually somewhat interesting characters. The Avengers themselves were not handled all that well, but they were at least recognizable. And the backup story of the first meeting of Thor and Hercules was completely okay. 3.5 of 5.
October 28, 2017
This was a solid read. Nothing amazing but an enjoyable story. If you like Hercules or Dan Abnetts writing I would recommend it.
If you only want to read it because it ties into Civil War 2 though you'll be disappointed. The only connection is they BRIEFLY show the battle from the beginning of Civil War II #1 and make some brief mentions of heroes beating up other heroes a handful of times.
If you only want to read it because it ties into Civil War 2 though you'll be disappointed. The only connection is they BRIEFLY show the battle from the beginning of Civil War II #1 and make some brief mentions of heroes beating up other heroes a handful of times.
November 9, 2019
A continuation of the last Hercules story that I didn't particularly enjoy gets a Civil War II banner but doesn't really involve it at all. The story is the same (bland) but now Herc reaches out for help from some odd places. The book just isn't enthralling. The plot never seems to matter. The art was nice but couldn't overcome the plot.
November 16, 2021
This is more of a follow-up to the Hercules series by Dan Abnett, with just a bit of a crossover with Civil War II.
Hercules gathers some more ancient heroes to fight the Uprising Storm. A rushed ending for a story which had a lot of potential.
Bonus material includes the first appearance of Hercules in an unnecessary, testosterone-y fight with Thor.
Hercules gathers some more ancient heroes to fight the Uprising Storm. A rushed ending for a story which had a lot of potential.
Bonus material includes the first appearance of Hercules in an unnecessary, testosterone-y fight with Thor.
June 11, 2018
This is basically a continuation to the previous Hercules series, that saw Herc trying to change his ways and modernize just a bit. No more drinking and womanizing, etc. Other than the timely appearance of a few non-Mythical heroes, really not much to do with CW2.
June 26, 2018
Considering how much I don't like Hercules, I actually thought this was a decent comics series. It had a very interesting take on the character and mad me interested in seeing more of him written in this way.
January 12, 2020
Kind of a disappointing end to the Hercules story (and confusing that it's not Hercules volume 2, right?)
Everything just kind of wraps up. It turns out the new gods were vulnerable to old gods' magic, precisely the thing you would think they would be immune to. Oh, well.
Everything just kind of wraps up. It turns out the new gods were vulnerable to old gods' magic, precisely the thing you would think they would be immune to. Oh, well.
June 26, 2017
A feeble attempt at Neil Gaiman's American Gods by Marvel
February 3, 2019
I almost gave this 1 star because of the blatent American Gods rip off, but somehow I still kind of enjoyed it.
May 27, 2021
Not focused on the characters I enjoy. Thinly related to the events of Civil War 2. Art was enjoyable.
January 9, 2025
This was fine.
Nothing special but not a bad or boring story.
Art and colours were also fine.
Nothing special but not a bad or boring story.
Art and colours were also fine.
December 13, 2025
A twin realm battle that deletes rather than integrates ancient vs present in a caper with an o g superhero. Enjoyed the bonus insert of Hercules encounteringThor!
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