The Incredible Hercules: Assault on New Olympus

Many of the series’ long-running plot threads come to a head in this volume as Hercules, Athena, Amadeus Cho and a group of specially-picked Avengers storm the Olympus Group’s headquarters in order to stop Hera and her plans for “Continuum.”  Much fighting ensues, lots of witty words are exchanged, plots are twisted and heroes die valiantly in battle — all in a day’s work for this fine series.  Writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente also deserve special credit for making the gaggle of guest stars (including Wolverine!) actually work for the story as each hero is brought in to face off against their opposite number from the Greek Pantheon. 

The only real issue I have with this volume is in the heroic sacrifice that closes it out.  Despite the writers’ best efforts, it only makes Athena come off as far more ruthless than she needed to be and it ultimately doesn’t matter because the solicitations for the next few months of Marvel comics have revealed that he’s coming right back!  Even so, the fact that it’s happening so soon does make me think that Pak and Van Lente have a trick or two up their sleeve regarding this and based on their work so far, I’m willing to see where they’re going to go with this.