who do you think would be Hercules's greatest foe his sept-mother Hera? his Half brother Ares? or the Chaos King himself Mikaboshi? and why do you think that character would be considered his greatest foe?

Mikaboshi's the most powerful enemy in his Rogues Gallery. Hera's been his enemy the longest. Ares is probably his Archenemy though.

@leesensei: but why ares what has he done to Hercules to warrant being his greatest foe?

@rondoudou: Nothing I suppose. It's just that in the Marvel Universe Ares is the villain in Hercules' Rogues Gallery that fights him the most.

Ares caused his banishment in the 60's. Ares (and Hera) played a part in the death of a girl Hercules loved in the 90's. Hercules played a part in the formation of the Champions. Hercules hunted him down during registration. There's more, but I think you get the idea...

Hera's the one that's more 'personal' though.

@leesensei said:

This

I'd have to say Ares is his archenemy, although Ares isn't always a villain. He's been a hero/anti-hero before like when he was on the avengers.

I still think he definitely qualifies as Hercules' arch-rival.

@reefermadness: so would mikaboshi be more like to darksied for superman? the most powerful, but not his most persistant and personal enemy?

Though Hera and Mikaboshi are worthy contenders for the title, Hercules' arch-enemy is either Ares or Typhon.

In myth it would definitely be Hera. Mikaboshi is his most powerful enemy, but is a one-off character so he is not really an arch-nemesis. An arch-nemesis tends to be a major foil for the hero that has some sort of personal connection. Hera has not been major enough in comics. Typhon is the greatest challenge physically, but is more of a general Ollympus villain. Same with Pluto.

That leaves Ares. Both are sons of Zeus who revel in battle and seek the favor of the other gods. Hercules is who Ares would like to be. Ares is who Hercules might become of he ever lets his love of battle go to far. Their reasons for hating each other far surpass anyone else and Ares is Herc's most frequent foe. So I would say Ares is Herc's arch-nemesis.

@seekquaze:

You say Ares is Marvel Hercules arch-enemy, huh? I can see that.

That's hard to argue against.

Ugh... that death was so bad it hurt. Although it was pretty badass when Sentry said, "how many Gods do I have to kill today."

@leesensei: Ares seems to be a very weak god in general, like like most of the asgardians since most of them cant use magic, and i thought people fear gods because of their supernatural powers over their lives and destinies not cause they can lift 70 tons

I wouldn't say that Ares is a very weak God actually. I'd say that most Gods in marvel are weak. IIRC the average God in Marvel Comics is a skilled 25 Ton lifting Brick. That's weaker than Spider-Man.

Ares would be a good villain for him.

@leesensei:

Spider-Man is not stronger than the average Marvel god

The average Olympian and Asgardian God is able to lift 30 tons while the highest Spider-Man has been rated at without armor or some other further enhancement is 20 tons.

I'd like him to have Hera as his arch enemy. It works well with the myths and I enjoyed her role in Incredible Hercules. Typhon and Ares both work as well though.

What I can't believe is how, after nearly forty years of him being a villain, Marvel tried to make Ares into a hero. I think Marvel doing this was an obvious attempt to cash in on the popularity of the "God of War" video game(s) by giving their own God of War much more prominence by first re-casting him as a heroic character and then making him an Avenger. I think Marvel disgraces itself when they pull this kind of stuff.

@leesensei: wait i thought it has been established that spider man lifts about 10 tons or so? @theacidskull: where are some issues that ares has been portrayed as a dangerous villain to Hercules

@theacidskull: You're right. They do seem to have developed that habit.

I've always seen Ares as more of a rival to Hercules for Zeus' attention; and to become Zeus' favourite son. While Typhon on the otherhand fits a better role as Hercules' archenemy. But this is just an opinion..

@alforeigner: ok but i haven seen typhon in many issues though, i thought to count as an arch-nemesis you have to be a frequent and very personal villain

@rondoudou: True. But an arch-nemesis could always be interpreted as a villain who challenges that hero further than any other villain. Maybe

Typhon is Hercules' more powerful and more dangerous villain but Ares is his more frequent foe and they also have the brotherly rival dyanmic going.

Sorry. I remembered seeing it here. I was wrong. But it still puts most Gods below a bunch of Mid-Level superheroes.

http://www.comicvine.com/images/1300-2037328

@leesensei: That's true.

The average Marvel god ranks below a lot of Mid-Level strength super-heroes.

Superman, his modern counterpart XD

@sandman.

Yeah, right: Superman is Hercules' arch-enemy. Lol.

How've you been, Sandman?

Ares, perhaps more than any other Marvel gods has been weakened over time. In his original story he created a continent out of nothing and was too much for Namor to handle under water. It was only with the aid of Venus that he was defeated. He was quickly weakened to being no match for Hercules, but he still from time to time demonstrated other supernatural powers. Now, those are gone to where a basic transmustation spell from Morgan La Fey can turn him to stone. If it were not for his occasional physics defying feats you would not think he was a god.

That might not be true anymore. I know this isn't much to go on, but in one of the SIEGE tie-ins some villains were discussing how they were afraid to go up against the Asgardians thinking most of them were like Thor. Another villain stated Thor was unique and most Asgardians were around Spider-Man level in strength. Given how SIEGE went in many of the tie-ins I would say this is probable correct.

I think you are right and that is one of the reasons they changed him. On the other hand, it is refreshing to see Ares be a bit more three-dimensional that most portrayals. Modern audiences often forget that all of the major Olympians had their more benevolent sides that people often prayed for aid from. Ares is also the guy who is supposed to be the Roman Mars.

He also was portrayed a surprisingly well in Jeff Loeb's run on Hulk by defeating A-Bomb. That can easily be attributed to A-bomb's inexperience and Loeb being...Loeb.

In way Ares does do that. He doesn't on a physical level like Typhon, but through his plots. He forces Hercules to think to some degree and try things besides simply punching.

I think what sets Ares apart from Hera is Ares's grievances against Hercules make sense and are against Hercules. Hera's grievances are against Zeus and she takes it out on Hercules. For other villains like Typhon and Pluto Hercules is an obstacle to their plans instead of a personal foe.

I'm trying to think of all the reasons Ares hates Hercules: The Death of the Stymphilian birds, death of Cycnus, Hercules defeating him in battle, Hercules as the champion of Olympus, Zeus' favoritism, and mortal favoritism. Heck, Herc in general being better liked than Ares. Ares cannot comprehend how someone who causes as much destruction as Hercules and wants only the simply things in life is better loved than the god who represents that which makes men and countries great. Cycnus might also be a major sore point because one of Ares' good qualities in both myth and comics is he is more devoted to his children than other gods.

Hera and Ares!

What issue did Ares make a continent? That's a pretty awesome feat. Are you sure you're not thinking of DC Comics' Ares?

@seekquaze: oh common your kidding me in his original appearance he created a continent outta nothing? and i sometimes wonder does every god have the ability to tear through the fabric of time?

Interesting and nicely put.

but i dont understand why do marvel comics keep calling Hades by his Roman name? i mean i thought they called Hercules by his roman name cause it sounded cool and made up of a reason why it was that,but hades sounds way cooler than pluto which is a cartoon dog

You'd have to ask Stan Lee about that one.:)

Speaking of God Powers, what would this be called. They closed a dimensional portal by punching it? Is that magic? Reality Warping? Strength so strong that it becomes reality warping (like Superboy Prime punching through Time)?

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/10/108927/2247674-ThorStrength20Avengers100_super.jpg

I was mistaken. It was not his original appearance. It was in Sub Mariner #57 from the 1970s. I was able to find the issue mostly scanned online here: http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2009/07/random-reads-sub-mariner-57-by-bill.html

The image about Ares creating a continent is here: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qZK742rc1hc/Sl-FB38XZHI/AAAAAAAAMtA/nxZjPWfQpN4/s1600-h/Sub-Mariner+57-11.jpg

i thought it was earlier because such power feats and Ares's crazy costume are more in line with the Silver Age. Either way, this issue is probable the god's highest showing. Aside from making him too much for Namor on land he can put up a tough fight underwater. It is also one of the few instances where an Olympian demonstrates practical use (or any use) of the shape-shifting abilities all of the major ones are supposed to have. It is also one of the few issues I have come across where anyone sounds truly in awe of the gods.

This is a rare occurrence. More often than not the other powers the gods are supposed to have in myth are forgotten about or ignored for the story. Wolverine would not be very effective in battle if a god could wave their hand and turn them to stone.

No-Prize answer? Because it makes Pluto sound better. Hades is the name of the realm of the dead and has negative connotations to it because of it. Pluto translates into "the rich one" or something like that and emphasizes Pluto's other major aspect. He owns all of the wealth under the ground: gold, diamonds, oil, etc. This makes him a very rich god and sounds better than lord of the dead.

For Hercules, I think its because that is the name he is far better known by. The 1960s sword and sandal flicks revered to him as that. The same with the cartoon "Mighty Hercules." Didn't "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules" come out before Marvel's Herc was created? Everyone in the 60s recognized him by that name.

I would classify it as a form of magical reality warping. Both times Ares did it it was thought impossible at least from a scientific stand point. Ares was warping/bending/breaking the rules of physics by accomplishing it through his innate magical/divine abilities. I think it is a feat any "god" or at least major one should be able to do including Hercules. Gods have a different relationship with time than other beings. Thor one time resisted efforts to rapidly age him. I think one thing that should set gods apart from sorcerers is how instinctual their abilities are. A sorcerer has to study for years to learn and understand how magic works. A god should be able to accomplish certain things by an unconscious knowledge of how to use their powers. Like Forge when he builds machines, to a degree they just "know" things.

DC usually shows more respect to the fact that there Gods are... well... Gods. Then Marvel does. Honestly, Marvel Gods interest me more (DC Gods are usually just a backdrop for Wonder Woman), but the DC Gods get treated like actual Gods up until recently. Zeus is one of the most powerful people in the Universe. Ares is a High Tier reality warper, even Hercules had extra abilities like teleportation and possession. I'm okay with Marvel Gods being bricks, but Low-Mid Tier Bricks... not so much.

@leesensei: what do you mean until very recently DC treats its gods more like ACTUAL gods?

Have you read Wonder Woman's New 52 comic?

@leesensei: sorry i dont read garbage (or at least what i think is garbage)

Wonder Woman's character is pretty good and while I don't like some things in that book... it's far from being garbage.

@leesensei: I just dont like how dc continues to mess around with an already messed up timeline, also so are we all inagreement than ares is hercules arch-nemsis

I've read the first 12 issues in trade form. On one hand I like the redesigns. Some of them make sense and make the gods both alien and tie into their functions/mythology. I am still trying to figure out Hades's design choice though. Candles for a head???

As for power, I think I know what you mean. In the past Hermes could do nearly anything with his cestus. He was truly godly. Now, he remained hurt through several issues and only teleported. I don't know how powerful Artemis was in the past, but now Diana is strong enough to defeat the moon goddess with ease and where Apollo is hesitant to fight her. Is this what you mean?

I think one reason New 52 works is it is a complete break. From what I understand Crisis, Zero Hour, and one or two others massively retconned somethings, but kept others. New 52 is sort of like Marvel's Ultimate Universe. A completely fresh start.

And I think we can all agree Ares is Hercules's arch-enemy. He is the only one with the truly personal reasons and most frequent. Hera would be, but she has surprisingly not been that frequent of an adversary for him. Pluto, Typhon, and others are beings Herc fights, but they lack a specific grudge or foil against him.