The 12 Labors of Hercules: A Graphic Retelling

Gr 3–6—These comic booklike versions depict the old Greek tales of magical creatures and superhuman men interacting with the gods, briefly sketched in small narrative blocks and energetic, dark-toned graphic scenes. A small statement about "Origins of the Myth" appears below the table of contents, and occasional text boxes labeled "Ancient Fact" explain character relationships or the Roman names given to these Greek figures. Dialogue, presented through speech balloons, is often vapid but sometimes adds to the story. The quick-paced tales of retribution, marital infidelity, cursed voyages, and vigorous combat among humans and between men and monstrous animals are greatly abbreviated, with some of the brutality glossed over, yet complex in the number and variety of characters and events. Read as a whole, the books feel repetitive. The final blocks in Hercules' tale are in mistaken order, confusing the conclusion.