Infant Hercules is in
his cradle, attacked by two snakes sent by his stepmother Hera. The baby
strangles the snakes and…the director yells, “Cut!” Gordon Allsworth is in
charge of making a Hercules centered reality show and doesn’t like how it’s
going and he fears for his career. The producer, Tiberius Stone, makes a
surprise appearance, terrifying Gordon. Stone tells him the problem with the
show is that it is too respectful of its subject as Hercules is now tabloid
fodder. Stone shows Gordon film of a drunken Herc’s appearance at the Avengers’
funeral, mourning for Thor, assaulting various heroes, and causing a ruckus.
Stone wants a show that exploits Herc’s current pure reputation….
At Avengers Mansion,
Captain America presides over the unveiling of a memorial to their fallen
teammates. At the Extra Points Bar, an inebriated Hercules hurls a chair at the
TV and clobbers the bouncer when he tries to eject the Price of Power. The lady
manager was willing to put up with Herc’s antics because he pays in gold but
she is getting tired. Herc is accompanied by Jimmy, a cameraman recording his
activities for the TV show and uses his connection to the hero to try to pick
up woman. Herc suspects the manager is smitten with him and starts listing his
Twelve Labors of legend. He admits it was done as punishment, levied by King
Eurystheus, and excuses himself to go to the restroom. He is confronted by a
sinister cloaked figure who hurls Herc through the door and reveals himself to
be Hercules’ ancient enemy, Achelous the river god. In the form of a human
bull, Achelous uses his serpentine tail to strangle Herc into submission, then
drags him outside to a waiting limousine. Inside is Eurystheus, happy to see
Hercules after all these years….
Characters: Hercules, Tiberius Stone, Captain America, Eurystheus, Achelous