After Will Eisner's Baseball Comics #1 we travel 18 years into a Silver Age future with what I have been confidently told is a "real sure fire hit".
It is Hercules #1, published by Charlton in the autumn of 1967, https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=61092. We will concentrate on the main feature "Adventures of the Man-God Hercules". But, I guess most of us will devour this cover to cover!
(https://box01.comicbookplus.com/images/readinggroup/Hercules.png)
The cover promises much, I hope the innards deliver! The dialogue is terrible (but funny)
Half-god is not enough my son, this I have told you before!
I thought it was interesting on our page 6 that the panel is basically split in 2. I guess a change of plan.
On a BIG PLUS I have found the perfect line to throw out to confuse the "missus":
"If I do wrong I will apologize later!"
The mash-up of fact and legend is more of a mess up. Alexander (soon to be the Great) in love with a blonde Helen (presumably of Troy) with Hercules thrown in. Of course probably the most unbelievable thing about this is the love triangle. Nowadays, he'd probably have been dubbed Alexander the Queen and found Hercules more to his taste.
To be honest the best bit of the story is the advertisement page half-way through. Which includes this:
"Now you can Be TALLER instantly! By at least two inches with new amazing "Liftee" height increase pads."
(https://box01.comicbookplus.com/images/readinggroup/HerculesAd.jpg)
I read the first page of Meeko the Microbe and rather enjoyed the quirkiness. When I turned the page I realized that was it! It appears to just stop half-way! UPDATE: I have spotted a few more like it!
I started the Thane of Bagarth, but only lasted two pages. I think this is only the second (or third time) I have give up on a reading group story. I REALLY hate this sort of fantasy genre!
Verdict: Just scrapes a pass mark. I was "well disappointed", but did get that line to use with Lisa.