Hercules

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Hercules is the Roman name for the mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. Hercules was married to his first wife, Megara, and his second wife, Deianeira.

Since the Renaissance, Hercules has rarely been distinguished from Heracles, the Roman figure overshadowing the Greek. Later interpretations of Hercules' legend cast him as a wise leader and a good friend (many of the movie and TV adaptations cast him in this light, especially the 1995-1999 syndicated TV series). The legend of Hercules endures, though often co-opted to suit the political fashion of the day. Hercules has also had an undeniable influence on modern pop culture characters such as He-Man. The legend of Hercules has been described in many movie and television adaptations.

Comic books

Hercules has also appeared in several comic books:

• Hercules (a 1958 Dell comic adapting the film)
• Hercules Unchained (a 1959 Dell comic adapting the Steve Reeves film)
• Hercules (Marvel Comics)
• Hercules (DC Comics)

Hercules is one of the mythological figures who grant Captain Marvel his powers when Billy Batson speaks the word of power "Shazam."

Television

• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, a television series and several made-for-television movies starring Kevin Sorbo.
  • Young Hercules, a spin-off of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys which aired on Fox Kids from September 12, 1998 to May 12, 1999, staring Ryan Gosling.
• Hercules: The Animated Series, based upon the 1997 Disney film.
• Hercules, a television mini-series done by Hallmark Entertainment.
• The Mighty Hercules, an animated series produced in 1963 by Adventure Cartoon Productions in connection with Trans-Lux Television.

Films

• A series of nineteen Hercules movies of the "Sword and sandal" film genre were made in Italy during the late 50s and early 60s, starring Steve Reeves, Reg Park, and others. The first and most successful of these was Hercules, starring Reeves. See Sword and sandal#Hercules Series (1957-1965).
• The Three Stooges Meet Hercules, is a 1961 American comedy film.
• Hercules in New York, is a 1970 American film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
• The Adventures of Hercules, is a 1985 sequel to the 1983 film.
• Hercules, is a 1997 animated feature, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.