Atomic Hercules by Tony Esmond and Adam Falp

This book has a slightly silly premise which pokes light fun at millenials and political correctness and all that stuff. Of course we now know that what really causes the apocalypse is not safe spaces but eating bats, underfunding healthcare and thinking that spin doctors and media management could stop a virus. 

The authors were not to know that is how events would play out of course and this is a fun book filled with wholesome ultra-violence and depravity. Atomic Hercules lives in a post-apocalyptic wilderness where mutant rebels do battle with robot invaders. I’m pretty sure he would be quite effective in the two mile queue at Lidl for bog roll.

Although Hercules himself and Tony Esmond’s copyright-baiting dialogue harks back to classic US comics, I can see a lot of Strontium Dog in the mutant populace of Atomic Hercules and a bit of Judge Dredd’s Cursed Earth too. 

Adam Falp’s art stands out – the cover is particulary striking. Drenched with day-glo colours and peppered with Zip-A-Tone goodness it is instantly recognisable. Closer to the underground likes of Gary Panter but channeling Steve Ditko Dr. Strange weirdness and Jack Kirby epic, cosmic excess.

Atomic Hercules is full of warm, nostalgic callbacks to the great Bronze Age era of comics – this is especially seen in the ads, created by the great Nick Prolix, for the likes of Sea Monkeys and Martial Arts. I must insist that we get some Hostess Fruit Pie ads featuring Atomic Hercules himself, or possibly Noodles.

So if you like your dystopian comics with a heavy dose of fun and your heroes to stomp around like a radioactive Conan at a Millwall game then check out Atomic Hercules.

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Atomic Hercules can be purchased here.

Adam Falp is on Twitter and check out more of his work on his website. Tony Esmond can be found at his blog and on Twitter.

Nick Prolix is on Twitter.