SUPERHERCULES

Hercules and Superman represent the same archetype: heroes with extraordinary powers who exist between the worlds of gods and humans, celebrated for their strength and their dedication.

Superman is a character owned by DC Comics.

Hercules is the son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene. A demigod, he is considered the Hero of heroes, the quintessential Hero. Hera, Zeus’s wife, never accepted Hercules because he was the result of her husband’s infidelity. She caused him to be struck by madness, and in his delirium he killed his wife Megara and their children. After his death, having proven his worth through the many trials and adventures he undertook, he was welcomed to Olympus among the gods and married Hebe, the goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Symbols: club, lion skin.

Trivia: To atone for the killing of his family, he was required to complete the so-called “Twelve Labors,” which symbolize humanity’s struggle against nature in its wildest and most terrifying form. Hercules faced challenges and feats throughout the Mediterranean, battling men, animals, and monsters of every kind. He always emerged victorious, demonstrating not only great courage and physical strength, but also cunning and intelligence.

Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 and first appearing in Action Comics #1, is considered the progenitor of all superheroes. Escaping as an infant from the destruction of his home planet Krypton, Kal-El—his true name—is adopted by a pair of American farmers and raised as an ordinary Earthling. From an early age, however, he begins to display extraordinary abilities, such as superhuman strength and the power of flight. As an adult, he chooses to use his incredible gifts to protect humanity, becoming its greatest and most courageous hero.

Symbols: the S emblem on his chest, red cape.

Trivia: The famous red-and-yellow “S” on his costume may appear to us as the initial of Superman, but it actually represents the crest of his Kryptonian family, the House of El, in the alphabet of his lost home planet.