Hera

Gr 7 Up—O'Connor does not give in to the typical representation of Hera as just a nagging wife; instead, he shows how the goddess of marriage struggles with Zeus's infidelity time and again. Through the story of Heracles, readers see not only how the hero made a name for himself, but also how the Greek gods viewed the lives of mortals and heroes, who play out competitions among the gods with their lives. Though some of the dialogue is a bit shallow and does not reflect the well-rounded picture readers have of Hera by the end of the story, the retelling of the myth accurately reflects several of the original source texts and gives Hera a somewhat vindictive sense of humor. While skipping some darker elements, such as the reason for Heracles's 12 labors and Hera's causing him to go mad and kill his wife and children, the stories are fairly represented, and several instances of Hera's wrath against her husband's lovers are depicted in a few short panels. This is an excellent addition to mythology sections, with action sequences that will appeal to readers of superhero comics. The art also leaves out darker elements. While violence is depicted, the action sequences brilliantly capture the quick movements and tense tone of combat without showing a gorier side. A family tree on the front cover and notes at the end make this useful for classrooms as well.—Alana Joli Abbott, formerly at James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT